Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-05-08
FISHERMAN'S PARADISE
WILL OPEN THIS MONTH
Pisgah National Forest Will Be
Ready for Anglers - Two
Thousand Fishing-Days This
Year-Artificial Bait Only
Will Be Permitted-Permits
Needed.

e-A6iCiS VI tuS CultCQ SLdteS on May
Is. 1t is the s5,o00-acre Pisgah Ma
tional Forest, n. c.. the 125 square
miles of the late George w. Wander
pllts mountain estate, bought by the
nation to serve as part of the forest
reservation protecting the headwaters
or navigable streams. 1t comprises the
watersheds of Davidsons and Mills
rivers. which diverge from nearby
sources, fan-shaped, to the French
Broad river.
There are so many brook and rain
bow trout in these streams and their
tributaries that if they were all taken
out at once the water would fall foot
II Is claimed. No proof of this is pos
sible. however, because the Govern
ment will not allow the claimants to
make the necessary demonstration. On
the contrary, the Forest Service, which
mas charge OF the property, intends to
conserve the fish SO that there will
always be an abundant supply, and to
TINS END has made regulations which
the Wardens will enforce with the
power of the United States courts
The results Of the coming season will
determine whether these restrictions
VIII be lessened or enlarged
Fishing Prints 81 Day.
Two thousand fishing DAYS are to be
allowed in 1917. these being represent
ed by permits for which a charge of 81
a day will be made, female members
OF permittee's family being charged
one-half of this sum, and children I'M
DER fourteen years OF age being al
lowed to fish free. Not moro than
TOUR days fishing will be permitted to
any person. Not more than 1900 DAYS
VIII be available before July l, 500 DAYS
belng reserved from then until the
close OF the season. which is Septem-
Der l for brook trout, and October |
Tor the rainbow or California variety.
Applications for permits are now re-
celvabie. No official announcement
mas been made as to the course to be
lolIoWed IN case the applications ex-
coed the 2.000-day limit 1t will not
cause surprise if this case develops.
because there is no trout preserve. in
eastern United States, at least, open TO
the public which compares with this
princely domain of mountain and
stream.
1t is ten miles southwest from Ashe-
1900 'ii~iS i.S pe1hS anu pfO1lOntOfle
snow a skyline of green or gray with
the changing seasons-a great garden
IN the wilderness of the Blue Ridge.
Ihere are ridges and bear cavern
rocks cliffs and chestnut timbered
slopes rising to the sharp spire of 5,757
1eet nigh. Mt. Pisgah, little valleys and
grassy glades, impenetrable tanglcs of
snowy -HoWered rhododendron, splotch-
eS OF aZaloa and rose tinted kaimi3
dogberrles flaming white in spring and
sourWood scarlet in the fall. There
are ferns and galax and violets, and
lofty heights seem waves of a stormy
sea-
This is a garden of rare variety be-
cause latitude makes for Southern
nora, and altitude brings the growth of
the further North. Vegetation is pro-
1use because the rainfall is heavy, and
SO the streams run fun and fast-and
some run faster, Just hell-velJin'
with a crescendo of crashing waters.
Davidson and Mills rivers mainly run
swift but not torrontial, rock bot
toned mostly, with some earth floors
to darken pools for big fish. There is
pleasing variety of fishing water.
The imported specified trout have ban
lshed the indigenous speckled ones to
the headwaters to associate with the
deer, wild turkeys. bear. and phea-
SAINTS. 1T IS estimated there are $500
deer in the forest