THE OUTDOOR WEEK
THE WIRE-HAIRED SWORDFISH
The Ocean south of Noman's Land, a barren little island off the seaward tip of Martha's Vineyard, Mass., is rarely lifeless. Marlin travel there, and tuna, and the lordly broadbill swordfish surfaces with fins above the water, perhaps to rest, perhaps to sleep off a stint of orgiastic dining on lesser fish life. The broadbill is unwary then and men in boats can ease up to him, thrust a lily iron into his back and take his 200-, often over 700-pound carcass to the fish market where it may fetch as much as 40¢ a pound. Swordfish is a recognized delicacy. Thus, recently Harry Bellas Hess of New York City was 20-some miles off Noman's aboard his yacht Seer looking for swordfish. Mr. Hess, who has long been a sporting gentleman, would prefer to take broadbill on rod and reel, but he is, after all, aged 83 and as a concession to his years now uses the harpoon. It is a slight concession. As any commercial "striker" will admit, even in its dopey state a swordfish is no easy target, but that afternoon Mr. Hess struck his seventh swordfish of the summer and it was duly brought aboard. But as the Seer was about to continue on its searching way, Mr. Hess's captain, Frank Cyganowski, spotted something black off the port bow. At first glance it seemed to be another swordfish fin. Then it began to look like a dog's nose. The captain reversed. Attached to the canine's nose was a canine submerged, a wire-haired fox terrier in fact, with a codline collar around its neck and exhaustion written in its every feeble paddling motion. There was no land in sight, only ocean, and a fox terrier clearly did not belong in it.
Mr. Hess broadcast his rescue on the radiotelephone and miles away Forrest J. Hoxsie, skipper of the Point Judith dragger William Cheseboro, smiled broadly. He had been bound for the fishing grounds with his terrier Shakespeare snoozing in the wheelhouse. Suddenly Shakespeare disappeared. A frantic crew ransacked the dragger. It proved dogless and only one thing could have happened. An unexpected roll or a missed step had pitched Shakespeare overboard. Captain Hoxsie carefully, but vainly, circled for an hour and sadly resumed his course. Two hours later he heard Mr. Hess's broadcast. A cruel sea had relented and Shakespeare was soon snoozing in Captain Hoxsie's wheelhouse again.
FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
SO—season opened (or opens); SC-Season closed (or, closes).
C—clear water; D—water dirty or roily; M—water muddy. N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling.
WT50—water temperature 50°.
FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor; OVG—outlook very good; OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor
PACIFIC SALMON: BRITISH COLUMBIA: Standard fly patterns collaring tyees to 45 pounds at mouth of Gold River on west coast of Vancouver Island and OVG. Further north, bars of Skeena 40-pounder full, but famous Rivers Inlet angling upset by invasion of marauding Killer Whales; OF/G.
WASHINGTON: Silvers from six to 13 pounds whacking herring strips along west coast of Lummi Island with Legoe Bay exceptionally active. Local hopefuls, however, excited by reports of huge schools of huge hook-nosed silvers milling off mouth of Juan de Fuca Strait, presumably waiting for flow of freshened water from rising coastal rivers; OVG.
CALIFORNIA: Fat chinooks off Trinidad Head where skiff fishermen are boating samples to 40 pounds and OG. Mouth of Klamath offering limits of 30-pounders as first good run of summer is under way; OG generally but FF only from Monterey to Bodega Bay.
TROUT: BRITISH COLUMBIA: Cutthroat to four pounds inhaling flies at mouth of Oyster River during evening hours. FG in nearby Campbell Lake and interior lakes such as Paul, Pinantan, Peterhope and Lejeune.
CALIFORNIA: Dog days in lowlands but hiking and pack-tripping anglers garnering full creels in high country. FG and OVG in Trinity-Salmon area. Creeks above Tahoe. wilderness area of Yosemite and French Canyon, and lakes on east slope of Sierra all trout active and OG.
IDAHO: Cool weather throughout state has improved angling generally. In north Idaho, Priest River from Priest Falls downstream a current favorite. Moyie River and St. Maries River fine for flies although grasshoppers have been duping three-to five-pounders for bait fishermen. FG in central state, especially in high lakes such as Box and Louie near McCall with Gray Hackle size 12 to 14 most attractive fly and OVG. North fork of Payette, middle fork of Payette in vicinity of Rattlesnake Creek also productive. Silver Creek N and C and FG for large fish. Big Lost River drainage FG in southern state and south fork of Snake OVG in eastern section; take your pick and OVG.
MICHIGAN: All streams N and C with Maurice Doucette of Birmingham, Mich, taking an eight-pound brown from the Jordan. Summer-run rainbows ranging to three pounds are hitting in Thunder Bay River below Four-Mile Dam where local spy insists OVG.
SWORDFISH: Many fish sighted finning in offshore waters from northern Long Island to Martha's Vineyard area but most noteworthy catch made last week by Lawrence H. Furman of Westbury, L.L, fishing aboard the Scamp II out of Shinnecock Canal. For one hour and 20 minutes Furman struggled with a broadbill on 24-thread and finally boated it to find that he had set a new U.S. coastal record at 584 pounds. Although delighted, the young architect still regrets that he did not have a chance to hook a marlin on the spinning tackle which he had brought aboard.
STRIPED BASS: VIRGINIA: Schools of 10-pounders have moved into Rappahannock River and informant reports that larger fish generally follow in two or three weeks; OG.
MARYLAND: Striper concentration in Chester River area thinning out as fish move northward up Chesapeake Bay to spawn in Susquehanna River. A few fish are there now and commercial haul seiners are also present waiting for influx of large fish. Next 10 days may see FG on Susquehanna Flats.
CALIFORNIA: Surf slingers scoring satisfactorily along San Francisco and San Mateo beaches. North San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Straits and Napa River offering best trolling as winds have subsided; OG.
NEW YORK: Montauk, L.L reports army of large stripers in the vicinity of Montauk Point Light with Ken Lindell of Freeport nailing a 42-and 44-pounder last week from Caswell's Beach two miles west of the light; OVG.
PHOTO
SHAKESPEARE (above) is lucky dog who was saved from the deep by a nose.
PHOTO