Tarpon Fishing in Florida 



Tarpon-fishing is, in my opinion, the 

 most magnificent fishing-sport in the 

 world. I understand that veterans at it 

 now refuse to take up the anchor after 

 hooking a fish, preferring to part com- 

 pany rather than not to bring him up to 

 the boat by force of rod and reel only. 

 As compared with salmon-fishing, the vast 

 difference in the size of the two fish is 

 a vital factor on the side of the "Silver 

 King." Anglers with but slight expe- 

 rience have at least an even chance of 

 saving a salmon, but what accomplished 

 fisherman expects to land more than one 

 tarpon in three ? If a salmon were equal 

 to a tarpon in weight, and still retained 

 proportionately its activity, it might be a 

 more formidable antagonist ; but forty- 

 pound salmon are rare, whereas one hun- 

 dred and twenty pounds is not much more 

 than the average weight of a tarpon, 

 which shows the futility of such an argu- 

 ment. The manner of fighting is prac- 

 tically the same as regards running and 

 leaping ; the tarpon does not sulk, as the 

 salmon is so fond of doing, nor, so far as 

 my experience goes, does he double on 

 the angler, which of course is an interest- 

 ing trait in the salmon. Nor, indeed, are 

 the surroundings of a tarpon fisherman to 

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