TUNA FISHING 



have had 650 feet of line taken from me 

 before I could stop my fish. He then dwells, 

 perhaps sounds, then runs again, perhaps 

 twice, then sounds as a rule. From that 

 time on it is a question of "pumping" your 

 fish up to the boat, if you wish to kill the 

 fish and not to allow him to commit suicide 

 by towing you about. With proper tackle, 

 either fish should be killed and gaffed within 

 thirty minutes, barring accidents. If you 

 are fortunate enough to hook your tuna in 

 the upper jaw and hold him hard during 

 his first run, he comes to the surface virtually 

 drowned, and if you are quick, it takes only 

 a few minutes to bring him to gaff. 



The method of fishing for tuna is to troll 

 from a power-launch or from a rowboat 

 astern of such a launch, with a flying-fish 

 for bait. The tuna follows the bait, strikes 

 at the head, and turns as he strikes, so that 

 he is generally hooked in the corner of the 

 mouth, and makes his run with his mouth 

 closed. To kill him in such cases you must 



[41] 



