The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-03
A VERY FISHY LOVE STORY


fdT WAS a hot August day" said
the judge. leaning back in his
desk chair, and looking out the
window. where the thick snow was
pelting down. Uncle Jimmy and I
and Murphy. the guide, were out cast
ing for bass along the east shore OF
Virgin lake. You remember the place?
There where the bank runs up forty
feet high, with a lot Of Jack pines on
the top and old 'Wappy's' cabin in the
middle of them? Close to the shore
there are a lot of tall green bulrushes,
with some big windfalls hanging down
among 'em. It's lovely water for bass.
When we started out that morning
IT looked like rain, and 'Murph' and [
took our slickers along with us.
'Murph' said IL was sure to rain before
night, but Uncle Jimmy knew better.
He wasn't going to be troubled Juggling
lot OF sliekers across the portages, he
said.
Until after noon it was broilinE hot
and we got nary strike from a bass.
Uncle Jimmy got a few little snakes
and / nabbed a couple of pike, but the
black bass were not biting at all. About
2 o'clock it commenced to sprinkle and
about the same time the black bass be-
gan to go after our frogs. The rain
got heavier and so did the bass.
'Murph' and I put on our slickers and
Uncle Jimmy sat there and got soaked,
but he was pretty game. Inside of an
hour we had got twenty bass among
US and the rain was just oozing out of
Uncle Jimmy.
Say. he said, finally. when are
you fellows going in? I'm getting
tired
"'Going in?' said I, with a snort.
Going in? With the bass biting like
this. Why, we amt going in till il
gets too dark 10 cast
The fish that were rising TO our
frogs were all small mouths, and not
one of them weighed less than two
pounds. l had one four-pounder and a
couple more about as big. It was one
Of the days q fisherman dreams of. IN
Gle Jimmy was having his share OF the
luck, but he did look mighty moist and
uncomfortable.
There was a nice little breeze coming
out Of the west with the rain. The
wind from the west, il Is the best you
along at the proper gait for casting
and keep US out at the proper distance
from the lily pads and PUSHES Then.
when we got to the end of the casting
ground. 'Murph' would row out and
back again to the beginning Of the
weed beds.
by o'clock, for once in my life.
Ny arm ached from casting and my
reel hand had half a dozen good bis
tiers on II. We were all getting pretty
careless, fooling with our fish after We
had hooked them and letting them take
all kinds OF liberties with us.
Finally I hooked a good three
FOUNDER and, after a hot fight. finally
pulled him up TO within ten feet of the
boat 1 was dragging the FISH along
on the top of the water when 'Murph,'
the guide, called out in an excited
whisper, say, look at that other bass
a-follerin' along
I'VE looked, and there. right beside !
the fish that was hooked, was another
bass a little larger. swimming along
with its nose almost touching the head
OF the cusS on the spoon. tell you 1t
liked mighty peculiar.
What's that meaR?' asked Uncle
Jimmy
you've hooked a lady bass and that's her
husband coming along TO try and help the
old lady out Of her SCrape. or whether !
that big fellow behind is the NAV or paw
of the fellow that took your frog. I've |
seen a thing ike that happen just once
before. and some folks holds one idea and |
some the other. For all know the fish (
on the hook may be a young lady bass
and the big one her beau. Pun in closer |
70 the boat and maybe we can ten more
Il reels in almost all my lihe and gets |
the fish within six feet OF the boat. Still !
the big fellow followed right along. Every |
now and then he'd swim right up close to |
the fish on the hook and rub his nose
against its nose. Then he d swim along |
side Of it and seem TO caress IL with its |
fins.
" Say says AIurph.' amt that the |
most loving expression you ever seen on !
a fish's face?'
And not a blamed one OF us laughs
Finally Uncle jimmy starts out 10 try /
to catch that free bass He throws in 4
nice green frog, just the right size and /
as lively as a cricket The frog lands /
within two inches OF the big bases nose, /
and the way it kicked and sWum along l
through the water must have been most
appetizing to a fish. but that bass never |
paid the slightest attention 10 "a. Uncle |
Jimmy lets his frog drift back until Il |
brushes the bass in the nose with its |
hind legs. and then the fish simply push |
ed II aside and came swimming along be- |
side its captured mate. He fooled along |
four or five minutes trying 20 interest the /
bass in frog legs but never succeeded at !
All. Then he reels In, takes off the frog !
and puts on a phantom minnow. IL was /
brand new phantom. green and silver |
with darker fins and a mighty pretty |
halt, but IL didn't work any better than |
The frog. The big bass would have moth
ing 70 do with IL.
Every now and then I'd give the bass |
on my line Jerk through the water. and /
every time the bic fellow would start W |
like n fIInn nff| Follow il Nv fish WIS I