The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
A MAINE BOYS FISHCRAFT.
GAVE A NEW YORK SPORTSMAN GOOD
POINTS ~ ANGLING.
knowledge of Fish and Their Ways That
Surprised a Man who Was Something of
an Angler Observation-Disclosures and
Bees for Bait-Use of Chips In Fishing.

Nho"icubc Va N'',. $50 ~" 80 '
surprised man Wno was soine'n"e 0,
an anger ,,s, "''u
hees LOT n"'-" VI ~"'p' !" HS'"S'
When went to Maine last July for my vacn
ton did not go into camp in the backwoods,"
said a New York business man who returned
last week TO the city, Instead | took UP my
quarters in quiet village and drove TO this or
that pond or stream In its vicinity for the days
ASKING. returning TO my hotel at night This
is a comfortable way To do onet fishing which
| commend to those who practise the gentle art
for the pleasure It gives rather than TO crafty
an ambition to break records in the taking Of
big strings Of Ash. Taken all In all, had good
luck beyond the average with the minimum
of trampng and fly bites and general discom-
fort But have to confess that l owed much
of the success had to the advice and guardian
ship of barefooted shock headed l2-year-
old boy whose acquaintance made in the second
week of my stay at Hilltown.
In my fishing excursions had met the boy
off and on from tho day OF my arrival and had
noted that when encountered near the end Of the
day he usually was carrying fine string of fish.
MY acquaintance with him began as was whip.
ping pond one day from a boat which had
brought from the village in a wagon, and the
boy at the same time was fishing from a bridge
on the shore We using quite different rods
and tackle. Mine was sixounce rod with silk
line and flies OF the most approved tying, while
he was dangling from the end of twenty FIVE
foot peeled spruce pole line and hook that would
have served the turn of a Banks fisherman but
our luck was the same. for neither one of us was
catching any fish We had passed some remarks,
disparaging the state OF affairs in general, when
at last he hailed me with proposition
"Say, mister take me into yer boat and I'll
show yer where yer can ketch some Ash
IL accepted his offer for companys sake, with
little confidence in his offer to pilot me to fish,
and in some dread of his astonishing fishing pole
which, with the tip sawed off, would have served
as a mast for tho boat To my relief, as headed
for the shore, he detached his line from the pole
and wound il about fork ended piece of shingle
which he drew from his pocket The pole he
secreted in the bushes behind the ledge
What kind of bait yer usin', he asked as the
boat touched the shore.
81 FISH with flies I answered with dignity
Him. Yerll never kctch trout in this pond
with them things he said with authority.
Gimme yer net and balm dish till git some
minnys'
IL passed him the tin pail and landing net and
he went to little cove round the point of the ledge
! threw muck-worm into the water to entce the
fish, and in ten minutes came back to me with
about thirty minnows swimming in the pail
the paddle for an old blackened tree stub on the
| opposite shore It was as uupromising a look
ing place for trout as one would care to see that
| we fetched up at after scraping through shoals
| and lily pads a strip of black water by low
| shore with snags and deadwood covering the
bottom as far as eye could sec, but as the boy
| was doing the work let him go where he pleased.
He did not at once find the precise place he wanted
| but waved about and sauinted trying TO get all
! his land marks to jibe together while stood by
| TO drop anchor when he should find the spot to
| suit him After backing and filling enough &c
have locked ship he gave the word to let 60
and playing out the clothesline with stone tied
TO the end of It for anchor found bottom in eight
cen feet of water
Better tie on q snker and bait with minny
| Mister the boy said as he slowed the oars and
dived his hand into the pail for a mnnow
For answer I cast my flies upon the wate
| while the boy dropped his hand line over tn,
| boats side. heard the Topping Of his first trou
| as made my third cast and he was kept busy
| batting his hook and jigging II from the bottom
| to the boat after that with a humping trout {,
| show for every turn He had landed five wher
| reeed in my hrst fish. and after that could no
get o rise. The boy kept right on catching fish
| and as he swung the tenth. a two-pounder int
the boat gave expression tc my feelings in ,
|
Never mind, mister We're snucks on thu
| fish, yer know the boy said consolingly. Tt
lest as lieve ketoh 'em all
This token Of condescension was too much
| To borrow an expression Of the late James Vel
lowplush Flesh and blood couldn't abear IT,
and recled in my line and snapped a bait hool
! on in place of the flies
"Givc me a minnow,' said to the boy, so say
agey that he exclaimed, Gollyr as he scramble,
for the bait-pail and passed me over live sinner
He lent me sinker. and then. when all was al
ranged found myself who pass for cracl
fisherman at my New York club hopefully boz
bling my fly rod with my fine silk line, dragge
down TO within a foot Of the bottom, by the CON
bined weight Of a hook that would have lande
a bluefish a strip Of sheet lead nippcd on abov
II with my teeth. and a live minnow But ha
my compensation when, in half minute more
| was tussling with trout who gave me all tn
excitement wanted in getting him into the boa
! From that time OIL kept even with the boy l.
our fishing He had a box Of angleworms i
| h;s pncLet and when tho mimi us were nil rSa