The Tarpon 261 
from personal experience with all the fishing- 
grounds. A leather rod-rest or socket is a con- 
venience. They come for the boat seat or waist 
and cost from two to three dollars. One for the 
seat is not only a luxury but a necessity. Such 
an equipment, and it may be varied, will be a 
pleasure aside from its actual use, and if the fish- 
ing is in out-of-the-way parts of Florida, it is almost 
essential, though at some points good tackle can 
be purchased. At Aransas Pass the best tarpon 
tackle is for sale, but if the angler is starting from 
New York, he will have better “luck” to equip 
there, thus taking no chances, as small dealers 
are liable to be out of certain rods or reels. 
Arriving at the grounds, the angler selects his 
boatman, a man of experience, in a short time 
learning the peculiarities of the grounds. On the 
morning appointed he finds himself in the Pass. 
The rod-rest is screwed on to the seat between his 
legs. The line which has been stretched, if new, 
the night before, is wet; and the boatman lashes 
the reel to the rod whether it has a patent fastener 
or not, reeves the line, fastens the snell to it, and 
baits the hook, while the angler, seated in a com- 
fortable chair, reels off the line with his left hand 
the number of feet suggested by the well-posted 
