268 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[FEB. 17, 1906. 

and held respectively by Mr. Umbstaetter of the 
Black Cat, and myself. We had patiently see- 
sawed back and forth for nearly two hours, cov- 
ering the ground where the refuse cast from the 
ship is likely to gather fish together, but had 
taken nothing but an eight-pound yellowjack 
and a couple of snaky and lancet-fanged bar- 
racuda, which latter we had grown to think 
vermin, strong and bold fighters though they 
are. At last there was a violent surge on my 
rod, a furious scream of the reel, as the line 
tore away, and the boat began to swing up into 
the wind to ease the strain, when a wild shriek 
about given up hope of more, I had another 
furious strike and battle, finally conquering a 
third kingfish, larger than either of the first two. 
These three fish were carefully weighed in the 
presence of a good part of the population of 
the island, perhaps two hours after they were 
taken, and scaled thirty-eight, forty-one and 
fifty pounds full measure, my own catch being 
the larger two. They are generally said to be 
the largest kingfish taken at Nassau for many 
years, if they were ever exceeded; certainly I 
have never before taken, seen or known of any 
approaching the largest or exceeding the small- 
of mine recently had his 24-thread line broken 
like a single thread by such a final dash of what 
was manifestly a very big fish. My two fish 
completely wore out a new rubber pad brake. 
Large amberjack, yellowjack, muttonfish and 
barracuda abound here, and Spanish mackerel 
are also often taken on the troll. The brilliant 
colors and strange shapes of the great variety of 
smaller fish make the bottom fishing also full 
of interest. 
Nassau is properly famed for its picturesque- 
ness and delicious climate, and the tired Ameri- 
can, who wants to escape our cruel winter and 

AMBERJACK OF 29 POUNDS. 
came from the other reel. There we were, toss- 
ing in a heavy sea and driven by a fresh wind, 
with a big fish fast on each side of the boat at 
the same time, so that the quarry had every ad- 
vantage. Repeatedly a fierce rush would ex- 
haust our lines down to the last few coils, in 
spite of the utmost pressure of the pad brakes, 
and we would painfully retrieve a few yards, 
only to have it snatched away again. Luckily 
each fish kept on his own side of the boat until 
their first fury was somewhat quelled; but then 
they circled and twisted our lines together. It 
looked pretty hopeless, but in a momentary lull 
Captain John caught my rod, ran clear aft, 
passed it twice round my friend’s line, and got 
it into my hands again with a few turns still 
on the spool. This crucial point passed, the 
rest of the battle was less strenuous, and we 
finally reeled in, gaffed and boated two kingfish 
of such size that it seemed absurd that our 
slight lines should have held them. 
With these two blue and silver iridescent 
beauties on board, we again swung back and 
forth over the same ground, and just as we had 
MR. NEWBERRY’S 50-POUND KINGFISH. 
est, and my skipper, a boatman and fisherman 
among these islands as boy and man, says the 
same thing. I have very diligently fished these 
grounds for the past two months, and taken 
no kingfish over ten pounds, except one of 
thirty, which was considered very large. I 
claim no credit except for ordinary skill, but 
certainly had luck of the finest. The enclosed 
photographs show respectively the three fish 
with Mr. Umbstaetter, the fifty pounder in my 
own hands, and a 30-pounder taken a week be- 
fore with one of my boat’s crew, and a 29-pound 
amberjack with her captain. Should any of 
your readers know of kingfish surpassing these 
in size I shall be much interested to hear the 
particulars. 
The play of these big fish consists of tre- 
mendous runs and dashes of most. startling 
violence, with intervals of comparative quies- 
cence, during which much needed line can be 
regained. At the very last, and when the fish 
first sees the boat, there is apt to be a sudden 
and furious rush, which is very likely to take the 
fisherman off his guard. An inexperienced guest 
KINGFISH OF 30 POUNDS. 
get some good fishing at the time when his 
home waters are ice-bound, cannot do better. 
than come here. A. St. J. NEWBERRY. 
Protect the Striped Bass. 
Brooxtyn, N. Y., Jan. 27.—Editor Forest and 
Stream: In the issue of Jan. 20 it is a pleasure 
to read your editorial protest of the wanton de- 
struction of that splendid game fish, the striped 
bass. The time is not far distant when we shall 
have to be content to eat striped bass six or eight 
days after being caught, and, like the salmon, 
sent over thousands of miles to our markets, 
thereby unfit to eat. 
Could not something be done through the in- 
fluence of your valued journal, by some of its 
readers to get together a petition to the United 
States Fish Commission to use their efforts and 
make it unlawful to sell or have in possession any 
striped bass under 3 pounds weight, similar to the 
California law? 
I believe this would soon change the condi- 
tions to the benefit of the market men and the 
