THE LARGEST FISH TAKEN WITH A ROD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12213, 7 March 1903, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE LARGEST FISH TAKEN WITH A ROD.

Tin: tuna are caught at Catalina, California, both from sailboats and rowboats immediately offshore, and some wonderful specimens of this fish, as well as others of the finny tribe, have be** taken. Tuna actually weighing over 400 pounds have been caught with the hook and line, although in some cases the fishermen were abliged to " play" them three or four hours before the fish became sufficiently exhausted to be drawn up to the boat and gaffed. Frequently specimens are caught which are twice the weight of and actually longer than their captors. They are to the Pacific what- the famous tarpon is to the Gulf of Mexico, and resemble the latter greatly in their gaminess, although not sc attractive in appearance.

Naturalists say the tuna is the largest fish in the world that is " played" with the rod.. For this reason a great rivalry exists as to who. can take the largest fish. Some of the women of Southern California are experts in the sport, and not a few of them have taken prizes for catching the largest during tie season. A Brooklyn woman, however, is the record-breaker. She is Mrs. A. W. Barrett, who, in 1901, actually hooked and brought to the boat a monster weighing 416 pounds, although it took her nearly half a day to tire the tuna so that it- could be reached by the boatman with his gaff. <