186 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



and this should be regulated to a pull of about eight pounds. 

 The reel should be of high quality. The hooks used should 

 be those made for such fishing. The Van Vleck with forked 

 barb is a favorite, and there are others of the regular pattern 

 that are all right/ A wire leader, attached to the line by a 

 strong barrel swivel is used and the first ten feet of line 

 should be double. It is well to make some provision for the 

 sharks that inhabit the same water with the tarpon, and 

 are likely to get fast. For this purpose a six inch cotton 

 line is inserted between the leader and the hook, or the 

 entire leader may be of cotton wound to within six inches 

 of the hook with copper wire. The tarpon swallows the bait 

 and is hooked deep so that the unprotected cotton is well 

 inside his mouth but where it cannot be cut by his boney 

 jaws. The shark, if he takes the bait, snaps right shut on 

 the leader and will thus sever the cotton line. In case you 

 only expect to fish a few days it is better to rent tackle, as 

 tarpon tackle is very costly. 



The bait is trolled over forty or fifty feet of water. 

 When the bait is taken the angler should set the hook in- 

 stantly. In still fishing he should let the fish run thirty or 

 forty feet before striking. The fish must be played in the 

 same way as a smaller fish and it is usually a desperate 

 struggle before the fish can be brought alongside and gaffed. 

 He makes great leaps, sometimes actually leaping into the 

 boat, and it is not only exciting but even dangerous . some- 

 times. He also sounds deep, and makes long rushes which 

 must be checked by the reel brake, and it will be necessary 

 to "pump" him sometimes. 



The boatman must be an expert in handling a boat and 

 must keep the stern turned towards the fish at all times. 

 He must know all about the habits of the fish, and how to 

 catch them, and when you bring the fish in he must know how 

 to gaff him, and must do the gaffing. 



Tarpon are no good as food and are only caught for 



