Big Game at Sea 



fish of the first quality. Soon I had it near the 

 boat and called for the net. 



" Why," said " Doc," " he hain't found out he's 

 hooked yet; look out for him ! " 



This was true. The fish came alongside, appar- 

 ently saw me or the boat and made a rush that caused 

 everything to burn and tingle, made a sound of twenty 

 fathoms that was irresistible and began a series of 

 plays, rushes and runs that satisfied me of the splen- 

 did qualities of the salmon while at sea. Such a 

 fish on a rod would have been the perfection of 

 angling. I handled him as daintily as I could, and 

 soon saw the gleam of silver, a flash of light in the 

 rich green water, brought him to the quarter and 

 watched the splendid play of silver, as surely no fish 

 gleams so brightly except the tarpon, and then led 

 the game into the wide open net which " Doc " 

 handled with skill ; there was at least this redeeming 

 clause in the catch. The salmon tossed the water 

 over us bravely, doused us well, and having received a 

 merciful quietus came in as fine a salmon, in the 

 neighborhood of twenty-six pounds, as one would 

 wish to see. 



I was willing to concede that even on the handline 

 it was sport of a certain quality, though not for me, 

 as I confess to a certain unreasonableness regarding 

 light tackle along with other lapses. 



By this time twenty salmon had been taken by the 

 various boats, and a man in a launch, who was fishing 



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