The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-05-15
{HNG EXPERIENCE OF A SKOWHEGAN
MAN IN M|R|MACH| WATERS
Salmon VS.. Five Ounce Rod and Folsom
Merrill Tells Big Woods Readers About 1t

/ OiuVl GU d beautiful PAIR Oh ndlu -Dfa ID
ed leather moccasins for Mrs. Merrill
made by squaw who took first prize
at the Worlds Exposition.
The first day we ran down the up-
per end of the river about thirty
miles and camped. Next day we went
on about ten miles more and fshed
hard, but not until our third camp
ing day did we catch up with the sal
mon.
While my guide Tom Vickers, who
was raised on Gains River, but now
lives in Skowhegan, was pitching my
tent, he said: Just walk out on
the bank about half way down that
pine log and cast out into the cur
rent" SO | did and the second cast
| made the waters parted, and | hook
ed the first real fish | ever got hold of.
1t was salmon of about twelve
pounds. l had my six ounce fly rod.
| looked at my watch; it was quarter
past five, fast time. At seven fifteen
the fish had taken me down the river
a mile and at last got into some brush
and got aWhy. Poor "I'om' felt
babylon me and for himself be-
cause he was fish hungry. Anyway
l had played the fish until he was
rolling from side to side, and until
| thought my wrists would break; and
| was really glad when it was over.
1t was tough beginning, but proved
to be the only fish | lost on the whole
trip, and | killed eleven salmon, eight
grilse and two trout.
Next morning we went out into the
stone Chimney Pool and | had cast
four or five minutes when l got ter
rifle strike. 1t was two hours exact
ly before | brought this fish to gaff-
fifteen pound female salmon, thirty
six inches long; away down mile
below the pool.
Contrary to land-locked salmon.
sea salmon usually fight deep for
about ten or fifteen minutes aud then
make their first long run, which is
often for about two hundred feet
when they commence to jump. /
used two hundred seventy-five feet of
line and many times had to chase my
fish a thousand feet down river to
hold him. When you get big fish Of
fifteen or twenty pounds alongside the
canoe, apparently ready to gaff, and
he jumps six to eight feet in the air
it is a thrill never to be forgotten.
They will average to jump twelve or
fifteen times, during their fight.
| took eleven fish weighing from
seven to twenty pounds each; the ay-
erage weight being nine to ten pounds
the grilse don't really count, though
they fight about an hour.
When | got there Mr. Allen asked
me if / had brought IA salmon rod
| told him had never seen one.
They are sixteen feet long, double
headed butt, and really a wicked thing
to tackle a fish with. The people
there had many misgivings when !
told them | had but two trout rods
weighing but five and six ounces
each. But my friend Thomas of Ban
gor knows how to build them right,
and | resolved to stay by them The
men told me | would hook just two
fish, one on each rod, and then
would have no tackle. | caught my
first fish, a fifteen FOUNDER on the six
ounce rod and then put it in its case
for good, and took all the grilse and
ten more salmon, up to twenty pounds
on the five ounce rod.
| have been asked how many fish
| caught in any one day. | caught
three one forenoon. but ] stopped
fishing at eleven o'clock and didn't
fish that evening, ] couldn't; ! was
played out, and could not last. Each
day it is only a question of how many
fish you really want to fight; for the
river is literally full Of these big fish.
They have been caught here up to
twenty pounds.
The trip on the river is seventy-liYe
miles to where it enters the Mirimachi
River; the canoe and outfit are then
and sent back TO Penniae to
gladden. the heart of the next fisher
man waiting for it.
Mr. Allen has eighteen canoes busy
from the first of May until
hunting season in the fall. IT is
wonderful boat, he provides for you.
Every comfort. and it is trip with
no hardships at all. and one which
many women take-though the fish
will give them battle royal, | pro-
mise.
Game abounds. I saw ten deer,
two moose and a wild cat, all within
a stones throw of the canoe Mr..
Allen is also leasee of several thou-
sand acres Of hunting ground whore
bear and deer are plentiful; and as
for moose. it is only a question OF
getting the head you want.
can certainly say this is the finest
out-of-door trip I have ever expert
enced, and | hope some Of my readers
will in their turn arrange with w.