366 Big Game Fishes 



hook being in the most impossible and out-of-the- 

 way position. 



If the capture of the great halibut is strenuous, 

 there is one of the group which has afforded me 

 all the gratification of a thoroughly game fish, 

 for which reason is the flatfish, with "eyes dis- 

 torted," admitted to this honorable company of 

 game fishes. The islands of Southern California 

 lie, as a rule, parallel to the mainland coast, long 

 mountain ranges, recumbent sea-monsters from 

 seven to twenty-five miles in length, lying at the 

 surface twenty miles offshore ; and as the prevail- 

 ing wind is from the west, they have a perfect lee 

 on the eastern shore, a region of calms, while on 

 the west other conditions hold. At Santa Cata- 

 lina, on the south and west coast, the sea often 

 beats wildly against abrupt cliffs, which in 

 storms hurl it back with loud discordant sounds. 

 Coming down this coast one day from the 

 black sea-bass fishing-grounds, we sighted, well 

 in the surf, a school of fishes of large size, toss- 

 ing the water in air, striking heavy blows, and 

 evidently playing havoc with the small fry which, 

 in rows of gleaming silver, shot from the water. 

 I was trolling with a fifteen-ounce greenheart 

 rod seven and a half feet long, hoping to pick 



