Giant Fish of Florida 



far more certainty than by day, particularly when the moon is 

 shining. There is an element of danger about this night- 

 fishing, and more than one nervous system has been shattered 

 by a porpoise jumping into a boat ; indeed, Mr. Otis Mygatt, 

 one of the most celebrated of tarpon-fishermen, suffered 

 severely from this startling intrusion. 



It is impossible to know how far one is drifting towards 

 the open sea, and on all sides are heard the plunges of 

 mighty fish, which are far more likely to land in the boat 

 than during the day. A great tarpon may seize the bait and 

 get round behind the angler, to his utter confusion. Even 

 if the shore is reached in time, there is considerable difficulty 

 and excitement in landing a tarpon on a dark night. Towards 

 the end of May those who are not strong enough to land 

 their tarpon without delay lose them to the sharks. As many 

 as five of these monsters will attack a hooked tarpon at 

 once, and on one occasion I remember four of them 

 while thus engaged attacking a fifth, and in a few moments 

 not a shred of that fifth shark remained. The angler recovered 

 only the head of the tarpon. It is remarkable, seeing the 

 position of the shark's mouth, what rapid bites he can take at a 

 struggling tarpon, just as we should take the first bite of a sand- 

 wich. It is no bad plan to carry a rifle in the boat so late in 

 the season. It will often keep off sharks and save a good fish. 



A few words must now be said as to the means of 

 reaching Boca Grand Pass, the most fashionable tarpon 



26 



