BIG FISH IN CALIFORNIA WATERS. 



C. F. HOLDER (KELP). 



Florida must look to her laurels. For 

 ■several years the tarpon has been considered 

 the greatest catch in the world for fisher- 

 men. But in Southern California waters are 

 several fish that afford as much sport and re- 

 quire more skill to capture. One is the 

 tuna, a magnificent fish that runs up to 500 

 and even 800 pounds weight and is the silver 

 king of the Kuroswiro, or Japanese current, 

 which sets in along the California coast. 



The tuna is found most plentifully off the 

 island of Santa Catalina, a headquarters for 

 fishermen in Southern California. The 

 island is a part of Los Angeles county, and 

 is distant about 2> l A hours by rail and 

 steamer from the city of that name. At 

 Avalon, the only port, the sportsman finds 

 good hotels and congenial company. 



The fishing season is from May to Janu- 

 ary, the best time is the summer and early 

 fall. From the middle of April to May and 

 June the sea bass are taken, and a list of 

 some catches made in Avalon bay follows: 

 May 1st, E. Barnett, Colorado Springs, 

 48V2, 50, 33, 40, 35, 40, 38. 43, 42, 34, 65 and 

 54 pounds; May 2d the same fisherman took 

 2 bass, 53 and 55 pounds; J. E. Parker, 55 

 pounds; C. E. Patrick, 55 pounds. May 3d 

 J. R. Adams, Chicago, 36, 38, 23, 23, 43 

 pounds. May 4th Dr. Baily, Chicago, 50 

 pounds. May 10th R. G. Hooper, 3 yellow- 

 tails, 40, 17 and 20 pounds. May 19th C. 

 Ringsen, 90-pound tuna; May 20th 7 yel- 

 lowtails 16 to 36 pounds. May 22 C. C. 

 Carpenter,' 200-pound tuna. 



Black sea bass ranging from 75 to 300 

 pounds are plentiful from April to October; 

 and at all seasons white fish, sheepshead, 

 Tock bass, groupers, blue perch, and others 

 are caught. 



The tuna appears to be here all the year 

 around, but bites best in summer when the 

 flying fish are seen in countless numbers. 

 Some of the stories about the tuna are worth 



telling. Mexican Joe, one of the pioneer 

 guides of Avalon, was sailing a heavy la- 

 teen-rigged boat over to the mainland and 

 trolling for albicore when suddenly a tuna 

 struck, and, although the craft was sailing 

 before a fresh breeze, the fish stopped her. 



The tuna leaps twice as high as the tar- 

 pon, and shoots up into the air like an 

 arrow in its attempts to seize flying fish. 

 I have vainly attempted to take one of these 

 fishes on a rod, but the feat was accom- 

 plished in 1896 by Col. Morehouse, of New- 

 port. R. I. 



When Col. Morehouse hooked the fish, 

 he played it several hours before bringing it 

 to gaff, and was almost exhausted by the ef- 

 forts of the tuna, which towed the boat a 

 long distance. It weighed 187 pounds. 



The outfit used for tuna fishing is similar 

 to that employed for tarpon. The bait is a 

 flying fish, about 12 inches long, or about 

 the size of an adult mullet. The fishing is 

 all in deep water, and the line is trolled 

 without a sinker; or, if the fisherman is for- 

 tunate in striking a school, cast among 

 them. Tarpon hook and piano wire leader 

 are required. Several of these fish were 

 taken on a hand line in the summer of '96 

 ranging from 150 to 250 pounds, and from 

 4 to 7 feet long. 



The season approaching at Santa Catalina 

 is that of yellowtail and sea bass. The yel- 

 lowtail comes very near the salmon in its ac- 

 tion on the rod, and is known in some lo- 

 calities as the white salmon; but it is an- 

 other fish (Seriola dorsalis). A good day's 

 catch is 8 or 10 fish, ranging from 15 to 30 

 pounds; and each fish, if taken on a rod of 

 proper size, will give a tug of war from 15 

 to 25 minutes, never yielding until the gaff 

 lifts it aboard the boat. 



I have seen a novice thrown into a vig- 

 orous " buck fever " by the strike of one of 

 these fish. 



A DREAM OF SPRIXGT1 ME. 



When the johnnie-jump-ups jump up 



And the cowslips slip once more. 

 Then our tires we shall pump up, 



Just as in the days of yore. 

 For when Spring arrives from Springfield 



We shall pedal through the park 

 Where the hobos from Iloboken 



Sweetly rest from dawn till dark. 



— L. A. W. Bulletin. 



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