June 8, 1893, J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



493 



lakes in the immediate region, which is doubtless a bless- 

 mg in disguise. 



Clear Lake is about thi-ee miles northeast of Dyer's 

 place, and is a very lovely little sheet of water and alive 

 with fish; bass, pike-perch and pickerel, although the lat- 

 ter are not plentiful enough to be much of a nuisance. 



The first trip to it was made on foot by Harry and 

 Charley for the especial purpose of getting some pike- 

 perch for the table, as we all had a notion that pike- 

 perch would improve the smell in the fryin' pans, 

 although the bass in Big Basswood were as fine flavored 

 and firm of flesh as any we had eaten in many years. 



They borrowed a .skiff of a Mr. Hagans, living near the 

 head of the lake, and had some great sport, and were 

 back before sundown with a string of wall-eyes carried 

 between them on a pole, that reminded mo of 'some "epi- 

 sodes" on the Tippecanoe River a good many years ago. 

 They had taken twenty-five or thirty bass too, luit re- 

 turned them all to the water as they only cared to bring 

 back the wall-eyes. 



After this we all took a whack at Clear Lake by twos, 

 but we got Will Harris to take us over on his buckboard 

 in the early morning and to come back after us in the 

 evening. 



The lake is about one and a quarter miles long, or may be 

 a little more, and a quarter of a mile wide — at least this is 

 the guess we made on it — and .surrounded by lovely green 

 \voods growing down to the water's edge, except 'twenty 

 rods or so in front of Hagans's house. There are some 

 bulrushes and patches of grass in spots around the shores, 

 but the bottom for the most part is rocky and gravelly. 

 The water is very pure and almost as clear as that in Big 

 Basswood; in fact the lake is a little gem set in an emer- 

 ald rim of evergreens surrounding it. The bass in it run 

 at least a pound heavier than those in Big Basswood— 3 to 

 41bs.— and there seems to be no limit to their numbers, 

 and they take anything in the shape of bait, a rubber hel- 

 gramite being a lure that they "feU over each other" after 

 in the scramble to see whicli could first grab it. 



A party of three or four could have great sport in Clear 

 Lake, and there are two or three good camping places on 

 it and a couple of skift's that might be had, but the better 

 way would be to take in a canvas boat or two and be inde- 

 pendent. We did not try to fish Little Basswood, as Big 

 Basswood, Mud and Clear lakes gave us about all the sport 

 we could stand, not counting the two trips to Loon-atic 

 Lake. 



We had heard a good deal about the rugged scenery 

 over at the falls on the Mississauga River, and one evening 

 a trip to them was planned for the next day by four of our 

 boys and a couple of the Harris boys, over the portage 

 from the foot of Big Basswood, Harry taking his Kodak 

 along to procure some views of tlie wild, rocky gorge 

 through which the river rushes. He got four or five good 

 snap shots at tlie falls and the rocks, and they came back 

 late in the evening, tired out and nearly starved, but 

 Harry was happy in anticipation of having some fine 

 views for us afber he got home and had them finished up. 



It may be noted, however, that when finishing up time 

 came the film was found to have been defective, and there 

 was "nary a view" on it, no more than had he used a 

 pine board for a film, nor was there anything on it to 

 show for the shots he had taken of the camp and wild 

 places along Big Basswood; and then Harry made a few 

 remarks that wouldn't look well in print, so it won't be 

 worth while to jot them down. 



The countrj^ round about us was well settled, and our 

 neighbors were hospitable and obliging, albeit we were 

 between two fires when we tried to please Dyer and the 

 Harrises at the same time. The Harrises always had 

 something derogatory to say about Dyer, and it was like 

 shaking a red rag at a bull to mention the name of a Har- 

 ris in Brother Dyer's presence. 



