The Tarpon 241 



Texas, landed on July 17, 1901, a tarpon seven 

 feet ten inches in length, with a girth of forty-six 

 inches. This fish, unfortunately, was not weighed. 

 According to the formula given, this would indi- 

 cate a fish weighing two hundred and thirty- 

 three pounds, doubtless the record fish ; but in 

 a question of records weight alone is accepted. 

 A fish taken in Corpus Christi Bay, near Aran- 

 sas (on a hand-line, so I understand), was eight 

 feet three inches in length and weighed two 

 hundred and nine and a half pounds. I have 

 seen a photograph of this remarkable fish, and it 

 was very long and slender. If it had been in the 

 best condition, doubtless it would have exceeded 

 any fish taken with line. 



The question of records is an important one 

 to the angler, who has, it must be confessed, a 

 single weakness manifested in pride in the cap- 

 ture of a large fish ; hence certain safeguards 

 must be thrown about the question. There are 

 records with the harpoon, records with the hand- 

 line, but the true record of the sportsman-angler 

 is the rod record, in a word, the catch made 

 in a sportsmanlike manner, as that of Mr. George 

 or Mr. vom Hofe ; and there is an unwritten 

 rule that the record weight must be that shown 



