Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-10
APPETITE FOR SQUIRREL.
A BIG TROUT WHICH WANTED
\ NOTHING ELSE.
What the Pisoatorial Clergyman Saw
One Day When He Got HopeleSsly Lost
lathe Woods.

81 have seen pickerel jump for tlp-Np
snipe and black bass jump for humming
birds, but never until yesterday did see
trout jump for a red squirrel said the
piscatorial clergyman as he lighted his
pipe for the thirtieth time that afternoon
1t was rainy day in camp. Big black
clouds had doomed up from the south, and
those Of lighter color had drifted swiftly
along the mountain peaks that surround
ed the lake on all sides. The rain mad
poured down in torrents during the day,
keeping the fisherman and his friends IN
doors. Dinner had been a cold meal,
though the Professor had made coffee
with an umbrella over his head, Whlle
clad in a long rubber coat that dangled
uncomfortable near the fire, which was
shielded from the storm by big rocks built
around it.
The cold dinner had not improved the
Festlessness of the dominic, for IL was
hard day tor him. The rain had touched
up the rheumatism, which played among
his joints and twinged and twltched him
rs he moved. The others had found the
hours pass pleasantly over cards, but the
dominic did not play cards, and he bad
soon tired of checkers. Then he had sat
In the doorway of the nut and amused
himself for time by shooting down cones
from hemlock tree with parlor rife,
but even that became tiresome. He had
also rugged up several new casts and got
out his bait fishing rod, for he knew
after the storm the trout would run mp
the small creeks, and that be would get
fine mess by bait fishing. He had var
nished his rods. oiled his reels and over
hauled all his tackle, but he had become
tired OF it all. He could not sleep on &C
count Of his rheumatism. One Of the boys,
observing his disQuietude, had proposed
that family prayers should be held, pro-
position that the minister frowned upon.
Finally the talk had drifted upon the sub
jeet of fishing, and the dominie's face
lighted up Immediately, as he joined in
the conversation with zest.
"Did the black bass catch the humming
bird ?'' asked young man.
tsNo," responded the dominic, she miss
ed the bird by about four feet. When
black bass starts for anything he means
business, and rarely fails to accomplish
his purpose, but humming bird darts
like lightning, and fish might as well
try to catch one as another. The pickerel
is a laZier tish, though swift swimmer.
They jump for the snipe more for fun
than anything else, 1 guess, just as a
trout will often jump In sport and simply
tap the flies with his tail instead of at
tempting to gain them for food"
"But how about the red squirrels ~ was
asked.
"Oh, the red squirrel was on log that
projected over pig pool In the river. He
sat up on the end chattering pleasantly to
himself In the sunlight, while his tail was
gracefully curved back. He had a nut in
his claws which he tasted occasionally,
though he evidently was not hungry. But
the big trout that lay down in the deep
pool below was hungry, and he eyed the
squirrel enviously. When trout is hun
cry he is almost wild and voraclous.
Finally the trout could not resist an at
tempt 70 catch the squirrel. and with a
whirr and splash he shot up throug the
water, His whole length came out of
the stream, and he seemed to point In
a straight line at the squirrel. He missed,
though, by nearly foot and settled back
in the pool in a whirlpool Of foam. The
squirrel was startled and retreated down
the log. In q little while he was reas-
sured, however, and came back to his old
perch. He was not there long, however,
before the big trout made another attempt.
He came out with rush, but did not
quite reach the squirrel, who came to the
conclusion that he had no business out on
that log and retired into the woods"
sDid you try 10 catch the big trout -
asked one Of the young men who had be-
come interested.
sob, yes" said the minister. al never
Jet big fish go by without an effort, at
least, to capture him. So / rugged up a
big hook had in my fly book and nut on
wad Of worms that one would think
would have tempted any fish, but it had
no effect on this fellow. l angled it down
IN the deep part OF the pool where l knew
the old patriarch lay, and then / drew ii
through the still water. but all to no pur-
pose. Then l tried a white grub dug out
OF rotten stump. Grub worms are ex-
cellent food for trout and usually will
fetch them when nothing else will. As il
was, i caught half-pounder on the grub
but the big trout would not take it. L
he had wished ii he would have been first
10 seize the grub. as in most cases wheI
a big trout starts for bait the smaller
ones keep out OF the way. / then tried
dies, but could not charm the old trout
with feathers and tinsel. then put ON 8
piece OF meat that was in a sandwich had
for lunch, though / did not have muct
hope OF it, and sure enough the trout never
looked at it, so had to give him up. If
could have found a chipmunk or got
hold or the red squirrel l think j shOul(
have saved the fish"
"Did you ever catch a trout with a chin
munk"' asked the young man as he drew
his chair closer.
Il never landed trout with one, but
nave uau luSu bbIlht Al HulpmunhS Oh
the one or two occasions / have trieC
them. j remember one time we'll, for
got lost that night and spent some tim,
in the woods. 1t was on a large strean
in a tract Of valuable timber where l wal
spending few days. l had heard chip
munks were good bait for very large fish
and happening TO catch another small
one In hollow of a stump, put HIM oI
the hook, not, though, till the little scamy
had put mis- teeth well nigh through ny
thumb. IL served me right. j had NJ
business using one OF the PRETTY
and innocent little creatures on
my hook. l hooked him wei
through the top Of the back and then le
him swing across the current Just as Il
poured into deep, magnificent pool, Tn,
poor animal had not proceeded half wa,
over, when there was a bright CLEAN
from below and nice trout came up ant
fastened upon the chipmunk. The httl,
fellow was badly torn and life was sooi
extinct, but failed TO hook the trout.
do not wish TO fish with chipmunks ex
cept where there is an immense front tina
cannot be caught in any other way"
But who came you 10 get lostp wa
asked.
because / was not careful. The tim
Der was very thick in that region, and
was not acquainted with the lay OF th
land. i had been over 70 a stream fiv
miles from where l was stopping, and Ii
the afternoon i started back by what