18 WHERE, WHEN, AXD HOW TO CATCH FISH 



fish. All of the Sharks are exceedingly troublesome from Mayport 

 to Key West, as they will not only take your bait, but will frequently 

 take the fish you have hooked while you are reeling him in or playing 

 him. They are simply an unmitigated nuisance to any angler after 

 he has caught the first one or two in his angling experience. Get rid 

 of the Sharks as soon as possible by getting them as near as you can 

 to the boat, or shore, and cutting the line, losing as little as you can. 

 They are especially troublesome while fishing outside on the 

 "patches," or trolling, as they very frequently cut off your fish, 

 wholly, or in part. The Shark has fine game qualities, and affords 

 sport to those who desire to fish for them, but usually sportsmen are 

 satisfied with a few. Non-edible. 



I have often heard it said in Florida that "a cat has nine lives, 

 and that a shark and an alligator has each ten," and it almost seems 

 true in some cases. 



There are many stories told of Sharks coming to life or reviving, 

 after apparently being killed, some of which are true, and many 

 slightly exaggerated. 



One of the best of the latter kind was told by Mr. Saury of Nash- 

 ville. A lot of us anglers were at the Detroit Hotel, St. Petersburgh, 

 seven or eight years ago, and several big fish stories were told, some 

 of them about Sharks. Finally, Saury's turn came. 



He said he was out on the main shore off Clear Water Harbor 

 with some other gentlemen, sharking. Finally, they hauled in a very 

 large one, nine or ten feet long. Some one suggested that they 

 experiment with him and see if the huge stories told about their com- 

 ing to life were true. So they opened up the Shark and scattered his 

 '.' innards " around on the beach within a space of ten feet or so, and 

 then went off some distance to eat their lunch. In a short time 

 they heard a commotion on the beach, and all stepped down to see 

 what was going on. The Shark had revived and was in the act of 

 swallowing some of his "innards," and they stayed there until he 

 had swallowed all there was of them and swam off all O. K. 



As the reader probably knows, some four or five years ago there 

 was quite a controversy in the press, and among anglers, as to whether 

 or not a Shark would attack a live man in the water. A New York 

 gentleman, according to my recollection, offered a reward of a thou- 

 sand dollars for a well authenticated instance of a Shark attacking a 



