February, 1922 
FOREST AND STREAM 
75 
1917, which weighed 463 pounds — and 
the first broadbill swordfish ever taken by 
a woman. 
The detailed story of Mrs. Spalding’s 
victorious battle with the sworded great 
game fish of Catalina waters gives every 
true sportsman a thrill. For one hour 
and twenty minutes the intrepid matron 
fought her sworded antagonist, three 
times her own weight, and with but rod 
and reel and the slender line as her 
weapon. 
“I was determined to get a broadbill 
at Catalina this season,” said Mrs. Spal- 
ding. 
“Last season I was fortunate enough 
to land the record tuna, a 165-pounder, 
also a marlin swordfish, but a broadbill, 
I was told, was out of the question for a 
woman to bring to gaff, so, of course, 
there was nothing to do but go out and 
get one to disprove that old theory. 
“We were cruising in the ‘Goodwill’ 
several miles out in the Catalina Channel 
when we sighted two huge broadbill, 
their dorsal fins breaking water like four 
periscopes. We worked them for half 
an hour and I drew the bait temptingly 
across their path, but both ignored the 
tit-bit and passed on when a third hove 
in sight. Again I tried to interest the 
huge fish, when suddenly the monster 
turned and with a swirl out came the 
powerful sword and struck at the bait 
three times. Then, satisfied that he had 
'killed it,’ the broadbill swallowed both 
bait and hook. Carefully I played out 
line until I was sure I could set the 
hook, which had entered the corner of his 
mouth and had come out under the eye. 
“As soon as the hook was set the battle 
was on. For the first few moments the 
fish thrashed on the surface of the water 
and tried desperately to dislodge the 
hook, his great sword and head coming 
out of the water time and again. Then 
he tried the trick of letting the line go 
slack and then suddenly jerk his head in 
an effort to throw the hook. He tried 
this twice ; the third time I was ready for 
him, and he didn’t try that trick again. 
“At the end of fifteen minutes the fish 
I was up to the boat and gaffed, but the 
gaff pulled out and the battle was on 
again with renewed vigor, lasting an 
' hour and five minutes longer. At no 
time was the fish more than 250 feet 
away from the boat, which necessitated 
the drag being set up as tight as possible 
for me to hold and making it difficult for 
the broadbill to get more line. 
“Three times the big swordfish pulled 
me out of the chair. To protect me 
against sudden onslaughts and so that I 
could not be dragged overboard, a rope 
was fastened about my waist and held by 
a member of the crew. 
“It was an interesting contest because 
the broadbill was so near the boat and so 
close to the surface of the water that we 
could watch every move. Realizing that 
this was an endurance test, I watched for 
every sign of weakness and made the 
! most of the slightest favorable move- 
I ment, getting in only an inch or two of 
! line at a time. I did not dare to rest at 
any time, for that would only have given 
the fish renewed energy to wage his bat- 
tle. 
“The greatest difficulty was to prevent 
the broadbill from cutting the line with 
his huge sword. Repeatedly he slashed 
at the wire leader and at one time sud- 
denly doubled back in an effort to sever 
the line. Intuitively I anticipated his 
move and paid out sufficient line to leave 
it slack, else I would have lost the big 
fellow. 
“It seemed as if the monster was in 
action every moment. At last he stopped 
and lay panting and apparently dazed on 
the surface. Carefully I released the 
Mrs. Spaulding and her prize 
line tension and turned the fish toward 
the boat. For several feet the big fellow 
allowed himself to be led toward me, 
then suddenly he broke out into new tac- 
tics, reared and cavorted like a mad- 
dened demon, struggling against my ef- 
forts to bring him closer. Slowly I 
worked him nearer to the boat until at 
last the nerv'e-straining moment came 
when Captain Walker was able to reach 
for the wire leader and secure the strug- 
gling monster with his gaff. Although I 
had his head well under control and 
toward the tip of my rod, a sudden swirl- 
ing of the huge tail warned me not to 
release my hold on rod and reel until 
Captain Walker and members of the 
crew had the broadbill securely lashed to 
the sides of the ‘Goodwill.’ ” 
Four hundred and twenty-six pounds — 
twelve feet and four inches from tip of 
sword to center of tail — such were the 
weight and dimensions entered on the 
Tuna Club records to the credit of ^Irs. 
Keith Spalding as the crowning achieve- 
ment of her season’s fishing at Catalina. 
L. A. C. C. 
ALIEN HUNTERS 
Dear Forest and Stream : 
M y attention has been drawn to an 
article in your December issue, en- 
titled “Right of Aliens to Hunt” and 
signed by one Leon Plumb. 
I notice that he specifically states that 
he would not want to incur the “enmity 
of our neighbors in Canada,” and I 
would like to ask what about the thou- 
sands of law abiding citizens of other 
countries who are resident in New York 
State, myself for instance. 
If ^Ir. Plumb’s bill went through, and 
he stopped Canadians hunting in Xew 
York State, it is on the cards that the 
Canadians would retaliate by stopping 
New Yorkers from hunting in Canada. 
I am an Englishman, and wonder what 
Mr. Plumb would say if he or any other 
New Yorker were denied the right to 
shoot or own or carry a gun in England 
or any other part of the British Empire. 
I do not think that the law is aimed 
at decent aliens, but as it stands, it will 
react on them. There is ample provision 
in the present laws, if properly ad- 
ministered to stop undesirables having 
gun licenses. Why not enforce those 
laws and let such strangers as are within 
your gates, who can prove their decency 
and respectability, go hunting when they 
have paid their licenses? 
This matter was discussed at a meet- 
ing of “The Anglers Club of New York” 
last spring, and I was told that it was 
not aimed at men like myself. And I 
suggested that an amendment be made to 
the bill excluding from its provisions 
“members of any recognized sporting 
club in good standing” and people able 
to give sufficient guarantee for their good 
behavior and obser^-ance of the law. 
By all means investigate the character 
and status of the applicant for licenses, 
but do not make laws that open a way 
for reprisals. I for one would at once 
bring such a law to the attention of 
our Ambassador. Your sincere well- 
wisher, 
A. J. 1\L\udsl.\y, 
A'«c York. 
BLACK BEAR CUBS 
Dear Forest and Stream : 
T WO little black bear cubs were cap- 
tured in northern Idaho by Mr. How- 
ard Wheeler and myself IMay 13, 1921. 
They were taken from a tall pine tree 
afte?Mr. Wheeler had killed their mother. 
W'e were compelled to carry the little 
devils in our arms for about two miles 
until we reached our saddle horses. On 
our arrival they were placed in a gunny 
sack that had been used for oats, then 
taken to our permanent camp, a distance 
of twelve miles. After the excitement 
of capturing the cubs and arriving at 
camp, we realized we were extremely 
cold and wet. the result of walking and 
wading through three feet of thawing 
snow. Mr. Wheeler very cleverly re- 
marked that he would give ten dollars for 
a hot “Tom and Jerry.” This remark 
led to the christening of our babies — 
Tom and Jerry. 
During the next few days all our spare 
