Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-26
SEBAGO FISHING.
Discouraging Reports Being
Brought Back by Anglers.
There Have Been Several Catches Of
Small Salmon
But Conditions Are Generally Poor-A
Fifteen.Pcunder.

Portland, Me-, April 25.-The Adver-
tiser SAYS tonight: 1.-THE worst l have
ever known it," is the way one Port
land fisherman classified the condition
at Sehago lake is speaking to 4 reporter
Monday morning. Such is the general
opinion shared in by others who have
just returned from the lake. Among
them is Frank l.. Shaw, the president
of Shaw's Business college. one Of the
best known fishermen in the state who
returned Monday. In speaking to re-
porter he said:
Il have never seen conditions as
they now are at the lake. The fishing
is just as bad as it could possibly be-.
I was up there for four days and got
just one strike during that time and
even then did not land my fish. Most
of the catches that have been reported
have been small ones.
Il went up to the lake Wednesday
Immediately after receiving your mes
sage that the ice had gone out. Soon
after / reached there the wind shift
that quarter This drove all the ice
from the west shore to he easern shore
and left a big space of clear water
The ice piled up high on the east shore
Saturday the wind shifted to the
east ana the ice began to be blown
back. We could see it coming along,
creeping gradually over the clear
water | tell you it was a handsome
sight and was well worth going to the
lake for, even iw I didn't get any fish.
Well, that ice continued to pile over
and by Saturday night the cove at
Crockett's on the upper part of tn"
west shore was choked with ice, SO
| that if we wanted TO fish we had TO
| take a team and drive down the lake
three miles before We could strike clear
| water. 1t was of course, possible to
work n boat through the channels Of
| the ice, but no fishing could be done.
The ice now has entirely gone from the
! lake"
What is the general cause of thu.
poor fishing. Mr.. shaw"
| The sinelts have begun to run.
| Every year the Smelts will run about
| the 10th of April. l never was sure
about this until this year. but it seems
| these fish will start about this time
! whether the ic. is out of the lake or
not Well, it happened this year that
the ice was just beginning to get out
of the lake at that time so that the
salmon had plenty OF stuff to eat be
fore the fishermen came round. The
result was that the fish would not rise
to the bait and but few fish are being
caught If 4 man wants to go fishing.
l would never advise him to go to Sc
gago Let him try Moosehead or the
Range,eys Inl he will never give them
up"
The biggest fish Of the season yet
caught was taken. saturday by John
fleming, the baker of Middle street,
who landed Il handsome salmon. tip
ping the scales at over IA pounds. This
| was taken In the south Basin, near
South Casco. Mr.. Fleming said he had
as pretty fight to land his prize as
he would wish. He also was fortunate
enough to secure two other fish. one
weighing three and a half pounds and
a twopounder.
\ few other good catches have been
reported. Dr. owen Smith secured q
salmon weighing 1919 pounds with 4
couple other fish. The Randall boys
have also been re ported as making good
catches. DIR. j. y. Dodge secured five
salmon before he returned, saturday,
Ed. Gilman of Westbrook, secured 4
handsome fiveDounder in addition to
several small salmon. DIR. John w
Bowers has returned from the lake and
brought back six fish. some of which
weighed six pounds apiece. Chas. Per-
Iry landed FIVE fish and one of them tax
en- OF Sandy beach weighed IL pounds
He also secured a beauty of four
pound square tail trout. DIR. j. L.
Chase. who has been trying for brook
trout rather than salmon. has secured
50 of this particular class.
| ChaS. A. Robinson. DR.. Owen Smith
Chas F.. Noyes, Wendell p. keene. F.
i. Shaw. Oscar X. Wish and otherE
We're among those who returned from
the lake. Monday. Hon. Harry Il. Nir-
gin came out, Saturday. Among thost
still there are Col. ]. ]. PoOler. F. l.
Rosworth. Franklin r. Redlon. Allen
Wuodle. II. F. Farnham, a. l.. Edge
comb. DR.. II. y. Marshall. John Lord
Louis Waldron. Fred Pierce, Harry