^8 
FOREST AND STREAM 
LJuly 10, 1897- 
knew I was fastened to a big one now. Stone would not be- 
lieve I had a fish nntil it broke water with a tremendous 
splash, and then we knew that it was a sure enough "mu8- 
kie." I hurried the fish as much as possible, but for a long 
time he would not again show himself. Finally, though, he 
came slowly and sulkily to the surface, and 1 gave Stone the 
Winchester .32 with instruction to hit him between the eyes. 
He shot him about an inch forward, and did no especial dam- 
age except to make that fish wild. He was off like a flash 
and put in another quarter hour in mad rushes that made my 
wrist ache in keeping control. Once more he came to the 
top, and this time Stone's aim was better and we secured the 
prize. He was a fine fish, weighing 271bs. and measuring 
47|in, Time taken to land him about forty-five minutes. 
He turned out the heaviest fish captured on the trip. 
On getting to camp I found that Haskell and Dick had 
gone to Little Girl Lake and Dick had taken a fine 20- 
pounder. Sanders had captured a 14 pounder on Baby 
Lake. 
Od Thursday, in spite of threatening weather, all four 
boats went to Man and Baby lakes. I bent on a No. 9 spoon 
and hooked on it a particularly lively and willing frog. But 
a few moments elapsed until over the same bar where I had 
taken the big one the night previous, I fastened to a beauty 
that gave me a hard fight for three quarters of an hour. He 
weighed 281bs., and was my second largest fish. 
. About noon, a very heavy rain came on, with plenty of 
thundfir and lightning, and our entire party in the four boats 
gathered at the dam between Baby and Man lakes for shel- 
r 
ter and subsequently dinner. We made a wet and dismal 
looking crowd, but every boat had 'lunge, so we were not 
ill natured. After the rain let up a trifle, we managed to 
cook dinner, and then took to the boats again. I caught no 
more 'lunge that day, but my boat companion, Charley Wil- 
cox, succeeded in landing two, one 10 and one 12 pounder, 
and took both of them while the rain was falling in torrents, 
and the thunder and lightning were terrific. We remained 
on the lake during all the storm, as we were as wet as we 
could get anyhow, and we did not care to risk the trees, as 
several were struck by lightning in our vicinity. John Has- 
kell took his first 'lunge that day, a small one of not quite 
lOlbs., and he didn't take another for nearly five days. But 
he became so eminently successful in snaking out pickerel 
that we dubbed him Pickerel John, and he did not lose the 
title until nearly the end of our stay. 
Friday, Messrs. Downey and Leach returned to Chicago, 
but the loss was more than made good that night by the 
arrival of Maj. J. B. Sanborn, and M. Stair, and on Satur- 
day morning Kobert R. Street, of Chicago, and Messrs. 
Flack and Lewis, of Sioux City, la. Sanborn and Starr 
came in at dead of night with a wild chorus of yells that 
awakened me from peaceful slumber with dire thoughts of 
Indian massacres. The other three would not brave a night 
ride to Kabekona in spite of a lovely moon, but chose to 
remain at Pine River overnight. 
Saturday, Sunday and Monday were three days of oppress- 
sive heat, and flies, bugs, beetles, mosquitoes and "sich like 
varmint" began to appear in great numbers. With the heat 
the "bloom" appeared in the waters of all the lakes, and 
the fish stopped biting. We took but few 'lunge mean- 
time. 
Tuesday we went to Little Girl Lake, and while camped 
for dinner John Haskell, smarting under the charge of being 
only a pickerel killer, skirmished around and found the left 
hindfoot of a rabbit, partly eaten and somewhat odorous, but 
still retaining the marvelous virtues ascribed to it by the 
Southern negroes, John performed some mysterious rites 
with that foot and cheerfully announeed that the hoodoo was 
busted. Busted it was, for in the next three hours he landed 
three heavy muscallonge, while his boat companion, Ben 
Dicks, assumed the role of pickerel catcher. 
