The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-22
FISHING FOR SNAKES.
Exciting Incidents Connected with the Sport
Jim Jams Without Whisky.

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Letter from Thousand Islauds in Philadelphia Times
The writer placed "St Patrick" fly, "black
June" and a lively ninnow where he was direct
ed and gradually brought them in. not even
rock bass arising at the tempting lure. Another
cast; splash as If the father of all bass had
struck, and the slender rod bent like whip.
look cut for him, cried the expert, as a
long slender object seemed to shoot into the air
md entwine around the line, then suddenly dis
appeared to rush off with the line.
'Eels, we suggested, working carefully at
the reel and wishing for donkey engine attach
Hnent.
mo cells about that replied my friend, as
his line rushed out in similar manner but
snakes. and great snakes, too. Don't land him
in the boat he shouted, as the capture came
wriggling over hand in his direction, head up.
Now, them The boatman seized landing
net and soon landed lively black watersnake
three feet long whose forked tongue darted out
YiciOusy and whose eyes snapped with rage.
You see, said the original snake sherman,
81 have a friend who is making a collection of
snakes ard he wanted me to collect all | could.
/ didn't know how to 60 it without hurting them,
until one day / was here and pulling along,
trolling for anything could get, when suddenly
j felt a jerk and l reeleG in snake larger than
any have seen here, and since then have
caught several. tell you, they're game. he
added, land there's a regular convention of
them in here" as the ROD bent again under the
pressure.
III 8 q new tutnG TO take lily on snake,
said the excited fisherman, working away: and
talk about camel They've more tricks than a
whole family Of bass But, TO tell the truth, the
first one took about broke up our party. AS
said, we were pulling along. and nay housekeep.
er sat in the stern holding the rod when
all at once she had bite that almost took
the rod out Of her hands. | saw the long
tail fly out Of the water and cried out that 1t
was an eel So she reeled in, and IN a minute
the biggest Old water snake that you ever saw
AZ bat 4to11 npttrI,
went the rod and she took a flying leap for the
bow Of the boat but the line got caught around
her dress. and she somehow jerked the reptile
right into the boat. and tell you she yelled
when she saw it twisting and writing after her
1 gave the boat a shove and by luck we hit the
shore, and the way we all fell out was caution.
landed in the water and got one of the flies in
my leg, but my fshwoman took a flying leap,
ard for second there was snake, skirts and
flies IN the air. She struck land, however, and
made for tho woods, screaming fire and murder
in three languages, and that was the last saw
Of her
No. she isn't running yet She broke away
from the line in going through the woods, and
walked home. and all the women folks have
combined in calling me a brute ever since for
soaring her half to death. got good duckirg,
and, between you and me, was about as fright
ened as she was. That's the way | discovered
this snake fishing and when you get the hang of
1t it rather breaks up the rnonotony OF ordinary
fishing. There is always something exciting
about it, and when you come down to variety it
faxes the cake. Now, when you land bass he
jumps into the air, wriccles. f,hts and dies; but
good big snake don't die until his head is chopped
off and then he'll hold up his tail and wave 1t at
you The other day | brought man up here
who had been all over the world had shot
elephants In Africa chased the musk OK in the
far North, hunted on every continent under the
sun, yct-what was it he said, Wil!iam:' asked
the Judge, appealing 10 the b0atman.
HE said, replied the man, with q grin, that
he'd never had so much excitement in a chunk
In his life, and he told ne afterwards that he
had the jim jams without tastin' liquor. How?
Why him and the Judge both struck water
snakes to once He had one OF these reels that
multpies four times and somehow both snakes
got jerked into The boat at the same time and
afore he knowed it one of era made rush up
his pants leg. Well continued the oarman.
leaning back with a loud haw haw at the recol-
lection, I've seen ground and lofty tumblin' as
they call it. at the circus, but nothn TO beat his
leap. lie gev yell and grabbed the critter
through his pants, made slip and over he
went, night tipping over the boat, and shoutin'
for me to pull him out out of one side of his
mouth, and swearin' at the Judge out
of the other. 1t was up and down and
roly poly, l Lin tell you. At last see the
stoclin and workn up ana down jest like cat
does when she's mad | made grab for it, and
tried to jerk it out, all the time the Colonels
eyes stickin out sot you could have hung your
rou on EN-; out Inc Hrst Fank gave the ny
stuck on the inside Of his pants, and the thing
wouldn't come either way Then be went to
gtEin of his clothes; vests suspenders and pants
was allyn through the air for awhile. After
he got his pants off, I'm best if the hook wasn't
stuck in his drawers, and the snake wound
around his leg, and the way he GOT off them
things was caution. But they was tied around
the ankles IN q hard knot, and when jerked EN-
off, there he on his back, his feet al! mixed
mp, agasriu' and swearin. never laughed SO
much in al my life, sartin.
"Bitel 10. they're AS harmless chickens;
1--WE on little fish and young frogs; that's what
makes EN- SO eager to take a fly: they'll take
most anything that looks like a fish or iiy.