Giant Fish of Florida 
herring, with scales four inches in diameter. It may 
weigh over two hundred pounds, and the length of such a 
monster would be about seven feet. The qualities that 
recommend the tarpon to the sportsman are—first, its 
power of leaping clear of the water, which lends excitement to 
its pursuit, since it may, and not infrequently does, land 
in your boat ; and further, its mighty strength, endurance, 
and cunning, which combine to render it a worthy antagonist. 
It will, very often, indeed, completely tire out an angler, 
who then hands the rod to his guide, leaving him to finish 
off the half-exhausted fish, an alliance that, however un- 
sporting it may seem to the hypercritical, may be absolutely 
necessary if the fish, or, indeed, the tackle, is to be saved. 
Not that the fish, except as a trophy, is of much use when 
gaffed. As food it is of little worth, and it is quite a pity 
that the pioneers in tarpon fishing should have thought 
it necessary to gaff through the gills and kill every fish, 
and leave it dead on the foreshore. Nowadays a more 
economic and sporting spirit prevails, and fish are often 
landed without being gaffed at all, and then allowed to go 
free. 
Attempts have from time to time been made to compare 
tarpon and salmon fishing, to the advantage of one or the 
other, but the fact is that no such comparison is possible. As 
well compare shooting trap pigeons and rocketing pheasants. 
The salmon calls for skill, experience, and light tackle; the 
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