The sun., 1919-03-16

who is known TO many Rod and Gun
readers as "Tamarack." decides to take
pictures-and to play the old, old game
that the first fisherman played on the
second fisherman.
The holes are so far apart that in
order to get Jim Sturges and Bill
Crockett together Bill Crockett decides
to camoufage hole in the ice. as 1t is
easier than cutting one. When the snow
has been brushed UP to look like hole
in the ice Bill Crockett goes to the near
est hole and picks up the largest. liveliest
and best minnow that is swimming
about in the hope OF Turing one OF those
thirty Founders they tell of.
Calmly he brings the minnow. or, as
"Tamarack' calls it. the Whitney
bloater," to the csmouhaged hole. II is
zero weather and doubtless two or three
minutes exposure might not hurt and
on the other hand may freeze the Ash.
The camera is adjusted. when sud-
denly Jim Sturges discovers what has
happened. Ordinarily. Jim Sturges is a
man of few words. calm, phlosONhic and
not given TO outbursts, but this is too
much.
Hey ne yells. put that FISH back"
You don't wait; YOU put it back and
use in its place a line with a chunk OF
sucker
You have lived with jim for almost
two weeks. You have figured upon writ
ing a column or SO about how three men
hit It off so welt together in the woods
that everything moves smoothly, and
here on the last day Jim breaks the
charm.
Playing the Old. Old story.
But Jim is no joker "Tamarack."
while this has been going on. has slipped
Off and tied a perforated can to the end
OF a line and cries: Bill Crockett,
there's a fish on your line"
Then he adds as the line Is reached.
These fish sometimes are dead weight,
take it easy hold his head up as DR..
Briggs says. and when you get him near
the top yank him up and over"
You catch hold OF tho line, feel
dead weight. draw it in gently, feel no
life" there, but have hopes when you
think Of that 29A4 FOUNDER taken out of
this lake last summer, haul in and then
"Tamarack" laughs. Jim Sturges chuclles
and YOU smile. Sure, you're the goat.
All the bats are inspected TO see II
there has been = touch Two mInnows
are missed. Fish may have taken them
or perhaps weeds have aided the bait
fish to escape.
As the hooks are rebaited TIA mara ok"
remarks, Il wonder if they would take
n.y." that being "Tamarack's"
favorite fishing.
"A dry fly, maybe" adds Jim with a
trace of a smile upon his countenance.
Consultations are held and the opinion
expressed is that they took the bait
yesterday and maybe will bite to-nor-
row but they are not here to-day. The
conclusion is that FISH have moods, often
eat until they have gorged themselves.
then lie about, and while digestinE Il,
will not touch anything no matter how
appealing II looks.
"If we only knew the right tide. high
water slack, the kind Al Olches likes"
remarks "Tamarack" I'VE might induce
them TO bite. BY and by he added,
'"How did it happen that Rod and Gun
once printed an inquiry from a man
asking the best tide in Greenwood Lake.
New Jersey
Scene Recalls Tracking n Bear.
Like men do in surf fishing, the three
anglers smoke their pipes as they stand
close TO each other. each man keeping
his eye on his lines and the scene brings
back memories to Jim.
-Twenty-fve years ago" saws Jim,
with Abe Lawrence and Bert Danforth
we followed a bear across these noun
tains for six days, tracking the animal
TO Indian Lake He was a big bear and
VIC got a glimpse of him once when he
was fifteen rods away. That was right
there" and Jim nodded in the direction
OF the mountain directly opposite. ..
81 .t,Nrx Il