The Somerset reporter., 1908-07-30
Unique Salmon Fight.
Special TO Maine Woods
RINGHAM Nh Inlv II ION


Elan w. Johnson, who is passin
the sunset of an eventful life on
little farm in Pooduc, six miles fron
Skowhegan, is probably the only ma
in Maine VINO ever chased a salmol
in row boat and won.
1t happened in June, 1892, and tn
race occurred on the Kennebec rive
between the Skowhegan falls ant
Spaulding's Island, just half way be
tween this town and the village 0
Norridgewock. Mr.. Johnson wa
employed at the time by the Kenne
bee Log Driving Co. and wishing
information in regard TO his work haC
gone to the falls where the log watcl
was on duty. Having few minute
to spare he was looking at the log
go over the dam.
Suddenly, just as Johnson wa
about to return to his work, an enor
nous fish shot up from the seethinf
waters below the falls, fairly seemed
to fly through the air, passed within {
/ foot of Johnson's head, and then like
an arrow from bow, dove into the
water 20 feet above the falls.
For moment Johnson was so sur
prised he could do nothing but simply
stare at the water where the fist
disappeared. Then he came TO hit
senses and realized that it was nc
shark or sword fish that he had just
seen, but a big sea salmon, and he
| decided to secure it if such a thing
was possible.
A batteau, used by drivers in com
ing from the boom was hitched near
the hut of the log watch. Into this
Johnson jumped, seized paddle and
started up stream. For some reason
the salmon did not go to the bottom
of the river, but remained near the
surface, swimming at leisurely pace
There was no difficulty in following
the fish as he was so near the surface
the wave left from the action Of his
tail could easily be seen.
But 1t was no easy task to overtake
salmon in heavy batteau as John
son was not long in finding out. Still
he plugged away at the paddle, the
splash of which did not seem tC
frighten the fish, simply kept hin
going. Johnson had no fishing tackle
SO there was no opportunity to try {
fly.
Finally the sorting boom was passed
yards distant, off the port bow. The
salmon started for the shore anG
johnson after him. The water begar
to shoal rapidly and all of suddeI
the fish got around between two
rocks. Wiggle as he would he coulC
not pass between themI nor was ht
able to back out into deep water
About this time the batteau became
stuck i'll the mud and Johnson, grasp
ing the paddle, stepped out OF thu
boat in about six inches of water anC
advanced toward the imprisoned
fish. Two we'll directed blows on tht
head stunned the salmon and it wa
no trick to throw him up high anC
dry on the shore.
1t was not exactly sportsmanlike
but circumstances always alter caset
and Johnson had not pulled tha
heavy boat 2 12 miles against thu
current to be baked of his prey on
mere question of professional court
esy. 1t proved to be what he had a
first suspected, a sea salmon, which
had strayed from its ocean home anC
come so miles or more up the river
1t was feet 4 1-2 inches long anC
weighed before being dressed 4,
pounds 5 ounces
During the Is years which have
elapsed since then Mr.. Johnson hal
caught many fish, from chubs in the
early spring when the ice goes out, tx
square tailed trout, but he says tina
he never felt more elated i'll his lif'
than he did when he picked up tina
salmon and landed him safe and sounC
on the shore of Spaulding's Island.
The above account is given in on
columns, not with the hope of in
creasing the number of sportsmel
who annually visit this locality, 70
the narrative itself does not encourag
one to believe that 43 pound salmon
can often be cornered after a straight
away chase up the Kennebec river
but only to show that wonder tale
are not confined to any age or elm
but may be founded upon incident
near our own home. The story
doubtle rs as true now as it ever was
The falls, the stretch of river men
toned and Spaulding's Island sti
remain, in fact, everything to authen
ticate Mr.. Johnson's statements.