By many anglers for large and exciting game, the California swordfish is pronounced the king of all game fishes. Certainly they put up a very determined and exciting fight. In size they average about 180 pounds, though one has been taken at Catalina by W. C. Boschen that weighed 355 pounds. When a swordfish is hooked its rushes are desperate, even reckless, and at times dangerous to the angler. In its determined efforts to free itself from the impaling hook, it threshes the waters into foam, repeatedly leaping into the air, where the sunlight scintillating upon the purple of its back and silvery sides adds the charm of color to the excitement of the contest. It is safe to say that there is no fish, either in the salt or fresh waters, that is so constantly on the surface and in the air during its struggles for freedom as is the California swordfish. Thirty, forty and even fifty clean leaps into the sunlight by the one fish have been recorded in its desperate struggle to baffle the skill of the angler.
The snout of the swordfish is continued into a long, sharp bone, which measured from the back of the mouth is about one-fourth of the length of the fish from the mouth to the base of the tail. The under jaw is also a sharp projecting bone about half the length of the sword. The dorsal fin rises sharply from the top of the head to a height nearly equaling the depth of the body, the latter part curving downward and continuing along the back to nearly the center of the body; tail divided into two long, slim forks; second dorsal and anal near the tail and nearly opposite each other; ventral fin below the terminal of the first dorsal; pectoral fins rather long and located close to the gill-covers; two long, slender feelers projecting from the center of the throat just below the base of the pectorals; eye very large and bright dark blue.
Purplish green on the back, with blue perpendicular stripes fading into the silvery sides; fins, dark purple.
Tackle and Lure—Same as for tuna.
THE BLACK SEA BASS, OR JEW-FISH
(Stereolepis gigas)
This monster of the ocean, commonly called jew-fish, seems to be in all respects a gigantic black bass, closely resembling the small-mouthed of the fresh waters, and no further description will be necessary for anyone who may be fortunate enough to land one to know to what species it belongs. In fact, he will know just what he has hooked long before the monster shows himself on the top of the water. This huge black sea bass seems to have a very restricted range, for it is only known from the Coronado Islands to the Farallones. They are very plentiful around Catalina Island, where they are usually taken with hand lines. They can not be called a game fish, though they are now being taken with rod and reel at Catalina and furnish a kind of "heavy-weight" sport for those who like it. One weighing over 436 pounds has been taken on a tuna rod and twenty-one thread line. The writer saw one several years ago that was taken on a hand line that weighed 720 pounds and was over seven feet in length. They are fish of great strength and will tow a boat with ease at a considerable speed.
Tackle—The same as for tuna, with fish bait.
THE BARACUDA