Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-07-24
From the American Angler.
THE TROUT OF MAINE WATERS.
The RANGELY LAKE REGION.
BY j. q. RICH.

ASST, there Is only one species OF REQ
spotted trout in the Rangeley range {
lakes. These lakes are situated in tn
northern part of Franklin and Oxfor
Counties of Maine, and portion of tn
most southerly one in the State of Ne,
Hampshire. Their original, or India
names, are variously spelled BY diferen
writers, yet we shall use the common
nomenclature of fifty years ago, which i
warranted by the sound of the names a
spoken by the Indians themselves at tina
time.
Commencing at Rangely, or " Oquas
sac" we have Cupsuptic, Mooselucma
guntic or Great Lake, Allemuntebagog
Welockennebacook and Northumberland
the last three being what is known as
Lake Richardson, -Umbagog being the
most southerly of the whole range. There
are, however, a great number Of large
and small ponds and lakes connected with
the above named by large or small streams.
Some of these are near by and Others more
remote; for instance. Kennebago Lake.
twelve miles northwest of Rangely-Par-
machene, northwest from Umbagog thir-
ty miles-in which the same trout occnr
The Rangely Lakes are celebrated for
the size Of the trout in them. for they
produce larger brook trout than any other
waters in the United States. if not in the
world; fish that weigh up to eleven
pounds-six to eight pounds not being an
uncommon weight. A weekly record of
trout taken last spring presents the fol-
lowing account with the names of par
ties, for the week ending June 8, 1882
Harry Gardner, OF Boston,-one of 8
pounds, another OF pounds, and another
OF l-2 pounds.
Alonzo Warren, OF South Boston, landed
one Of pounds ounces.
Horace Haskins, OF Somerville, Mass,
took one Of 5pounds ounces in the Moose
lucmaguntic.
X. A. Tuttle, OF Boston, secured one
weighing l2 pounds, aud quite number
at the foot of Rangely, weighing 6 pounds.
This was the record of boarders Of one
camp. One Of eleven pounds was taken
below Upper Dam two years ago by Ste
phen +. Morse, OF Upton, Maine. l have
only enumerated some Of the largest trout
taken, while hundreds were doubtless
caught weighing from one to four pounds
In that same week, and this in June; while
September gives US the big fellows. At
the same time there were also taken many
lsnd-locked salmon, the plant OF which
was made some five or more years ago,
the fish now weighing from four to ten
pounds. No other large fish are taken in
these waters that can be COMPOUNDED with
the above, as no other salmonida, except
the blue-back (SGimo OSqudssa), small
fish OF three or four ounces weight, some
times classed with the trout, OF which
write further on In another paper.
We will now go back forty years, and
take look at these trout, before any OBJ
structions were put In, in the shape OF
dams, aud when they had free course In
all these waters.
In those days, all Of Us, natives and
hunters, used fish pole cut from the
shores nearest the pools we were to fish,
without lsnding-net or fy-hook. The
latter device came around these parts
about the time the Kuow-Nothings made
their appearance in political life; and q
great wonder they were to US, and we
looked down upon the "fiies" and the men
who used them. in utter disgust
We used bait and sinker mostly; some
times we skipped the bait on the surface,
to suit the fancy Of some aesthetic old set
tier, who had gorged himself with small
fry and was looking after q new sensation.
1t was easy to get them up, and We played
them hard and strong against the current,
soon bringing them to shore or Loaf, as
the case might be. With one hand hold
ing the line or pole, with the other one
we would tickle the fish softly with the
fingers under the body until we could get
q good grip by the gills with the thumb
and index finger from over the back Of the
neck.
How foolish the more scientific way
looked to us. Did you, my scientific
friend Of the ffty-dollar, six-ounce rod,
and courtyard leader, and your drop-hies
and leader OF K-doodle bug, ever look from
our standpoint at the science Of trouting2
From no other point could you get the
faintest idea of the way we saw IL. We
could just take the wind out Of your fancy
rigging, too; and many city angler was
glad to purchase few good bouncers of
US land-sharks to carry home for good
show.
In June fishing. and ] might say the
last days Of May, and even as soon as the
ice leaves the lakes, the date Of which has
varied nearly month in decade (for one
year marked on the sides Of the camp,
April 29th; and another year. eight or ten
years later, June 2d); generally from the
18th to the goth Of May, trout are as abun-
dant at the mouth Of most Of the brooks
and rivers, as well as in the eddies at the
foot of all rapid waters where there is a
deep hole, and later in the white water.
No doubt the fish seek running water to
free themselves Of vermin which cling to
their back and sides, and also to feed; for
the small fry-shiners, suckers and chubbs
go there before the trout.
n