AMERWMERIEMINEMENIMININIMMMENNUMENHEINUL litiV4.39,111bliMeit VIC _ 41%) :vent vnmk) kig) WIM6)1 VADvnviVki, viAxiinwk►ryib vvinyW tivti.v 4:1 WA. ktP-AAVAitli4.1:014-Ag1. 4.1.4.ael.O v•AZ a.liattl vAit 3141 1#1,4125..114,. HOW THE BLUE BUTTON WAS WON Tuna Fishing at Catalina Island, California By C. G. CONN III III III III III III LIEBRARY III III III II III Ill E E THE CLUB BUTTON The official badge of the Tuna Club is a Blue Button, bearing upon its face, engraved in gold, the figure of a Tuna. None but active members of the Tuna Club who have captured a Tuna weighing one hundred pounds or over with the regulation tackle of the Club are entitled to the honor of wearing this Button. —By-Laws of the Tuna Club • • .• • •• •.• e ••• • • 1 C • • • . • e •• •• •• •• ..• • • -• t. • • • • • • • • • 4. e • • • • • • o • • • • .• • • e•• 4133S HOW THE BLUE BUTTON WAS WON Tuna Fishing at Catalina Island, California F all the various angling clubs known to the sporting world, the TUNA CLUB with headquarters at Avalon, Catalina Island, California, is best known and most famous, because of the remarkable fighting qualities of the Tuna, the fish from which the club derives its name, one of which must be caught on the standard tackle of the club before the angler may become a member. Nor is this the only requirement necessary to membership. The Tuna Club is strictly and emphatically a gentleman's organization in every sense of the term, and its membership is distributed throughout the civilized world, where its buttons are worn by anglers with a degree of pride not enjoyed by members of other angling associations. The active members of the Tuna Club are not only gentlemen skilled in rod and reel fishing, but they also have been fortunate enough to have landed a fish better calculated than any other known to piscatorial art to test the skill, endurance and patience of the angler. Wherever the Blue Button of the Tuna Club is seen on the lapel of a gentleman's coat it may be taken as granted that the wearer thereof is a true sportsman, and is entirely worthy of the reward of merit which has been bestowed upon him for bringing to gaff one of the fiercest fighters of all game fishes. The Leaping Tuna, or the Thunnus Thynnus as it is known to the scientific world is not a jumping fish, as its name would imply, when hooked by the angler. Its leaping propensities are confined almost entirely to its playful diversions and to times when it is seeking food_ The Tuna is a denizen of all temperate waters both North and South, and along the Atlantic Coast it bears the name of Horse Mackerel, probably because it is the largest and most active of the mackerel family to which species it belongs_ In the Mediterranean Sea, at the Madeira Islands, and in the upper waters of the Atlantic ocean off the coasts of Massachusetts, Maine, Nova Scotia and New Foundland, the Tuna frequently attains a weight of from 800 to 1500 lbs., a size entirely too large to safely land with rod and reel, owing to the well known strength of and endurance of the fish. in Japanese waters the Tuna are !not so large, usually weighing from 300 to 800_ Possibly some day these fish may be sought after by anglers visiting Japan, because they are of a size possible to land with a rod and reel. THE LARGEST SWORD FISH EVER CAUGHT WITH ROD AND REEL Sword Fish caught off Santa Catalina Island, Cal., by Mr. C. G. Conn, Sept. 13, 1909. Weight, 339 lbs. Length, 10 feet 8 inches, Spread of tail, 40 inches. Time of land- ing, 1 hour and 30 minutes. But the true home of Tuna fishing is in California waters at Catalina Island_ Here the average weight of the Tuna is perhaps 150 lbs., large enough to test the skill and fortitude of the most ambitious angler and not so heavy as to practically prohibit their being brought to gaff. When considering the capture of Tuna with a rod and reel they should not be classed in the same category with other game fish. A Tuna weighing a little over 100 lbs. has been known to successfully fight an experienced angler for over six hours before yielding to its fate, and under ordinary circumstances few Tuna of any size are landed in less than an hour of strenuous conflict_ Whenever a Tuna is well hooked the angler may be assured that there will be something doing for some little time, and that both his skill and patience will be sorely tried before the weight of the fish can be added to the records of the Tuna Club. There is more real fight, true courage, brute strength and versatile sagacity in a bunch of live Tuna flesh, when hooked to the busy end of an angler's line than can be found in any other fish of equal weight that swims in water, fresh or salt_ The season for Tuna fishing depends entirely on the proximity of the bait on which the Tuna feed_ The Tuna are a migratory fish, following the anchovies and flying fish up and down the coast, as these two species of food for the larger fishes move from cooler to warmer waters, or rather while they are keeping in water of a temperature most suitable for their existence_ Along the California Coast the Tuna range during the summer months among the group of islands off Southern California_ During the winter months they follow their food down the coast of Lower California, possibly as far south as Cape St_ Lucas, but it is more than