The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-10-09
MY FIGHT WITH A MAsCALONGE.

lent.-Abrldged from the st. James Ga
zette.
MY FIGHT WITH A MASCALONGE
1t was my good fortune in company
with an eastern dry-goods salesman tt
visit the lakes of northern Wisconsin
on fishing trip.
After procuring all the maps ana III
formation we could find, we decided tc
go to a certain region which we viii
call x.
We had two weeks for the trip. but
after spending the greater part IF the
first week in visiting different lakes, we
began to think we should have to re-
turn without the big fish we started
after.
The last lake we camped on proved
to be an excellent one for wall-eyed
pike and muskalonge.
"Well, John" said my companion,
whose name was Frank Smith, we've
been travelling and fishing most every
day since we started and what do you
say to staying around camp tomorrow
and spending the day in resting up?''
"All right" replied "I'll catch few
fish for breakfast, so wake me early,
and we won't fish for the resi- of the
day.
When I awoke next morning looked
at my watch and found that it was but
a quarter after five and Franz was
sound asleep.
| quietly dressed and went down t.,
the boat. There were indications of an
| approaching storm, and quite a sea was
| running, which made it difficult for me
| to manage the boat and trolling line.
| Placing a ballast in the fore part of
the boat, I started to cross the lake. but
had gone only few rods when I fell a
sudden jerk on my line. Then an anu-
sually large fish leaped above the water
about fifty feet from my boat
[ had hooked a mascalonge. /
stopped rowing and tried to pull him in,
but, alasl he would not come. Think
ing that it would be useless to try
more, I gave my fish more line aud
rowed for deeper water.
After racing him about for fifteen or
twenty minutes, succeeded in getting
my game alongside the boat Surely,
thought, he must be played out by this
time. Taking a firm hold of the line,
tried to lift him into the boat, when
there was a quick pull on the line, and,
losing my balance, I fell overheard.
I soon reappeared and saw that my
boat was at least thirty feet from me,
in an upright position, and was under
motion
Was it drifting, or was it that the
monstrous fish had it in tow? These
thoughts flashed through my mind
and I soon realized that / was being
left behind. I had fastened my line to
the inside of the boat making it easier
to handle the boat
The distance between me and the boat
began to widen and, as / was at least
three-fourths of a mile from shore, my
only hope seemed to be in reaching the
boat, which Immediately started af-
ter I had begun race for life. The
boat would stop and then suddenly go
forward. Once I almost reached it,
only to see it move away. Would 1 |
ever reach it?
I had been swimming some fifteen or |
twenty minutes, which seemed as many |
hours, and began to lose hope of ever |
reaching the boat or shore, when I !
called to Frank. who, no doubt. was
fast asleep in the tent but finding this
would exhaust my remaining strength, |
turned over on my back and f1oated
for a rest. When 7 again assumed
swimming position. I was surprised to
find the boat quite near In few mo-
ments 1t was within my reach, and af-
ter several unsuccessful attempts,
in getting inside.
CIV No ;ol, |
still fast to the boat, convinced me that
t would be useless to try to bring the
ish inside the boat. I looked for my
saff hook, but 1t was nowhere to be
seen. 1 then rowed in the direction of
lamp. Again calling Frank, he soon
from the tent He must have
been dressing, for he had neither hat,
,oat nor shoes on.
Throw out the gait! Throw out the
saff!" I cried at the top of my voice.
He understood and was soon back from
he tent with the hook.
BY a we'll directed throw the hook
anded but short distance from my
'oat, and it's wooden handle preventing
t from sinking, it was soon in my pos :
ession.
L was now sure OF lanQlnB my nSn.
Drawing him alongside the boat, I
cached over the gunwale and hooked
i'm.
Zip! the handle went through my fin :
ers and the line in my other hand
mapped in two.
The mascalonge now had the gaff- :
ook and q short niece Of line and !
lumber ten spoon. 8
My first impression was that had {
)st all until heard Frank voice from
hore. c
1.-THE gaff; don't you see the gaff?" I I
card him say, and looking in his direc- I
ion, I saw the wooden handle dancing c
II the waves about three rods from
he boat 8
"Hurrah!" I cried, as I rowed in the
ERECTION of the gaff
My antagonist was played out, and all y
had to do was to lift him into the e
oat y
Frank took photograph of the mas I,
alonge soon after we finished eating G
inner. And an enlarged photograph