Giant Fish of Florida 



convinced by the evidence of her own eyes, that she had 

 fallen over a log 



There were many other successful lady anglers. One of 

 these caught and landed a jewfish scaling 137 lb., and this 

 must have called for all her strength, for these jewfish have 

 enormous power of resistance so long as they sulk at the 

 bottom, which they do as if they were rocks. I have watched 

 a man fighting with a 35o-lb. jewfish, which he eventually 

 succeeded in killing, though not without a severe tussle, which 

 taxed his patience and his tackle in no small degree. 



For a long time we thought he was playing a rock, after the 

 manner dear to " Dibbler," so little did the object in which the 

 hook was fast seem to yield to his persuasions, and it was only 

 the fact of his being too old a hand to be taken in by any such 

 makebelieve that convinced us that big game was really in 

 question. For a good twenty minutes hard pulling he cannot 

 have moved that jewfish through more than fourteen feet of 

 water, and all his labour would seem to be undone next 

 moment, for the monster simply sinks to the bottom again and 

 is doubtless trying to cut his line against some sharp coral edge. 

 Yet his skill and patience have not in fact been thrown away, 

 for the great fish is tiring. The next steady strain brings it 

 appreciably nearer to the surface, and at last, after a giant's 

 contest lasting fully two hours, the three hundred and odd 

 pounds of fish float blown and helpless on the top of the water, 

 the vanquished monster looking more like a barrel than a fish. 



74 



