The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-07-08
Where Bass Play.

Quantabacook? Doubtless very large
majority will answer, Mo- still, quite a
few readers of Shooting and Fishing are
familiar with this charming sheet of wa
ter. which lies ten miles west of Belfast,
Maine, on the Augusta road, and although
its name is long and of Indian origin, the
lake itself presents no disagreeable feat
ures whatever.
AS one comes over the dividing ridge of
the Belfast hills. he first sees it nestled
quietly and cleaning like a jewel in the
valley far below; the river, its outlet, fol
lowing its tortuous course through the
meadows and past the peaceful little vii
lage of Searsmont at its foot.
The country all about slopes gradually
to the lake, thus forming al extensive wa
er-shed; while in the hazy distance the
purple hills and mountains lit the hori-
ION high in air, thus adding vastly to the
claiming and picturesque appearance of
this lake. In the quiet and secluded coves
water reeds grow tail and slender. while
along their outer edges the lily pads float
broad and flat upon the surface and the
water lilies load the air with their deli
cious fragrance.
AT either end of the lake broad meadows
extend tar inland, the sunlight lying warm
and mellow on the wild roses and nodding
plunes of meadow grass. Along the low
Il
low and scarlet in the fall, and on the river
the wild duck, muskrat, and mink sport
and feed undisturbed.
The lake is three miles long by one wide,
and is nearly separated in the center by
wooded and sheep islands. Except in the
passage between these islands the water
is shallow, and owing to the grasses and
lilies, which grow so abundantly it is
more on less filled with vegetable impure
ty, and consequently somewhat discolor-
ed. AT extremely rare intervals trout are
taken; these, doubtless. come into the
lake from the streams. Black bass and
white perch, however, are abundant, and
every condition seems TO favor them.
In July, 1877. c. b. Hazeltine of Bel
fast, gentleman widely known as an en-
thusiastic sportsman, secured twenty -one
small black bass from Reeds pond in
Penobscot county. These he sent Colonel
Hiram Chase of Belfast, who placed them
ii Quantabacook. Nothing was known of
them for five years. While fishing one
morning, Capt. Robert Emery caught what
seemed to him the liveliest perch he ever
got hook into. To his establishment the
1lsh jumped clear of the water 1t was a
stranger and they could not account for
Its presence, until one of the party, re-
Memberlng the circumstance occurring so
long before, decided it was a black bass.
The bass have multiplied rapidly. not
only stocking this lake, but from thence
have followed up and down the Georges
river from Liberty to the sea, some TWEEN
ty-tive miles, thoroughly stocking that
river and the numerous ponds in the
Georges valley. III 1877 twenty black
bass We're also placed i'll Swan Lake: these
We're never heard from. At the same time
seventy-tlve bass were placed in Pitcher S
pond; these have stocked that lake and
range from one to three pounds, although
four and five pound fish have been taken.
NhlIe spending season at Woodbine
cottage, near Quantabacook, [ sketched
the countryside and tished the brooks and
ponds most thoroughly, although with in
different success. The country lad, with
aldel pole and pin hook, had been there
ami denuded the brooks of trout, and till
now my gear had quite failed to attract
the attention of bass perch OF pickerel.
one pleasant afternoon near the end of
our season | was prevailed upon by one of
our party to join him in a final trv for
bass, but owing to my previous poor sue
cess, acQuiesced with a lack of enthusi-
asm. As we sauntered Slowly along. a
small held frog sprang out of the path be-
Tore me. Securing it dropped it into the
BAIT box. Arriving at the boat, we Joint
Ell our rods and arranged everything for
our work should We be favored in secur-
ing 1lsh, but to my disappointment found
my reel and line we've left behind. [ had
cooled the line on the floor of an unoccu-
pied room to dry. My bag, however, con-
tanned much smaller reel, upon, which
was wound some seventy OF eighty feet of
silk line, which, through long use. was
showing signs OF weakness AS thought
the chances Of my giving it any serious
strain were very small, rather than 90
back to the cottage for the other. | rugged
1t on my rod, and we rowed up the lake
close in under the shore amid the cool
shadows OF the trees. Bees were hum
ming nolslly, but on the lake swallows
were NdIllnS over the surface in eager
pursuit OF moth OF fly, while in the sun
hg1t the splash of jumping bass could
be heard as it sprang upward to seize a
lazy miller flying all too near the surface.
squirrels We're chattering and scolding in
the exchanging beeches and oaks. 1t was
just the afternoon to pass idly, each occu-
pant OF the boat enjoying the protracted
silence, which, if interesting, is the strong
est proof OF congeniality and true friend
ship.
Arriving on the fishing grounds between
the islands, we anchored in some thirty
feet OF water. | took the frog from nv
bait box, and hooking it tightly through
the slack skin at its back, | cast over. NV
bait was seized by heavy fish, and before
l could strike, several yards of nv line
ran out and the reel was screaming in re-
spouse to the strain being put upon it.
Faster flew the fish, harder and harder |
brought the strain of the rod to bear.
thus disputing every inch of the run.
Twenty feet of line left on the reel was
fast disappearing; | pressed my thumb
hard down on the flying line; the plant
rod bent double, and as the rigid tin Law
across my hand | could feel the fibers of
line and rod culver and vibrate under the
tremendous strain. looked at the noble
old line IN amazement. 1t was standing
strain which would have been destructive