Giant Fish of Florida 



first the leads, then the bait, and finally the hook, all in about 

 a second of time. This performance, however disturbing to 

 the novice, barely attracts the notice of the old hand, for he 

 is well accustomed to such treatment, and does not regard his 

 hook as fast until the fish has made its second jump in vain. 

 Still, the sight of the fish acts like a magnet on the other boats, 

 which are now being rowed towards the favoured spot with all 

 the strength of their guides, who well know that, like most of 

 the herring tribe, tarpon feed in shoals. 



And now I see that the lady-angler who yesterday landed 

 four tarpon, is fast into another. Up it comes and dashes 

 straight into old " Orange Blossom's " boat, all but knocking 

 the old man overboard, and wetting him through and leaving 

 abundance of slime and scales on his coat ; then, with a couple 

 of kicks that break an oar and knock a crack in the boat, the 

 tarpon flounders over the side. She must have lost it ! No ; 

 it is still on, and there is no doubt about its being well hooked. 

 The guide is now making frantic efforts to get his boat out of 

 the press and towards the shore. 



Meanwhile there have been two other strikes ; one of the 

 fish got away at the first jump, the other is playing the deuce 

 all round, and now it is steering straight tor " Dibbler's" boat. 

 " Reel up ! " yells the guide, but that is more than " Dibbler " 

 can do, for is he not fast in his customary jewfish ? About three 

 of these great fish " Dibbler " hooks every day, and always in 

 the same spot, losing them all with unfailing regularity through 



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