216 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
IMakch xC X905. 
unfortunately for him, the frog fell on the edge of the 
tank, it being impossible to see clearly to cast so light 
a weight. , ,1 ^ 
Dr. C. M. Lucky is entitled to the plaudits of all casters 
for his wonderful skill in Event 17, which he won easily. 
His casts for accuracy were within 3, S, 2, i and i feet 
of the center of the 60-foot target; within 4, 2, 4, S and i 
feet of the 70- foot buoy, and he followed this up with 
casts of 94, 100, no, 108 and no feet i inch respectively, 
his average for accuracy being 97.1 per cent., and his 
average distance 104 feet 5 inches. _ _ 
L S Darling also made a fine showing m his average 
casting, and in the dry fly-casting for accuracy J. H. 
Cruickshank in five casts made one perfect score, two 
casts within a foot of the center, two within 2 feet and 
one of 6 feet. G. M. L. LaBranche, who followed him, 
scored I, I, I, 4 and 4, but just at this time,_when he was 
in fine form to cast at the furthest target, his fly came otf, 
and in his next attempt the best he could do was n feet. 
The exhibition was thoroughly enjoyed by all, however. 
The events cast off since our last issue went to press 
follow in proper order : 
Event 22, Monday Night, March 6. 
This event was not filled until long past the hour set, 
and then only three contestants entered, Mr. Darling win- 
ning the gold medal. It was for five-ounce trout fly-rods, 
distance alone to count, with the usual allowances for 
solid reel seats. Harold DeRaasloff and J D Smith were 
the judges; referee, H. G. Henderson. Robert B. Law- 
rence tried for the first time to cast a fly without a reel, 
but while he has often made long casts m practice and m 
these tournaments, said he could not get accustomed to 
the change. A great many of the fly-casters use a arge 
wood salt-water reel for their lines, the reel being placed 
near the platform and 100 feet or more of line unconed 
from it before they begin to cast. From the reel the Ime 
runs through the first guide, as usual, and is more easily 
controlled after one becomes accustomed to the change in 
. the balance of the rod. The heavy enameled lines used in 
tournament fly-casting do not become set in small spirals 
if kept on the big wood reels, and run more freely 
through the guides in consequence. The score : 
Ft In 
I>. S. Darling 89 07* Robert B. Lawrence 65 06 
d'. T. Abercrombie 69 00 
Event 23, Tuesday Afternoon, March 7. 
While similar to Event 17, the distances in this one 
were 60 and 80 feet instead of 60 and 70 feet, but m other 
respects the conditions were alike. It was open to all, 
casting from the reel with quarter-ounce rubber frogs. 
Each contestant made one trial cast and five record casts 
at the 60-foot buoy, then a trial cast and five record casts 
at 80 feet, followed by two preliminary and five record 
casts for distance. The conditions were much more diffi- 
cult than in the 60 and 70-foot accuracy casting, as more 
line was in the water between casts, and numerous back- 
lashes resulted in consequence, the lines becoming soaked 
after the preliminary practice and the twenty casts at the 
buovs Mr. Lucky, whose casting on Friday afternoon 
was much discussed by the old-timers, who repeatedly 
congratulated him on his phenomenal performance and 
splendid average, spoiled his second distance cast by the 
line sticking and overrunning, while the next attempt 
netted him only 56 feet, and the same thing caused him to 
Icse several points on his second cast at the 80-foot buoy. 
Mr Darling again had trouble with his reel, ^yhlch would 
overrun at times despite his skill in manipulating it, while 
Mr Frazer, a novice on the tournament platform, had 
entirely too much line on his reel, and could not control 
it after it had become soaked. There were comparatively 
few persons in the Garden during the afternoon, and only 
a handful on the casting platform, evidently as a result ot 
the difficulty of getting about town because of the strike 
on Eleveated and Subway trains. F. L. Metcalf and G. 
M. L. LaBranche were the judges; referee, Chancellor U 
Levison. The score, per cent. : 
Distance Accuracy Total 
Average. Average. Average. 
^ T 1 54 6 50 160.60 
C. M. Lucky an 
¥Jy g"'Sfa;;;;;;:;::::::::::::::i:! ^ 
Event 24, Tuesday Night, March 7. 
