148 
[Aug. 24, i^i. 
T Used to figure for ordinary conditions at the rate of 
one ininute for each five pounds of weight; but I have 
been doing better than tliat of late, for I have landed in 
the boat a 6-foot 4-inch tarpon weighing about 120 pounds 
in fifteen minutes, and I once beached a 5J^-fooler weigh- 
ing probaljly So pounds in seven minutes. 
If a fish is not hooked in the mouth, it will take more 
than twice as much time and labor to land it as it would 
if properly attached. A 5-footer hooked in the back just 
behind the long fin once nearly Avore me out completely, 
and a 5^-footer hooked in the eye put up a running fight 
of three-quarters of an hour without making a single leap. 
I finally had to get put on the beach and pull it in by 
brute force. 
On another occasion my wife, who was in the boat with 
me, hooked a 5-footer in the cheek. It took our com- 
bined eft'orts for nearly half an hour to bring the fish to 
gaff. 
In respect to the percentage of tarpon landed in relation 
to the total number of strikes, I would state that this de- 
pends mainly upon the experience, skill and attention of 
the fisherman; but also somewhat upon how hungry the 
fish are, and whether one is fishing from a boat or from 
the shore. 
At Aransas Pass the average for all the sportsmen is 
about one out of ten, but from the start, owing to the 
thorough instructions given me by my friend. Mr. Wm. 
_ Dunhar Jenkins, who was for several years chief engineer 
on the work of improving Aransas Pass, I did much bet- 
ter than that, averaging for the first three outings two 
tarpon from nine strikes. I now can just reach the limit 
of fifty pel" cetit, although I once landed twelve out of 
twenty, losing one to a shark and two more to experi- 
menting bn one of Dr. Howe's reels with his patent 
brake. 
The sectet of my success is the quickness with which I 
strike whenever there is CA^en the least suspicion of a 
bite. Some have told me that by striking so quickly I 
snatch the bait out of the fish's mouth. Perhaps I do 
occasionally, but is it not better to do so once in a while 
than to bo losing fish constantly on the first jump? 
Just here a word as to the difference between a bite and 
a strike. When a fish takes hold of the bait and then lets 
go after showing itself either by leaping or eoming to 
the surface, we call this a "strike" ; but if it does not so 
show itself, we term it a "bite." 
One can generally tell when a tarpon has bitten by ex- 
amining the bait, for the tarpon, having no teeth, crush 
the mullet and leave a little indentation on each side, while 
none of the other large, salt-water fishes that I know of 
arc minus teeth, 
Many sportsmen maintain that a tarpon always tackles 
the bait head first, but I do not believe this, as the mark- 
ings on bait that has been nipped without the hook being 
touched prove, to my mind at least, that an escaping mul- 
let is seized from behind. 
One can nearly always be sure whether it is a tarpon or 
not that has been hung, because 'in nineteen cases out of 
twenty a tarpon will leap immediately after feeling the 
hook in its mouth. The exceptions to the rule are when 
the fish is unusually heavy and when it is hooked foul, 
especially in the eye. Even those hooked foul generally 
jump once or twice, and a tarpon has to approach pretty 
close to 200 pounds in weight before it is too clumsy to 
leap. 
There is a decided difference between the weight and 
the fighting qualities of male and female tarpon of the 
same length. The male is lighter and more slender, and 
may leap higher, but the female is more chunky, and puts 
xip by far the harder fight. The latter can nearly always 
be recognized by the broad back, which, to my eye, ap- 
pears of a somewhat darker green than that of the male. 
Fish are lost in the following ways, and the frequency 
of their occurrence is about as in the order given : 
1. By failure of the hook to penetrate a soft place. 
2. By the cutting of a hole in the mouth, from which 
the hook drops when the line is .slackened. 
3. By breaking or corkscrewing the hook. 
4. B3' lireaking the line owing to — 
a. Its deterioration. 
b. Fouling of line on reel by overrunning of the latter. 
