The Leaping Tuna 79 
The largest tuna ever taken with rod and 
reel was landed by Colonel C. P. Morehous of 
Pasadena, California, in four hours; it weighed 
two hundred and fifty-one pounds, and is the 
record to-day. Mr. H. Gray Griswold of New 
York succeeded in taking a number of fishes in 
less time than had been previously accomplished, 
and demonstrated that they could be caught at 
any time during the day. The largest number 
taken in any one season fell to the rod of Mr. 
E. L. Doran of Avalon, who has done much to 
make this sport what it is, having been one of 
the early pioneers in the strenuous pastime. 
Among the exciting personal experiences inci- 
dent to this sport which I recall was being cap- 
sized by a tuna nearly a mile offshore. I was 
trying the experiment of tuna fishing with a 
light jointed rod, seven and two-thirds feet long, 
weighing about fifteen ounces, which I used for 
yellowtail. I hooked my fish, and after a beauti- 
ful surface play of forty minutes brought it to 
gaff. Jim Gardner, the boatman, gaffed it clev- 
erly and landed it, when the fish made a con- 
vulsive leap and fell upon the gunwale, capsizing 
the boat, which sank beneath us, rising bow up, 
covering the water with gaffs, oars, and other 
