March 23, 1907-] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
459 
The North Shore of Lake Superior. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
During the month of July, 1906, it was my 
privilege to spend a short vacation trout fish¬ 
ing in some of the rivers which empty into the 
northern edge of Lake Superior, and as this re¬ 
gion is a sportsmen's paradise which is little 
known to the anglers of the United States, in¬ 
formation concerning conditions there may be 
of interest to the readers of Forest and 
Stream. 
While there are hundreds of rivers in this 
region, any one of which will furnish excellent 
sport, many of them are practically inacces¬ 
sible, as vast stretches of forest lie between 
them and the nearest rail or steamer stops. But 
fortunately there are some which may be reach¬ 
ed by the tourist whose time and capital are 
limited. In this class are the streams which 
empty into Batchawana Bay, sixty miles to the 
north of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., where the 
Booth line of steamers stop regularly twice each 
week during the season in which the lakes are 
open to navigation. Batchawana Bay itself is 
one of the most beautiful natural harbors on 
the entire north shore, being surrounded _ by 
hills which at the northern end reach a height 
of over one thousand feet. It is protected from 
the gales of Lake Superior by several small 
islands and Corbay Point, on which is located 
one of the most isolated lighthouses in the Su¬ 
perior country. The bay furnishes excellent 
fishing, its waters swarming with pike, mus- 
callunge, perch, trout, etc., while from Corbay 
Point north to Pancake Bay is found some of 
the best reef fishing for speckled trout which 
the entire region affords. However, this stretch 
of shore is exposed to the full sweep of Lake 
Superior, and it is only under most favorable 
conditions that it may be fished. The Avater 
shoals gradually and the bottom is floored with 
huge boulders, some of which protrude above 
the surface, making a coast which is one of the 
'most dreaded on the entire lake. But with a 
northeasterly wind blowing it is protected by 
the forests along the shore and it is then that 
fishing there is possible. Speckled trout of the 
largest size and gamest qualities lurk in the 
shelter of the rocks, and a well-placed fly is 
pretty sure to bring results which will linger 
long in the memory of the angler. 
Of the many rivers which pour their waters 
into the bay, the Batchawana is the largest. 
The first five miles of its course above the 
mouth lie between flats which are heavily wood¬ 
ed, and the river is deep and sluggish. Our 
party found excellent pickerel fishing here, the 
fish rising strongly to the spoon and in numbers 
to suit the most exacting. Each turn in the 
river brings to view vistas of primeval beauty 
such as only the northern wilderness can afford. 
The axe of the lumberman has not yet pene¬ 
trated to this country, and the forests stand as 
intact as in the days of Father Marquette. 
The first rapid water occurs some five miles 
back from the lake, but the river has a depth 
sufficient to allow of the passage of even heavi¬ 
ly loaded rowboats or canoes, without the ne¬ 
cessity of a portage, but the tourist will do well 
to select a camping site not far from the dead- 
waters and make his daily trips to the fishing 
grounds along the banks or by wading the river. 
This was the policy of our party, and we select¬ 
ed a favorable spot on the right bank of the 
river, just before it emerges from the hills, 
where there was wood for the campfire and 
balsam boughs in abundance for a bed ready 
at hand. Making our camp a base of opera¬ 
tions, we remained for several days on the 
Batchawana, and were richly rewarded for our 
time and trouble. Trout of all sizes were taken, 
from fingerlings which were carefully replaced 
in their native element to lusty fellows 17 and 
18 inches long which taxed to the limit the 
strength of the tackle and the skill of the fisher¬ 
man. During the month of July the gray- 
hackle is a favorite fly, our largest catches 
being made with it; but the peacock-hackle, 
Rio Grande king and the bee also proved 
excellent, and all had good catches to their 
credit. 
However, anything in the shape of a fly seems 
to be acceptable, and not one of our large assort¬ 
ment failed to bring results. Even the humble 
earthworm proved its usefulnes and was taken 
greedily when all other lures failed to tempt the 
wary trout. The number of fish one might catch 
in a day’s trial is practically limited only by his 
industry, as even at noonday the deep pools 
may be successfully worked with either fly or 
bait, the later being best if the sun is bright. 
The fisherman who aspires to spend a week 
upon the Batchawana should provide himself 
with stout footwear, as the river must be 
waded to secure the best results, and its bed 
is paved with stones which make walking any¬ 
thing but easy. Many of them have edges as 
keen as a knife and only the stoutest leather 
will avail against it. Rubber boots are worth¬ 
less and two or three days will be the limit 
of their usefulness. 
But on the Batchawana “all is not fishing to 
fish,” and after he has secured enough for the 
needs of the day, the angler will do well to turn 
his attention from the river to the beauties of 
nature which lie all about him. I he river is 
broken by two cataracts as pretty as any of the 
Canadian wilds, and a trip to them, w.hile it 
involves much of hard work, is well worth the 
trouble. The first is comparatively easy of 
access and is reached by nearly all of the few 
men who ascend the river. But the second, 
lying some two miles above the first, is seldom 
seen by travelers. There is no path leading up 
to it, and the nature of the river is such that 
one cannot wade above the first falls. Our 
party had heard of it from the Indians at the 
Soo," and before starting we had determined to 
do what few white men have accomplished and 
look upon and photograph it at any cost. We 
were sucessful in our efforts, but the walk of 
only two miles consumed three hours of the 
hardest kind of work, laboring up the precipi¬ 
tous hills and clambering down into the deep 
valleys as range after range stretched across 
the course. And when the roar of the cataract 
told us of its proximity, we were nearly five 
hundred feet above the level of the river. The 
descent was accomplished at considerable risk 
to life and limb, but once safely at the water’s 
edge we were richly rewarded for our trouble. 
The waters have cut a deep gorge through the 
rocks and the river is confined to a narrow 
canon but two or three rods in width, through 
which it rushes in a smother of foam and with 
a roar which may be heard for nearly a mile. 
The gorge is probably a half mile in length and 
presents a scene of wild beauty and grandeur 
which well repays for the exertion required in 
penetrating to it. That big game abounds in 
the hills was attested by the numerous signs of 
deer, bear and moose which we encountered on 
our tramp. 
The Chippewa River is another which flows 
into the Batchawana Bay, and it is much more 
frequently visited than is the Batchawana. It 
may be navigated with launches as far as its 
first cataract, and here an excellent camping 
site is located, with a spring of excellent water 
near at hand. At the bottom of the cataract is 
a deep pool which is reputed to furnish trout 
fishing nearly if not quite equal to that of the 
Batchawana, with none of its attendant diffi¬ 
culties. The cataract itself has none of the 
beauties of those of its sister river, the descent 
being made in a series of falls and rapids, deep 
pools intervening, and in these are found some 
of the best trout in the river. The stream 
above the rapids is unbroken by rapids or swift 
water for many miles and affords a canoe trip 
which is one of the best in Canada. One may 
take the Algoma Central Railway at the Can¬ 
adian Soo, unload his canoe and camping out¬ 
fit at Trout Lake and make the trip down the 
river with only one portage as far as Lake 
Superior, where he will be within a few hours 
trip of Batchawana station, where the steamer 
makes regular stops. There is good fishing all 
of the way, and there is no lack of game, both 
large and small, in the forests which edge the 
river. The path over the portage is excellent, 
all things considered, and the wonder is that 
the trip is not more frequently made by devotees 
of the canoe. 
Other rivers which pour their waters into the 
POOL BELOW FIRST FALLS, BATCHAWANA RIVER. 
