Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-02-22

That's another queer thing. Sort of
seems like Providence, don't it? Ny
mate pointed that out to me. The num-
Der of fishermen was nearly doubled in
80 and '93. They used to fringe the
wharves and sea wall, and | dare saw
bad luck then meant no supper for
many of them. AS times got better
there were fewer of them. and this
summer l figured it out there were less
| than l ever remember. But lots of them
are left.
What do they catch? Most any old
thing that will bite, from an eel to q
j bass. They are about the extremes of
| fish, you know. 1t don't seem to make
much difference with the old regulars
that is, the one call loafing fishermen,
They find a nice, comfortable spot
| along the wharf. where it is shady if
the weather is hot or sunny these DAYS
when it's getting a bit frosty. They
throw out, and then wait. These fell
! lows mostly use a handline. It's cheap
er and easier to handle, and. besides,
most of them would not know what to
do with a reel and good tackle. This
class sticks to the wharves, or maybe
q few of them hang out on the bridge
piers. In still water they catch mud
cats, eels, a few tobacco boxes, some
yellow perch and now and then a good
fish of some kind. But the main catch
is catfish. They live about the wharves,
out of the current, and where there is
more food You see, the water backs
Up still and almost stagnant along the
wharves, and the refuse matter which
floats up and down with the tide gives
them lots of food. That is also the
reason why the eels like that neighbour
hood It's muddy bottom too.
But these other fellowship old
fellows who seem to have something
to live on and are real, sure-enough
fishermen-don't fool after any such
trash. It's bass or rock with them. or
nothing. They go up river principally
as far as Little Falls These old parties
go pretty comfortably fixed, too, these
chilly days. You can see them snuggeC
up in big overcoat, muffier and other
comforts. They also have a lunch
basket which looks pretty good from
the outside, SO reckon they don't suffer
much.
of course, there is luck in fishing.
but [ tell you, sir, there is lots of what
, the darkieS call the 'know-how.' TOO.
Now Won taEn tbnca old NAV, WI 81
ways catch something, and it's usually
fish worth having Maybe a nice
tWo-pound bass or so, or a mess OF
these one-pounder rockfish which run
at this time of year. You see they
know the places to fish, the tide con.
p dltlons, the wind and weather, and al
the little things which tell mar
:, where and how to fish. Why, | believe
o some of them know fish language. il
! there is such thing. They go tC
some favorite spot, squint one eve tC
the sky and another on the water, sor
OF smell the wind, sizing things ND, you
, know, and then go to work. Maybe
some day they use live bait, another
, crab meat or clans or common fshins
5 worms. And it's a fact they mostl,
2 catch something good But these char.
on the wharves, they just pull out {
r cat now and then or bunch of these
: little yellow perch and a few cells, anC
wind up and quit. They're loafers. HI;
/. others-these old parties, you know
WELL they put headwork into it anC
win. That is usually true, reckon. il
: most any old business. Cast off tina
bovine, there; good day, sir. Wash
ington Post