The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-02


 etful of fish
 This, however, is pessimistic view of the sport, and one which shall endeavor to modify by explaining con ditions as they actually exist where years of experience have taught the followers of the sport the best lures to entiee fish to their hooks, and how to keep comfortable while doing so. under the most adverse weather con- ditions.
 Walking over large bay one morn ing in February, 1 was attracted by a man cutting into the ice with an ax. AnXious to know what he was about asked if he was going to take sound ings.
 No! Coin to fish" he replied.
 The ice here was about 2S inches thick, and he preceded to cut three holes in it, in line. each about IS inch es in diameter, and about eight feet apart. As he talked, observed that instead of cutting out round hole entire, he made a ring-shaped circle with his ax. and continued deepening it, leaving the center intact until he had reached the water, when he lift ed out the cake of ice thus formed. He explained that this method was much easier than chopping the ice all away and shoveling out the chips as he worked. And I agreed with him,
 Over the middle hole was placed a shelter hut, the frame being of rough bits of boards and lath covered with old eunny sacks, and the roof draped with tar paper. The base of the hut was laid on runners so that it could be moved from place to place at will, but evidently the owner intended to stay at the present spot for time, as he banked it mp with snow to better exclude the wind. The whole affair was ver" comfortable, and I afterward proved to my own satisfaction that it answered all the needs that its owner had in mind when he built it, namely portability and warmth. l have seen more elaborate ones since, but none of them any better suited to the fisher mems needs.
 The fishing is only carried on in the morning between daylight and o'clock, and from in the afternoon until dark, as the fish will take no nos tice of the bait when the sun is shin ing.
 l visited the ice fields one evening tc see the fishermen at work and find out how 1t was done, and arrived just in time to accompany two of the mer who were going after minnows fol bait. One of them had a dip-ne' with a long handle: the other carried basket We went along the edge of the ice until we came to where 2 cross current swept into the bay ana there in the swift water the minnows could be seen in myriads. breastins the stream and pushing with all theil | energy against 1t. A few scoops of thu net filled the basket, and we wert ready to return, they to commenc, their evenings work, with myself ar interested spectator.
 Coming back we passed severa holes, the makers of which had no yet turned up to use them, but ther, was no danger that any of thesi would be appropriated by anyone els without permission. It is an unwrit ten law amongst tho fraternity tha he who cuts a hole Is entitled to it exclusive use, and the rule is neve
 broken.
 My companions had holes cut in
 nupber of places, and prospects,
 eeth as we came to them. This wa
 done by lying flat on the ice, wit
 ones face over the hole, while tn
 light was excluded from above b
 means of a coat thrown over the head
 In this way the fish could be see
 swimming about, and the bottom c
 the bay 20 and 35 feet below could b made out almost as distinctly as if on
 were looking through the atmospher
 above The field of view was quit
 extensive. and to me revealed a glor ous wealth of strange forms growth, which were as green an
 fresh as one would expect in Jul,
 Fish, large and small, passed to an
 fro, some leisurely, others Garting |
 with the speed of torpedoes. Now an
 then a big lazy fellow would sto1
 and flaming himself with his fine, loo
 upward at the face of the man at tf
 hole, no doubt wondering what it W. that was peering down into the deptf
 of his watery home.
 We finally came to a set of hol, that showed indications for successf1 fishing. and soon the lines were LII rolled and in the water, each carryir a lead sinker, and two hooks baitt with minnow. The proper depth fish at was ascertained by one ma looking down nearby hole, whi the other lowered until his companic said Enough" All subsequent lin, tlat spot were measured by u first. There is quite a difference opinion as to how far from the botto the bait should hang. Most of the mt l seem to think that from 20 to 24 inc ! es is about right. though some of u 1 successful ones will tell you it shou I never be less than four feet. There was not much noise or e l citement amongst the fishermen un [ about 6:3G, when al, along the lii f there came general waking up, . one after another got busy, and t