John and Ben had been betting on their fish and had a 
scale of values. Pike were good for a quarter, bass a half, 
and muscallonge a dollar each. Pickerel had no value, 
though John had vainly begged Ben to let three pickerel 
count for one pike. Ben declared John would ' 'eat him up" 
if they let pickerel in at any price^ Up to the finding of the 
rabbit foot Ben had taken five 'lunge and John only one 
measly little one; but the foot did wonders. 
Next day four boats of us went to Little Girl, and I 
promptly secured the rabbit foot, which John had left. 1 
had not taken a 'lunge since Saturday; but, as if to prove the 
virtues of the foot, 1 had not left tne landing ten minutes 
when I fastened to a small one, and an hour later killed a 
fine 18 pounder after a pretty fight. That was a pretty good 
foot, for the next day, on Man Lake, Haskell landed two and 
Dicks one, all heavy fish, in little over two hours. 
A rather unusual occurrence was noted with Dick's 'lunge. 
Haskell had just landed a 20-pounder, and th^ boat was 
barely under way again when Dick saw a big 'lunge swim- 
ming leisurely alongside the boat. He had but a few feet of 
line out when the fish struck, and had a fine fight, ending 
with the capture of a 33 pounder. 
That afternoon, on Baby Lake, Prof. A. Bournique, of 
Chicago, who had arrived the day previous with Messrs. L. 
W. Pitcher and Henry S. Pitch, took a 'lunge that meas- 
ured 51^in., although, being a female that had just spawned, 
she weighed but 35ibs. In good condition, she would prob- 
ably have gone nearly 35 lbs He was much delighted and 
is to have the fish mounted and preserved. 
It had been our original intention to make a trip to Wabedo 
and Little Boy lakes, which are drained by the Little Boy 
River, a direct tributarv of the Mississippi, and are not 
affected by any dams. We had heard from the Indians of 
extremely large fish in those lakes, and have every reason to 
believe them unsurpassed muscallonge water. We were, 
however, obliged to abandon the trip, much to our regret, 
on account of the uncertain weather and the fact that we 
should have to camp out two nights. The latter would not 
have deterred us had we any facilities for keeping fish 
caught and getting them back to camp It is atrip I shall 
certainly make next time, 
I should mention that the outlet to Little Girl Lake is at 
present obstructed by a dam that maint dns the water in 
Little Girl and Womm lakes about 6ft. above normal. As 
it is well known that fish go up with rising and down with 
failing water, we had good reason to think that Wabedo and 
Little Boy lakes, below this dam, would contain many fish 
that had been unable to get over the dam. 
Oh Monday, the 14th, Dicks, Haskell and I, in row-boat?, 
accompanied by Wilcox in a birch bark, portaged from 
Woman Lake to Black Water, about a half-mile carry, and 
fished that lake. We struck no 'lunge, but ascribe that to 
the presence of the "bloom," as it was certainly an ideal lake 
for the big fellows. We caught a myriad pickerel and pike 
of good size. 
We saw many bald eagles during our trip. One pair had 
a nest with a couple of eaglets not far from camp, and I had 
a great desire to secure the family for taxidermal purposes, 
but refrained, not knowing if a penalty were attached to the 
killing of eagles. 
We came across many ducks, evidently nesting, and giving 
promise of good fall sport. There were mallards, teal, wood- 
duck, blue-bill and widgeon principally. Many of the lakes 
contain wild rice, and we were assured that duck shooting 
in the fall is excellent. Ruffed grouse were very plentiful 
and the fall sport is pronounced fine by the guides. , 
We put in one day on Kid and Lost lakes, which last is 
the head of the Woman Lake chain. We found them liter- 
ally full of pike and bass, but struck no 'lunge in them. 
However, our experiences was hardly a fair test of any of 
the lakes, as during our entire stay we were most seriously 
handicapped by the weather. Rain eight days, and intense 
heat three days, was enough to ruin an)' fishing. We were 
all, however, satisfied that these lakes contain large numbers 
of big muscallonge, and hope to give them a trial under bet- 
ter conditions this fall. Our party captured about sixty 
muscallonge, averaging in weight 161 bs; Not bad sport 
under the circumstances. 
