THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



lake. Another peculiar feature of this vicinity is the pumice stone forma- 

 tions round about. Little pebbles and huge boulders of this stone are 

 strewn around. One can throw these rocks into the water and they will 

 float like corks. 



AN ADMIRABLE GAME REFUGE. 



Thousands of ducks and other waterfowl nest throughout the summer 

 on the small islands in the lake. For this reason the lake and vicinity 

 should be made a game preserve. Sparks lake is an ideal place for trout. 

 Its deep water and many inlets insure protection during the cold winter. 

 The unbroken grass-covered shore line provides ample feed for great num- 

 bers of fish. The large inlets will provide excellent fly casting at times 

 when the fish may not be rising in the lake. Sparks lake, as all the other 

 lakes that have been stocked the last two seasons, has had no fish 

 previously. 



Two thousand eastern brook trout were planted in Devil's lake, which 

 is about a mile from Sparks. Devil's lake, like Sparks, has no outlet, 

 though it has two creek inlets. Mr. Mohler and the writer fortunately 

 discovered where the surplus water made its exit. At one end of the lake 

 many floating leaves and chips of wood marked a well defined eddy. On 

 closer examination we were able to distinguish a gurgling sound of an 

 underground stream as it sank in the lava rocks. An Indian legend to 

 the effect that the devil lies in wait at Devil's lake for unwary travelers 

 causes the Indians to journey several miles out of their way in order to 

 get past the danger. 



Nine miles southwest of Devil's lake, by way of the High or Summit 

 trail, lie the five Horse lakes. The outlets of these lakes empty into the 

 McKenzie river. These bodies of water are on the summit of the moun- 

 tains, yet the fishing in them is most excellent. The species inhabiting 

 this vicinity is the cutthroat trout. Of all the fish we caught here, there 

 were none except cutthroats. Several large, shallow lakes lie to the east 

 of Horse lakes. Only one of these is suitable for fish and in that one 

 we placed 1000 rainbows. The Horse lake district is an excellent place 

 in which to hunt and fish. Certain instructors from the Oregon Agricul- 

 tural College spend their vacations there each Summer. 



Another large lake stocked in 1913 was Big Elk lake, located eight 

 miles south of Sparks lake. Big Elk is one of the grandest lakes in the 

 entire Cascades. It is three miles long and over a mile wide. Gravel 

 beaches extend about one-half the way around the lake. The rest of the 

 shore line is covered with grassy meadows. The main ridge of the moun- 

 tains lies to the north and is in plain view from the water's edge. The 

 snow-capped peaks of the South Sister and Batchelor mountain rise high 

 above the lake on the north. Six miles south of Big Elk are located the 

 Big and Little Lava lakes, and the head of the Deschutes river. These 

 two latter lakes now swarm with redsides or rainbow trout. But Big Elk 

 is destined to surpass these as an ideal place to camp and fish. Similar 

 to Sparks lake, ice cold springs of water stream forth at various points 



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