, C. Tangling of something by the reel handle. 
d. Too severe application of the brake or reel handle 
in order to stop the fish. 
5. By breaking of snell. 
_ 6. By breaking of rod, generally in. the tip, but sonle- 
times in the butt. 
7, By carelessness of boatman in gaffing. 
8. By attack of a shark. 
According to this, the fish has many chances for escape^ 
but they can be guarded against by the sportsman more 
or less successfully as follows : 
1. By setting the hook in quickly, as already herein 
explained. 
2. By talcing great care, especially toward the end of 
the fight, to avoid giAn'ng any slack line. 
3. By purchasing onl}^ the best hooks that are obtain- 
able, and by discarding at once any hook that shows the 
least sign of bending. 
4. a. By drying one's line whenever possible; by turn- 
ing it end for end on the reel, and, finally, by discarding 
it before it is entirely worn out. 
b. By using a strong outgoing drag, and by never letting 
go of the rear brake without first either grasping the reel 
handle, or using the forward brake, or pressing against 
the spool Avith the guarded fingertips. 
c. By keeping one's gloves buttoned and leaving no 
loose ends of anything hanging out that could possibly 
reach the reel, such, for instance, as the strings of the 
finger guards. 
d. By using judgment and not being overconfident in 
the strength of one's tackle. 
5. by using extra strong snell wires, of a material that 
is not soon injured by the sea Avater, and that wilL not 
kink easily. 
6. By buying the best of rods, and by never letting the 
rod touch any part of the boat Avhen a fish is hung, also 
by special Avatchfulness Avhen towing a big fish close to 
the boat, so that Avhen it makes a sudden rush for liberty 
the brake pressure shall be relieved instantly. 
7. By instructing the boatman as to how to gaff a fish 
properly, as herein described. 
8. By keeping the_ fish close to the boat when a shark 
is aear, and by making a great noise in order to frighten 
\he brute away. To be candid, though, I must conf^§§ 
that I don't bdieve therie is much chartce of success in 
case^ thiat the shark is hungry and the tarpon a big one, 
for it gets so frightened by seeing its natural enemy near 
at hand that one cannot prevent it from running. 
As to why tarpon will strike at some times and not at 
others, I have for several years been trying unsuccessfully 
to learn. I haA'e seen them in immense nunibers when 
they Avould not look at a bait, but at other times I have 
obtained a strike by circling a school. Possibly other 
fishermen have learned the reason, or reasons, and Avill 
giA^e them in Forest and Stream. 
In respect to what should be considered fair, average 
sport at tarpon fishing, this will depend upon the localitJ^ 
It is said that if a man goes to Florida in the Avinter, stays 
there two weeks and catches one tarpon, he should go 
home satisfied. My average of late j^ears at Aransas Pass 
has been one tarpon per day, and at Tampico over one and 
a half. 'On some days the score runs high, while at other 
A. N. CHENEA^ 
times at Aransas there will not be a tarpon landed by 
any one for several consecutive days. At Aransas I have 
caught as many as five tarpon in a forenoon, and at 
Tampico in the same time six tarpon and ten jackfish. 
My friend, Father O'Dwyer, of Kansas City, has lately 
landed in four days at Aransas tAventy-four tarpon, six 
jackfish and tAvo large jewfish — an enormous score. But 
in tarpon fishing, as in life in general, "all is not beer and 
skittles," so, Avhen the fish fail to strike, the true sports- 
man must console himself Avith the expectation of "better 
luck to-morrow" and bide his time patiently. 
And now for a few words of warning to the novice, that 
may perhaps be the means of saving him some annoyance 
or discomfort. Beware of letting slip the handle of the 
reel, or you may have your knuckles skinned, and don't 
let your thumb get pinched in the reel. AVear a Avhite 
silk handkerchief around j^our neck to prevent chafing and 
sunburn. Keep turned down over your Avrists the long 
sleeves of j^our undershirt, and thus prevent them from 
being burned. 
