The sun., 1919-07-13
SALMON BACK AGAIN
AT SOURDNAHUNK
Dynamite Breaking Log Jams
at Falls Drove Game Fish
r., From Pools.
ROD REPLACES "sTIoKs'
Trout Weighing Four Pounds
Taken I'm Pools Of West
Branch Of the Penobscot.

ny rREDERIC BULKELBY HYDE.
-Four miles southwest of Mount Ea-
tahdln the west branch OF the Penos-
scot tumbles over the spillway OF the
great dam at Bourdnahunk Falls But
the west branch OF to-day IL not the
once mighty river. that defied mans
strength and power as in the days whom
big sabat" and Joe Attien" tended
boat and the big sticks rolled upon It's
surface. The big sticks are a memory
only and the -four foot stuff' nours
through the sluiee unattended.
But the -four foot stun" brings de-
light to the fisherman. In the old days
when the big sticks came tumblng
down, unending, over the falls. formins
Jam here and deep wings there. It was
the courageous driver" who. with
peevey and axe. at the risk Of life and
limb, crHwled out on the jam and cut
away the key" log. Then 1t was that
the big salmon. undisturbed, lived in the
pools and furnished many a lumberman
with princely fare.
Then came the days OF prosaic dyna-
mite breaking the jams with its terrific
force. but also driving the salmon from
the pools. Now. after two years Of
-four foot stuff'' and no dynamite, they
are once again in the west branch.
Four Pound Salmon at Falls.
This year reports of large salmon
tlandlocked; OF course) being taken by
Florence Duchette, the lumberman OF
the old regime, who tends the gates at
the dam at Sourdnahunk Falls came TO
the writer's attention, but. before he had
opportunity to go down the three mixes
from the Kidney Pond Camps TO the
falls to ascertain their truth Norris
York. the famous guide took his sport"
DR.. Charles +. Canedy OF Greenfield,
Mass, TO one OF the pools below the
falls and after half days fishing
brought back rot only a four pound
salmon. but a lot that would average
one and quarter pounds.
On June 80 the writer. Mrs. Hyde
and F. r. Sherwood of New York
started for the falls A beautiful trail
from the camps at Kidney Pond winds
down the sourdnahunk stream to the
west branch. only trifie over thr Sc
miles away. At the lumber camp we
found Florence. a Frenchman, whose
experience on the river goes way back
and who knows where the salmon are.
Just to give our efforts a boost he
took us to his cold spring to show us
the trout and salmon he had caught
the afternoon before. Ye red gods
One salmon that seemed to he a yard
long One huge trout that weighed
four pounds II IL weighed an ounce
And along with them were four other
| salmon anywhere in weight from one
and half pounds to three. The only
| other trout was about one and a half
And then we went to the falls.
| Fighting Trout In EDDY.
just below the dam was a wonderful
eddy along side Of the main spillway
Into that a cast was laid. and Instantly
pound trout was fighting and fighting
| we'll Without a net he was at las
landed. Further down the rocky shor,
| Just below another cast was tried with
the result Of one salmon, weight about
two pounda And the third of our part,
selected a pool further down, taking an
other small salmon. All this was &C
compllshed In the first ten minutes.
| After that until 2 o'clock several small
salmon were taken, and then we lunched
| About we all went down to the lowe
| pool. where conditions were ideal anS
all landed a salmon or two apiece. and
things promised well. for way out In tn
centre larger ish were leapinR But alas
| Tho wind changed and just as we hoped
for the big ones the logs backed vi
and filled the pool. Rotten luck, but VI
went back to the dam and brought II
several more trout, the largest OF JUS
1.-TWO pounds weight. And SO ended GU
first day at salmon fishing in the ives
branch.
They are there and some large one
too. And II the writer mistakes no
from now OF, there will be some splendi,
salmon hshing In the west branch.
Trout Time Ends I'm Rhode Island
Tomorrow is the last day of the trou
senson In Rhode Island.
Jersey TroutinE Ends "wednesday
wednesday is the close OF the trou
season in New Jersey waters