400 Big Game Fishes 



peculiarity about the island, it is exposed on almost 

 every side to winds and as a result a heavy surf 

 prevails at localities which under other circum- 

 stances might afford excellent sport. The angler 

 will find numbers of professional fishermen at 

 San Juan, but no good small boats regularly 

 adapted for sport, sail-boats being used. 



Among the fishes the robalo will interest the 

 angler a gamy creature three or four feet in 

 length, very common here and referred to in a 

 previous chapter. A good ground for it is the Rio 

 Plato and the various lagoons, the fish affecting 

 shallow and smooth water wherever it can be 

 found. Near San Cristobal the jurel and cherna 

 fishing is excellent. The former, Caranx, is a 

 gamy fish though of small size, rarely exceeding 

 two feet in length, but very gamy, as I can testify, 

 having often taken it in Florida waters where 

 the conditions are more favorable, so far as wind 

 is concerned. The cherna next to the tarpon is 

 perhaps the largest game fish found here and 

 very common, large individuals weighing fifty or 

 more pounds. Equally as large, if not larger, 

 is the black grouper, common at many points 

 and a fine fish, especially when it can be found 

 in shallow water. Here is the familiar hogfish, 



