Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-04-09


stained with red and black ink mixed
My tip, you see. is split bamboo, and not
made in New York, but at Lake City,
and as pretty a job it is as you can find
on the continent. Our lines are silk and
hair, fine but strong, tipped with nine
foot gut leaders; and two of us will
whirl them out from the Bllinghurst
reel. Nichols has good multiplier that
suits him well. Now we take our posi-
tons. We insist on your taking the foot
hold on the grass plat below the mouth
of the creek, where you can best throw
to the deep water. Nichols wades in at
the head of the pool, so that he can oc-
casionally throw his flies to n spot he is
itching for under the opposite bank. As
for me, will wait bit, and see the fun,
and be ready to help either of you, If
need be, with the landing net. A light
breeze ripples the whole surface of the
pool, aided by the passing shadows of
the clouds, and you can stand out and
throw without being seen by the trout,
which are lazily rising here and there to
nip the floating flies and take look at
the weather. How your heart thumps,
your fingers Jingle, and your eyes snap
as you walk out TO your positions Sec
that great fellow break water with roll
towards the foot of the pool. Softly fall
the welt aimed flies over the spot where
be went down. There is lively break
around them, and you arc into business
on the big SIDE" But it isn't the big
gest trout that has got on. He wasn't
spry enough. /" See 'em 60 there, all
ways at once !''-two of them, pound
weight each, Juggling and jumping, each
wanting to run to his own cover, and
spending all their strength for nothing,
because they can't both agree to run the
same way. See 'em run, twitch, jerk,
Jump, and dive this way and that !
Now they go together, neck and neck,
curving around tho edge of the moss
bed, which you are just able to keep
them out Of. Hurrah, General there's
big one come out from under the moss
to see what was the matter, taken the
other fly; and, my grief see him 60 |!
Now you have got your hands full. sure.
The other ones give rig bit up and let him
pull them where he will. Down he goes
Into the deepest place, swooping to the
bottom, while your tip bends clear under
water. Up he rises, aiming TO make bis
regular jump above the surface, but the
weight of the Others bears him down
again, AMI now he runs down the pool.
l wish | had picture of you in that po-
sition, General, well braced in your boots
on the bank, playing these three trout,
giving and taking line, with the bending
rod. 1t is hard work, thrilling work,
and full of fear 10 you, but there is moth
Ing uad 10 hltrh the lfne on IN tins pool,
and you can let the party frolic where
they will, only holding taut line
gently taut, when they jump or jerk Wig
gorously,-and if well hooked, there is
no trouble. You play and reel them in
gradually, and now they yield. | had
a sort of premonitiOn of what was COM
ing when l looked at those " brown"
flies you tied on, for | tried them in
these waters when | was last here in the
month of June, and thought it safe to
have my hands free to lift the landing
net in case of trouble. Nov let them
come In here, my pretty fellows =
Welcome old settler ]" You will sink
the scales against a three-pound weight.
There now, one of the smaller ones has
come to life and got off Grab him
quickly Too late--he gave his tail
one twist, and dove under. No matter,
we DON want him today. ..,
But what is Nichols doing up there
l had quite forgotten him in this excite
ment He is reeling in two-pound
trout from the opposite bank, and now
leads him right out upon the sloping
shore, and, picking him up, runs around
here as quickly as possibe-not SO 'much
to see your capture on account of the
size, as to notice the marks on the south
west corner of the big ones mouth
whether there is scar left there by ono
of his battles with the king of this pool
some time ago. See him look the old
settler over, with view to file his claim
for first Improvements" "See anything
of it, Nichols 2" cit is not the same
trout-no such marks here; besides, mine
was a larger trout than this, and Le is
probably in the pool still, unless some
pot-fisher from st. Paul has taken him
with grab hook, and sneaked off with
out daring to show him TO anybody
Look in Nichols basket, General; he
has got brace of beauties there that
will do for dinner. We don't want any
more trout than we wish to fry, except a
few of these big ones to take home; and
being all agreed on this point. we return
10 the tent for rest and .refreshment, and
here we will take time to rig up agood
dinner, take a smoke, and talk over mat
tiers. III
mas This will not do, Oliver, to 90 into
camp again without single fin Of your
fishing; you haven't put line into wa
ter yet: we shall begin TO think you have
outlived your usefulness" Well, the
fact is, General, / fisheG this river un-
mercifuly in June, 1866, wading from
daylight till dark, with short intervals of
rest during the day. l was nearly des
perate with liverfui of Arkansas
swamps, and with dsordered apparatus
of digestion, and wanted to make thor