Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-10-31
TROUT AND BULLHEAO FIGHT.
Lively Encounter in Which the Horned
Fish Was Killed.

Lively Encounter In winch the Horned
Fish Was Killed.
Theron B. Platt, a farmer of Orange,
Conn, witnessed curious struggle a
few weeks ago. The Wepawang river,
which crosses his land just north of
the Derby .ailroad bridge, is quite
small stream at that point, though a
quarter of a mile below it becomes
deep and swift where its waters are
Joined by those of the Race brook. At
the upper end of his sheep pasture is
broad, shallow stretch ofquiet water,
not over six or eight inches deep, and
with silvery gravel bottom. A big
spring boils up through the sand at
one side of the pool, and the big trout
in the stream love to congregate there.
The efforts to restock the river,
though persistent, have not met with
much success, for the fry are devoured
by bullheads and dace. The former
are particularly numerous and glut-
tonous Some of them grow to an
enormous size. One that was caught
not long ago by an eel fisherman at
night weighed five and half pounds,
and its stomach contained four young
length. On account of these pirates
there are very few trout left in the
brook. One of the biggest OF the sur
viving trout, however, lay out in the
shallow pool on this particular after
noon, summing himself, and occasion
ally rising to snap at fly or miller on
the surface. He was a beauty, and Mr..
Platt, who spied him when he came
down for pail of water, resolved to
get his rod and line and have a try at
the speckled giant. He says he would
easily weigh three pounds. When he
returned with his tackle he found the
pool in a state of great commotion.
There was a leaping and splashing and
tossing of spray. and at first he could
not make out Just what had happened.
Then, creeping out to the edge of the
bank, behind clump of alders, and
poking his head through stealthily, he
had a clear view of the whole affair.
The same trout apparently was there,
but he was in furious rage. and every
fieck of scarlet and gold on his bur-
nished sides seemed to CLEAN more
brightly than before, when he lay at
ease feeding. The object of his mad
attacks was a monstrous black-backed
bullhead, which seemed to be having
slightly the better of the battle wheI
Mr.. Platt arrived. The trout was bleed
ing freely from a wound in the size,
but the hurt apparently had not weak
ened him. His adversary was playing
heavy defensive part, and lay quietly
facing him with horns erect and feel
ers waving like the antenn@ of devil |
fish. As the trout darted around him |
the big black fellow merely wheeled |
so as to keep his head toward him.
Whenever the trout rushed in upon
him he would whirl his great head, en-
deavoring, with occasional success, to |
give the trout sharp thrust with his |
horns. Whenever one of the horns |
took effect the trout would leap way
out of the water, and blood would flow |
again from his side. Once the trout |
got hold of the under side of one of !
the bullhead's gills, and tore a big
piece loose, and, though the latter |
shook him off fiercely, it was plain to
be seen that the wound was a bad one.
After several minutes of fencing and |
dodging, the lively-speckled duelist by |
a sudden dive went completely under |
his enemy's body, and, turning, seized |
him by that tender and vital spot be- |
between the two gills. The bigger fish |
then leaped for the first time, and beat |
the water to foam with his tail, but |
to no purpose. Like a bulldog the |
trout elung with fixed jaws and could |
not be tossed off. So nilnble was he |
that no writhing of the bullhead, no |
quick eontortion, could pierce him |
with one of those savage horns, and |
every moment or two he gave the torn
neck an ugly shake.
AT last the bullhead weakened, his |
swimming became feeble. Dizzily, he |
inned around in circles, and at last |
fioated to the top, where his conqueror, |
with final vicious snap, ripped open |
his belly, and slowly swan up stream. |
If he could have caught the trout, Mr.. |
Platt says, no amount of money would |
have induced him to do so. He says it |
was a brave fish which could win in so |
unequal a fight. The dead bullhead. |
which he secured, was found to be very |
badly torn in half dozen places. 1t |
weighed seven pounds and quarter,
and is the biggest one ever taken from