346 Life in the Open 



marvellous flocculent mass becomes a pillar or fountain 

 of fire, due to the remarkable phosphorescence of the 

 water, which at times has assumed so fiery a hue that thou- 

 sands were attracted from the interior towns and cities. 



The still angler occasionally varies his sport by 

 going out upon the beach, and with a long rod and 

 heavy sinker casting for surf-fish or other game. You 

 may see the long stretch of sands dotted with these 

 monuments of patience, these advocates of philosophical 

 reflection and the peaceful arts, who face the rich strong 

 wind and salty spume, and are happy if they do not get 

 a gudgeon. 



Along the laguna shores I have found good beach 

 fishing for large rock-bass, standing in the water and 

 with a fairly stiff rod casting fifty or sixty feet from the 

 sands. I have caught sheepshead from the rocks, yel- 

 low-tails from Avalon Beach, in the old days, and have 

 seen the little beach lined with anglers, all of whom ulti- 

 mately became involved in unutterable confusion as the 

 big and gamy fish crossed the lines and amused them- 

 selves at the expense of the anglers. At certain 

 beaches at Santa Catalina there is fair leaping-shark 

 fishing, particularly in July and August, at Catalina 

 Harbour. The heavy bait is carried out by the gaffer, 

 who stands by on the beach and gaffs the game as it is 

 reeled in. This is the luxury of angling. You do not 

 leave the dry sand that is not necessary, your gaffer 

 does that as there is no surf, the harbour being as 

 smooth as a lake. A strike comes, and as you hook 



