THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 25 
widest point. This lake does not receive the waters of any creek nor 
does it have an outlet, but is fed by the melting snows of adjacent 
mountains in early summer, after which during the hot days of July 
and August the waters go down about eighteen inches or two feet, or 
until checked by the storms of early fall. 
The lake is very deep and as the water is as clear as crystal one 
can see down to great depth, and the trunks of giant trees standing 
straight up are plainly visible, indicating that where the lake now is 
a forest once stood. 
A few years ago the Fish and Game Department planted 8000 
Eastern Brook trout in this lake, and I want to say if there are any 
doubting Thomases who think the fish hatcheries are not a good asset 
and not worthy of their support, they should give this and surrounding 
lakes the “once over” and be satisfied, for these lakes have had a 
chance to show what the hatcheries really can do and are literally 
teeming with these big red-meated gamy fish in a country compara- 
tively virgin as far as sportsmen are concerned. 
With the exception of a few people in “prairie schooners” going 
over the Santiam road, which skirts the north end of the lake, I don’t 
believe more than half a dozen regular fishermen visited this lake all 
last season, and those that did were well repaid, even down to the 
most exacting nimrod. 
The beautiful lake in the accompanying picture, which shows Mt. 
Washington standing sentinel two miles away, is Patjen’s Lake number 
three. It was dynamited this last summer by a game hog. After a 
careful examination not a single live fish could be found where before 
the lake was well stocked with Eastern Brook trout, planted by the 
Fish and Game Commission. A pity it is that these lakes should be 
so isolated on account of being so little known as to make these 
- pilferers almost immune. 
Nor is the finny tribe the only lure which this region affords. 
There is plenty of deer and scads of grouse and quail, as well as 
black bear, which are fairly numerous and are to be found in the 
huckleberry patches which abound. Ducks inhabit the lakes and raise 
their broods, although not in considerable numbers. One interesting 
occurrence this last summer was the presence of a large number of 
sea gulls, though why they should be so far inland or at such an 
altitude I do not know. 
Big Lake. is situated on a 6,000 foot contour of the Cascade Range 
and is within the Santiam National Forest Reserve, with Belknap 
Crater and the Three Sisters on the south and Three-Fingered Jack 
and Mt. Jefferson on the north. As has been stated, Big Lake is 
immediately on the Santiam road with Cascadia Springs 45 miles to 
the west and Redmond, the nearest point to the railroad, 45 miles to 
the east. An auto stage runs daily between Redmond and Sisters, at 
which latter place conveyances can be arranged for at a very nominal 
sum, oi 
Nature has been kind to this region and lavish in her coloring, and 
to him who knows Mother Nature at first hand, who has a speaking 
acquaintance with things found in wild places, to the man with a 
camera, I would say that such a beautiful combination of forest, lake 
and mountain invites you in particular. A trip once made and you 
will be glad for it. It is nature’s reward. 