likely that most of the schools of Tuna on their southern passage stop in the vicinity of Magdalena Bay, where both flying fish and anchovies thrive in immense numbers between the months of October and April_ Contrary to the general belief flying fish are not the principal food of the Tuna_ They feed chiefly on the big schools of anchovies to be found where the Tuna are active_ One of the most interesting and exciting spectacles ever witnessed is that of a school of Tuna feeding on anchovies_ To see the Tuna leaping over and over each other and churning the water into a mass of briny foam in their frenzied efforts to secure their food is a sight never to be forgotten. During this milling process and as the Tuna chase each other in weird circles on the surface of the sea, now and then leaping into the air to a height of ten or more feet, apparently to kill their prey as they fall back into the water, or to avoid coming in contact with each other, they seem to act like finny demons_ Their silvery sides glisten in the sunlight like flashes of molten metal, and as they plough the surface I Mr. C. C. Conn Fighting the Leaping Tuna Off Santa Catalina Island of the water in describing their mad circles they look like meteors turned loose to lash the ocean into foam_ Equally savage and voracious is the chase of a band of Tuna after a school of flying fish. At times the Tuna will charge their puny victims in a serried line of battle with a ferocity unequalled by any other prey seeking creature. The flying fish in their efforts to escape frequently will rise from the water, sailing hundreds of feet in the air only to fall back into the open maws of their relentless pursuers. Single flying fish have been seen to rise in their flight for the fourth or fifth time before becoming victims to their merciless foes, and whenever close enough to the shore a school of flying fish will beach itself in its frantic attempt to escape rather than tamely yield to its maddened tormentors. The feeding of a school of Tuna either on anchovies or flying fish is a ravenous spectacle to say the least_ It cannot help convincing those who see it that these wolves of the sea become frenzied in their search for food, and that their monstrous strength and wondrous propelling power are exerted to the utmost when running down their prey. On the other hand, schools of Tuna when at play, or when idly resting on the surface of the water on a calm sunny day are quite a different thing. At these times the Tuna cannot be tempted to take a bait. Their frenzied madness seems to have entirely abated and their only object in life apparently is to enjoy themselves either by playfully chasing each other through the water or by lazily being rocked in their indolence by the ocean swells. It is only when feeding that the Tuna will leap or will yield to the lure of the angler. They are said to feed about every third or fourth day, and it is to the schools that are feeding that the experienced angler will look for Tuna to take his bait. It is then that the curtain rises both to comedy and tragedy on the same occasion. From the moment that a fortunate angler hooks his fish there will be both pleasure and work combined. Things to laugh at and things to provoke anger. Events will follow each other so rapidly that none but tired arms and an aching back will indicate how slowly the time is passing. An hour of vigorous Tuna fighting means more to any angler than an ordinary sixty minutes of effort at any other pursuit. There are two methods employed by the anglers of the Tuna Club at Catalina Island for fishing for Tuna. One of them is to troll directly from the stern of a power launch, relying upon the launch engineer to follow the fish with the launch after it has been safely hooked, always keeping as near the Tuna as possible that the angler may be able to reel in line and prevent the fish from sounding to extreme depths where it will sulk and prolong the fight to a severe and back-breaking struggle. The other way to angle for Tuna is for the angler and an GAFFED Mr. C. G. Conn Landing the Leaping Tuna Off Santa Catalina Island, Cal_ experienced boatman to occupy a skiff or other suitable row boat and be towed behind a power launch. When a Tuna is hooked the boatman immediately casts off the tow line, seizes his oars and backs the skiff in the direction the fish is running. There is a great advantage to be derived from trolling from a skiff towed by a power launch. The boatman can always keep the angler nearer to the fish, and when pumping the rod the angler is enabled to take in line by assisting the boatman to move the boat towards the fish. Successful Tuna angling consists chiefly in keeping on top of the fish, and in not allowing it to take out too much line. It also is necessary to keep in touch with the Tuna when hooked and not to allow it to break the tackle through its angler's carelessness or by snubbing up its runs too short. There is no one feature of the angling sport that requires so much care, patience, endurance and skill on the part of the angler as that of Tuna fishing. The first two Tuna landed by the writer were taken from a forty foot power launch. The first Tuna caught weighed less than a hundred pounds and was not a button fish. The second Tuna was captured after a fight of over