We outsiders couldn't afford to takes sides in a neigh- 

 borhood quarrel, and we had a tougli time trying to carry 

 water on both shouldei-s and not spilling of it; but by a 

 strict neuti-ality and a straightforward course we man- 

 aged to mamtain friendly relations with both sides and 

 keep out of a snarl. We treated all our neighbors alike, 

 with friendliness, respect and courtesy, and they could 

 do little less than treat us in the same manner in return. 



I am at liberty to say that the feud existing between 

 Dyer and the Harris family was started by the death of a 

 dog. When Dyer located there he brought with him a 

 fine dog — a setter, or spaniel, I have foigotten which — 

 that he loved better periiaps than he did any human, and 

 not long after the dog was poisoned, whethe'r accidentally 

 or on piirpose has never been thoroughly established in 

 the minds of the neighbors, as they are divided in their 

 opinions about it. At any rate Dyer laid it at the door of 

 the Harrises, and ever since there has been hard feeling 

 and bitterness between them, and tlie breach seems to be 

 widening instead of closing up; more's the pity. 



Dyer buried the dog at the foot of a tree near tlie corner 

 of his house, wrote an epitaph (I have a copy of it but 

 have mislaid it) extoUing the good qualities of his dead 

 compauion, and scoring the unknown murderer, and 

 nursed his righteous wrath, for it ivas a wanton act, if 

 purposely committed. 



However, there was no positive proof that the Harrises 

 were the guilty party, but it was wasting time trying to 

 convince him otherwise, and his bitterness abides against 

 them and knows no abating. 



He framed the epitaph and secured it to the tree 10ft. 

 over the grave, to be out of the reach of troublesome 

 neighbors, and it stands sentinel over the dead dog in sim 

 and storm, and rain and snow, to remind him of the best 

 friend he ever had. 



This love for his dog was one of the best traits in the 

 old fellow's make up and atoned, in our eyes, for a multi- 

 tude of his other eccentricities, for no man can be very 

 badly out of plumb who loves his dog, his gun and his 

 rod, and we kept on liking him better as we knew him 

 from day to day. 



We made up our minds (at least I speak for myself) that 

 lie was not half as black as painted by the Harrises, and 

 at the same time we could have nothing but good words 

 to say of them, for they were good neighbors and ' very 

 .accommodating to us. 



They invited us all to dinner and supper at different 

 times, and most of the boys accepted, but the Colonel. 

 Kelpie and I sent our excuses; not that we didn't want to 

 please them and be neighborly, but we felt that if we 

 went over to the enemy in a body, Brother Dyer would 

 take it as a slight, so we remained in camp and propitiated 

 hoth sides by dividing our force. 



But with all thase little drawbacks, we enjoyed the camp 



and the fishing, and especially did Ave enjoy the scenery 

 around Big Basswood Lake, and we wished we could stay 

 there the summer through. 



A t the end of a couple of weeks Harry had to make- a 

 trip back to Omena, Mich., to attend the annual meeting 

 of the directors of the Omena Hotel Association, of which 

 he was secretary, and Br'er Snider went out with him to 

 return home. A week later Old Sam and Charley and 

 "son Owen" left us for home, their time having expired, 

 and there were only left the Colonel, Kelpie and "Hickory" 

 to swap lies around the nightly camp-fire till the last 

 chunk burned out. 



While it is in mind I may mention that Brother Dobie 

 wrote us to bring plenty of "dope," as the black flies and 

 skeeters were very bad, but we were agi-eeably surprised 

 to find not a solitary black fly and only a few vagrant 

 mosquitoes that were too thin to make a shadow. These 

 we paid no attention to, and the bars were not put up in 

 any of the tents. 



Harrj^ was back in a day or two after the Kentuckians 

 left, bringing Gooder with him, and in a few days my 

 time was up, and I packed my traps and took the back 

 ' track for home, leaving the Colonel, Kelpie, Harry and 

 Gooder in camp, tlipy having decided to stay a couple of 

 weeks longer to see if the big lake trout would begin to 

 bite. I got Tom Griggs, the storekeeper at Day Mills, to 

 drive me out to Dayton, a station on the railroad three 

 and a half miles from Dyer's place, and from there home 

 the trail was plain. The other boys had gone out the 

 same way, and it is much the best way out, as it saves 

 nearly eleven miles driving, and it would be the best way 

 to go in if the the teams could be had at Dayton. 



