Forest and Stream 
Terms, $3 a Year, 10 Cts. a Copy. 
Six Months, $1.50. 
NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1911. 
VOL. LXXVII— No. 3. 
No. 127 Franklin St., New York. 
BAIT-CASTING IN ONE OF THE POOLS. -ONE OF THE CAMPS IN THE WOODS. 
From photographs by Paul H. Byrd. 
Bass Fishing in the Cherokee Nation 
By PAUL H. BYRD 
A BOUT a month ago I stated in a letter to 
you that I was planning a trip to the Kia- 
mechi River, in the southeastern part of 
this State. Its doubtlessly interesting fish secrets 
remain sealed to me, to be unlocked at a future 
time I hope because the scene was shifted to 
Spavinaw Creek; to that part of it flowing 
through the hills of the same name in the Chero¬ 
kee Nation, a part of Oklahoma abounding in 
game and rich in Indian lore and romance. As 
I had a couple of years ago maintained a con¬ 
tinuous residence of ten months in my fishing 
camp on Barren Fork, about fifty miles south¬ 
east of Spavinaw, there was that yearning to 
know the beauties of those intervening, rugged 
hills, almost impassable from the east or south, 
and to learn through personal experience the 
exact truth concerning the stream as a fishing 
proposition. I must interpolate by stating that 
I earnestly wish you could go there; that all my 
friends could go there; that many who are not 
could do likewise, because it would make them 
my friends, and greater lovers of the great out¬ 
doors. 
The start was made from Pryor, Okla., forty 
miles north of Muskogee, on the Missouri, Kan¬ 
sas & Texas Railway, where I joined Le Roy 
Nabers, now of that thriving little prairie town. 
Our outfit consisted of an army two-man A tent, 
one poncho, two folding cots, two comforts and 
the simplest of cooking utensils. Our provisions 
were placed in a heavy wooden box, hinged on 
three corners, with set-in ends, provided with 
a iock and collapsable, made and very kindly- 
loaned us by Mr. Linney, of Pryor, and a thor¬ 
ough sportsman. The fishing tackle was three 
light bait-casting rods, a variety of wooden min¬ 
nows, spoons, bucktails, etc.; a heavy bass fly- 
rod, a double tapered fly line and a number of 
bass flics and light spinners. We also carried 
a .22 caliber rifle. Our clothing consisted of very 
light cotton underwear, overalls and hickory 
shirts. Nabers wore for wading soft leather 
athletic shoes, hobnailed. For this purpose I de¬ 
termined to use my favorite heavy brogans, free¬ 
ly hobnai'ed, protecting my feet by wearing two 
pairs of thick, cheap cotton socks. 
A hitch in transportation arrangements was 
prevented from delaying the start by Mr. 
Graham, president of a local bank, loaning us 
his automobile, in which the trip to the west 
bank of the Grand River was made. We stopped 
immediately opposite the mouth of Spavinaw 
Creek, where the machine registered sixteen 
miles. During this journey we passed farms 
all in a high state of cultivation with homes 
ranging from neat and modest to very preten¬ 
tious. 
Crossing the Grand in rowboats we made a 
light camp until the following morning when a 
Mr. Billings, a prosperous farmer living several 
miles further east, came with his team and wagon 
and hauled us five miles up the creek to a some¬ 
what isolated but ideal campsite about three- 
quarters of a mile west of the old Indian town 
of Spavinaw. We knew it could be but a short 
time until our presence was known to the white 
farmers and the fuU-blood Cherokees, and we 
felt the usual apprehension about the camp’s 
immunity from theft during our absence. We 
had been reassured on this point and now I 
want to herald it far and wide that although 
