Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-21
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/ .iOOkhEofpNDENCEO OF DlbFATCH.l
NEW CASTLE, April 2O.-Without doubt
the most successful angler in Western
Pennsylvania is Joe johnson, Of New Castle.
Mr.. johnson is a well-known and highly
respected citizen of the metropolis of the
Shenango Valley, where he has resided
nearly all his life. He is by profession 3
sign painter and grainer. -
| During the last twelve years, bass and
pike have not been very plentiful in the
local streams, and the average fisherman
has returned day after day, weary and dis
couraged, with no scaly beauty to exhibit
as a token of his skill.
This, however, has not been the expert
ence of Mr.. johnson, whose phenomenal
catches have all along been the marvel Of
old disciples of Isaac Walton, who are dis
posed to consider Joe's success as the result
of charmed hook or a mascot carried in
his bucket. -...-.
There is, indeed, a strong belief among
those who have frequently observed the
remarkably large number of fine fish that
Joe usually captures, that he possesses
some secret kind of bait that lures with an
irresistible attraction the timid denizens Of
the water, till they impale themselves on
the fatal hook. There are others who have
stood side by side with him on the banks Of
the Mahoning and Shenango, using the
same kind of soft shell crabs that Joe uses,
and following his motions, but without
sharing in his wonderful luck, and those
persons have.1ong ago pronounced him a
wizard, welding a supernatural power
over the more esteemed members Of the
hnny tribe.
SAYS NOTHING, BUT FISHES.
Joe pays but little attention to these
superstitious theories regarding his really
wonderful success, but likes to see people
take a common sense view of the matter,
and assign his success to superior skill and
a better knowledge of piseatorial science,
to which qualifications it is undoubtedly
due.
All the trainmen on the Erie and Pitts
burg, Pittsburg and Lake Erie and Pitts
burg and Western roads know Joe, and
often have they gathered in groups at New
Castle Junction to view a string of 40 or 80 :
bass, averaging three or four pounds each,
which he was bringing home as the result Of
days fishing on the Mahoning. ~,
Larger fish than those of four or five
pounds weight have been captured by this
celebrated angler. Occasionally the big,
black, Voracious pike OF the upper Shenango
takes notion to run away with Joe, pole
and all, but the attempt invariably results
in the fresh water tiger" being tossed upon
the muddy bank, out of his native element
a helpless prisoner.
Joe has captured specimens of this fish
weighing % pounds, landing them only
after long, hard fight. He has had many
hard tussle with the big channel cats, and
blue cats, OF the big beaver, which are q
stubborn, powerful fish that tax the anglers
strength, skill and tackle to the uttermost.
A FIGHTING FISH.
When big 30-pound blue cat takes hold
of hook, he means business every time.
and unless your line is as stoutas q small
hawser he will carry 20 or more yards of it
away with him, and swallow it with COM
placency, leaving your big Limerick dam
CLING in his upper lip for trinket. It re-
quires lots of nerve to land a very large
blue cat. When hooked they have the habit
of heading at once for deep water, and every
ounce of pressure you apply to the reel
brake only increases their speed.
However, the jaws of this fish are 30
tough, that in case your tackle is of equal
strength, 1T becomes question of supremacy
between man and fish, and you must sock your
heels in the sand and hold on like 'grim
DEATH" When you become tired and give
the fish line he refuses to take it, and set
ties down like yourself for recuperation.
LIS luCEedSeS Will every
moment on geometrical ratio, and
if you let him alone for any
length of time he will become so inflated
with q supercilious, vain idea of his total
invineibility that you will think you have
hooked a unicorn when he starts again.
Talk about the bass and salmon as game
fish; six pounds of blue cat will last longer
and pull harder than the toughest ten-pound
bass in America. Bass and salmon soon wear
. L.. - II.
in vain efforts to escape the hook but the
catfish carefully husbands his strength
when he gets an opportunity, and when you
once hook large one it is simply ques-
ton of haul out, or hauhin, unless you pre-
fer to give him your bamboo and reel for
desert. Mr.. johnson prefers real game fish,
such as bass, pike and salmon, but has
often been compelled to land big blue or
black-cat in order to save his line.
FISHERS PARADISE.
Near the village of Morravia on the
Beaver, there is large pond situated about
500 yards from the stream. This pond is
fed by one of the largest springs in Law
renee county, and, as the water is pure,
pike, bass and salmon thrive in it, and
grow to an immense size. Most of these
fishes come into the pond during high
water, when the river sweeps over the bot
TOMS, anu not DelDg aDle 10 escape afJer the
sudden decline of the freshet, are compelled
to remain there all summer.
Several years ago Joe discovered that this
pond was full of the choicest kinds of fish,
and so successful was he IN angling for
them, that the Oldest residents were aston
ished at the size and the number of salmon
he captured there. His fayorite stream,
however, is the Mahoning, which is noted
for the large number Of pike, salmon and
bass that live in its waters.
In the Shenango slackwater above New
Castle there are some immense pike and
salmon and Joe is frequent visitor to that
locality in the fishing season. "Uncle Sam
Smith, deceased, was also a successful
angler in his time, hale, hearty,
genial fellow, and since his de-
mise Joe has no rival worth mention-
ng in piscatorial prowess. Joe john
ION and "Uncle Sam" have brought to this
,ity some of the finest strings Of bass ever
een in Western Pennsylvania. Joe's fame
IS successful angler is known all over
W. estern Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio
He is now preparing his tackle for the
coming season, which opens June 1. and ex-
poets to capture many splendid fish before
he hpOinninO of winter