Emsley Armfield Catches 30 Pound Rock Fish; G.B. Caldwell Brings Down Five Birds with One Shot, Jan. 16, 1923

Emsley Armfield Lands Big Fish Near Yemasee. . . Monster Rock, Weighing Over 24 Pounds Dressed, Exhibited at the English Drug Company. . . Caldwell Shatters All Known Gun Records, Too. . . Chief of Monroe’s Fire Department Gets Five Birds at One Shot and Has a Mighty Good Witness to Back Him Up—Mr. Armfield Treats His Friends to Fish, Quail and Duck Supper at Home of Mrs. Russell Yesterday Evening

All known shooting and fishing records have been shattered by two local sportsmen, G.B. Caldwell and Emsley Armfield.

Mr. Caldwell, well-known insurance man and chief of Monroe’s fire department, took first honors, in killing five birds on the wing at one shot. Mr. Armfield won the honors in his class by landing a Rock that weighed 24 ¾ pounds dressed.

Nor are they “fish tales.” Mr. Caldwell’s feat was reported here by Mr. Dock Haney, a reputable citizen of Marshville township, who saw the birds fall after Mr. Caldwell had shot but one time; while W.J. Heath and John English, business men of standing, were with Mr. Armfield when he towed the fish to shore at Yemasee, S.C., near Marion. Then to be doubly sure of no questioning, Mr. Armfield brought the fish back to Monroe and it was on display at the English Drug Company.

Must Have Weighed 30 Pounds

The big Rock, which must have weighed 30 pounds undressed, was caught in brackish water near the mouth of a small stream entering the ocean near the Yemasee swamp wit h a 15-pound tested line. Artificial bait was used.

“I knew I had a big one,” said Mr. Armfield in telling about his catch, “when the fish began pulling my boat down stream. I let it have all of my line, about 60 or 70 feet. Back and forth we played for 30 minutes or longer. Not until it was thoroughly exhausted could I drag it to shore.”

Mr. Armfield had 17 friends over at the home of Mrs. N.G. Russell, where he and Mrs. Armfield are staying, to eat the big Rock yesterday evening. Mrs. Russell has the reputation of being the best cook in the state and none of the many veteran sportsmen present at the dinner could ever recall having eaten fish, quail or duck so tastefully prepared. Those present were: Messrs. J.C.M. Vann, G.S. Lee Jr., John Fairley, N.M. Redfern, W.E. Funderburk, Robert Lee, John Beasley, R.G. Laney, Allen Heath, John English, Allen Lee, W.B. Cole, N.C. English, I.H. Blair, Frank Rose and Watt Hamilton.

From the front page of The Monroe Journal, Jan. 16, 1923