A short distance out from the Canada Soo our friend 

 Hill got on the train, and recognizing me we shook hands 

 like old cronies and had a pleasant chat while pulling up 

 to the station. Meantime he asked me to point out my 

 baggage, on which he put his "chalk mark," 8i which 

 meant to the eye of the inspector on the American side 

 to pass it without examination, and we "shook agin," and 

 I went on my way under many obligations to brother 

 Hill for his courtesy to me and 'the other boys, who had 

 gone out under the same liberal treatment from him. 



The four other boys remained in camp about ten days, 

 and when they came out he handed the Colonel the 

 deposit put up on going in, put his chalk mark on all the 

 calamities and sent them on their way rejoicing. Long 

 may he wave and continue to write "H. M. C." after his 

 name, for he is a kindly gentleman and a friend to those 

 who go a-fishing. 



We will long remember Big Basswood Lake as the best 

 bass pocket we have found since fishing Brown's Lake on 

 the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Clear Lake is just 

 as good for a smaller party. We took altogether 816 bass, 

 and I really believe might have taken three times that 

 number had we been so minded and not spent so much 

 time "'profligatin' round" over the country, but then ex- 

 ploring new waters is almost half the charm and pleasure 

 of going to the woods. 



Besides the bass, we caught near to a couple of hundred 

 pike-perch, pickerel and brook trout, but none of the 

 three latter in Big Basswood except the three trout before 

 mentioned. We kept a daily score of all the fish taken, 

 but like the epitaph of Dyer's dog, my copy of it has been 

 mislaid and I can't just now put my hand on it. At any 

 rate, I remember that the highest number of bass taken 

 in one day was 81, and the lowest — when any of us fished 

 —was one solitary bass of S^lbs. This one I took one 

 Sunday at the very outlet of Mud Lake, when "feelin' 

 round" the lower end of the lake by myself for a maski- 

 nonje— which I didn't find. 



Besides the four lakes lying near Big Basswood, there is 

 another small one, Round Lake, two miles east of Clear 

 Lake, that Dyer says is fidl of big bass. Then twenty 

 miles northeast of Dyer's is Chiblow Lake, that he says 

 is strictly a trout lake, full of big ones. This lake has a 

 great local reputation for trout and would no doubt well 

 repay a visit. 



Brother Dobie also wrote us about a wild region thirty 

 miles east of Thessalon, the Blind River country, where 

 he says the watei-s swarm with fish and the woods are full 

 of game, and it has never been disturbed except by a few 

 lumbermen and the Indians. 



This region lies back north thirty or forty miles from 

 tlie North Passage, and can only be reached with any 

 comfort by going up Bhnd River (flowing into the North 

 Passage) in boats or canoes to some virgin lakes and 

 streams where bass and trout are as plentiful as huckle- 

 berries, and deer and bear abundant, besides "quite a 

 few" caribou to give variety to the sport. 



Taken altogether, this region drained by the Thessalon, 

 Mississauga (I find on consrdting the map that my pre- 

 vious spelling of the name of this river is wrong) and 

 Blind rivers, is a paradise for the "rodsters," and when 

 game is in season the "gunster"— I ti-ust Brother- Star- 

 buck and "Hoosier" wiUnot kick at my stealing a little 

 of their shoddy— may revel in "pure delight." 