six hours. That ended launch fishing for the writer. He then adopted the row boat plan and on several occasions has since landed three and four Tuna a day. CLUB RULES FOR TUNA FISHING_ "Rod and reel must be used, rods to measure not less than six feet, nine inches in length, tip to weigh not more than sixteen ounces. By "tip- is meant that portion of the reel seat to the end of the rod. The line must not exceed twenty-four threads or strands and must be capable of sustaining a dead weight of not more than forty-eight pounds. This applies to Tuna, Black Sea Bass and Sword Fish. Anglers must bring fish to gaff entirely unaided. The fish must be reeled in fairly. A broken rod either before or after gaffing disqualifies the angler, it being assumed to display lack of skill." It was in accordance with these rules that the writer caught his button fish. The morning was bright and beautiful. The eastern sky facing Avalon Bay, was tinted with a rich crimson glow. Spires of golden light were springing up from the horizon announcing the approach of the Day-god's chariot, and along the smooth water reaching far out over the sea was a ruddy pathway stretching towards the rising sun. Here and there a light fluff of wind flecked the water with tiny ripples that sparkled like Nep. FISHERMAN'S LUCK Leaping Tuna Caught Ofi Catalina Island, Cal., by Mr. C. G. Conn, August 23, 1909 Weight, 120 lbs. Weight, 128 lbs. Weight, 109 lbs. Time, 9 minutes. Time, 25 minutes. Time, 10 minutes. tune's diamonds under the sunlight's magic touch. Gulls and pelicans were rapidly winging their way to the wavelets cut into the waters surface by the schools of fish that were seeking their food, and down at Seal Rocks the Seals were barking a sort of a note of gladness preparatory to a plunge in search of their morning meal. High up on the rocky cliffs eagles and osprey were getting ready to despoil the sea birds of their breakfast as soon as it was gathered, and back in the hills could be heard the bleating of wild goats and the songs of the birds_ Bereft of a sense of gratitude, indeed, must be the person who could look upon all this pictur- esque loveliness, enshrined as it was by the clearest of water, the bluest of skies, and the fairest of lands with. out feeling that it was good to live in such a beautiful place. And to add to this charming scene, Catalina Island also is a paradise for sportsman anglers_ Those of them who turn their backs on the busy world for the purpose of seeking their chosen pleasure may find it here to their heart's content, for this is the home of game fishes. A school of Tuna had been reported the evening before off Pebbly Beach, and the writer and a doctor friend started early in the morning to look it up, if possible, and to hook onto one of these big nerve wreckers_ The regular launchman was not on hand and an inexperienced boy was substituted as launch engineer. Comfortably seated in the cockpit of the launch the writer and his doctor friend trolled for several hours over the water where the school of Tuna was supposed to be_ The sun began to beat down upon the anglers with a fierceness that caused them to shed most of their clothing, even to their shoes, also to cover up the box of flying fish bait in order to prevent the fish from getting broiled. This weary trekking over the water with nothing to relieve the monotony except an occasional change of the bait and a frequent cuss word from the doctor was be. ginning to pall on the anglers_ Suddenly the writer was impelled to straighten up in his seat, grit his teeth and act as if he were sitting on a pin_ "Whirr, whirr, whiree," sang the reel." "What's the matter," queried the doctor, "been struck by lightning?" "No siree," was the long drawn out reply as the writer caught his breath. "No lightning, doc., but I seem to be connected with a galvanic battery somewhere down in the water. Gee how he runs. Back the boat up, boy_ Back it hard I say. This fish is getting all of the 900 feet of my line." The reel kept on whizzing as the line was rapidly being run out. The writer bore down hard on the leather thumb brake until it smoked from the heat created by the friction. Not more than twenty turns of the A GOOD HALF DAY'S WORK 41411P—‘1— • • ctitiP1 s • . • AK& biog. Rtiatts Leaping Tunas Caught Off Santa Catalina Island, Cal., by Mr_ a C. Conn, Sept_ 17, 1909_ Weight, 1131 lbs., 137k lbs., 108 lbs. 141338 line remained on the spool of the reel. Fortunately the boy got the launch going astern at full speed. The Tuna then began to check its run, and the writer was enabled to take in some of the lost line_ "Guess you have been hitched onto an express train," ventured the doctor as the reel stopped its whizzing. "No," answered the writer, "my hook got fast to one of those marine trolley cars running wild down hill. I seem now to be hooked onto the bottom of the sea." But the writer had been fast on many big fish before and knew that the serious work of the game had just begun. He commenced to pump the rod, hoping in this way to drag the Tuna nearer to the boat_ But the big fish took up the slack of the line before the handle of the reel could be turned. After several minutes of this kind of work aided by the backing of the boat towards the fish, fifty or more feet of line were added to that already