72 THETARPON 



We will now assume that the boat is drifting with 

 the tide at the fishing grounds. The left hand lightly 

 grasps the rod above the reel and the right hand holds 

 the grip below it with the thumb gently pressing the 

 pad which engages the line on the reel. It is advisable 

 to keep the point of the rod low and at an angle to the 

 rail of the boat. The rod, however, must be so held 

 that a sharp strike will not break it over the rail of the 

 boat or release it from the grasp. A little practice is 

 essential before proper form in this respect is attained. 

 While it is not necessary to hold the rod stiffly, alert- 

 ness must be maintained, for when the strike does 

 come the angler should be in position to make an im- 

 mediate and adequate response. The tarpon is not 

 bound by any fixed habit in taking the bait. It may- 

 strike gently, or it may take the bait with a rush which 

 nearly unseats the angler. What response should the 

 angler make! There is a wide divergence of opinion 

 among anglers of great experience and observation as 

 to whether or not the fish should be struck at the outset. 

 Some favor striking back hard and often; others 

 equally skilled argue that the fish by striking at the 

 bait has hooked itself if it is to be hooked at all and 

 that no amount of exertion on the angler's part will 

 affect the desired result. 



Mr. B. Kemp Littlepage, in a very interesting article 

 in Field and Stream for March, 1920, makes a strong 

 argument in support of the theory that a tarpon hooks 

 itself when it seizes the crab. I submitted the question 

 to Mr. B. W. Crowninshield for his opinion. Mr. 

 Crowninshield has had great experience in sea-fishing 



