Big Game at Sea 



towing the boat, the big game is away, and the sport 

 of kings is on. 



These fishes have resorts in deeper water from an 

 eighth to a quarter of a mile offshore, and they invari- 

 ably rush to the groves of deep-lying kelp into which 

 they can dart, soon breaking the line. The oarsman 

 rows against the fish, the angler endeavors to stop the 

 rush by applying the leather brake, and finally a 

 vibrant pumping motion is felt and the bass rises 

 gradually, then comes in, to suddenly turn and break 

 away. The contest may be anywhere from one hour 

 to three ; the fish may tow the boat two or three miles 

 offshore and bring it in again, or it may play within 

 a few yards of where it was hooked. Finally the big 

 multiplier wins and brings the fish to gaff ; and be the 

 angler a novice, there comes to him out of the depths 

 an amazing fish, a gigantic image of the black bass, 

 fin for fin, mahogany tinted, with silvery belly and 

 large eyes. As it feels the gaff its ponderous tail 

 rises, and angler and gaffer are swept with a small 

 tidal wave. It rises, plunges, tips the boat danger- 

 ously, and must be killed before it is brought in, then 

 almost filling the boat. Little wonder that those 

 who fail to see such catches are affected with doubts, 

 as the black sea bass is stupendous, and when hung 

 up at the stand of the gaffer, with the thread-like line 

 dangling from its mouth, and the split bamboo stand- 

 ing against it, it seems incomprehensible that these 

 trifles have killed so powerful, so gigantic a fish. 



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