Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-05-22
Colonel Clay's Big Pike.

Among the party was Colonel Clay,
cousin of the great Harry of the west.
He was man about SO years old, six
foot high in his stocking feet, and as
straight and erect as an arrow. Upon
my expressing some surprise at some of
the fish stories 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 per-
sonal achievements, but upon my adding
my earnest request to that of the host,
cleared his throat with drink and said:
"For two years or more an immense
pike had been seen in the pools of the
river about the fishing grounds, and all
the crack fishermen were on their mettle
to catch him. Several of them hooked
him at different times, but he invariably
got away, much to their chagrin and dis
gust. Last summer I was with a fishing
party up to the river, and I wandered
from the party as I walked down the
stream beating up the pools. About 4
o'clock in the afternoon I waded out to
small rock, just big enough to stand
on, and cast my fly in pool beyond.
Scarcely had it touched the water when it
was taken up with an eagerness that
showed me Twas in for sport. I let my
fish have all the line he wanted, and the
way he made the reel spin was caution.
By and by wound him up bit, and
then he darted off again. could tell
by the feel that he was whopper, and I
saw that it would take all my skill and
patience to kill him.. Well, I played
him for full hour, alternately winding
him in as far as 1 could and then letting
him go as far as he would. The pool
began about ten feet beyond the rock on
which I stood, and between the water
was not more than eighteen inches to
two feet deep. By and by 1 began to
be uncertain as to whether I had caught
a pike or a pike had caught. me. The
rock was wet and Shiny, and it was hard
keeping my footing on it. I had no
landing net, and 1 was beginning to
wonder when my fish was going to tire.
He certainly showed very little evidence
of exhaustion then. I called at the top
of my voice for my comrades, but only
the echoes of the hills answered me. My
fish had run out almost to the end of
my line. Then began winding him up.
Further and further he came in until at
last I got it over the edge of the pool
and into the shallow water. Then saw
that I had hooked the famous big pike.
''Talk of excitement. I fought all
through the war and I've been where the
balls were pretty thick, butmy heart new
er beat so fast as it did that moment. I
put my hand up to brush the perspira-
ton off my brow, and then I spat out my
thoroughly chewed quid Of tobacco. My
fish was resting gathering strength for
another dash through the water. 1
thought of the song, "Thou art so near
and yet so far Then I put my
hand back to my hip pocket to get some
tobacco. It struck the handle OF my re-
vovier, which in my anxiety had forgotten
all about. I took it out, and, as Tight
ened my grasp on the reel, I mentally
exclaimed: Mr.. Pike your time has
comet It had. The next moment I
drew bead on his left eye and I sent
ball through his head. He jumped
clear out of the water and then fell back,
my prey. My companions heard the
shot and came to see, they found me sit
ting on the bank alongside of the big
gest pike ever caught in the river the
kredest and proudest man in all Ken
lucky"