But we found Big Basswood Lake and' the region im- 

 mediately aroimd it "good enough for the Joneses," and 

 there is not much use in looking fm-ther for the very best 

 of bass fishing and solid comfort in the matter of a camp; 

 there are "lashin's o' huckleberries and "rozberries," and 

 milk, butter and eggs to be had, and a piece of fresh 

 mutton from some of the neighbors whenever wanted, to 

 take the taste of fish out of your mouth. Besides all 

 these "natural advantages" there is an unpainted frame 

 church-house a hundred yards or so southwest of Dyer's 

 house, where religious services are held every Sunday 

 afternoon and evening. The services wMle we were 

 there were of the Methodist variety, and the camp at- 

 tended in a body, except two or three old unreconstructed 

 sinners who were satisfied to "find tongues in trees, books 

 in the running brooks, and sermons in stones." 



Since we were there last summer I have had consider- 

 able pleasant correspondence with Brother Dyer, and 

 among other matters he said he caught in October after 

 we left nearly 200 lake trout running from 3 to 121bs. in 

 weight. He wrote, too, that in February the snow was 

 6ft. deep where our tents stood, and added, "rather a 

 pleasant prospect for a summer resort." He is also going 

 to have four or five good boats built, which will be for 

 hire at reasonable rates, but it is always a good notion for 

 a party to have at least one canvas boat, in case a side trip 

 to some other lake is to be made. 



A party intending to make a camp anywhere in that 

 neck o' woods will need to take their supplies in with 

 them, such as bacon, salt pork, hard bread, etc, as com- 

 modities of this kmd are scarce at Day Mills. However, 



it would not be much trouble to hire a team and go or 

 send in to Thessalon after them. 



Tom Griggs keeps a little country store at the*foot of the 

 hill right in "the heart of the city," but although Tom iS 

 a good fellow his stock of goods is not extensive nor much 

 varied; nevertheless, we found it handy to run to for odds 

 and ends when needed. 



I think the easiest way to get to Big Basswood is to get off 

 the train at Dayton, 34- miles from the outlet of the lake, 

 but it would be necessary to write ahead to Dyer to have 

 teams in waiting at the station. Tom Griggs and the 

 Harrises have teams, but Dyer would rather undertake to 

 swim the entire length of Big Basswood than to have any 

 dealings with the Harris family. He even goes to Sow- 

 erby, 3 miles, after his mail rather than receive it of 

 Harris, who is postmaster at Day Mills, a little more than 

 a quarter of a mile from his house. 



However, all needed information about teams and get- 

 ting there may be had by writing him — Geo. F. Dyer, 

 Sowerby , District of Algoma, Ont. , Canada, or in case it 

 is preferred to go in by Thessalon, write to Tom Glancey, 

 liveryman, Thessalon, Ont., Canada. The other livery- 

 nian at Thessalon hauled us out, but as I never take notes 

 his name has slipped out of my head. I remember Glan- 

 cey as having paid our camp a visit one Sunday, and re- 

 turning with his buggy full of bass, which of course he 

 caught all by himself. 



On looking at a map on a last year's Canadian Pacific 

 Railroad folder it seems that the best way for one going 

 to Big Basswood from New York or the East is to strike 

 the C. P. R. R. at Brockville, Ont., opposite Morristown, 

 N. Y. Change at Sudbury to the southern branch of the 

 road that runs to the Soo and get oft' at Dayton or Thes- 

 salon as preferred. Or go around to Toronto, and from 

 there north on a railroad that strikes the C. P. at North 

 Bay, thence west to Sudbury and change to the southern 

 branch as before mentioned. 



But now, to reel up these already too long bass notes, I 

 trust that Brother Dyer will not "hold a skunner agin 

 me" for the little facetiousness that may have cropped 

 out, for there is no malice in it, nothing but kindly feel- 

 ing and a ••proclivity," it may be, to portray things as we 

 saw them. 



To the brethren of the rod who may take a notion to 

 wet a line in the Basswood region I may say, you will find 

 him, with all his roughness of surroundings, a well-posted 

 gentleman; a trifle crusty and stiff, perhaps, but get inside 

 his shell and you'll find him better than he shows outside. 

 He loves a dog, a gun and a fishing rod, and that's war- 

 rant enough to commend him to those who go a-flshing. 



As to our other neighbors, I can't say too well of them, 

 for they treated us the very best. 



