The Rise of Don Antonio 251 



formerly of New York, now of Pasadena, who in 1898 

 startled the angling world by landing in fifty-five min- 

 utes with rod and reel a bass weighing 327 pounds a 

 feat accomplished only by a determined and continuous 

 fight. During this time the fish towed the angler sev- 

 eral miles, making a series of furious rushes before it 

 was brought in, giving its captor the record of the 

 largest fish ever taken with rod and reel. During the 

 Tuna Club tournament every effort was made to break 

 the record. Col. R. A. Eddy, of San Francisco, an en- 

 thusiastic member of the Tuna Club, took five black 

 sea-*bass weighing respectively 240, 246, 322, 227, and 

 196 pounds. Mr. F. V. Rider landed three fish weigh- 

 ing 175, 182, and 151 pounds; Dr. Bently three of 150, 

 184, and 165 pounds, and Mr. George B. Jess one of 

 145 pounds. These catches are quoted here as being 

 very remarkable when it is remembered that each was 

 made with a twenty-one-thread linen line, little larger 

 than many anglers use for a five-pound small-mouth 

 black bass. 1 



During these days Don Antonio was rowing. I 

 frequently saw him in the afternoon, when the purple 

 shadows were creeping out from the lofty cliffs along 

 shore, near the tuna grounds ; or he would be seen 

 riding a heavy swell in the lee of the Sphinx, looking 

 as imperturbable, as he chummed for his patron, as the 

 great face bathed in the spray of the restless sea. On 



1 Since this was written, many much larger bass have been taken, and the record 

 is held by Mr. L. G. Murphy, with a bass weighing 436 Ibs. 



