Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-13
FISHING IN WINTER.
Finny Tribes Hooked Through Holes
in tho Ice.

~ fishing trip to Canada IN wintc.'
may not sound attractive. but / can
assure YOU it is" said young college
woman who is in the habit of accom-
panying her twin brother on his holi-
day trips.
Last year when my brother wrote
me that he had an invitation which
included me to spend a week
on the ice fields in Canada
fishing could hardly believe my
eyes. You see. had never heard of
fishing except during warm weather,
and the idea of fishing through ice
seemed preposterous. But his friend
had assured him. he said. that we
would be perfectly comfortable, and
50 We were.
"Our first visit to the ice fields was
one evening soon after o'clock. The
place was alive with fishermen. out for
the second catch of the day. Two who
were Well known TO my brothers
friend. were on their way to get min
nows for bait, and We accompanied
them one of them had large basket
and the other carried q large dip net.
with u long handle. We sllirted along
the edge of the ice until we came to
a place where a cross current flowed
out into the bay. The water was just
swarming with minnows. swimming
about as merrily as If it had been mid
summer The basket was filled 10
overtowing by few scoops OF the
dip net. and back we tramped with
our guides. having forgotten all ABOUT
the sport being unreasonable Or the
weather being colder than we were
accustomed to.
"My brother. who had remained be-
hind. was down on his knees choppihe
n circle in the ice with one of the short
handled axes of our equipment. 1t
was his second fishing hole. nc e%-
nlained pointinr TO another about ten
feet away. There were plenty of holes
scattered here and there over the ice
field which were not being used. but
when 7 suggested dropping my line in,
TO one of them the fishermen and my
brothers friend smiled and shook
their heads. They assured me that it
was an unwritten law among ice fish
ermen never to appropriate another's
hole without permission.
Before sinking my line my brother
invited me to look into the hole he had
dug for me to judge my prospects Tor
a bite. To do this it was necessary
to lie down flat on the ice. and with
my golf cape pulled over my head look
into the hole. I can't say that the
fish were as numerous as the
minnows had been in that current.
but certainly there We're enough of
them. big and little. to make me feel
quite sure ] wouldn't have to wait
| long for a first bite.
81 waited half an hour, however, be-
fore l felt the warning tug. OF course,
1 made an exclamation of surprise.
which seemed to be echoed over the
whole ice field, but no one came to my
assistance, as I had expected.
glanced up only to find that about
everybody in sight was as busy as l
was.
ut was marvellous the number OF
fish which were jeyked up during the
first few minutes. There was nothing
scientific about the sport. No ang-
ling. no playing Off the line and all
the fancy methods you hear expert
enced fishermen discussing. 1t was
lust dropping in your baited line and
n,,,linp II IN again to unlock fish.
big and little, bait and drop it In
again. Then just as suddenly as the
rush of business had begun it stopped
and everybody began to wind up his
tackle and collect his catch.
'"The next day we got out in time
for the first catch. before sunrise.
with the exception Of few par
ties similar to our own, all the fisher
men were in the business for profit,
and the fish brought good prices. for
their flavor is thought to be superior
to those caught in summer.--New York
Tribune.