Evening star., 1934-06-24
BY JIMMY DONAHUE.

WaterS-nOt
river bordered by jungle where the
striped killer stalks its prey, but of
Canadian lake, set amid fir capped
hills.
The "tiger!" yell didn't herald the coming
of that Sinking cat of the dripping Indian un-
dergrowth-it indicated a smashing slashing
sonuvagun of a muskellunge way out there
the end of 100 feet of line, cutting capers
furiously
We were 200 miles from home when all
this happened. We were in search of that rare
specimen of musky, the tiger" and were cast
ing on lake 400 miles from the nearest auto
mobile road. back in 20 miles from the trans
continental route of the Canadian National
where it passes through the little town of
Hudson, Ontario.
The same stirring action is getting under way
again in Canada, and is already enthralng the
followers of Izaak Walton in Minnesota and
Wisconsin, the two most profitable States in
Uncle Sans collection for musky enthusiasts
Minnesotas anglers are heaving their choice
collections of hardware over the waters of the
Grow Wing Mile Lacs region, and in Blue Lake,
Upper Bottle Lake, Fish Hook Lake. the Man
trap chain and others in Hubbard County;
Leech Lake, Woman's Lake. Ten-Mile Lake and
Wabedo Lake Cass County; the southern part
of the Lake of the Woods, Pelican Lake and
Vermllon Lake
/
are in the territory around Arbor Vitae
Boulder Junction Eagle River and Trout Lake
Villas County; the Lac du Flambeau section
Chain oLakes. in Chippewa County. the F1am-
beau and Chippewa Rivers and lakes in Forest
County
This great game fish is found in other States
notably New York, Michigan. Pennsylvania and
Ohio. but is not nearly as numerous there as in
Canada. Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In the past Canada's greatest musky waters
have been Karwatha Lakes. Rice Lake Pickerel
River, French River. Georgian Bay, Lake Nipis-
sing, Muskoka Lakes North Bay and other
waters in the central and eastern part of the
province
The most famous musky section of North
America now. however, is the western part of
Ontario north of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
This territory. particularly that part in and
around Hudson, is new country. and is not as
heavily f1shed the eastern section.
Here in this practically virgin section of the
dominion anglers flock each year to heave
enormous plugs, spinners and spoons at old
~Esox MaSquinongy"
The Hudson district is north of the Lake of
the Woods. The waters in that section are
finally delivered to the Lake of the Woods and
eventually wind into the Winnipeg lakes and
Hudson Bay.
There's lake back in there which is part of
a chain 1t is called Musky Lake and, brother,
This particular stretch of water isn't so large
but it probably harbors more muskies than any
lake of it's size in the dominion
Our first trip to Musky Lake started out under
. sullen sky that gave every indication of a
Sultry day. With such weather conditions in
prospect not hoped up about
chances an extremely hot day usually
means liStleSs fish with no desire to strike.
But our little Finnish guide, Shorty" said
"These muskies bite, hongry hongry.
They get mad like everything when spoon is
cast trolled en-
CTILL we had our doubts. The sun beat down
- hotter and hotter wound through
connecting stream between Little Lake Vermil-
lion and Musky Lake, blisterng enough to make
donnas, infinitely more so.
But we had a lot to learn.
We chugged out of the mouth of the stream
onto the waters of Musky Lake wind had
arisen. ruf1ing the water. Shorty became
more profuse in his assurance that we'd have
good fishing.
The lake was about miles long, weedy
around the edges, shallow for distance of
about 10 feet from the bank, and then dropping
suddenly to depth of 10 Is feet.
AS we slowly made our way into the lake
we noticed an aquatic growth sending its leaves
close to the top Of the water. These weeds,
long, slender and of peculiar green, were
termed "musky weeds" by Shorty.
1t was in these weeds, We were told, that the
odd warriors hung out waiting the passing Of .
hADeSS uerch mnnOW mouse mr. any Other