We cut our trip a little short on account of the villainous 
weather. Messrs. Sutherland, Street, Sanborn and Starr 
left for Chicago on Thursday, and the next day, Dicks, 
Haskell, Wilcox and i started for home. With the excep- 
tion of a little excitement at Pine River, caused by a couple 
of drunken Indians and a party of ditto "lumberjacks," our 
return was pleasant and uneventful, reaching Chicago 
Sunday morning. 
To sum up briefly, and to paraphrase one of Fuck's recent 
jokes, we didn't catch as many fish as we expected, but then 
we never thought we would. It is sufficient to say that we 
found new muscallonge waters and that there are plenty of 
the big beauties there. I have never visited a fishing resort 
that impressed me so favorably with its possibilities for fine 
sport as Kabekona Camp, and I think Grumbler will become 
a convert if he will only go there this fall. Maybe I will 
meet him there, as we are already organizing a party for an 
October trip. W. P. Mussey 
?7te Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday 
Correspondence intended for publication should rsaah us at the 
test by lioiidoff, and as much earlier as pnuiti«able. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Canadian Duties on Scortlns Gear. 
EvEKY one who has visited Canada for fishing or shooting- 
is aware that there is a duty on fishing tackle and guns of 
30 per cent, of the appraised value, and that the duty is sup- 
posed to be collected as the sportsman enters the Dominion, 
and returned to him when he leaves. See Oanw Laws in 
Brief, p. 55, for memorandum of instructions to customs 
collectors on this subj'Ct 
I say supposed to be collected, for my personal experience 
shows that the law has not been enforced as to fishing tackle 
for at least a number of years; but it is now, and the refund- 
ing clause has a tail to it. Here is an extract from the 
memorandum which I obtained in Canada, when I found 
what the new regulations were; "The foUovving regulation 
is substituted for Memorandum No. 881 B, dated March 12, 
1897,— Memorandum No. 493 B, of July 14, 1891, is amended 
so that the duty on guns, fishing rods and other equipments 
of parties visiting Canada for sporting purposes will be sub- 
ject to a refund of 90 per cent, only of the amount paid, 
provided the articles are exported within three months from 
the time of entry." 
The duty of 30 per cent, is collected, and it is collected instead 
of being a dead-letter, and 90 per cent, of the duty is returned 
to the sportsman when he leaves the Dominion. I asked the 
Customs officer in Canada why the new rule was in force, 
and he said it was because, he believed, of the bicycle rule 
being violated. Bicycles were permitted free entry by leav- 
ing a ticket of memorandum upon entering, to be taken up 
when the bicycle owner returned with his bicycle. After a 
while the Customs authorities found they had on hand a lot 
of tickets, with no bicycles to show for them, the inference 
being that the bicycles had been sold in Canada. The Cus- 
toms officer told me that he never knew of a case of this sort 
among anglers, who were most desirable visitors; and even 
with the new instructions, sportsmen should have every con- 
sideration possible shown to Them to prevent delay and an- 
noyance. One instance was reported to me of an angler 
failing to get his refund upon his return, but the customs 
officers told me there was no trouble whatever about this, 
Restlgouche Salmon. 
