The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-06-18
JOB DEPARTMENT..
Story Of the BIG pike.

among tne party was Colonel Clay,
cousin of the great Harry of the
west, says writer in the Philadelphia
News, describing group Of fishermen.
He was a man about fifty years old,
six feet high in his stockings and as
straight and erect as an arrow. Upon
my expressing surprise at some of tho
fish stories I heard, our host said:
"Colonel, tell our friend here about
how you caught the big pike in Red
River last summer" The colonel, like
all modest men. hated to speak OF his
personal achievements, but, upon my
adding my earnest request to that of
the host, cleared his throat with a
drink and said:
"For two years an immense pike
had been seen in the pools ofthe river
about the fishing-grounds, and all the
crack fishermen were on their mettle
to catch him. Several of them hook
ed him ut different times, but he inva-
riably got away much to their chagrin
and disgust. Last summer l was will,
fishing party up the river, and
wandered away from the party as
walked down stream beating up tho
pools. About 4 o'clock il. the after.
noon waded out to small rock, just
about big enough to stand on, and
cast my fly in poolbeyond. Scarce
ly had it touched the water when it
was taken with an eagerness thalS
showed me that ] was in for some
sport. let my fish have all the line
he wanted. and the way he made tho
reel spin was a caution. BY and by l
wound him up a bit. and then he dart
ed off ag;.n. could tell by the feel
that he was u whopper and | saw that it
would take all my skill and patience
to kill him. Wcll, played him for a
full hour, alternately winding him in
as far as could, and then letting him
go us far as he would. Tho
pool began about ten feet beyond
the rock on which | stood, and be-
tween the water was not more than
eighteen inches to two feet deep. By
and by began to be uncertain
whether | had caught q pike or
whether the pike hadn't caught mo.
The rock was wet and Shiny. and it
was hard keeping my footing On it. 1
u3hi hh i:lT1tbtnH NOT, ana L DCDfln tn
wonder when my llsh was going 70
tire. He certainly showed very little
evidence OF exhaustion then. / called
a. the top of my voice for my com.
RACES, but only the echoes of the hills
answered me. My fish had run out
almost to the end OF my line. Then |
began winding hlm up. Further and
further he came in until at last | got
i'll over the edge OF the pool, and into
the shallow water. Tken saw thatI
had hooked the famous big pike.
"ralk of excitemcnts. l fought all
through the war and I've been where
the balls were pretty thick, but my
heart never beat so fast as it did thnt
moment. put my hand up t o brush
the eperspiration off my brow, and then
lspat out my thoroughly chewed quid
OF tobacco. My fish was resting
gathering strength for another dash
through the water. thought OF the
song, Thou Art so Near and Yet so
Far Then put my hand back to
my hip pocket to got some tobacco.
1t struck the handle OF my revolver,
which |, in my anxiety, had forgotten
all about. l took it out, and as I
frightened my grasp on the reel men
tally exclaimed: MIR. Pike, your time
has comep 1t had. The next moment
] drew u bead on his left eye, and Z
sent u ball through his head. Ho
jumped clear out OF the water and then
iell back my prey. My companions
heard the shot and came to soc. When
they. arrived thoy found me sitting
on the bank alongside the biggest pike
ever caught in the river, the tiretlest
and proudest man in all kentucky"