FISH AND FISHING. 



A TALL FISH STORY. 



Beloit, Wis. 



Editor Recreation: The following story- 

 was told me by Mr. W. E. Evenson, of 

 Janesville, Wis., and corroborated by other 

 reputable citizens. 



In the summer of '96 Mr. Evenson and 

 his friend, Mr. Sayles, went to the big 

 woods of North.Wisconsin, hoping to catch 

 a few of the large fish known to exist in 

 Flambeau river. This stream is noted as the 

 home of the gamy muskalonge. Arrived 

 at their destination, they one day caught a 3 

 pound black bass. It was put on a brass 

 chain stringer, and hung over the side of 

 the boat. While drifting along, one of the 

 gentlemen saw an immense muskalonge fol- 

 lowing the boat, and called his partner's at- 

 tention to it. They thought it singular, but 

 it was explained at once by the " musky " 

 making a rush for the bass, taking it en- 

 tirely into its mouth, and holding on like 

 grim death. Sayles reached over and struck 

 the big fish on the head with a knife, making 

 quite a cut. This caused a cessation of hos- 

 tilities, and the disappearance of the vo- 

 racious monster. In a few minutes -it reap- 

 peared and again seized the bass. This time 

 a paddle was brought into play, but unsuc- 

 cessfully, as the " musky " dodged and went 

 under. They rowed on some distance when, 

 for the third time, the big fish came up and 

 grabbed the bass, which was now in shreds, 

 cut by the razor-like teeth of the muska- 

 longe. Evenson was mad all through, but 

 realized something must be done, and at 

 once. Taking hold of the stringer and pull- 

 ing it up alongside the boat, he plunged a 

 long knife clear through the " musky " just 

 back of the head. Immediately there was 

 a break in the water, and clean over the 

 boat, between the 2 men, went the fish. It 

 struck near the shore, and went on up the 

 bank several feet. Sayles jumped out and 

 threw himself on the " musky." There was 

 a struggle worth going miles to see. Even- 

 son says it was the best catch as catch can 

 wrestle he ever saw. However, the issue 

 was never doubtful, as it soon developed 

 that Sayles was overtrained. With a flour- 

 ish of fins the muskalonge succeeded in 

 reaching the water and disappeared. Think- 

 ing the knife thrust would surely prove fa- 

 tal, they waited around and were rewarded 

 by seeing the fish come to the surface and 

 gasp for breath. Soon it sank in 6 or 8 feet 

 of water. They finally hooked it and landed 

 it in the boat. Its weight was 27 pounds; 

 length 43 inches; girth 27 inches. A photo- 

 graph of the 2 fish is now in possession of 

 Mr. Evenson. As he related the adventure 

 to me, I watched his clerical countenance, 

 but saw not a quaver or an indication of 

 any kind that would lead me to think he was 

 tampering with the truth. Geo. Hall. 



AN EEL-CATCHING MATCH. 



Schoharie creek now abounds with black 

 bass and pickerel; but in my boyhood days, 

 suckers and eels were its principal inhabi- 

 tants. There existed a spirit of rivalry be- 

 tween the boys of the East and West sides 

 as to which should make the greater catch 

 of eels during the spring season. This cul- 

 minated in a well arranged contest gov- 

 erned by rules, as follows: Ten boys were 

 chosen on a side, to set lines, 10 nights in 

 succession, from one bank of the creek 

 to the other, anywhere within the limit of 

 one mile. Lines to be in the creek by dusk 

 and taken up by daylight, and no member 

 of either party to visit the creek after lines 

 were set and before taken up in the morn- 

 ing. Each side chose a judge to superin- 

 tend the contest, make a decision and award 

 the prize contested for, which was a double 

 barrel muzzle loading shotgun ; the gun 

 to be awarded to the side catching the most 

 eels and by that side to the individual mem- 

 ber thereof scoring the greatest number. 

 Every boy stood on his honor to faithfully 

 observe the rules and abide by the decision 

 of the judges. 



For the first 5 nights everything was con- 

 ducted with the utmost fairness and the ex- 

 citement grew high, as the catch on each 

 side was nearly equal. The sixth morning, 

 line No. 1, West side, landed a 10 pound 

 salt codfish and, to balance things, the 

 seventh morning, line No. 1, East side, 

 brought up 24 smoked herrings. At the 

 conclusion of the contest the count was as 

 follows: West side, 83 eels, one codfish, one 

 jug of buttermilk, one pair of old boots, 

 one red flannel petticoat, and one scare- 

 crow, stolen from a corn field. East side, 

 96 eels, 24 smoked herrings, one mud tur- 

 tle, one large piece of salt pork, one owl, 

 and the skeleton of a darky baby stolen 

 from the village Doctor's office. The gun 

 was awarded to No. 7, East side, he hav- 

 ing to his credit the skeleton. Later de- 

 velopments showed the judges had con- 

 tributed the foreign articles to the catch. 



C. W. Hinman. 



ANOTHER TROUT HOG PICTURE. 



The Denver Post, of July 24th, published 

 a picture of a big string of trout, and of 2 

 men standing by them, in a kind of " we- 

 slaughtered-'em " attitude. The portraits 

 purport to be those of Bryan Haywood and a 

 Mr. Bonfils, both of Denver. Mr. Haywood 

 and the Messrs. Bonfils are said to have told 

 the Post reporter a story of a record-break- 

 ing slaughter of trout. The men were evi- 

 dently ashamed to tell just how many they 

 did catch in all, and what the total weight 

 was ; but the picture shows 60 fish, which 

 are said to have weighed 68 pounds. The 

 paper says one day's catch averaged iJ4 



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