THE OARSMAN MUST NEEDS FOLLOW IN THE WAKE OF THE 
PLUNGING FISH. 
1 
a fin moves, eyes per¬ 
fectly still, and jaws a 
little apart; just a 
glint of gold may be 
seen on its back as the 
fish lies partly hidden 
m the weeds, but at 
any moment it may 
move the enormous tail 
and back fins that will 
plunge it forward like 
a thunderbolt, and in a 
flash the object it goes 
for disappears as if 
by magic. Like the 
tarpon of southern 
seas, it will drive small 
fish on before it so that 
they are often seen to 
leap above the surface 
r jf the water in vain 
attempts to escape. I 
have seen wounded fish, 
f gashed and torn, lying 
half-dead on the sur¬ 
face of the water, mute 
evidence that the ty¬ 
rant had wounded more 
than it could consume. 
I have seen quiet water 
lashed suddenly into 
motion, evidently 
caused by a combat of 
giant fifty-pounders in 
battle; or, perhaps, the 
mascalonge has sud¬ 
denly rushed on some 
other fish passing near 
its lair. It is not an 
early riser; the warm 
sun is high up before it 
rouses itself to be on the lookout for 
food, but from that time on until dark 
it is alert, ever ready to make that 
lightning-like dash upon its prey. It, 
aowever, never leaves home for any 
?reat distance, and when successful in 
capturing its prey it immediately re¬ 
turns to gorge and masticate its food; 
;o long as there is room in its capaci- 
>us jaw for more, it continues the fray. 
have caught a sixteen-pound masca- 
onge that, when killed, disgorged a 
>erfectly fresh two-pound chub; its 
■tomach was also filled with partly 
'igested food. 
When the mascalonge does strike the 
•ire the angler has 
>o doubts about the 
I latter; with a kind 
f double pull, the 
od-tip suddenly 
ends and the reel 
ings its loudest tune 
-something must be 
one, and that very 
uickly. Either you 
iust gradually tight- 
o down its speed 
, 'ith thumb on the 
'age 485 
reel, or the oarsman must follow in 
the wake of the plunging fish. This 
latter course is all right if it heads 
for deep water, but the former is best 
if a bee-line is taken toward the weeds, 
for entanglement means sure loss of 
the prize, and possibly of the lure and 
part of the line. Constant vigilance 
is required, for as soon as it feels the 
hook prick the fish leaps into the air 
shaking and rattling the spoon in a 
vain effort to throw it from the jaws; 
then the line slackens, and with re¬ 
newed vigor off it goes again. The 
strain on the rod will then be most 
severe, for it has only just begun the 
battle, but a firm hold 
will gradually turn the 
fish toward the boat, 
and its fighting breath 
will be shortened. Soon 
the large dorsal fin ap¬ 
pears above the sur¬ 
face, but only for a 
second; with a sudden 
spring it is again out of 
the water in a cloud of 
spray. Down it goes 
again, this time sailing 
at a terrific speed to¬ 
ward the boat, with 
plenty of slack line to 
be recovered; then up 
again, rolling over and 
over on the top of the 
water, as if to wind the 
line around its body. 
The fight is by no 
means near the end, 
and to stop the fish 
from leaping some an¬ 
glers plunge the tip of 
the rod under water. 
This is often success¬ 
ful, but it drives the 
fish down again, and it 
will make strenuous 
efforts to gain the 
weeds. If it does not 
turn a number of som¬ 
ersaults, it is sulking 
at the bottom, in the 
same manner as the ' 
salmon. 
In an ordinary angling 
tussle the mascalonge 
will only stop fighting 
(like the pugilist) to regain its breath 
and strength; then it begins anew its 
frantic struggle to be free. Catching 
a glimpse of its would-be captor, it is 
fired with redoubled fury, and time 
after time these same tricks are tried, 
but the rushes are getting shorter and 
shoiter, and at last, perhaps after an 
hour’s hard work, the fish may be seen 
swimming near the boat, watching with 
those savage eyes and waiting to re¬ 
gain its strength for a renewed strug¬ 
gle. That is the time to act, and have 
the gaff prepared. There must be no 
bungling or nervous hesitation. It is 
absolutely necessary that a powerful, 
well-directed blow be 
dealt right under the 
shoulders of the fish, 
and then that it be 
immediately lifted 
into the boat. Some 
anglers think it safer 
to use a revolver, 
sending a bullet 
through its head, or 
to hit it with a large, 
{Coni’d on page 544) 
