48 Tarpon Fishing in Florida. 



particularly lively, as when the fish ignore one's blandishments it 

 resembles too closely punt fishing on the Thames. Secondly, 

 there is the fishing in the Boca Grande Pass, between the flat 

 low-lying islands of Gasparilla on the north and La Costa on the 

 south. It is the largest and deepest pass patronised by the tarpon 

 off this coast, being nearly two miles wide and about one mile 

 long. The methods here employed closely resemble harling, 

 except that one's bait is usually ;^o feet or more below the surface. 

 Thirdly, there is the surface fishing in the shallow passes such as 

 the Captiva, where one fishes, except as regards the tides, in 

 exactly the same way as at Tampico. Fourthly, there is the sport 

 on the mud flats just inside the Boca Grande. This is at its best, 

 according to the native guides, about half tide, but we found it did 

 not pay to start until we had seen or heard the fish there, as if 

 they are patrolling this comparatively shallow water they will 

 show themselves. Then it was by far the best sport we had. 

 Not only did the tarpon strike more freely, but their leaps were 

 more vigorous and more frequent, and they got more excited 

 than they did in the deep water of the pass. There they were 

 continually travelling backwards and forwards about slack water, 

 but we never saw anything of them inside the islands except on 

 these flats, where they found small fish and crabs in plenty. They 

 never stayed long even here, but always seemed to be making 

 slowly towards the pass. They undoubtedly did not spend the 

 whole of their time inside the islands on these feeding grounds, 

 but they were never seen anywhere else. 



One, if not the only ' advantage, possessed by the tarpon 

 fisherman in Florida over [his confrere at Tampico lies in the 



