TROLLING FOR MUSKELLUNGE 



out for the shore, fortunately only a few rods distant. 

 That I watched his progress with apprehension is 

 true, for he was many years young. Looking back 

 across the years, I can see that brave old gray head 

 bobbing up and down as it made slow progress shore- 

 ward, and it was with utmost relief that I at last saw 

 him stand upright, feet upon the hard bottom. Stand- 

 ing in breast-deep water, he played his capture to 

 exhaustion, then dragged it to land, where I was given 

 the high privilege of striking the quieting blow. How 

 large the fish was I do not remember, for in those days 

 I kept no notes and carried neither scales nor tape; 

 but it was large enough to supply a noble feed for a 

 large crowd of hungry blackberry pickers. 



I must pause a moment longer, long enough to pay 

 a word of tribute to the memory of my old friend. 

 When I knew him, he was well down on the western 

 slope of the divide, bathed in the mellow sunlight of 

 his departing day. He had no use for 'new-fangled 

 notions and fishing contraptions," but he was a true, 

 fair-play-loving sportsman from the crown of his 

 silvery hair to the soles of his life-weary feet. Never 

 would he take a mean advantage of any fish. One rod 

 or line was all that you could get him to employ, and 

 he would not even ground-bait for carp! Here is to 

 you, gentle guide of my early m.anhood. May the 

 fishing "over there" be as satisfying as that which 

 you enjoyed here, and may I have the pleasure of 

 angling with you in the sweet bye and bye. 



There is no need for a lengthy discussion of the rod 

 and reel adapted to muskellunge trolling, for the reel 

 and rod recommended for great pike trolling is the 

 one to employ. As I have pointed out time and 



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