FISH AND FISHING. 



SALT WATER TIGERS. 



Avalon (Catalina Island), Cal., despatch 

 to the Los Angeles Times. 



Not since the capture of the gigantic 

 tuna in June has Avalon witnessed an ex- 

 citement equal to that of last night. At least 

 2,000 people surged into the drive in front 

 of the Metropole to watch the landing of 

 another record-breaker, this time in angling 

 for black sea bass. Yesterday morning 

 Frank V. Rider and Dr. H. K. Macomber, 

 of Pasadena, started out to try conclusions 

 with the big fish. They came to anchor 

 about 5 miles from Avalon, and the fishing 

 began with 3 rods — the same as used for 

 the tuna, and the light 21 cuttyhunk lines. 



It was nearly 11 o'clock before the party 

 had a strike. Then Mr. Rider hooked a 

 fish that made a rush and whirled the boat 

 around, almost taking the rod from the 

 hands of the angler. The fish took at least 

 400 feet of line at the first run, towing the 

 boat so rapidly, stern first, that for a mo- 

 ment the fishermen thought they would be 

 swamped. The foam came pouring over 

 the stern board, almost filling the stern 

 sheets. Mr. Rider gave the fish the butt 

 and turned it, when it rose to the surface, 

 dashed around the boat, and by skilful 

 management was prevented from reaching 

 the kelp beds. Mr. Rider by a great effort 

 turned the bass out. With bursts of speed 

 it tore 500 feet more of line from the reel. 

 Then the fish sulked, rose again, came in 

 like a thunderbolt, stopped the rush, and 

 again ate up the line, gaining what was lost, 

 only to lose it again. The fish in all, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Rider, took over 1,500 yards 

 of line. 



For 24 °f an hour this battle was kept 

 up, covering a mile of water, which was 

 churned into foam by boat and fish. But a 

 skilled hand was at the reel, and 55 minutes 

 from the strike Mr. Rider brought the fish 

 to the surface. It was an enormous creat- 

 ure, rich in gray and walnut tints, and was 

 finally gaffed by the boatman. Returning, 

 the fishermen anchored in the same place, 

 and in a few minutes Dr. Macomber had a 

 strike, when the same scene was enacted, 

 but on a smaller scale, the angler, who is a 

 famous tuna-taker, bringing his fish to gaff 

 in a manner that elicited applause from his 

 companions. Mr. Rider hooked another 

 fish, followed by still another for Dr. Ma- 

 comber, all fighting like the tigers they are. 



As the party entered the harbor, Mr. 

 Rider gave the signal of the Tuna Club, and 

 tents, hotels and cottages were emptied, as 

 the crowds rushed down, while the Her- 

 mosa, with a large crowd, added to the 

 throng. Amid much excitement the big 



fish were hung up, photographed and 

 weighed by the official weigher of Avalon. 

 Mr. Rider's fish weighed 324 pounds; 

 length 6 feet 2 inches; girth, 4 feet 9 inches; 

 time of catch, 55 minutes. Second fish, 170 

 pounds; time, 29 minutes. Dr. Macom- 

 ber's fishes — 140 pounds, time, 19 minutes; 

 150 pounds, 30 minutes. All were taken on 

 light rods with 21-strand lines. 



Mr. Rider has taken tarpon and an 18- 

 foot Bahaman barracuda, and almost every 

 fish that swims, but he considers this was 

 the fight of his life. Dozens of anglers left 

 this morning for the banks to fish for black 

 sea bass, while dozens more, who could not 

 secure boatmen, are engaging the men in 

 advance. Black sea bass fishing with rod 

 and reel was first introduced here by Major 

 Charles Viele, U. S. A., and Professor C. F. 

 Holder, in 1894, when the former took a 

 148 pound fish in 2^4 hours. The next was 

 taken by Stewart Beard in 1895, weighing 

 200 pounds. The catch yesterday is the 

 third attempt, and opens up a wonderful 

 and exciting sport. The black sea bass is 

 the giant of the bass family and has been 

 taken here weighing 800 pounds, on the 

 hand line. 



OUANANICHE AND TROUT. 



Seeing so much written about the game 

 qualities of the ouananiche, I would like to 

 give my opinion. I fish for them only with 

 a fly. Last summer I hooked 31 and saved 

 but 9. They keep you guessing until you 

 have them in the boat, and then unless you 

 hit them with a club they are liable to go 

 back where you took them from. They 

 fight differently from brook trout; some 

 are wicked fighters and some are quakers. 



I caught one on a large Jock Scott fly in 

 '96. He weighed y]/% pounds and gave me 

 all the fight I wanted. I never struck a 

 brook trout that could equal him. He 

 came out of water once and made the 

 longest jump I ever saw a fish make. 



Hook an ouananiche of over 2 pounds 

 weight; if he is a fighter he will jump be- 

 fore you fully realize you have hooked him. 

 Then he will run in a straight line, break 

 water, make a short half circle and break 

 again, jumping your leader and line against 

 the current. If you can carry him past that 

 point by careful handling, you are pretty 

 sure of landing him. 



A large brook trout goes to the bottom 

 as soon as struck and seldom jumps from 

 the water after being hooked. I have 

 known them to jump on one or 2 occasions, 

 but that is all. I have seen it stated that 

 large brook trout never rise to the fly, but 

 take it under the water. I have caught 



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