Experiments in Sea Angling 169 



cheveaux de frise. The largest fish of this kind 

 was hooked off Avalon by Gilmour Sharp, who 

 was fishing with a typical tuna rod and reel. 

 He hooked the monster at once, and then began 

 a play that has taken its place in the annals of 

 this region as a remarkable display of skill. The 

 shark made a rush down the instant it felt the 

 hook, that took nearly the entire six hundred 

 feet of line; then being stopped, it rolled over 

 and over, as a barrel might be rolled on the floor 

 a peculiar shark trick to break or involve the 

 line ; but the angler kept a taut line, and the fish 

 could not foul it. Then the shark rose rapidly 

 to the surface and began a series of violent 

 rushes from side to side that put both rod and 

 line in jeopardy; only the skill of the angler 

 and his boatman, Jim Gardner, saving the day. 



This shark dashed around the launch, dived 

 beneath it, came in on the line like a shot and 

 whirled about on the surface, displaying savage, 

 impotent rage that was more than impressive; 

 but the angler understood the game he met 

 every play, made no mistake, and at the end of 

 two hours had it at the surface, beaten, sullen, 

 swimming slowly about. Then it was gaffed by 

 Gardner and towed in, doubtless the most vicious 

 specimen of its kind ever taken here. When 

 triced up it was found to measure about twelve 

 feet in length and to weigh three hundred and 

 ten pounds. If this shark had been as bulky as 



