The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-09-24

4
ton of this theme.
| Doniphan is So miles below the
spring and it was froan there,at- 5
o'clock a. m. that our PARTY, composed
of,fve men in two John boats, started
The jehnloaats we're provided with
out-board motors. It is hard work and
lots Of it, climbing those So miles up
swift Current, but it is worth it, Be
tween rnishaps with our motors, we
took in the scenery.
The scenery along Current river is
par-excellent. The stream is secluded
ia the hills. Each bend of the river
throws a new scene on natures can
vas. The hills are dotted with pines
cedar, sycamore, masses of willow
near the waters edge, scrub oaks
hickories, birch, gums, walnuts and
others; all displaying a ray Of color
against white stone bluffs. The wa
ter that rushes so swiftly by be-
meath you is as clear as air and cold
enough to drink without the Injurious
expense of ice. 1t also contains fish
a-plenty, to-wit: Bass, perch, eroppie,
goggle-eye, red-horse, drum cat
| jack-salmon and others. Here and
there a beautiful club house has brek-
en- into natures scheme and sits on a
high bluff. Camps appear frequent
Iy but not too frequently to be crowd
ed.
We labored the first day until near
ly dark. We made hasty camp and
were boring the current again by day
light the next day. By the middle Of
the afternoon we reached the spring,
tired and weary but glad and happy
For two hours we sat speeches. and
watched with awed admiration the
wonderful spring. It took us that
long to come to our senses and it will
take you that long the first time you
see it. We made our camp that night
by the big spring and slept in earshot
of the roar which sounds like the ecm-
ing Of storm or the passing Of
train.
On the following day we began the
part Of our outing expedition where
our real fun came in, the two days
float down stream to Doniphan, COW
ering the same territory only reverse.
We removed our motors and while one
man sat at the stern of the john-boat
and did the guiding act, another stood
near the other end and welded a
fy-rod. We used two full days in
making the float to Doniphan and we
had very little time to spare at that,
stopping an hour for lunch each day
and allowing plenty Of time at our
night camp fofr double header fish
fry.
Current River abounds in bass and
we found the fly to be the favorite
snare for this game fish. 1t is no
trick at all, if one is in any wise art |
ist with the rod. to bag a string Of |
rs or 30 bass day. To be sure, GER |
tain fishermen have surpassed that |
number in two hours and poor fisher |
men have gone beyond that number |
on certain days. But / am striking at |
the happy medium.
There was not meal on our four
days campaign that we failed TO have |
fish to eat and we reached Doniphan
with enough to make more than a
dozen mouths water. Even when we |
were fighting our way upstream and
availing ourselves Of every possible |
moment we had fish to eat three timesf
g day. When the boat was forced to !
stop for repairs for a few minutes;
one or two persons would get busy
with pole and line and bring in
few perch and striped bass. When
we stopped for camp at night, two
Of our party would span the
river with a trotline and in an hours
time string up half-doZen bass and
half as many catfish.
This article is dedicated to those
who are contemplating an outing,
fishing or hunting spree or a combi-
nation Of all three. You will find Cur
rent river welcome nook for your
favorite sport. A great many other
things might be said about this par
ticular section Of game-land that
would interest different species Of
sportsmen, but shall take time here
only to mention a few Of them. Wild |
deer gambol freely over the pine-clad /
hills along this 55 mile stretch Of |
Current river, and wild turkeys \
abound in such numbers that winter !
SHOWS are completely tramped out by
them. Ducks and geese come and go
in season.
II were planning to entertain the
most renowned sportsman Of the vi |
verse, / would not ask nature or any
other force to provide me with more
delightful place and way to perform |
the act than boating and fishing |
trip on Current River from Doniphan,
Mo-, to Browns Spring and return.
To make the trip, especially the up
hill porto Of it, is not the job of wo-
men or children or weak men. 1t |
means work, endurance and an abund-
ance Of energy, but it is worth it.
Even that and much more,