The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-05


rowed around trolling for a catch but
unsuccessfu1ly, 50 decided to move fur
Their down stream 10 another favOrite
spot
Lifting in the mfnnow bucket and
slowing away the poles We started for
the island a long, narrow strip of
land down the river. where we intended
to cook our dinner and rest through the
noon hour, as the bass are not 50 apt
to bite during the middle of the day.
In the wake of the canoe sleepily
churned the waters for a moment. then
settled back to a dead repose. while the
prov, swiftly, vet silently, split a path
through the sodden leaves. AS we
rounded bend. drawing near to the is
land, great blue crane arose awk-
Wardly from shallow rift and Mapped
its solitary way beyond our vision,
doubtless to some other haven of quiet
refuge. AT the landing the Judge
grounded the boat, produced q broile1.
and started a fire, while I took a bucket,
climbed the bank and passed through
some woods to a farm house for fresh
well water The squirrels We're dressed
and ready for cooking when 1 returned.
and by the time I had gotten the bread
and butter, some cheese, pickles and
pie out and spread on a newspaper,
the game was done to a turn. And
how we did eat, sitting there in the au-
tumn sunshine, with an occasional ant
crawling over the tableclOth and not
the sign of a knife or a. fork. A light
breeze would frequently send rift of
cinders from the dying embers among
the victuals and into the water but
what mattered these trifies. No banquet
a home had seemed so thoroughly en-
joyable. For an hour or n ore We lott
cred at the improvised table making
merry with our lunch and tales of for
mer fishing trips. Then /, acting as
Bridget, with one fell sWoop, cast TIA
blecloth, dishes and all' into the fire.
and quenched the flames with a dash
of water.
Below the island about half mile lit
empties into the Cottonwood, and after an
hours smoky siesta at the dinner camp
we decided to try our luck in that vicinity
and accordingly weighed anchor for the
spot. On the way down I was fortunate
enough to land a couple of crappie of reg
ulation size. The crappie are a splendid
table fish, sweet and toothsome, but do
not put up a fight worth a cent The
minute one is hooked it throws up the
sponge fgurativeIy speaking. and allows
itself TO be landed without a protest As
a rule. they travel in schools. and when
the fisherman strikes a school he IS liable
to get a boatload- How I did thai once I
may relate some other time. And again
the Judge is opposed to fishing for any
thing save black bass, so we did not tarry
long trying to coax the crappie from their
IF we can't yanlx some speekIed boys
out of here remarked the Judge. as We
dropped anchor at the mouth Of Buck
Creek. I'VE might as well fly our kites for
home, for the conditions are certainly
most favorable Just see the clear cold
water pouring in here The fish should
swarm around such place And he was
right; For when we left at dark and
string Of q as fine fish TO tote. as one enc
thread OF the narrative.
We had scarcely struck the mouth of
the creek when the trouble began All four
were getting bites on all at the same time
And we had the best of luck capturing the
majority of our strike.
There were none, however, as large as
the early catch Of the Judge. The greater
portion averaged from two to three pounds
bite on each hook at the same moment
while the Judge was wrestling with a
three FOUNDER on one OF his lines And
the best part Of all was that we saved all
of them from eSca ping. The next largest
catch of the day fell to my lot Just as
the sun went down. / happened to be
awake this time. and was shown a siren
nous time. IT was easily the most re-
had the pleasure OF enticing from the wa
terS-
We had early discovered that the bass
in this particular vicinity hankered after
the small yellow catfish rather than the
ting. 1 had just placed particularly
tempting bait overheard when, like a
started under the water at race morse
speed Remember my early failure be-
plenty OF play Although vas simply
wild to yank the fish into the boat at one
swift rush / managed TO control fnYSelI-
And when ] did hook the game, with a
swift side play, / knew from the resist
ance that there was fun ahead. And there
was. For, without any sense of the pro-
prieties of the occasion his nibss made a
rapid sprint back under the boat and be-
came entangIed with my other line. This
made matters decidedly frislSy for me, and
the Judge. too. became interested. Now.
am not left handed, and was never very
dextrous with the member on that side of
my body. But the way swung the pole
in that hand in rhythmic concert with the
in the right caution. IHe Judge
remarked after the battle was over
that I did It 50 gracefully that he was &C
tually proud of me Just how long the
struggle lasted, or as to the details, I am
unprepared to state at this writing. It
all seems like day dream as I sit scrib-
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