The Somerset reporter., 1904-07-14
otter and Pierce Ponds.
Salmon and Trout Fishing and Some
Big Flsh Caught
OTTER PoNp CAar,. JcLY 8.

People spend their vacation in the
Maine woods for various causes-sOme
to escape the heat, some 10 rest and adj
mre the beautiful scenery and others
for fishing only, but the persons who
get the most pleasure and rest Of mind
are those who enjoy them all as they
preciate the fine air, observe the beauty
of Gods land as he made it in nature,
the grand valleys, the noble mountains,
the sparkling streams, the picturesque
ponds, which sometimes are as smooth
as a mirror and as the mighty sun sends
down her brilliant rays, the formation
of the surrounding shores and noun
tains are reflected on the water and it
presents picturesque scene that no ar
fist can paint. Then again when huge
storms set in and gale is blowing
fiercely, how angry and weird is the
scene; each in turn fills the heart of the
lover of nature with thrill of admira-
ton.
1t isa pleasure to watch the birds and
to study their habits, to hear the bark
ing of the fox, the mournful cry Of the
loon, to watch the beautiful deer so sell
dom seen until close of day end at even
ing comes to the ponds to eat the lily
pads and drink and swimming, drives
the flies away; to catch the speckled
beauties, which in Maine waters are not
scarce like elsewhere but on the other
hand are most abundant everywhere.
What pretty sight it is TO see the trout
! feeding, breaking here and there and at
times it seems to be most everywhere;
to cast your flies upon the lake and to
hook the trout just as they break and
then royal battle has begun. Now
feel him dash down the waters deep, as
from off the reel your line he takes to
free himself from his great plight. He
will pound and pound and rise again and
dash and dart away and back again and
fights so hard for life and freedom. If
he succeeds he has given the angler
some sport at any rate. If the trout is
landed the angler has something to be
proud of for no fish can in beauty com
pare to the chap, commonly known as
speckled trout.
An angler once went to fish for trout
in New Jersey stream and asked per
mission from farmer whose land it ran
through. The latter replied;
Trout! why | never heard of such IA
fish, catch them if you can but don't
keep any suckers you might catch for
we want them to eat
After filling his creel he thanked the
farmer, who asked to see the fish he
called trout. When shown to him he
laughed and said: "You're mistaken,
sir, why those fish are tightening dodg-
ers"
People 90 to different places to fish
and hunt in season in Maine and no
doubt most are pleased with their eff
forts,
"For round about both far and near
Are streams for trout and woods for deer"
All of the above conditions can be
found at Otter Pond Camps which | will
describe as | find them. The owners,
NJ. l.. French & Co., are ideal camp pro-
prietors who strive to keep an up to
date camp. Mrs Robert Durgin, who
does the cooking. certainly makes a
variety of the most enticng dishes
which would tickle the palate of the
most fastdious epicure. The table is
first class in every respect and the cook
ing is superb. Her husband, Robert
Durgin, is known as "Genial Bob" and
John Morris, carpenter and guide, is
known by everyone as "Reliable John"
| They always have a pleasant word and
lend willing hand. Little things, too
small to ask for, constantly you will find
them doing. Miss SADIE, the table miss,
is always attending to the guests wants
in capable and dainty manner,
Otter pond is reached from Bingham
| by stage or team as one desires to
Beams Crossing, which is drive of II
miles, thence by four miles of buck
boarding. Anybody who wants to walk
in can drive to Hunnewell's Crossing,
two miles farther, where they can reach
the camp by three mile walk lis
very easy of access for all, but three or
four miles, is a most pleasant drive
through the famous valley of the Kenne-
bee, fine roads and good fast teams,
which makes it real pleasure instead
of tresome Journey for the valley is
most picturesque and you follow the
beautiful Kennebee all the way. The
drive can be made in one and half
hours.
The camps are beautifully located at
the head of Upper Otter pond, not so
yards from the shore. A range of Pierce
mountains looms up in the distance di-
1ectly in front of the camps, To the
right of the camps is Otter mountain.
| Upper Otter is about three quarters of a
mile long and full of trout which Iun
good size up to pounds in weight.
At the foot of Upper Otter is trail
of five minutes walk 10 Lower Otter,
which is perfectly round in shape and
and nearly as large as Upper Otter.
This pond contains salmon and trout
that run up to and g pounds. BY row.
ing across the pond there is trail to
Pierce pond. The distance from Otter
Pond Camps to Pierce pond can be
made in one hour without any effort at
all.
Pierce pond comprises three basins or
ponds connected by thoIoughfares and
covers six miles of water with an aver
age width of about third of a mile
With rocky bottom and great depth in
places it is said by those who know to
be a deep pond. Its natural run is
north and south. lie mountains around
it are Pierce and otter. In the distance
can be seen Pleasant Pond mountains
some twelve miles away, with shutdown
mountain about fifteen miles distant !;
both are of considerable height At
the lower end of Pierce pond can be
seen looming up in majestic grandeur
! Old Bigelow, as if in frantic efforts to
kiss the mother sky
The distance from Pierce pond to
camp is less than two miles by boat and
scant mile over a wide and easy trail.
One can take an early dinner at camp,
fish Pierce pond and get back for supper.
| rrhia rnnnd cnntains rrpaf salmon fishinP