us and
murderous nature. But I incline to the belief that it is because the
invariable use of heavy tackle has blinded the fishermen to the
wonderful leaping and fighting qualities of this long-nosed,
long-toothed sea-tiger. The few of us who have hooked barracuda on light
tackle know him as a marvelous performer. Van Campen Heilner wrote
about a barracuda he caught on a bass rod, and he is not likely to
forget it, nor will the reader of his story forget it.

R. C. had another strike, hooked his fish, and brought it in readily. It
was a bonita of about five pounds, the first one my brother had ever
caught. We were admiring his beautiful, subdued colors as he swam near
the boat, when up out of the blue depths shot a long gray form as swift
as lightning. It was a big barracuda. In his rush he cut that bonita in
two. The captain grasped the line and yelled for us to get the gaffs. R.
C. dropped the rod and got the small gaff, and as I went for the big one
I heard them both yell. Then I bent over to see half a dozen big gray
streaks rush for what was left of that poor little bonita. The big
barracuda with incredible speed and unbelievable ferocity rushed right
to the side of the boat at the bonita. He got hold of it and R. C. in
striking at him to gaff him hit him over the head several times. Then
the gaff hook caught him and R. C. began to lift. The barracuda looked
to me to be fully seven feet long and half as big around as a telegraph
pole. He made a tremendous splash in the water. R. C. was deluged. He
and the boatman yelled in their excitement. But R. C. was unable to hold
the big fish on this small gaff, and I got there too late. The barracuda
broke loose. Then, equally incredibly, he turned with still greater
ferocity and rushed the bonita again, but before he could get to it
another and smaller barracuda had hold of it. At this instant I leaned
over with a club. With one powerful sweep I hit one of the barracuda on
the head. When I reached over again the largest one was contending with
a smaller one for the remains of the bonita. I made a vicious pass at
the big one, missing him. Quick as I was, before I could get back, the
big fellow had taken the head of the bonita and rushed off with it,
tearing the line out of the captain's hands. Then we looked at one
another. It had all happened in a minute. We were all wringing wet and
panting from excitement and exertion. This is a gruesome tale of the sea
and I put it here