The Journal of a Sporting Nomad 



of the large scales to the proprietor, who writes 

 your name on it in ink, and a few particulars, 

 such as the date, weight, and time taken to kill 

 the fish ; these are nailed up on a board and 

 hung up in the hall that " those who run may 

 read." A tarpon caught in the way described 

 does not give such good sport as one that 

 may be hooked whilst trolling. There are two 

 reasons for this, one being that in chunk-fishing 

 the fish is allowed to swallow the bait, and cannot 

 therefore fight so hard with the iron in his 

 stomach as one that is hooked in the mouth. 

 Then it is rare that a fish is lost in the former 

 method, for by no means can a tarpon disgorge 

 the hook when it has been swallowed, and, 

 barring accidents, such as breaking the line, 

 hook or rod, or by getting hung up in some 

 obstacle, it is only a question of patience and 

 strength before the fish be brought to the gaff. 

 This is all altered when trolling, and this manner 

 of fishing is far more sportsmanlike as practised 

 in the openings that occur between the reefs on 

 the sea coast, and are termed " Passes." The 

 two Passes I know best are " Captiva " and 

 " Boca Grande." The water is very deep, the 

 tide running at the rate of seven or eight knots 

 an hour. The boat is moored with a long rope 

 and big stone in a likely place, a buoy being 

 fastened to the rope end that comes inboard. 



When a fish strikes, this buoy is at once thrown 



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