Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-07-24

that the pickerel will some way get up
to the upper lakes and kill of the trol
there. They now run up Rapid River quit
distance, and some say clear to the dan
which is about three hundred feet rise |
five miles. But they have not destroye
the trouting in this river and "pond Of tn
river yet, for during the latter days Q
Sept. last year there was great sport anon
the five to eight Founders oftrout land fror
Rapid River over to B Pond, one mil
across the woods, you can have one mil
Of the best trout pond in this country
Many years ago these trout averaged tw'
pounds. When we caught 100 trout W,
were as sure Of 200 ponds Of trout as
we had weighed them.
The B Pond fish are a peculiar trou
dark In color, long and slim, and very
sweet favored-much better than any 9th
er trout l ever tasted. They spawn late
In the winter; in fact, have seen the
spawn run from them during the spring
fishing; and having so many peculiarities
suggested to Prof. Agassiz that this was
a distinct species, and sent him a sample,
but he averred that different time Of spawn
ing and difference of color and shape, as
well as taste, did not necessarily designate
another class, as long as they embraced
the red spots; and he thought that the
muddy bottom and the peculiar food found
in this pond was the cause of all the dis
tinguishing marks In these fishes.
There Is to-day goou '. outing In this
pond, and fine sport trolling when the
spring opens. once caught large trout
here which seemed to be filled with some
foreign substance, so cut him open and
found hedghog's foot cut OF at the ankle
joint. This was In the winter, and the ice
was several inches thick, and had been
frozen over several weeks. As the foot
was not much digested, 1t was big puz-
zle to me as to where he got it. There Is
not, and never has been, any other fish but
the above trout In this pond, and so they
have to live chiefly on the insect life Of the
water. These trout have also diminished
in average size from the long-ago two
Founders, yet are occasionally taken
four pounds.
rAua at ha aytr nnrth an1
Umbagog, or North Bay" as 1t is some
times called, near high ledge, is place
where large trout have been caught every
year in August-say the last half of the
and it was also said that q small
party the last year caught l50 pounds
there. The ledge above referred to pre-
sents fine airy place to spread tent, and
q few rods east Is fine, cool spring OF
never failing water. This verify believe
to be the only place in the lake where trout
can now be taken, and these happen to be
too large for the pickerel to swallow.
From Umbagog Lake to B Pond Is three
miles, and we formerly had to catch our
1--WE bait in the lake and carry them in pals
those three miles on snow shoes. We
once hired man by the name OF Carr to
"tote" live bait for us, so we told outside
people that we had our bait brought to US
on the car, suggestive Of railroad up
here.
One Of the Stone boys finally married,
and his wife used to catch live bait for him,
while he tended the lines. BY this way,
bait could only be taken at early morn or
near and after sunset. One very cold
evening In January, this lady sat on the
ice fishing busily, and did not notice that
her skirts were In the water on the Ice.
where the draining Of the fishes, as she
pulled them out, had gathered. By-and-
bye, when she was done, she tried to get
up to 60 home, but found she was frozen
down, and, having no axe by her, she
could not by any means release herself,
and the nearest person was miles away.
She Immediately slipped out Of her dress
and skirts and ran home in her undercloth-
ing, nearly frozen to death by the way.
This same woman once caught muskrat
on her minnow hook.
Molnichwoc stream, two miles south OF
Umbagog Lake, is q good trouting brook.
1t takes It's rise in pond by that name,
in the town of Upton, Maine, and empties
into the Androscoggin River, In the town
Of Enrol, New Hampshire, some three or
four miles below Enrol dam.
This stream is about ten miles long and
Is filed with brook trout, as also Is the
pond at it's source. These trout are small
in and near the pond, but as you follow
down toward its mouth the trout grow
larger, some weighing q pound and more.
There are many good pools along this
stream where sport may be had casting q
fly, presenting large, open places below
the waterfalls, and, when the waters are
low, the stream can be waded great part
Of the way, except, Of course, the deep
pools.
A winter road was cut from the lake
many years ago, through the woods to
Milan, New Hampshire, some fifteen miles
or more; and spring-boards are now some
times hauled in over this road to this
stream, with baggage, for BURBERRY pick
ers. as this berry is very abundant In that
vicinity.
know of no better place for party to
enjoy camping out and fishing In the
summer season than this stream; provided
the size of the trout is satisfactory, as
some good shooting might be mixed In for
q change. The place is cheaply and easily
reached from Upton, Cambridge, or even
Enrol, and, above all, just remote enough
from civilization to enjoy the wildness Of
nature without fntruaiOn