Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-29
THE SHOVEL CATFISH
he Is VERY QUEER, BUT FURNISHES
EXCELLENT SPORT.
round In the Mississippi River and It's
tributaries Looks and Behavior Both
Out Of the Ordinary-A Missouri Bow,
Exciting Experience.

Tributaries and Behavior Boil,
Out OF the Ordinary-A Missouri Boys
Exciting Experience.
mo queerer fish swims, " exclaimed the
tall Missourian who was talking fish and
nshing IN the Office Of one of the down
town hotels the other evening, and no
fish that will give more furious fun for
an hour or SO than our homely old shovel
cat of the west
In all the creeks and branches tribu-
tary to the Mississippi and Missouri ono
may catch this awkward, heavy fish, and
II one be only out for cats alone he will
give rare sort. But to the Graphic fisher
man he is great nuisance stealing the
bait as fast as it can be put on the hook
and seldom allowing himself to be hooked
Despite his clumsy shape he is agile to
remarkable degree
From side view the fish is not I'M
graceful, its long broad nose showing an
edge and appearing as slender as a sword
flsh's weapon. His tail is sharply forked,
and his fins large and of rakish cut He
often attains length of feet and
weighs as much as so pounds. a stran-
ger whose dugout has drifted into shoal
water or up into one of the shallow bayous
where he is angling for crappie, will sud
denly be startled by loud splash hard by,
and If he is quick enough he may turn and
catch a glimpse of shovel cat at work
The great fish will throw its entire body
out of water, double over in midair and
descend headforemost, like professional
diver. He is feeding, and as he lives
mostly upon the tiny animalcul9 and
creeping things hidden in the soft, muddy
bottom this leap Is necessary to give him
impetus enough 90 make the deep plunge.
He drives his wide shovel far into the mud
and, turning up long furrow, catches
whatever food is washed out in the proc
cSS.
ION light rod one of the big fellows
will give lively tusslc, but it requires
the patience OF Job and the enthusiasm
of an Ike Walton TO sit whole afternoon
and broil under a hot Mississippi sun in the
dreaTy hope of hooking a cat. The fish are
too tickle in biting to furnish reliable sport
in that way, and the market fishermen
generally resort to nets to insure a catch
But the real hair raising, line stretch
ing bubble tossing fun is spcaring. We
used to always choose a gray day, when tho
sky was overcast and no breeze blowing
to rutflc the surface of the water. Two of
us would set out for tho branch about two
hours before sunset, armed with q short
homemade harpoOn, consisting of steel
barbcd head loosely set in hickory shaft
To ring in the lance head was made fast
about leo feet Of heavy line. Arriving at
the bank of the creek, we would cut off a
cottonwood limb to lash to the end of our
line to act as q float if we had to let the
whole business go overheard. Then one
would paddle the dUgout while the other
stood in the bow watching for tho shovel
ers. OF course we had to hunt only in the
shadows, not only because the fish were
more plentiful there, but because the spear
was uncertain in more than four or five
feet of water. When we had located our
victim, who would be, t,Hning splashing
somersaults far ahead, the man at the pad
dies would make for the spot where the
shoYeler last went down. The sportsman,
peering ahead, could dimly make out the
huge fellow at his mud blowing toll and
waiting until he was fairly over his prey
would send the steel a-wHirling.
What a foam of yellow mud then, and
if he had struck big one how our leaky
old dugout would roll and jump as we were
dragged up creek by tho mad shoveler.
The furry is short however, for the steel
soon cxhaustS tho energy and courage of
the fish. But tho first few moments of
excitement arc wild. Many and many Is
time our dugout upset, and we would swim
and wade through the water and mud to
shore, dragging our shipwrcckcd craft and
our yet unconquorcd captive behind us.
"Onco j remember leaving school with
my cousin jed at noon time recess and
hooking off to tho creek for shovelcrs. We
would both be well noggcd if it wero
found out but that danger only added an
other charm. We had hidden our spear
under willow root tho day before, and in
a few moments We had it and were afloat
on a raft of OLD boards. We were only
small shaycrs-Jcd 10 and ~ years old
and could polo our vessel only very
slowly. For Il long time wo saw no game.
jed remarked uneaSily that we were
drawing near our house, which then stood
on the bank of the creek about a mile
above whore VIC had started. We had
both taken off our trousers for fear tho
swash of tho river would wet them, and
thus betray us at supper time, and stood
with our shirts tapping in tho breoze-
two eager sportsmen If such over lived.
Just as sighted the house around the
DGiu through tHc young cottpuHoods
and tho dreaded form of my mother hang
ing out clothes on the line jed gave q long
'shsh,' and bending forward sent his spear
flying with all his might. An angry
splash answered, and l was terrified to see
,Jcd's blue shirt and white legs tumble
hcadlong from the raft. He had struck a
monster and was being towed down
stream at lively rate. We could both
swim like ducks, and ], like q flash, dived
after him. After being yanked along for
200 yards or more we struck a shoal sand
bar, where we got foothold. Just as we
had begun 10 gain bit and were hauling
the giant cat landw.Ti we heard yell
from the shore and were both petrified to
sec mother standing there with a switch.
At every plunge of the shovelcr she gave
another shout, and it was the greatest re-
lief my heart ever knew when, as we came
nearer, she shook her fist and screamed;
g IF you two young uns let that thar
shovel nose git away, III cane yer till yer
both walk bowlegged. will, l say
And" concluded the big man, rising
and knocking the ashes out of his corncob,
''you can wager we landed that fish, for
my mother never broke her wo1d. New
York sun,