The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-20

pike. Ny rod was a light one. the line fine
silk and the reel a quadruple multipiier.
About sun-up, after landing two bass, I
put on my hook a larger minnow, cast IL
about thirty feet and was drawing il back
toward the boat when a fish took IL with q
terrific rush. The minnow was only ten feet
from the boat when the fish struck, but az
soon as it felt the barb Of the hook Ii raced
away at great speed. Probably one hundred
feet Of line ran off the reel before l could
check the rush. Then the fish turned toward
deeper water, for which / was thankful
knowing that if it dived into the reeds near
the shore Ii would get away. For a time I
permitted the fish to tow the boat. hoping
it would soon tire out itself. When the line
slackened a little l reeled in until 1 felt the
pike tugging. Then it went TO the bottom OF
the lake and sulked in the mud. but a small
amount of pressure caused IL to change tao
tics. Up it came with a rush and moved
toward the boat so fast that rowing away
and Keeling in barely kept the line taut. Ii
raced toward the reeds for a minute. but
the drag on the reel and the weight of the
boat again caused it TO change its course.
Several times / had ii within twenty feet or
the boat, seemingly worn out. but each time
it became frightened and dashed away with
fresh life. Finally the rushes became less
frequent and 1 drew il alongside the boat,
handed the rod TO my brother, leaned over.
grasped the fish firmly by the eyes with one
hand, put the other under the body and
lifted it out of the water. OF course. / was
elated. 1t was the largest fish I had ever
caught and it required twenty minutes
strenuous effort to land. There was much
excitement at the hotel when / brought IL
in. No fish as big had been caught in years.
One man who, no doubt, wished 10 take it
home and exhibit IL as his own catch, Of
fered $40 for the fish, but 1 told him it was
not for sale. a few hours later IL WAS packed
in ice and on the way TO Indianapolis. Some
persons say the pike usually ~surrenders
after a few minutes resistance and allows
itself to be reeled i'm as if IL were a log, but
this one was an exception, for 1t was game
to the end"
Now. Betty, it's your turn 10 tell IN
about the fish you caught" said Phyllis. as
John concluded.
81 would rather talk about the strange
flowers, berries, trees and grasses that 1
saw replied Betty, land 1 would like to
describe the hills and mountains of granite,
the mounds of rock that rise out of the wa
= alO 1oILI pltNNg CAuAAdo oha NAC tNoa
tiful scenery in the Georgian bay, st. Mary's
river and all through the district of Ago
ma, Canada, especially in the vicinity OF
Michipicoten on Lake Superior"
Perhaps the story of how you caught
your first brook trout in a stream that runs
into the Michipicoten river would interest
the girls" interrupted Jack.
Betty flushed a little and Immediately op-
jected. but Jack persisted.
IF you don't wish to tell 1t, permit me-"
he said.
Jack, you have already told the story
twice to my knowledge and each time you
enlarged on the truth. Your imagination is
too lively in dealing with facts. and I won't
have the incident further exaggerated. I
will tell it just as it happened.
Jack and myself were in a large canoe.
accompanied By an Indian guide. an OJib-
way, who talked very good English and who
was an expert with the paddle. for he
| guided it dexterously by the numerous
rocks over which the water foamed men,
acingly. The Michipicoten is not a placid
river. Some portions of il are very rapid.
with sharp, ugly-lookng rocks showing
| above the surface. The Indian took US safely
| past the dangerous places and stopped
| padding at the mouth OF a small creek.
| where we arranged our rods for casting.
!! The Indian selected the flies. 1 tied two on
my leader. One was a pretty imitation of a
| green fly, the like of which l had never seen
in life, and the other a small
brown moth. 1 made a few casts kneeling.
but could not get the flies out more than
| fifteen feet. Then the Indian suggested that
1 stand up, provided 1 was careful not 10
| sway too much. L did so. and made a cast OF
about thirty-fve feet. Just as the stretcher
| fy-the green one-touched the water there
was a swirl and my line fairly sizzled as it
ran off the reel. i became excited and. OF
| course, forgot the Indians advice. lost my
| balance and took a header into the creek.
The guide and Jack somehow managed TO
prevent the canoe upsetting, although II
shipped at least a barrel of water. Fortu-
nately the creek was not over three feet
deep where l took my plunge and ran no
risk of drowning. In fact. a few seconds
after tumbling out OF the canoe L was on my
feet. with the fishing rod in my hand. Why
i had presence of mind enough to retain
possession of the rod j cannot explain, cx-
cept on the theory that persons in the
water instinctively clutch at anything. The
adage, you know. runs: Drowning men
grasp at straws.' Although l was not drown
ing / grasped the rod, and luckily il was,
for when l found myself standing in water
I'D to the waist l felt a tug on the line and
knew my fish had not escaped. Determined
10 save il. / told the guide TO move the canoe
away and ] would fight ii out where l was
IL ii took all day. In five minutes the fsh
grew tired and / guided ii toward the canoe.
The Indian mt "a landing NOT under IN and
lifted il into the canoe. while / waded
ashore, a sorry-looking figure, with my dress
clinging TO my legs and water streaming
from me in rivulets. l felt pleased, however.
when the Indian showed me the fish. IL was
a speckled trout about fifteen inches Tong
and weighed a pound and a quarter-a very
large one the Indian said. When the excite
ment wore off / began 10 shiver and the
Indian advised me 20 swallow a little cordial
from a flask he took from a box.in the boat
IL was firewater, sure enough. because IL
burned my throat, but warmed me from
head 10 foot. Then. when the water had been
emptied out Of the canoe the Indian urged
Jack and 1 to go TO his tepee. a mile away.
where | could dry my clothes. This seemed
to be a good suggestion and IL was followed.
That's all"
'Oh. no." said Jack. you have not FIN
ished your story. Tell what took place az
the Indian camp, or shall | relate IL for
.-o,os