Cape Breton's Magazine

am. I'm the only person in the world that does that. Everybody else fishes them out of a power? boat. I always fished them the way Jack Ross did it--out of a rowboat. The British Tunny Club in England set up the rules for tuna fishing after Jack Ross got his. And that was one of the things--one man at the oars, and out of a rowboat, no power. That was Tunny Club rules. It was based on (Ross's) fish. (So you would be with Mr. MacRitchie in the rowboat. And he would row un? til ) Until the tuna took your bait. (Now, at that point, does he leave you in the boat?) Oh, no. He has to stay with you, because the (power)boat doesn't follow the tuna; I've gone five miles in our boat, faster than a powerboat could go. (Being towed by the tuna). Yeah. And that's fun. (So five miles--were you taken out of St. Ann's Bay?) Oh, yes. Away out. (But) they don't like to go out in the entrance. You see, it's very narrow. Like a bottleneck. They don't like to go past that. I don't remember going out more than once or twice. You caught them in? side and they'd stay there. So you're holding onto the rod and reel, and this tuna is pulling you around St. Ann's Bay.... (The idea, I take it, is to tire the fish. Is that an easy thing to do?) It depends on how you hook him, it depends on the fish. And it depends on how much you know about it. You want to kill your fish. You kill him by tiring him. It depends on who goes first, you or the fish. (Did the fish tire you.) Oh, yes. (You have quit). No, never. (You must have been a powerful man.) Well--(Commander Hodgson laughs)--I used to be pretty good in my day. My father-in-law. Jack Ross, he used to take that health-building, strength- building exercises. He used to do them for a month or two before he'd start the tuna fishing. But he fished without any har? ness. Just his hands on the rod. Amazing. I don't know how he did it. The first world's record tuna • 680 pounds-'aken by rod and line by J. K. L. Ross at St. Ann's Bay, Aug. 28,1911 (Photo courtesy Katherine Robinson, Englishtown) (You) hang on, and hope you don't quit be? fore he does. Jack Ross, he was caught by a storm, once or twice--and he lost his temper and he threw the rod into the ocean. He had had all he could stand. You have never been so tired in your life, takes the wind out of you. It's the most exciting thing I've ever done. Tried everything they had in Africa and I never saw anything like that. You try to reel him in all the time. You're fighting for one foot after the other on the reel. He's taking the line out. What he'll take out in a minute you'll sp'nd half an hour getting back. It's a killer. It's sort of suicidal. Stupidity. You von- Centre for International Studies • DE60UDCE CENTDE • Over 2000 Books, Magazines & Periodicals on • Development • Environment • Economic • Other Critical International Issues - Available Througtiout Gape Breton ~ Phone 562-6090 For SCHOOL & COMMUNITY PROGRAMS call 929-2063 or 539-5300 ext. 267 HE Or Visit Us at 390 Charlotte Street 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday COFFEE • VIDEOS PHOTOCOPYING Brucc'sl Place 562-5400 Spaghetti, Lasagna, Fettucini Alfredo Subs, Burgers, Quality Steaks and Bruce's own Pizza Pizzazz with more than 15 toppings to choose from I FULLY LICENSED | TAKE-OUT AVAILABLE r/inn • Welton Plaza weacceptthe JHXJXJ Sydney, N.S. major credit cards. Thu 11 am-11 pm • Fri & Sat 11 am-Midnight • Sun Noon-11 pm