Only those who had records of 90 feet or more in 
similar events were barred from this one, which was_ tor 
trout fly-rods, distance alone to count, and no restrictions 
on weight of rod or length of leader. The conditions 
referred to above were responsible for a very small at- 
tendance of visitors to the Garden during the evening, 
and those who were present evidently remained down 
town and went to the Garden in preference to trying to 
get home on the Elevated and Subway trains, which were 
almost out of commission after the rush hours. The 
judges were J. D. Smith and R. G. Thomas; referee, 
Milton H. Smith. The score : 
Ft. In. Ft- 
R F. Cruickshank 85 00 W. F. Cruickshank 75 00 
D. T. Abercrombie 78 06 
Event 25, "Wednesday Afternoon, March 8. 
Single-hand bait-casting from free running reels, with 
quarter-ounce rubber frog, distance alone to count, and 
open to all. Any rod could be used. Each contestant was 
allowed three trial casts, after which he was required to 
make five record casts, the longest one to count as his 
score. He must lose the count for every time the frog 
went outside of the tank, and every man lost one or more 
casts in this event by the frog going outside, because of 
the lack of light necessary in judging direction. The 
event was started about 4 o'clock. The sky was heavily 
overcast and rain was falling lightly. In the Garden the 
light was so faint that it was absolutely impossible to 
see the frog until it reached a point on a level with the 
caster's eyes, when it was too far away and too low down 
for him to control it, and this was the cause of missing 
the tank or casting short Mr. Leonard, who was last to 
cast, had more light than the others, for when he was 
midway of his score some of the overhead lights were 
turned on, making conditions slightly better than they 
were at first; but this was after he had scored 115 feet 7 
inches and made a new Garden record for this style of 
bait-casting. His other cast measured io6 feet 2 inches. 
and he had three outside the tank, one of them far beyond 
his record cast. He used a SV^-foot split bamboo rod 
fitted with three large agate narrow ring guides and an 
agate top. His reel was a small multiplier and his line 
so-thin that it seemed like a bit of spider web floating in 
the air; but it reached out for distance in a manner com- 
pelling the admiration of all. The frog used was in fact 
a soft rubber frog, and not a weight such as has been 
used in some tournaments elsewhere and called frog- 
casting. As a matter of fact, the half-ounce frogs used in 
this tournament were much more difficult to^ cast than a 
solid rubber weight or a bit of wood weighted in order 
that it might be projected through the air like a bullet, 
heavy end first, and the quarter-ounce frogs, while offer- 
ing much less resistance to the air, were not easy to c^st. 
Hiram Hawes was first on the platform. The light was 
very bad, indeed. His preliminary cast was the best one 
so far made in the Garden with quarter-ounce frog, and 
his longest cast was almost, if not quite, 125 feet, but it 
went outside the tank and therefore did not count, much 
to everybody's regret. Altogether he got three casts out- 
side, and had to be content with 63 feet 5 inches, much to 
his own amusement, so well satisfied was he with the 
good showing he had made at the start-off. He used a 
rod and line very similar to those employed by Mr. 
Leonard, and after he had finished loaned his outfit to 
Mr. LaBranche, who had brought no rod with him, but 
went in on the chance of mastering a strange rod in three 
trial casts. And that he did this amused everybody, par- 
ticularly Mr. Hawes, for no man ever yet objected to 
being beaten with his own outfit. The judges were H. 
G. Henderson and L. S. Darling; referee, R. H. Klotz. 
The score : 
Ft. In. Ft. In. 
R. C. Leonard 115 07 H. W. Hawes 63 05 
G. M. L. La Branche... 79 09 
A good deal of fun was had after this event had been 
finished over a reel one of the visitors was trying but 
could do nothing with, as it overran so badly at every 
cast that it was next to impossible to cast further than 
50 feet with it even when the click was on and actin_f as 
a drag. The owner was tendered all sorts of advice, and 
finally an old-time angler tried the outfit himself, and fail- 
ing to cast further than about 15 feet, was challenged to 
a test by a friend. This was accepted, and the challenger 
lost, he scoring 14 feet to 15 feet for his friend, where- 
upon a third man tried his skill and scored almost 20 
feet. The writer loves the fresh air and life too well to 
mention names ; but the owner of the reel extracted some 
comfort from the fun, as he was at once acquitted of 
blame for the eccentricities of the reel, which seemed to 
start hard, then run backward instead of forward, as it 
should. ' : i iai Ji 
Event 26, Wednesday Night, March 8, 
Only those who had records of 100 feet or more were 
barred from this event, which called for single-hand trout 
fly-casting for distance only with any rod and leader. The 
judges were H. G. Henderson and Robert B. Lawrence; 
referee, R. H. Klotz. The score : 
Ft. In. Ft. In. 
L. S. Darling 93 00 N. S. Smith 77 06 
King Smith..- 81 00 D. T. Abercrombie 70 08 
Event 27, Thursday Aftercoon, March 9. 
