Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-11-11
DANGEROUS FISH.
Some Inhabitants of Saltiess Water
are Bio and Ugly.

Some Inhabitants of SaItiess Water
are Big and Ugly.
So far as any danger from the game
is concerned fresh water fishing has
always been looked upon as about as
safe as any sport III the world, and the
fresh water fish has gone ON record
as harmless and NONRESIDENT. But
there are instances now and then
when the fish turns the tables. The
inhabitants of OsceOla county, Michi-
gan, who live in the neighbOrhood of
Lake Georgian inland water about
three miles long-are almost super
stitiOusly afraid of certain fish that
inhabits that lake. No one knows
what sort of a fish it is, and opinion
locally is divided as to whether it is a
giant muskallonge or a sturgeon.
Spearing parties had now and then
reported seeing very large fish with
out being able to strike it, but no one
gave credence to the tales until one
night a While ago, when a party Of
sportsmen from Chicago went on the
lake spearing in charge of an old resi-
dent named Armstrong
Armstrong was the only one that re-
turned to tell the story. He said the
party was spearing in shallow water
when they saw an enormous f1rsh that
resembled an overgrOwn pickerel. Two
of the Chicago men were standing in
the bow, and at first supposed the FISH
to be a log. Then one saw his mis-
take and struck it with all his might
The fish gave a dart that made the
boat jump as though a steam engine
were pulling it. If the man had let
go of the spear all would have been
WELL but he hung on, and the fish gave
mighty flop to right angles with the
boat. The man still held to the spear
with the result that the boat capsized,
and the men found themselves stand
ing in mud and water up to THEFT
waists.
The light went out when the boat
upset, and the night being dark and
not one of the party had any idea of
the direction to be pushed in reaching
shore. They wandered round and
round, going half way to their knees
in mud at every step.
To make matters worse, a cold,
steady, drizzling rain began to fall
They We're soon numb to the marrow.
Then one of the sportsmen dropped
without word, and no one went to
his help. Little by little the three
that remained were separated Arm
strong says he himself became uncon-
scious after certain point; remem-
bers nothing that happened until he
was reused by feeling the solid ground
water was more shallow than it had
been. He kept on and fell on the
shore. Then on hands and knees he
crawled to camp and gave the alarm.
Search was at once made for his com
panions and their bodies were re-
with a scar on it's back has twice or
thrice been seen by spearing parties,
but they have passed it by.
There is one species Of fish in the
south that is feared only little less
than it's salt water contemporary. the
shark. This is the alligator gar. 1t
grows to enormous size and has a bill
of the common gar of northern waters.
One who goes out upon the lakes of
Louisiana and Arkansas will see them
jumping and splashing like enormous
trout. Their usual food consists of
fish, and they not only make endless
trouble for those who go fishing with
minnows, but have been known to
round up and tear to pieces bass which
the sportsmen had hooked. Bathing
in the lakes is considered dangerous.