In regard to the wild beauty of the lake and the fishing 

 therein, I have not overdrawn it in the least — ^rather the 

 other way, if anything — and to the brother who yearns for 

 a few weeks' rest, recreation and great sport with the rod, 

 I can say with candor, make your summer camp on the 

 bank of the ever lovely "Waquekobing," KiNGPiSHER. 



Cincinnati, 0„ May Zi. 



"Forest and Stream" Fishing Postals. 



Maine fishing has been a little backward, though some 

 fine catclies have been made in every section. The com- 

 ing three weeks (from June 1) will show the best of salmon 

 fishing. At Weld, Franklin county, and Sebec, Piscata- 

 quis county, tlie salmon will be abundant without doubt 

 for the next two weeks, and trout fishing in all the waters 

 will be fine for several weeks. Owing to considerable 

 rainfall, brook trout fishing will be good all through Jrme 

 and in the northern sections much later. Weld Lake is 

 reached by going from Portland to Wilton and staging ten 

 miles over a most picturesque section; and the lake is 

 charmingly situated. Hotel and boarding very reason- 

 able. David Phinney has a fine cottage, with all the 

 comforts of bed and table, close to the lake at low day 

 rates. Sebec is reached from Bangor over the Bangor & 

 Aroostook road, an hour's ride, or by Newport and Dover 

 by M. C. R. R. and Bangor. There is hardly any water 

 in Maine but will afford fine fishing no^v. A large num- 

 ber of anglers are in the Rangeley region, and all are 

 having good catches so far as heard from. 



E. C. Farrington. 



Garden of Eden, Nova Scotia, May 36. — The fishing 

 at this place has opened very fair. First guest of the 

 season, Mr. R. F. Boyer, of Pugwash, N. S., caught 19 

 nice square-tail trout, all of good size, and Mr; A. R. 

 Monroe, of New Glasgow, 60 large trout, aU in one day's 

 fishing. The fishing, I expect, will be still better in a week 

 or so, when a catch of 125 lake trout in a day's fishing is 

 nothing unusual. CAMt Phoenix. 



Paupao, Pa., May 39.— The season is extremely late 

 here in Pike county, and of course the trout fishing is 

 governed somewhat by the weather and condition of the 

 brook. Very little fishing in this vicinity has been done. 

 I know of two very nice catches, first lot two weeks ago 

 of 150, but they were veiy small and poor But yesterday 

 two fishermen caught 120, some verj'- fine ones. But they 

 are not in good condition yet. About June 10 or 15 will 

 be soon enough for good trout fishing in this locaHty. 



O. J. RiMBLE. 



Shohola Falls, Lackawaxen, Pa. — Mr. E. F. Allen, of 

 Sloatsburg, caught 120 trout, the largest weighing 2ilbs., 

 the smallest lib. Mr. E. Reviere, of Milford, caught 25 

 trout, the largest weighing lUoz., the smaUest 6oz. 

 Mr. M. Lambert caught 35, the largest fib. Fisliing pros- 

 pects are good. G. W. Hart. 



ASBURY Park, May 26.— Plaice are biting freely in Man- 

 asquan River; two anglers took 200lbs. yesterday with rod 

 and reel. Take C. R. R. of N. J. to Brielle Station. I 

 would advise anglers to larocure bait elsewhere, as I have 

 always found it extremely difficult to get bait at that 

 point. Leonard Hulit. 



Three Laices, Wis., May 23.— Messrs. G. A. Barlow, 

 O. J. Smith and F. R, French, caught eight maskallonge 

 last week; the largest weighed 311bs. Fishing is good. The 

 great bass lakes, Franklin and Butternut, can be reached 

 in a few hours' ride from my place. F. R. French. 



Black Brook, N. Y., June 1.— Good fishing for trout 

 has just commenced here. Snow water pretty well gone. 

 Good catches are daily reported. W. L. Baldwin and 

 small son caught 100 in a half day in one of the small 