The rain, which had been falling intermittently during 
the past two days, and the rapid transit difficulties, kept 
many visitors and anglers away from the Garden. Still 
the faithful ones were on deck for the afternoon event, 
which was for black bass fly-casting, distance only, and 
open to all without restrictions on rods or leaders. Mr. 
Darling won the gold medal easily with a score of 95 feet. 
Messrs. Lawrence and Henderson again acted as judges, 
and J. D. Smith as referee. The score : 
Ft. In. Ft. In. 
L. S. Darling 95 00 Dr. J. G. Knowlton 73 00 
N. S. Smith 75 07 D. T. Abercrombie 71 00 
Event 28, Thursday Night, March 9. 
The concluding event was not started until late because 
of the dearth of anglers present, the rain continuing to 
keep the visitors away. It was open to all without any 
restrictions, single-hand trout fly-casting. _Mr. Darling 
was short of the century mark but. a few inches on his 
longest cast and won first place again. The judges w^ere 
C. G. Levison and Robert B. Lawrence, with R. H. Klotz 
as referee. The score. 
Ft. In. Ft. In. 
L S. Darling 98 04 D. T. Abercrombie 72 00 
N. S. Smith 77 06 Milton H. Smith 50 00 
A summary of those who contested in the twenty-eight 
events, and the number of first, second or third places 
won by them, follow, first winning a gold medal,_ second 
a silver medal, and third a bronze medal, respectively : 
Firsts. Seconds. Thirds. 
L. S. Darling 8 5 2 
R. C. Leonard 6 10 
King Smith 2 11 
E. T. Mills 2 10 
W. H. Cruickshank 2 0 1 
D. Brandreth 2 0 1 
C. M. Lucky 2 0 0 
R. F. Cruickshank 2 0,0 
G. M. L. La Branche 12 1 
H. G. Henderson 10 3 
J. H. Cruickshank 10 1 
D. T. Abercrombie 0 4 2 
N. S. Smith 0 3 1 
H. W. Hawes 0 2 4 
W. D. Cloyes 0 2 0 
H. G. Henderson, Jr 0 2 0 
W. H. Hammett 0 1 3 
C. R. Woodward 0 1 1 
W. T. Morrison.. 0 1 1 
Charles Stepath 0 1 1: 
Will K. Park 0 0 2 
Lody Smith 1 0 0 
Harold De Raasloff.... 0 1 0 
E. B. Rice 6 1 0 
A. J. Marsh 0 0 1 
R. B. Lawrence...... 0 0 1 
T. G. Knowlton 0 0 1 
Albert Barends 0 0 1 
R. H. Klotz 0 0 1 
Perry D. Frazer 0 0 1 
All communications for Forest and Stream- must he 
directed to. Forest and Stream Pub. Co., New York, to 
receive attetiHon. We have no other oMef^ . _ 
The Log of a Sea Anglei*. 
BY CHARLES F. HOLDER, AUTHOR OF^ "AN(iI.3tJJG/' J'THI' 
ADVENTURES OF TORQUA," ETC.. 
On the Trail of the Cobia— Wading and Casticg— A Gan 
Fish— The Ocean Maskinonge— Diving for Fan 
Shells— The Beating of the Cavally— Insatiate 
Jacks— A Menacing 'Wreck. 
I NEVER wearied drifting over the clear waters of th 
mosaic-like reef. There was always some new fish, son: 
rare bit of marine scenery, some fresh delight given t 
catch the eye. I had left the outer keys, the Bull Pu 
was anchored at Harden Key, and the men were playin 
seven-up in the long rangy quarters. There was a 
abundance of Pain Killer, and peace reigned on the outf 
reef. Every day I took the dinghy and sculled out ov< 
the lagoon formed by Long and Bush keys and the Ion; 
barrier roof that stretched to the south, and poled ov* 
the glass-like surface with my grain pole, picking i 
crawfishes, diving over for large conchs and watchir 
the constant and varying throng of fishes. Here were tl 
true pastures of the sea, the groves where fishes roame: 
and what at night was a vast fishes' rialto, all sorts ar 
kinds of creatures climbing up the side of this lof 
mountain to graze and feed on its summit. 
