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GIANT SUNFISH WEIGHING A TON Narrative of Fisherman Heilncr, Who Hooked Monster Off Catalina Island. A monster sunfish, weigiiin almost two thousand pounds, was caught at Catalina Islaud by Van tampen Heilner while fishing from the launch Mamma. The huge fish was sighted several miles off Avalon and was harpooned by Mr. Heilner. When brought to the beach at Avalon the giant creature of the deep caused considerable sensation among the visitors. Many photographs were taken after it had been placed on a wagon by the herculean efforts of men and a number of ropes and pulleys. Narrating his thrilling adventure of . the capture of this sea giant, Mr. Heilner, who has had considerable expsrience with tho harpoon among the devilfish, sawfish and big sharks of the gulf stream, said: "We sighted the monster about two miles off Avalon basking in the sun. The first time I threw the harpoon it glanced off the tough hide like the ringing steel from a piece of hard granite. For some minutes after the first attempt we were unable to locate the fish, but at last it arose to the surface and we cautiously approached it with the launch Mamma. "Carefully I measured the distance and tried to locate a spot that was penetrable. Witli a dull thud the iron found its mark. The monster fins and tall vibrated. Then the fight was on, "Immediately Capt. McKay seized a jraff and plunged it into the corner of its small mouth. This held -the sunfish close to the side of the launch until other gaffs and ropes could be secured about. Like pieces of thread the lines parted as the fisli struggled to regain its lilerty. With the weight of the fisli the boat listed to the port side and made our movements on deck difficult. "Like a whale it belched great volumes of water. The captain and I were drenched to the skin. It was not until I had fired several shots from my large caliber revolver that we were able to subdue this marine Goliath." So. great was the fish that it was impossible to weigli it. Attemps to raise it to the deck of the steamer pier failed, owing to the fact that the block and tackle were unable to carry such a tremendous load. Old fishermen here state that it is the largest fisli of this variety tiiat they have ever seen on the Pacific coast.
