YELLOW TAIL FISHING 205 



surface. Look out then for frantic rushes which, 

 though usually short, require careful handling if 

 you would retain your connection with the fish. 

 The yellow tail will not give up until he is absolutely 

 done. Up to the very end he fights, and fights hard, 

 keeping you busy for sometimes as much as half an 

 hour or even longer, if it is a very large fish. It is 

 hard to overestimate the beauty of these yellow 

 tail as they plunge near the surface, displaying their 

 wonderful iridescent colouring. Their sides literally 

 gleam in the sunlight like polished brass as they 

 dart back and forth. Then comes the acknowledge- 

 ment of defeat. The fish turns belly up and the 

 struggle ceases. If you wish to keep the fish the 

 gaff is used. It is quick work, for the men are 

 experts and death is practically instantaneous. If 

 you have no use for it, the boatman simply leans 

 over and gently releases the hook, and immediately 

 the fish seems imbued with new life, and with a 

 quick move of the tail vanishes with wonderful 

 speed into the rich blue depths of its ocean home, 

 and chug, chug, chug, the launch starts up and off 

 again in search of more sport. It is not always that 

 trolling answers in yeUow tail fishing ; why, no man 

 can say, but the fact remains that sometimes you 

 may troll all day long and never have a strike ; then 

 it is necessary either to cast or stillfish. Casting is 

 splendid enough sport, but stillfishing in deep water 

 is rather slow, drowsy work. One of the most 

 interesting sights in connection with yellow tail 

 fishing is to see the schools of fish feeding. The 

 surface of the shimmering water will be oil-like one 

 moment and the next will see a broken surface of 