on the reel. Then the Tuna took a hand in the sport and run out nearly all the line that had previously been spooled. That kind of business required careful handling. It was a question of strategy between the Tuna and the angler. As soon as the Tuna had stopped running the pumping process was renewed with increased vigor, that the lost line might be regained before the fish had gotten over the effects of its last run. This plan suc. ceeded and next time the Tuna made a run it sounded almost straight down below the launch. Then came the tug of war. To lift a fish from the bottom of the ocean by pumping him up with rod and reel is like trying to fall upstairs with the heavy end of a trunk on one's back. "Keep right after him," advised the doctor. "Lift him out of the sea but don't break your tackle." "All right, doc. Put on your bathing suit and go down to the bottom and push the fish with your shoulder. Both of us ought to be able to get him up." Surely the writer did his best to go after the fish. But it looked at times as if the Tuna was too big to be captured. On several occasions the launch engine stopped running owing to the ignorance of the boy, and that added to the discomfort of the angler. Once while the engine was idle the Tuna ran under the boat, and to prevent the line from fouling the writer sprinted over the deck and passed the tip of his rod under the bow of the boat to keep the fish from breaking the line. This process transferred the scene of operations to the other side of the boat. The change of base of action cost the fish many feet of line, which the writer reeled in while the Tuna was approaching the surface. After an hour of this sort of gruelling work, the Tuna was finally brought to the surface where it could plainly be seen_ THE RECORD CATCH OF TUNA FOR HALF A DAY'S FISHING Leaping Tuna Caught Oh` Catalina Island, Cal., by Mr. G. G. Conn, Sept. 18, 1909 Weight, 101 lbs., 125 1-2 lbs., 120 1-2 lbs., 115 lbs. 1 "Great Scott, that's a record breaker," exclaimed the Doctor, as the dorsel and tail fin of the Tuna revealed its size. "Don't lose him, man, for God's sake don't lose him." "He will lose me first, I reckon, unless I can stop these runs," said the writer as the Tuna once more started toward the bottom of the sea_ By this time the writer's arms and back ached from the severity of the work. The recovery of the line taken out by the Tuna was a heart-breaking task_ Every foot gained meant pumping and lifting until the rod was bent like a bow and it seemed as if the line could no longer withstand the strain. At first when the fish was hooked the writer was afraid the tackle might break and give him a chance to get out of the fight. About this time the regular boatman appeared upon the scene with a smaller launch, and the writer, hatless, coatless and shoeless was transferred to that boat to resume the contest under more favorable conditions. The Tuna, meantime, had been getting its second wind, although still fast to the line, and the conflict must be begun again. "Don't give him up," said the boatman encouragingly. "Go right after him now with all your might, and we will soon be able to land him." And again did the writer go after the fish with all the strength at his command, and it took just two hours more of good vigorous fighting before the Tuna was brought to gaff and landed in the boat. Then came the collapse. The blue button was won, but only at the end of one of the most severe physical contests the writer had ever experienced. Fully twenty boats had gathered about the scene to witness the final ending. There were many cheers and friendly congratulations, but they meant as much to the successful angler as they did to the dying fish in the bottom of the boat_ All he wanted was time to rest and regain his spent vigor. At the Club float, where the writer was landed, minus most of his clothing and tired clear to the roots of his hair, were a number of friends assembled to see the fish and the man who had caught it. "Great God, ain't you got no sense?" exclaimed the doctor friend, as he seized the writer's arm and hurried him bare-headed and bare-footed through the crowd of friends on the Club house porch and over the flint stone street to his home_ "Get into bed now, and don't let us have any more nonsense. A man of your age ought to know better than to fight a fish over six hours and then stop to shake hands with a lot of silly people." After changing his clothing, or rather resuming it, the writer went back toward the Club house when he was met by a committee on its way to present him with the blue button of the Tuna Club_ 1 1 I "It has always been the custom of the Tuna Club," said the Chairman of the Committee, "to present this button to newly made members while they were still in bed recovering from the ill-effects of catching their first Tuna, and we expected to find you there." "Probably I would have been there had it not been for the doctor," was the writer's response. "He ordered me to go to bed, but I am not yet over that fit of obstinacy Frolicked by fighting that infernal Tuna_ I thini? that I have earned the button." 1 Date Due ..,--- -1-- t Photomount 11111 1111111 1[111 Pamphlet 3 9352 03122300 1 Binder Gaylord Bros., Inc. Makers Stockton, Calif. PAT. JAN. 21, 1908 'Vin C rk n\l rt 4 • 4P n i4 4