River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-06-18
THE CROOKED STICK.
How Some Scientific Fishermen Secured
Good string of Fish.

GOOd string OF f1sh.
With nice string of pickerel and
bass two well-known south side young
men returned from the Kanksl,ee the
other day. But they didn't tell admir-
ing friends how the capture was effect
ed. The story has leaked out, however,
causing much amusement at two or
more OF the fashionable clubs. If you
want 20 see the two young gentlemen
blush just say to them; Crooked stick"
1t was their first experience in fish
ing. With eye glasses, polished boots.
Skinner spoons, Lakewood rods and
Seth Green flies they arrived at the Kan
lxakee Saturday morning. On the bank
sat a county lad with ragged coat. torn
hat patched trousers, fishing with a
crooked stick and an old-fashioned hook.
He stared in amazement at the city
mems display of fishing tackle, curious
modern inventions unknown 10 him.
Caught anything, my boy?"
yep" pointing to five bass and two
pickerel Topping on a string under a
bush.
''See here, my boy, your line is too
near shore. This is no place to fish,
and you haven't the tools to fish with.
Fishing is an art, science. There is
fine philosophy about it. II requires
strategy, diplomacy. One must know
the habits of fish and have the most APP
proved appliances for catching the fin
ny"
Swash went the crooked stick and up
came a pickerel.
Very good, my boy, but think how
much better you could succeed II you
had studied Art of Fishing hook of
two hundred pages and if you had our
superb fishing tackle"
The boy looked crestfallen. The men,
consulting their book. went down stream
a few rods and cast in their lines, the
tackle shimmering in the sun. An hour
passed. Bites they had, so they said,
ten Founders, twenty Founders, sharks,
sword fish, great monsters of the deep,
but somehow not even a minnow was
brought to land. The fellow that
catches nothing always has the biggest
bites. 1.-The fish that bite and get
away are always larger than the fish
that stay" says
Swash went the crooked stick and up
came a two-pound bass.
The city men fastened up To look at
the catch.
Say, my boy, are you particular as
to where you fish?'
"Noap"
evil you exchange places with us
for fifty cents?"
yep"
Taking the money he went down to
where the city gentlemen had tried
their luck.
The Chicagoans, chuckling, waited
for a bite. They had to wait so long
that the chuckling stopped Not
bite. During this time the boy had
captured two pickerel and a bass.
Its the pole" whispered city man.
"Must he"
Its the crooked stick-the nearer
you get to nature, you know. Our book
says that"
They went down to see the boy.
''Do you care much for your pole,
hook and line?"
"Noap."
"Will you trade il for one of these
nice lancewood rods, skinner spoons
and Seth Green flies?'
yep"
The exchange was made and fishing
resumed. The city men did not have
any better luck with the crooked stick
An hour passed. Not bite.
''Misters, Mistersr'
Looking in the direction of the souno
they saw the boy sprawled on the
ground, clinging with vice-lilSe grip to
the Lakewood rod. They ran TO the
rescue and helped him to land four
pound bass.
Shutdown now; the Chicago men must
go home. Not having caught fish,
they would be jeered by their friends.
MY boy, did you ever sell fish,"
"Noap."
"Sell to-day's catch?"
He glanced at the string I've picker
ell, eight bass-and he said:
"Yep"
We'll give you these laying down
their lancewood rods Skinner spoons
and Seth Green flies, land that" lay
ing down the 2OO-paged book, art of
Fishing" us it a bargain?"
yep"
Hence the good string of fish, and
hence the bushes at Crooked stick. -
Chicago Herald.