When any one of a group of tarpon fishermen hooks 
a fish, it is the duty of every one else to keep out of his 
way, even if to do so involves Aveighing anchor and 
taking in line. It is the height of discourtesy to foul 
the line of another fisherman and thus cause him to lose 
his fish. 
When two are fishing from one boat, and one of them 
gets a strike, the other should reel in his line instantly, 
not only for fear of fouling, but also to avoid striking 
another fish. It is hard luck to strike tAVO fish at the 
same time; for the chances are greatly in favor of a 
tangle and the loss of both fish. On three occasions 
have my companion and I struck doubles, and in every 
case both fish escaped. Doubling is very likely to occur 
when two persons fish from the same boat, because tar- 
pon often traA^el in small schools and quite close to each 
other. It is far better that each sportsman haA-e a boat 
to himself. 
Cafe of Tackle. 
Whenever one stops fishing for an hour or more, he 
should dry his line thoroughly. At tarpon resorts there 
are places set aside for this purpose and provided with 
wooden arms from twenty to forty feet apart, around 
which the line is wound, or at least as much of it as has 
gotten Avet. These places are generally under shelter 
from rain. When the driers are not available, one can 
dry his line fairly well by coiling it on the floor in the 
corner of a room, Avhere it will not be disturbed_ 
The patent line drier made of brass and jointed so as 
to pack into a cylindrical space six inches long by one 
inch in diameter, (costing $i.7_S) is an excellent thing to 
have, as it can be used either in a room or out of doors. 
The greatest of care should be taken to prevent one's 
line, when either wet or dry, from touching steel or iron, 
as rust will ruin it in a very short time. A dry line 
§towe4 ITI a p&intefl gah^^niz^d jrori t^ckl? bojy "VYilj t^^e. 
no hurt, however, but it should be placed in a compart- 
ment having nothing else in it but dines. 
To test a line, make a loop at the end, hitch it onto 
the scales, attach the latter to a hook, or have some one 
hold it, take hold of the line Avith the hand properly 
guarded, and pull until either a satisfactory resistance 
is attained or until the line breaks. The cutting off of 
weakened parts and the reversing of ends have been 
mentioned previously. Lines should be examined care- 
luDy every day for frayed spots, and when any are found, 
they should be eithei' cut out or removed to near the 
axle of the reel, or else the use of the line should be 
abandoned. 
Care should be taken not to let the line either untwist 
or kink. The cause of such trouble is either an eccen- 
tric bait or insufficient or ineffective swivels. To take 
the kinks out of a line, remove the. snell and toW the 
twisted part behind the boat for a short time. 
Above all things, don't let any sand get into the 
spooled linfe for, if there be any there when a fish is 
being handled, the pressure On the brake AVill cut the 
line rapidly. 
It is practicable to splice two short lengths of line to 
make one long one; but it is a delicate piece of wotkj 
and should not be undertaken by aiiy One who is hot 
expert therein. Occasionally a boatman is found whtj 
can make a good splice — generally one who has been A 
sailor. 
All steel or iron portions of one's tackle slioUld be 
greased often so as to prevent rusting, including gaff, 
revoh^er, ijiiell-wircs and hooks, and every day or tWO 
the ax|es of the reels should be oiled tliroUgh the little 
covered Cups on the outside, as should also the dick, if 
there be one. 
Hooks should be sharpened the Uioment that they ate 
found to be dull, using' therefor a flat file, a somewhat 
blunt point being better than a very slender one. The" 
gaft' hook also should be kept sharp. 
Never use a crooked snell, but straighten it just as 
soon as it is found to be bent. If a bad kink be discov- 
cred, better abandon the snell than attempt io 
stra gluten it. for the wire would bC Very apt to bi^eak 
at the point of straightening. 
