THETARPON 75 



of say 70 or 80 and then lowers the tip toward the 

 water, quickly reeling in meanwhile. Several feet of line 

 is gained by each operation. This is repeated whenever 

 opportunity offers for it is an axiom among anglers that 

 the fish should be fought without respite till the issue of 

 the battle. But the fish should not be hurried by too 

 heavy pumping. There is no occasion to be alarmed 

 over the temporary loss of a bit of line for the tarpon 

 will not run far under a moderate strain. But be prompt 

 to gain line when opportunity offers, bearing in mind 

 that one should keep a constant but moderate strain on 

 the fish till the end. Always try to face the fish. If the 

 presence of a shark is perceived give your fish all the 

 line it needs and you may save it. The fish is usually 

 lost by hurrying its capture. There is almost an irre- 

 sistible impulse to reduce any fish to possession and in 

 obeying it the angler pumps and pulls till something 

 gives way or the hook pulls out. Many women are 

 successful tarpon-anglers because they handle the fish 

 gently and have quick wit to foresee its actions. I 

 have referred to the record of Mrs. Ashby Jones. Mrs. 

 Keith Spalding, who caught the 1920 record Tuna, 

 on October 13, 1921, at Catalina, Calif., caught the 

 second largest broadbill swordfish ever captured. It 

 weighed 426 pounds. Many fish, when skillfully cap- 

 tured, are found to have the hook insecurely imbedded 

 and clumsiness or haste would surely have lost them. 

 Too heavy pulling tends to make the hook work a large 

 hole where it pierces the fish's jaw and to render it apt 

 to drop out when the fish gets a little slack line. A 

 tarpon rarely temporizes. It is direct and forceful in 