In June I was fishing the Restigouche River in Canada, 
the guest of Mr. Archibald Mitchell, on his water, about six 
miles above the Restigouche Salmon Club. Bright fish were 
slow to come into the river, but the mended kelts were in 
evidence, and being well mended they gave some excellent 
sport, while waiting for fresh-run fish. One day I was fish- 
iog the Mucklar Island water above Deeside, and rose a big 
fish just above the rapids, down which he went as soon as 
he felt the hook. The man in the stern pronounced it a 
bright fish, and when twice he fought up against the strong 
current at the foot of the rapids, 1 thought so too, but he 
did not jump to show what he was. The fish I had killed 
before him was a bright fish of 281bs., and he did not once 
jump, and I had hopes that this might be a bright anti- 
jumping fish also. Mr. Alexander Mowatwasin the canoe 
with me, and he thought first it was bright and then it was 
black. Anyway, 1 fought the fish for forty-five minutes 
with all the power of a 15ft. rod, and then beached a big 
black salmon, foul-hooked, with the Jock Scott under his 
jaw instead of in his mouth. It gave as good sport as any 
man could ask for, and no one could te'l whether it was 
bright or black until the fish was l)eached. In lact. one fisti 
1 nooked was so wtil mended that one of the men gaffed it, 
believing it was a bright fish. 
Mr. Mitchell had brought with him a trout rod of 4|oz in 
weight, on which he said he would kill a bright fish, at least 
he was very confident that he could, and (vas ready to make 
the trial when the time came. One afternoon he mounted 
the little rod, as there seemed to be no bright fish in the river, 
to try it first on a kelt. 1 timed him after he hooked his 
fish, and he beached the fiist, an 8lbs. fish, in two and a half 
minutes, and the second, a 151bs. fish, in nine and a half 
minutes. It is a rod of wonderful power, and the feat 
shows what a finished angler can do with so light a tool. 
"The next day Mr. J. W. Burdick, who also was a guest of 
Mr. Mitchell's, disabled his rod when we were three miles 
from the house, and Mr. Mitchell insisted upon it that the 
time had come to kill his bright salm'on on the small rod, 
and forced Mr. Burdick to take the salmon rod while he 
mounted the little rod and dropped his canoe down below 
where I was fishing. It was the lower end of the water 
leased by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. F. W. Ayer, of Bangor, Me, 
The current was very strong, and from where I was casting 
it looked as though the surface had an incline down hill, 
Twentv-three-and-one-half-pound Salmon on 
Four-and-one-elghth-ounce Rod. 
It seemed as though Mr. Mitchell had selected the most 
difficult part of the river to try his rod, but I got a fish of 
my own to attend to and I gave him no further attention, 
until I heard him yell and saw him swing his hat and I 
knew the battle was on. As his canoe disappeared down the 
river 1 remarked that he would arrive at the Restigouche 
Salmon Club house in good time for supper, for both or his 
men were paddling for a record. His canoe went a'loimd a 
bend in the river without his once making an effort to land 
and make the fight from the shore; and when I had disposed 
of my fish I lighted a pipe and sealed myself on a log on the 
bank to await results. It was nearly dark, too dark to fish 
more, and there was nothing to do but wait patiently for 
Mr. Mitchell's return, with or without his fish. I had a 
bright fish, as I thought, without weighing, of 301bs., and I 
concluded if his fish was the same size we might be late for 
supper, ttiree miles up stream, but we would be in good 
time for breakfast. 
Before I had finished my pipe, and while Mr, Burdick 
was still casting on the river in the gloom above me like a 
spectre, 1 heard the iron-shod setling poles of a canoe com- 
ing below the bend, and when it proved to be Mr. Mitchell, 
and he swung his hat as he came in sight, I knew that he and 
his little rod had won. That night at the house his salmon 
weighed 234^1bs., over ninety times as much as the rod on 
which it was killed. The rod was as straight aa a die after 
the fight. The fly was a Mitchell, and the reel an ordinary 
multiplier, such as is commonly used for black bass. 
Salmon Rising like Black Bass. 
While casting at the head of the Grog Island water a 
salmon rose short as 1 was lifting my fly from the water. 
The line was but little longer than my rod the first cast after 
a new drop. I saw the head and shoulders of the fish come 
out of the water fully a foot behind the fly after the fly had 
left the surface of the water. I rested the fish and again 
cast over him, but he did not come, and I fished out the drop, 
NOONING AT WOMAN LAKE 
The nmscallonge weiKhed 161bs. Its position in the foreground makes it loom up Jike a 65-pounder. 
