FOREST AND STREAM 
1135 
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II ATLANTIC TUNA II 
|| TIME IS HERE|| 
|I JUST AS GOOD FISHING AS IS 
l| HAD AT FAR-FAMED AVALON || 
11 By Leonard Hulit. || 
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I N treating of this fish I am well aware that 
its importance belongs more in the future to 
the sportsman than anything of its past or 
present might really mean. 
Its natural history, however, is full of interest 
and may well be considered by the thoughtful 
of all classes. Like so many other varieties of 
marine life in the years gone by, it has been 
considered as absolutely unfit for food and a 
pest in general, not only to the net men, but to 
other fishermen, as its savageness to other fish 
of high market value was viewed with alarm 
whenever it put in appearance. 
Now, however, it is fast becoming a much 
sought after commodity of the sea; its flesh 
is to be found in many of our markets, while 
choice portions are tinned and sold under its 
true name and is highly esteemed in making 
salads and other table delicacies. 
So little, however, is known by the layman of 
our coast in relation to its history that in order 
to be at all comprehensive the best authorities 
have been consulted and a short compilation 
made. 
That the horse mackerel of our coast and the 
tuna of the Mediterranean are one and the same 
fish is now made entirely clear. It is spoken of by 
the English as tunny, as it is known to range 
along the western coast of Europe to the Lof- 
foden Islands and on our coast to the Gulf of 
St. Lawrence. 
Prof. G. Brown Goode, in his American fishes 
(and thorough as he was in his researches for 
the Smithsonian Institution he admits his incom¬ 
plete knowledge of its natural history and quotes 
largely from other authorities) says of this fish, 
as found in American waters: The species, al¬ 
though abundant at certain seasons of the year 
off particular parts of the coast, is not a 
very familiar one to our writers. They seem 
to be rather a northern fish and are said to 
make their first appearance on our shores early 
in June, remaining until October. Of late years 
they seem to be increasing in abundance north¬ 
ward becoming more and more abundant during 
the summer season at Newfoundland. 
Doctor Stover, who seems to have been quite 
an observer, relates that he saw one taken off 
Cape Ann which measured fifteen feet in length 
and weighed about one thousand pounds. He 
says their food while in our waters consisted 
mainly of menhaden of which they consume 
vast numbers, and in turn are pursued by killer 
whales before whom they flee in great terror. 
Continuing, he says: “Strange to relate, although 
highly prized in the old world from the times 
of the ancient Romans to the present day, they 
are very seldom, if ever, used for food in the 
United States, but their flesh is much used for 
mackerel bait. Although accruing in large num¬ 
bers and of remarkable size no effort is made 
toward their capture for market. Although 
frequently taken in the pond nets along the 
coast, they are generally permitted to rot on 
the shore.” 
Another eminent authority on our coast fishes, 
Capt. N. E. Atwood, of Provincetown, Mass., 
who was a close observer, remarks: “They enter 
Two Hundred and Eighty-six Pound Tuna, Taken Off the Jersey Coast, 
I With Rod and Reel by Jacob Wertheim. j 
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Massachusetts Bay early in June and are then 
very thin, but by the beginning of September 
become quite fat and are then hunted by certain 
fishermen for their oil, which is readily obtained 
from the head and belly portions, as much as 
twenty gallons from a single fish being pro¬ 
cured.” 
That we so often neglect the blessings at our 
very door is exemplified in this fish. It would 
be most interesting to know the amount of 
money which has been spent by sportsmen from 
all points in the United States who have visited 
Avalon Bay, Catalina Islands, in quest of this 
very fish, when a very few dollars and a few 
hours on train would have placed them at the 
gateway of their much coveted prize. While it 
is true that the quiet waters of Avalon are much 
more conducive to capture than the billowy At¬ 
lantic, still it would be always easy to have 
word from given points when the fish are there, 
and from New York and other nearby cities a 
very short time only is needed to be on hand, 
where good motorboats can always be procured 
cared for by competent hands to place the quarry 
within reach. 
At Catalina this fish is at all times known as 
the leaping tuna and does not appear to reach 
the giant proportion of the same species on our 
own coast. 
Mr. L. P. Streeter, of Chicago, has visited 
Avalon many times and has given me much in¬ 
formation of the sport as conducted at that 
place, and I know of no reason why, when the 
ocean is quiet, the same tactics may not be fol¬ 
lowed out here. 
I have been among these fish many times when 
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