ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 



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Illustration. Page. 



177 



409 



Tarpon, or 

 Tarpum ; 

 Silver King ; 

 Grande Ecaille 

 Silver Fish ; 

 Sabalo ; 

 Savanilla ; 

 Savalle. 



19. "TARPON ATLANTICUS." 



" Head, 4 ; depth, 3| ; D. 12 ; A. 20 ; lateral 

 line, 42 ; branchiostegals, 23. Body elongate, 

 compressed, little elevated ; dorsal filament longer 

 than head; mouth large, the maxillary extending 

 beyond eye. Uniform bright silvery, the back 

 darker. Length 6 feet. Noted for the great size 

 of its scales, which are used in ornamental work. 

 It is not much valued for food, although much appreciated by anglers. 

 ' An immense and active fish, preying eagerly on schools of small 

 fry, in pursuit of which it ascends fresh-water rivers quite a long dis- 

 tance.' (Stearns.) It is often dangerous to seine fishermen, leaping 

 over or through the nets with great force." Weight to 213 pounds. 



The first Tarpon caught in Florida with Rod and Reel was taken 

 by Mr. Samuel H. Jones of Philadelphia, at Indian River Inlet, 

 Captain Gardner being his boatman. It was taken on a large Buel 

 Spoon, and weighed 172*4 pounds, and was 7 feet 4 inches long. 

 Very many more were caught there afterwards, by Senator Quay, Mr. 

 George of Danbury, Conn., and other sportsmen, and nearly all 

 were caught with a 600-feet Cod Line, used as a hand line and at night. 

 Afterward Charlotte Harbor on the West Coast became the principal 

 resort for Tarpon sportsmen, and somewhat later Fort Meyers, 

 eighteen miles up the Caloosa River, became the leading resort. Dur- 

 ing the past two or three years Boca Grand and Captiva passes (Char- 

 lotte Harbor) are much frequented. Mr. W. H. Wood of New York 

 was the leading sportsman to introduce the sport on the West Coast. 

 On the West Coast the fish was first caught with Rod and Reel, 

 18 to 21 Hall Line, Tarpon Hook, with curtain cord, hard-twisted 