Never let a rod get very mucli bent, if it Catt bc 
avoided. Opinions ate divided as to the best way tO 
straighten a bent rod. Some sportsmen reverse the tip 
in the socket at least OnCe a day; but others never reverse 
it. preferring to spring back the rod by pressing the tip 
against the floor and oscillating it gently. Rods are 
built with double guides for reversal, but some experi- 
enced fishermen claim that a Pod often reversed will wear 
out much more quickly than one which is sprung back 
as just described. From the point of view of an engineer 
this opinion is correct. 
If a rod be sprung' or cracked it can often be repaired 
by Avinding waxed tarpon line very tightly over, above 
and below the cracked portion, and fastening the ends 
thereof so that they cannot slip. 
When a reel gets out of order the best thing to do is 
to send it back to the maker for repairs, unless one has 
considerable mechanical ability, or there is no other reel 
to use. 
In respect to the tackle-box, one should remember the 
old adage, "a place for everything and everything in its 
proper place." When getting it ready for a journey it 
should be so packed that none of the contents will move 
about, all A'aluable portions, such as reels and articles 
easily injured, being Avrapped with cloth. The last re- 
marks apply alsn to the rod trunk. 
In conclusion I desire to remind my readers that for 
tarpon fishing the best tackle is necessary, and that, un- 
less it be kept in first-class condition, it is pretty sure to 
give trouble and dissatisfaction. 
J. A. L. Waudell. 
Edwin R. Wallace. 
Edwin R. Wallace, avcU known as the author of a 
Avork on the Adirondacks, died at his home in Syracuse, 
N. Y., last Aveek. Of the man and the book, Mr. Stanley 
G. Smith Avrites in the Syracuse P-ost-Standard : 
In the departure this week from this life of Edwin R.. 
Wallacf, Syracuse and Onondaga county have not only 
lost one of their oldest residents, but one of their most 
interesting characters and gentlest of men. He was al- 
ways a modest and unobtrusive citizen, or else his suc- 
cess as author and merchant would have made him more 
conspicuous in this community. He was foremost in 
establishing a public library before our Central Library 
Avas estabhshed. His chief literary Avork, and one which 
will outliA^e him many years, Avas his "Adirondacks." 
■'"Wallace's "Adirondacks" is Avithout doubt the best 
book of reference and history of any similar work of 
traA-el and descriptive scenery eA^er published in this coun- 
try. It Avas first issued about thirty years ago in com- 
paratively a humble Avay, but was gradually expanded and 
embellished in its A^arious editions to a handsome A'olume 
Avith hundreds of half-tone and other illustrations, and was 
Avonder fully complete in its details and statistics. It has 
been said that the work was mostly to be found in col- 
leges and public libraries. This is not so, as many of the 
loA^ers of and visitors to our State's great natural sani- 
tarium, the North Woods and Adirondack Mountains, 
have copies of the Avork, and Mr. Wallace was known 
throughout the beautiful Avilderness better than any other 
man. Had he cared to prosecute its publication and sale 
with the same zeal he expended in his business, he could 
have made a competency from this source alone, and 
obtained for himself a greater reputation. It Avas simply 
a labor of love with him. The strange feature of this 
authorship Avas the fact that Mr. W. was not a sports- 
man, being neither a hunter nor an angler. He simply 
delighted to Adsit this AVonderfuUy invigorating region 
of woods and mountains and to tramp and rest therein. 
Such true dcA^otees of the Avoods as our Avell-knoAvn 
citizen, former Judge A. J. Northrup, himself an author 
of books of wood life, and Ernst Held, the grand old 
follower of Walton, can well certify to the ability and 
dear friendship of our lamented one. The Avriter had the 
great pleasure for the past few seasons to have enjoyed 
trips to the Adirondacks with this most genial of com- 
panions and encyclopedia of information. His work 
has. done more to attract interest to the Adirondack^ 
