The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-05-06
TROUT AMONG THE LILY PADS.
Where the Delicious Fish Abound
In Great Numbers.
a Press Reporter Visits the Clear
water Trout Ponds
And Sees a Thousand Fish In
a Single Pool.

gentleman 70 PBEsS reporter, SATURDAY
as the latter steppedoff the train at Bar Mills
on the Saco river. They had been talking
about stream In which there are many
trout which people are forbidden to fish for.
But" said the gentleman, II can show you
a brook In which you may fish TO your
hearts content; a stream so full Of trout
that you cannot fail to see from one to forty
or even hundred Of the beauties whenever
you look into the water, which Is everywhere
as clear as crystal and as cool as a mountain
spring. can show you, II you win take
the trouble to go with me, pool in that
brook not over forty feet long containing
more than two thousand as fine brook trout
as ever moved fin. II you doubt what
say all you have to do is to 90 quietly to the
spot, remain perfectly still and count the
fish for yourself. The water Is not more
than three feet deep and the fish can be seen
as distinctly as they could be II placed before
you on platter"
II understand, Of course" said the re-
porter. shat this is a nsh story. However.
/ wouldn't mind the trouble Of going with
you to see the brook" A team was pro-
cured and away they went, driving up on
the east side Of the Saco river from Bar
Mills. The day was fine one, and 1t was
pleasant ride. When West Buxton, other
wise known as Moderation, was reached, the
river was crossed and the left hand road
leading over what Is known as Hollis Plains.
taken. About mile farther on the report
er's entertaining companion, who was driv-
ing, turned hisIteam from the main thor
oughfare to the right into road that. judg-
| ing from appearances, was little travelled.
This roadsextended over the plains through
a growth Of small, hard pines and scrub
l oak. After ride Of about half mile a
halt was made in a quiet out-of-the-way
| place.
"This," said the reprter's companion, sis
l Bill Townsend's place."
"Who Is Bin TownsendF
Don't you see the sign down there on the
| roof Of that little buildings 1t reads Clear
water Trout Ponds and Bill Town
| send Is the owner of the ponds"
Later on. Mr.. Townsend, a veteran
hunter and trapper. a tall. broad-shouldered
man. with light hair and moustache. small
gray eyes and smooth red face. was seen.
| He wore close-ftting blue cap, blue fan
mel shirt. which was revealed by the coat be-
ing unbuttoned and thrown back, small
black necktie tied carelessly In front, and
trowsers to match his coat.
"You came to see the trout? Well /
should like TO show them TO you, and
reckon you never saw such a sight BEFORE"
said Mr.. Townsend, leading the way TO the
small house above referred TO. II have been
located here five years. Several years ago
~ kaA frot frxrh wwb4oh
chased Of Geo. A. Starkey, Troy, N. H., who
sells from 100000 to l,Oo0,oos trout fry every
year. In the first place had to get the
plckerel out Of the pond. which covers, as
| you see. space Of about ten acres. Now,
trout is the only kind Of fish in the pond
| Then the minks bothered me. l have killed
AZ Of them, and keep traps set the year
| round In all the runs leading to the pond. I
/ have about cleaned them out. Line. Dan
/ ieis. you know him, the Portland taxider-
mist, and l have captured sixty-two blue
heron that have come here to feed on the
trout. II you have never met him before.
I'll make you acquainted with Mr.. Daniels"
said Mr.. Townsend to the reporter, intro
dueing that well known professional taxidcg-
mist, who was on visit to the Clearwater
trout ponds for the purpose Of bagging an
other blue heron that had been seen
lowering about the pond. This pond has a
hard, gravel bottom and Is eighteen feet
deep in the deepest places. Near the shore
the surface of.the water Is dotted with lily
pads. Numerous boiling springs furnish a
never varying supply Of cool water, and the
pond Is never affected by treshets. At the
source Of the brook. which Is the outlet Of
the pond, six small ponds, about 12x30 feet
each are constructed by plank driven into
the earth In the bed Of the brook. A wire
H.
theselsmall ponds into the brook. Into these
ponds the trout fry are put when first pur-
chased by Mr.. Townsend. The fry are then
about the size OF grain OF oats. In two
years time they VIII grow TO DO from six 70
ten inches long. Some fry grow very much
faster than others. The large trout will eat
the small ones when they can catch them.
SO 1t becomes necessary to Gull them out
once In six months, leaving the small ones
In enc pond and putting the larger ones In
other separate pond When the trout get TO
be eight to twelve inches long they are taken
out OF the small fry ponds and put into the
large pond. Mr.. Townsend has put 1900
| fine fish Into his large pond and with the
trout already there, for there were trout In
the pond when Mr.. Townsend bought IL.
counting the Increase by breeding,
1t Is estimated that there are fully
10000 trout In the ten acre pond, the fish
measuring from 10 to IS inches In length, a-.d
some, II Is said. have been caught measuring
over 20 inches.
the trout" said MT. Townsend, opening the
door Of the small house In which the food
Is prepared. II feed them chopped liver and
lights, that i5 the fish In the little ponds;
those In the big pond L don't make prae-
tice Of feeding. 1 chop the food with an
ordinary meat chopper until II Is quite fine.
and then by means Of spoon throw 1t upon
the surface OF the water"
The PRESS man took a position near one
of the little ponds that measure only about
three feet in the deepest place. Hundreds
Of trout from four TO ten inches In length
could be seen In the crystal water. The In
slant the meat was scattered upon the water
1t seemed as IL a thousand fish jumped clear
out OF the water In their eagerness TO obtain
the food. HFor some time there was q tire
mendous splashing caused by the fish break
ing the surface Of the water, and to avoid
being wet to the skin the reporter was
| obliged to step back.
When the water became calm all the hSh
| In the pond, more than thousand In num-
| ber were plainly seen assembled in mo-
1 tlonless mass not more than ten feet square.
| They were as thick as bees, and appeared
| to be waiting for another shower OF FOOD.
The reporter stepped forward and made
quick motion with his hand. Quick as n
flash, as If a bomb had exploded In their
midst, the wary trout darted In every direc-
tion and Immediately were scattered all over
the pond. The rapidity of their movements
was astonishing. 1t was very interesting
TO watch them for every movement could
plainly be seen, except when they all darted
with fright, then all was confusion. Another
spoonful Of meat was scattered over the
surface. A thousand trout jumped clear out
Of water, splashlng their native element In
every direction.
perhaps you don't believe there are any
fish In the big pond, said the veteran
| hunter and trapper. LET me show YOU"
| Taking a quantity Of the food he went out
| in a boat a short distance from the shore.
| Then he threw spoonful OF the chopped
| lights as far away on the suaface OF the
| pond as possible. Instantly there was
a eommotion. The pond where the food fell
seemed literally alive with throut. While
they we're splashing, Mr.. Townsend threw
another spoonful over the opposite side Of
the boat from the one over which he had
thrown the first spoonful, and seemingly as
many Of the beautiful fish rushed for II.
"How much do you feed the trout In the
small pondsP
II give them from four to eight pounds Of
this chopped food once q day."
"Are you ever troubled by anything be-
- ~. a. .t..Iwl