The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-20

many years that have since elapsed the
fame of the place has not spread more
widely among sportsnen, for tcre arc
few places SO easily accessible us this
where such excellent sport may be had
with rod or gun 1t is true that the trip
hlthcr from any of the eastern cities is
rather long one, but it is far from
tedious, and the true sportsman will Ger
tainly not regret the outlay of time or
money after he reaches here. A few
days on one Of the lake packets will
bring him to the famous canal, where he
has only to step ashore, hire an Indian
guide and paddle or sail directly into
the Wilderness.
For it is true wilderness that he
reaches i'll another day, though 1.-The
500 has grown from small garrison
village to thriving city since the civil
war. lie may ride around the city in
electric tram cars, but passing the CITY
limits he will find good use for his
, guides wood craft, provided, that is,
that he goes with gun instead of rod.
PROFESSIONALLY the fishing is the
sport par excellence. The lower end IL
Lake Superior, which drains through
"The Soo," is called Whtetish bay, as
any one may see by the map, and gets
its name, naturally enough, from tile
abundance and excellence of the white
fish there. Numerous as they are, how
ever, the trout-both the lake and the
( brook trout-are to the full as plenty.
and, Mt least to my taste, far preferable
both for catching and eating. They gro---
to u size that must be seen to be lie.
lievcd. l certainly shall not imperil my
reputation, such as it is, by telling how
large fish have caught with light
tackle.
Winter is already here, though, and
/ although the fish remain and the fishing
| is as good as ever in the lake, the rapids
and tho countless streams that flow into
,Whitehsh bay from either shore, the
weather is too cold to admit of enjoyable
angling. The climate is severe enough.
! and the summer residents, of whom
there are a goodly number, have mostly
fitted southwark. Only few remain.
having the luck to be one of them, and
find in the excellent duck shooting
temptation enough to prolong the stay
not that ducks are the only game to be
shot, but that just now we are having
the fall flight, as the bronze beauties are
flying to their winter quarters, and they
are so abundant as to preclude Tie
thought of seeking other game.
There is natural reason why this par
ticular locality should be, as it is, one of
the very best of places in North America
! for fall duck shooting. To appreciate
this reason it is necessary to look again
at the map. Whitefish bay, it will be
/ seen, is all irregular triangle at the lower
\ end of the great lake, with its lower
, angle pointing southerly. Now the duck.
! as he flies from the northern winter, will
fly hundreds of miles over land, of course,
+ but he prefers to keep in sight of water
as much of the time as he can, and in
variably seeks a place near tho shore to
/ spend the nights of pilgrimage, Hug
: ging the shore, then, of Lake Superior
. brings him to Whitefsh bay, where lust
! now a few gunners are lying in wait for
him.
A few sportsmen from Detroit and
! other of the lake cities have learned
the attractions of the neighborhood, and
z there are, here and there on the lake
shore and on the islands i'll the Ste. Ma
3 ric and Detroit rivers below the rapids.
quite number of summer cottages.
The most of these are exceedingly prim-
tive, being mere shooting boxes. but Il
T few are used for family homes through
K the short summer.
I The sportsmen who come singly or by
! twos to try the shooting will not, unless
+, fortunate enough to claim acquaintance
: with the owner of one of these places,
y get so good accommodations, but one of
the charms of the sport consists in
/ '!roughing 1t, and no place Is better
adapted to pleasant camping ont than