FISHING AT HOME AND ABROAD 

 more actively than the tarpon, and occasionally varying the proceedings 

 by charging headlong towards the boat and driving its formidable weapon 

 through the planks. A swordfish of 500 lb. will put up a tremendous 

 fight. Several of large size have been taken off Santa Gatalina and the 

 neighbouring island of San Glemente, which has also for some seasons 

 been famous for its large yellowtail. 



The yellowtail and white sea -bass are usually taken in company, though 

 the season for the latter is comparatively short, and it is at all times 

 less plentiful than the yellowtail. After the tuna, they are perhaps, for 

 their size, the hardest fighters in those seas. They are caught by trolling 

 with light tackle and either a " sardine " or spoon bait. The record yellow- 

 tail was caught in 1908 by Mr Simpson, an Englishman, at San Glemente, 

 and it weighed over sixty pounds. The white sea -bass runs even larger, 

 and specimens up to eighty pounds have been caught with rod and line. 

 The method of fishing is the same for both, as they feed on the same 

 grounds. The launch is driven full speed alongshore until it is near a 

 favourite spot for these fish. So clear and calm is the sea that an experi- 

 enced guide can see the fish a hundred yards away, and he slows down 

 the launch and flings a few sardines over the side by way of rousing the 

 attention of the shoal. Then the launch is made to circle round the fish, 

 and line is paid out. If a Wilson spinner is used, no sardines are thrown 

 to the fish. The yellowtail takes the bait with a terrific rush, and fights 

 with might and main to reach the kelp, which grows luxuriantly on the 

 rocks along that coast. Once it gets into the kelp, it is as good as lost, 

 and the angler must use his best efforts to restrain it. The white sea -bass 

 occasionally takes the bait gingerly. It is, in fact, advisable when one of 

 these fish takes the hook to pull a few feet of line off the reel and let the 

 fish get a fijrm hold before striking, else it is apt to throw out the 

 hook at once. After its first rush, the finest effort of the yellowtail is at 

 the finish, when it catches sight of the gaff and makes off again; the 

 suddenness of this last bid for freedom sometimes smashing the rod top 

 across the gunwale. 



The black sea -bass is no more like its white namesake than the grey 

 mullet is like the red. The white sea -bass is, in fact, related to the spotted 

 squeateague, or '* sea trout,'* of Florida, whereas the black sea-bass 

 belongs to the same family as the wreck-fish and other great perch -like 

 fishes that keep on the bottom. This *' logey " habit, as Americans call 

 it, has led to the fish being confused with the jewfish of Florida, whereas 

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