TARPON FISHING 



One winter I sailed from Key West for 

 Cuban waters and cruised along the northern 

 coast of Cuba, looking for tarpon. I found 

 a lovely river, called the Zaraguanacan, a 

 tiny river for such a long name, but full of 

 tarpon of all sizes. In places it is very nar- 

 row, and its shores are thickly covered with 

 mangroves. The water is deep, and the fish 

 work up and down the river on the tide. 

 While there I jumped fifty-two tarpon, and 

 saved only nine. I was not sorry to lose any 

 of the fish that I had played, for they are so 

 game that it is always painful to gaff them. 

 In this case it was most amusing to lose 

 them, for the third jump would generally 

 land them high up in the overhanging 

 branches of the mangroves, through which 

 they would crash into the deep waters below, 

 leaving my tackle entangled in the bushes. 



The result of river fishing does not mean 



a large bag. It is quick work, for you must 



not give the fish any slack, a difi&cult thing 



to avoid, as you have no tide in your favor, 



[29] 



