The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-05-08
TROUT FROM THE HILLS
FINE STRING OF 'EM REACHES
OAKVILLE,
Quintet Stole Away i'm the Early
Morning and Succeeded in Getting
a Fine Catch-Main Street a Hum
mOcky ThorOughfare-Brie

Trout fishermen now congregate in
their favorite haunts and swap tales.
Last night while number of enthu-
s1dsts We're talking over old times
somebody asked if the "old buck
trout" of the Aspetuck river had been
heard from this spring. simon Brad
ley of Fairfield is the only one who
mas seen the old fellow this year.
This was the report received by Dan
Smith at his Fairfield avenue sport
ing establishment. Every trout fish
erman who has whipped the Sauga-
tuck and Aspetuck rivers has hoped to
land this historic fish but no one has
ever been successful, and the old fell
low Will probably die of old age or dis
ease. He has been seen in various
parts of two rivers mentioned and has
carried away more fishing gear than
any other fish in these waters. He
was first seen by DIR. Frank Gorham
in 1872. The doctor was fishing the
stream with his grandfather, Isaac
Gorham, Sd, who was noted as the
greatest fisherman and surest shot
with gun in Fairfield county. Since
that time the fish has been hooked
numberless times but has never been
landed. Accounts of eye witnesses
vary as to his size. Some say he is
fully five pounds in weight, others say
more, but it is generally conceded that
he is very large. Among those who
have either hooked or have had a
glimpse of this famous old fish are
Charles Sherwood of Huntington, who
has made many trips from his home
for the express purpose Of capturing
this fish. DR.. j. L. Hetzel of South
port. has seen the old fellow. So has
Homer Sherman of Monroe. Dwight
Burr and other famous fishermen.
Nick Kemper, Frank sturges and
Lexie Downs Of Westport, have all
had a hook in the old fellow, but he
got away on every occasion. E. S.
Wheeler of Saugatuek once got peep
at his majesty at Holman's dam. Con-
stable Steve Hayes Of 'Stepney has
come across lots for every spring sew
eral years hoping to land the veteran,
but without success. Harry Taylor
of Plattsville once saw the old fellow
trying to pass the dam at ''Nigger
Hoeville'' on the Saugatuck. For
more than century an old grist mill
was operated at this point.V 1t was
known for years at Plat Keeler's
mill. The mill is entirely gone and
there is only a trace of the old dam.
1t was a favorite haunt of the trout,
and it was great sport for the boys
of the vicinity to watch the fish at
tempt to climb the wall of water
twenty feet high which passed over
the top of the dam In times of freshet.
Joe Treadwell Of Tashua. a well
known trout fisherman, tells story
of watching the old trout mount the
fall when there was scarcely foot
of water running over the dam. DR..
J. L. Hetzel of Southport who enjoys
hunting with camera almost as
much as with a gun, has made many
futile efforts to get picture of this
famous fish
Those who know of this monster
trout have waited eagerly each year
for a report of his capture. Almost
every season some fisherman along
the line of one of these rivers has re-
ported seeing monster trout which
is Immediately identified as the old
buck trout" When first reported the
fish was a beauty, with flashing sides
and brilliant colors. AS years have
passed he has lost all his bright colors
and when seen last year by Ed Smith
and Robert Wheeler of Westport he
was a dull brown with scarcely any
trace of his former beauty. 1t is now
believed that the low water
and severe cold Of last winter proved
too much for the old fish and that he
has escaped the fishermen of the Sau-
gatuck and Aspetuck forever.