The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-30
COLONEL BILLS CATCH.

This is a story Of the Idaho country.
A fish story, but q true one. WHAT'S
the use of true fish story, you say?
Right enough, but think of the novelty
Of it Colonel Bill is the hero and the
villain Of the story, and, as he told me
the tale himself, 1 vouch for it The
colonel is a well known Chieagoan, and
one Of the greatest sportsmen of city
renowned for it's devotees of gun and
rod. He also is a stanch friend and
outdoor companion of a certain four
time mayor of Chicago who is an adept
with either rifle, rod or shotgun. And
between Colonel Bill and his friend
why, thereby hangs this tale.
The colonePs hair and mustache are
a trifle gray, but he is the youngest
man for his days that the sun ever
smiled on. The years that have passed
over his head have only left their
springs behind. His eyes are as clear
as crystal, his carriage easy and alert,
and for endurance and skill he has
many a man half his age absolutely
outclassed. Together these two. with
other companions, went west one sum-
mer to the Businesses of Idaho and
Montana to fish for trout and grayling.
And here and there lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling.
Angle for Elusive Trout.
Now. it so happened that q certain
well known Chicago lawyer had a
ranch in that far region of the sunset
land, and the destination of the party
was planned for this habitation. After
reaching this spot, the party launched
out into the wilderness, set up their
tents, like the Arabs of old, and began
to angle for the trout which cut the
cold and clear waters of the mountain
streams.
These streams came plunging down
from eagle-sWept pinnacles above,
dashing foamily over rocky beds and
on through echoless defles of parti-
colored stone and out and past to the
more level country, cool with the
SHOWS of centuries, clear as a pane of
glass, the natural home for trout.
Jagged battlements of cliff embrasured
granite frowned down on the waters as
they leaped past, and elk and black
tailed deer drank from the occasional
sandy spots where the torrents curved
in, while the tracks of wildcat and
puma emphasized the solitude and re-
moteness of the surroundings.
And it came to pass that a certain
angler, who may be called Harris, was
also a member of the party, and this
Harris had a most killingly fatal facil-
ity with a fly rod. He could coax a
almost every other means had failed,
and while he was not so able with the
rife or shotgun as his companions, in
the line Of fishing he was a "seven-ply
baby and a living wonder"
Now. between Colonel Bill, the may
or, and the said Harris there existed
friendly rivalry as to who would
catch the biggest and the "mostest"
trout. The party was so large and
fhnf~ aaff
the three anglers were kept busy in
supplying the table with fish. 1t was
the habit Of these brothers of the rod
and reel to keep tab" on the num-
bers each one caught and the respec-
tive weights of the trout, so that there
would be a faithful record of the ex-
ploits of each fisherman for every day
he fished.
Live Bait Strictly Barred.
It seems hardly. necessary to say
that all fishing was done with arti-
fetal flies. In the case of the mayor,
ne tied his own flies. The use of any
live bait, the suggestion of a worm,
graSSnopper, or bit of salt pork
would have been considered nothing
short Of a felony by either of the three.
The camp was finally pitched on the
banks of a stream which, after cavort-
ing around in the canyons for awhile,
had broadened out into quite a river
in this particular valley where the en-
campment was located. Here the par
ty stopped to enjoy the sport for a few
days, and here the coloneFs adventure
TOOK place, as follows, to wit, and
hitherto.
Now, it so happened that this local
ity was also haunted by other various
wandering disciples of Izaak Walton.
Tor the fishing was famously good, and
sundry scattered members of the tribe
other than our party waded I'D and
down the waters of the swift flowing
river, casting the light and variegated
hies" over shining ripples or into boil
ing pools in search of the bull jawed
ana gilstening trout that lurked there
IN. And there was camp above them
where two anglers abode
Now, on certain cloudless summer
day the three arose and went about
their tasks, and it devoIved upon Col
oneI BIN TO Tx up camp and get things
Strengthened out for the day, and SO
ne allowed that he would come along
AFTER Harris gid the mayor some time
later. 80 the accommodating warrior
ousied himself with camp duties. and
he did not notice one of the anpIors
from the upper camp who passed down
the river while he was getting his
tackle ready.
Colonel Always Calm and Collected
The colonel always prided himself on
MS haoit of not getting excited. If
theTe was any excitement loose the
colonel didn't Join. He was a man of
an eminently cool disposition. with
plenty of lightning when necessary
But ne was not addicted to the fidgets.
He calculated he would get a good
mess OF fish before night even If the
other boys did start before he did
Anyway, the river split into two cur
rents few miles down, and he could