At the head of .the shallow lagoon stood four or fii 
mangrove trees. At high tide they were in the watt: 
but at the ebb Bush Key appeared like an island, and h; 
it not been for a particularly heavy hurricane, which 
understand visited the islands a few years ago, wou 
still have been above water. Now Bush Key was makii 
a hard battle, and out in the lagoon and all about we 
numerous old mangrove trunks and roots which had su 
cumbed to gales long ago, and were now the homes 
countless birds of the sea. Each root was the dwellh 
place of radiant angelfishes, crabs that vied with sapphir 
in beauty, and worms whose breathing organs were liL 
flowers of dazzling hue. ,11 
One day when skirting Bush Key I saw out from t!' ' 
shore a bunch of old mangrove roots, and in the shade 
of one, lying in fairly deep water, a graceful fish at lea 
five feet in length. I do not know that I ever came 
near having buck fever, as I tried to stop the dinghy a; 
back her off without alarming the game, which I took f 
a very large barracuda. But fortune favored me, and 
pushed the dinghy inshore and exchanged the grain pc 
for the rod — a bamboo affair about the size used f 
striped bass or yellowtail on the Santa Catalina grounc 
My line was a 21-thread, and the hook a 7/0 O'Shaug, 
nessy, which I baited with a small mullet, then cautious; 
waded out in the direction of the stump, having slipp; 
on an old pair of brogans kept in the dinghy for the pt 
pose and known as "coral skates." The water was cle 
as crystal, and seemed to have a magnifying effect, i 
tensifying the size and color of everything. Wh 
twenty feet from the mangrove stump I could distinc 
see it, and far into the blue water beyond, as the rr 
dropped away here into unknown deeps — a toboggan sli| 
down the coral mountain. . ■ j 
Presently I could see about half of my fish's tail, whi 
was moving gently, like the tail of a cat, though not w: 
the same purpose; then I saw a stripe, black and p! 
nounced. No barracuda this. I moved carefully to t 
left a few steps on the dead coral rock that I might 
alarm this vision, and suddenly had a glimpse of the d^ 
under jaw of the fish. The truth broke upon me — it M 
the cobia that Bob had promised me time and again, \ 
always failed to produce ! Here it was, the king of 1 
tribe, and in the best of locations. 
I stood a moment eyeing it, and if water transnj 
sounds, the fish might have heard my- heart beat. I s! 
it move ahead a few inches, the splendid eye came il 
view, then it backed in again and I fancied that on J 
opposite side of the mangrove root there was a projectitj 
a sort of roof beneath which the fish was lying in a wij 
open-eyed siesta. 
How long I stood in this garden of the sea I know ni 
but I took in all its beauties — the turquoise sea beyoii 
the wealth of sea fans in purple and lavender, and pcj 
ing over them the fish which might be called the mi 
kinonge of the sea. It was a fascinating situation, a] 
the sun had killed the wind. The bait was reeled well 
to the tip, and stepping back so the fish could not see 
I made an overhand half cast, tossing the mullet into 
water a few feet beyond the cobia, then reeling someWjl 
rapidly, so that the bait appeared to. be swimming alcl 
before it, not ten feet away. 
I have watched many fishes strike, but it seemed to 
somewhat exhilarated senses that this was the most 
markable one I had ever witnessed. There was a fls " 
a streak or blaze of black and white, and the cobia 1 
my bait. It jerked several feet from the taut line b; 
savage swing of its big head to the right, and witM 
swirl on the surface that tossed the water nearly to why 
I stood, was away. I fancied that it attempted tO' ret" 
to the root, but saw me as I slipped at the sudden str: 
and lunged outward ; then it made for the turquoise ! 
swimming down the side of the reef into deep water, 
animated whirlwind. 
My rod and reel had hysterics. The former bowed ; 
bent in the savage manner that a large amber jack 
yellowtail (Seriola) can accomplish, and the reel s;- 
the weird barcarole of the line stealers of the sea. 
long and continued a wail I have rarely heard, ani 
was continually edged out until I stood in water w; 
deep on the very borders of the deep, down inta whii 
could see deep and deeper blues. , ' . 
How long this splendid rush continued I have no re:| 
lection, but at least two hundred and -fifty feet of ■ [: 
melted away before I stopped the game, and then" it h;;* 
mered on the rod with a viciousness that made it cr 
and all but buckle. Pounding, shaking its head, it seer 
to stop a moment, then shot around in a half- circle, t:i 
at me like an arrow. I reeled as rapidly as fingers c< : 
move, the powerful multiplier eating up the line gallai I 
but the cobia swept in like a flash of light, towing a g ' 
-bend of line after it; then turning, it made an offsl ' 
rush demoralizing in its intensity. 
For fifteen minutes this splendid fish amused itsel 
my expense, forcing me to prance up and dO::wn the i 
where more than once I tripped and sat -down in 
water, head and heels. For fift€en minutes it rushed 1 
plunged, fought and hammered, until I was filled with i 
