The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-16
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC

County. Illinois, this morning, reports hav-
ing reached the city that good sport with
the rod is to be had in the lakes of the
neighborhoCd. According 10 PADDY White
and Tom koenig. who returne;! last Mon
day from a trip through the preserve. crap
pie are plentiful in all the lakes.
James W. Burke. J.. Is. Bat cock. ii. L.
Sharpess, Henry Pleus and W. Fl. Wiadi-
field will be among those to start ro-day.
They expect to do little fsEires in Royal
Lake. one OF the bodies of wa.er On the
associations grounds, and state that hGe
fishing Is reported in Fat Lake. another
inciosed lake on the property.
AS result of d carefully watched game
preserve system, the club has always af-
forded good sport for ITS T,.tibes. i.gtoLd-
employees who attend to the lights along
the Mississippi River in that neighborhood
has been @ppointeo onic.aI game wdfGen
or the club and watches over tie property
Nearly 2y,WO acres are iacladec In the
tract, which is transr.ar-shaped section
of land. jut:ng out from Calhoun County,
opposite Grafton, Ill. = clubhouse has been
erected on the tract and p party OF ST.
Louisans now lease the entire district 1t
Is densely timbered and affords flLe shoot
ing. as well as fishing.
Membership in the club is entirely COM
posed OF st. Louis residents with one or
two well-known business men from Graf
ton. They keep the property as a special
preserve.
The land itself. for the most part. is low
and has hve lakes in its bounds One of
these, Flat LAKE, is near the river. and is
well filled with grOwths of aquatic plants.
At the proper season it affords scsne of the
best duck shooting to be had in the neigh
bodies OF water on the tract, is also adapted
for this sport.
Bass and crappie are the chief products
In the fishing line. while squirrel, duck and
snipe. in their various seasons. are alum
Cant. The tract is densely covered. in GER
tam portions, with pecan and persimmon
trees, and these seem to attract all kinds
of small game
The Illinois and Mississippi rivers bound
Two sides OF the tract, and the local owners
of the clubhouse believe they have found
an ideal spot for their preserves.
THE tract Is absolutely unoccupied," said
Mr.. Burke in describing the district. land
We have some Of the best sport in the world
each fall. The place is kept private, and
the result is plenty of game and fish. The
clubhouse is by the river. just opposite
Grafton. which lies about one mile and a
half distant.
when we visit the place we go direct to
Grafton and take launch across the river.
The district is not very accessible from the
Missouri side. and this makes the sport all
the better. Nobody seems to stray over to
the territory. which is absolutely wild.
"On the Missouri side, across a branch
of the river is a long. low SECTION , Of
swampy land. which is always filled with
cattle. They tramble down the sloughs and
leave hoof-marks and little muddy pools
of water all over the place. think this
affords the best snipe shooting have ever
seen.
ION our own property the various lakes
give us the best kind of fishing. We have
water. and all of them are well stocked
with fish. They are never disturbed. except
by our own members. and the result Is first.
class sport whenever We take party OF
friends up there"
officers of the club are: James w. Burke.
president: Herman Meichel. secretary; Hen
ry Pleus. treasurer; Doctor 6. D. Borgslt.
vice president: w. S. Rex and w. H Wild
difield, members of the House Committee.
The clubhouse is a substantial enough little
structure, comfortable, but with no claims
to style.
F. G. latham, we'll known In local fishing
circles. believes he has a profitable ldea-
1t Is to start minnow farm IN the re .sI,,,
OF furnishing bait for the various fishing
parties that start from here.
latham is responsible for the sta,emen.
T.; fha tbis civ sesI EVER shng party is Obliged
to law in a stock, II they desire to save
themselves trouble, and some firms here 90
a thriving business in the bait. He thinks
se saRIsiy Of f'e'h' l'vs's m'na'Ns "'1s m
I'VE have run up plant plant, near sa have Ieg the
thing G e ne ss'e On good basis after awhile
Even IL there is not much money IN the
deal, believe it will pay a man to raise his
own minnows. -,.. h,1
fish or other assailants can bother them;
will enable them to be kept ssfely until
they are wanted. This thing Of having 100 700
can work up a regular circuit for them and
ship them all over the country"
F.w. Gerould Of chicago was q visitor in
the city last week and was entertained ny
Tom Cahill. He is a member Of probably
and on the Michigan lakes than any other
Chicago resident, and he states that some
fair sport Is obtainable In the lakes OF up
per Illinois.
This has not been particularly active
season around Chicago. l should judge, ne
said. .but those of us who did take trips TO
the Upper Illinois and Lower Michigan i nsEes
cially the lakes toward the extreme END OF
the Southern Michigan peninsula, bass fish,
ing has been excellent this year. ,,,.
'Pickerel don't seem quite as numerous
In the lakes of that section as they were
three years ago. Various explanations are
advanced for this. some believing that they
are so naturally voracious that they get
thinned out in greater proportion than otn-
er fish. Lake trout seem TO be steaoAy 6el-
ting scarcer.
North when was up there One peculiarly
of this fish. when near settlement. seems
to be to have their run GROUND the JOCKS
harvest for the boys Of the place. and Is
also interesting for the resorters.
''visitors at the various resorts can pc
seen constantly watching the fish as they
circle around in the water. following big,
well-defined figure eight movement or else
going in a direct circle: They seem 10 pre-
a pier and this Of course. results In their
undoing They are hauled In by the whole
sale either by using small nets. regardiess
OF any laws. or by using herring spears
Quite a number of st. Louisans have Just
returned from Elkhart Lake. WIS.,. and
some remain there reporting good sport
the local enthusiasts who are now stopping
there are former Senator Lederer. Bennett
Wassermann. Judge Zachrttz and Henry
The St. Louis contingent Is pretty well
scattered among the various hotels. but all
are enthusiastic over the subject OF nsh,
afford the basis Of the sport. Small pick
tiful. ''
Judge Zachritz and Bennett Wassermann,
late and have been making names Tor them
selves as early risers. For the last fort,
night they have been getting up In tine small ~ an
the lake and INDUCING in fishing trip be-
fore breakfast.
Nothing sensational in the way Of catches
duced being a e-and-a- haf-pound pick
erel. The smaller fish are game enough 10
afford plenty Of entertainment. however.
H. A. Rodgers, formerly Of San Francisco
but now OF this city. states that some OF
the best shooting In the country, from a
10 Of the skin Is ean1
the season. when the residents turn out In
force to exterminate the wild geese. These
birds become Fest at certain periods OF
the harvest seasons, and they are slaugh-
tered whenever they can be reached.
Gust before harvest Is busy time for