124 Big Game Fishes 



the yellowtails parting on either side, and presto ! 

 the large bait disappears in the maw of the 

 hungry hogfish. As it turns and attempts to 

 descend the slender copper leader sags into the 

 corner of its mouth, the point of the hook pierces 

 its soft jaw, a streak of red and fading plumes and 

 the fight is on. 



The great height of the hogfish and the power- 

 ful tail enable the fish to make a fight which, 

 when unseen, as is almost invariably the case, 

 impresses the angler with the belief that a much 

 larger fish is hooked. And so with my fish. At long 

 range I estimated it at twenty pounds, as it nearly 

 jerked me from my uncertain foothold, but no 

 forty-pound kingfish or barracuda ever made a 

 braver rush. Out it went, the silver reel singing 

 a merry refrain, the fine threadlike line cutting 

 the water with a hissing sound. The fish headed 

 for the deep azure heart of the channel in some 

 " dark unfathomed cave " to find shelter from this 

 new and unseen enemy. Slowly pressure was placed 

 upon the reel, down went the pliable rod, down to 

 the danger point, the tip fairly at the surface, 

 the reel giving way ze ze ze ! to protect 

 the line, then crying out z-e-e-e-e-e-e ! as the fish 

 made a strenuous rush. It was so far away now, 



