The Black Sea-bass 



in 



sources. On the day in question the strike came 

 in half an hour. Some idea of the strength of 

 this fish can be conveyed by giving the details of 

 a catch made by me in 1894. My companion had 

 never seen the fish caught, and insisted upon tak- 

 ing the place of boatman for the exercise. In a 

 weak moment I consented. The skiff, as I ascer- 

 tained later, weighed one hundred and twenty-five 

 pounds, our combined weight was three hundred 

 and fifty pounds. After an hour's fishing we had 

 by great good luck caught enough sheepshead, so 

 we threw over the large hand-line for black sea j 

 bass. The anchor was hauled up and the boat 

 made fast to the kelp ready to cast off at a mo- 

 ment's notice, and within fifty feet of the beach 

 we began to fish. It was not long before the line 

 began to move over the rail, and I took it in hand 

 while my companion cast off the big kelp leaf 

 which held us. Out ran the line, slowly and de- 

 liberately, the " bite " of this colossus being a sur- 

 prise to the novice. I allowed twenty feet to pass 

 over, then assuming that the bait was well in the 

 mouth of the fish, theoretically gave it the butt. 

 The answer came on the instant in so terrific 

 a jerk that I was thrown upon my knees and 

 my arms hauled almost elbow deep in the water 



