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MONSTER SUN FISH LANDED AT AVAL0N SAN RAPHAEL, Cal.. October 31. A fish weighing in the neighborhood of one ton recently caused great excitement at Avalon, where monster catches are daily occurrences. The sea giant was a huge sunf ish brought in by Van Campen Heilner of Spring Lake, N. J., while fishing from the launch Manana with Captain Mackay. The sunfish was sighted about two miles from Avalon. Its weight was so great; that it was impossible to place it on the fishing scales or land it on the pier, the hoisting derrick crumpling beneath the weight of the monster fish. With ropes, pullej-s and the assistance of nearly every young man in Avalon, the sunfish was finally placed on a handcart and trundled through the streets, where it attracted big crowds of interested spectators. Speaking- of his capture of the sea giant, Mr. Heilner, who has had considerable experience with the harpoon among devilfish, sawfish and sharks of the Gulf stream, said: "We sighted the monster about two miles out in the channel basking in the sun. As we drew closer I threw: a harpoon, but it glanced off the tough hide like ringing steel from a piece of hard granite. The fish dived and for some minutes we lost sight of it, but at last it rose to the surface again and we cautiously slipped up closer. Carefully measuring the distance I tried for a vulnerable spot. With a thud the Iron found its mark, the monster fins quivered and the tail vibrated. Then the fight was oh. "Captain Mackay, the boatman with me, seized a gaff and plunged it into the corner of its small mouth. This held the sunfish close to tho side of the launch until other gaffs and ropes could be made secure. As the giant fish struggled the big ropes parted like pieces of thread. The weight of the fish caused the boat to list dangerously and it was a rather hazardous trip with the monster in tow back to Avalon. Like a whale the sunfish spouted huge streams of water." Old fishermen at Avalon state that the sunfish landed by Mr. Heilner is the largest of this variety ever seen on the Pacific coast.
