FISHING FOR KEEPS

Illustrated with Photographs

The Pleasures of Looking for the Big Ones and ofGiving Them the Semblance of Physical Immortality

EVERAL years ago, in northeast-ern Quebec, I saw hanging on thewall of a room a rudely mounted

trout which measured thirty-two inchesin length. It was a regular trout—brook— speckled — square-tailed — Salvelinusfontinalis. It must have weighed in theday of it ten pounds or more. Way upin the northern wilderness Monsieurhad happened on a colony of theseprimeval trout. One of them he hadhooked, and having no landing net, hadmanaged to beach it. Monsieur kindlysketched on a grimy piece of wrappingpaper the route by which he had trav-eled. The canoeing and portages heassured us were of the worst.

A ten-pound trout and a map to gowith it would make any angler see vi-sions, especially one who has the habitof mounting his game fish. The originalhome of the speckled trout covered awide range, but the big ones have beenfound in a few favored regions. Thefirst to get into print was the RangeleyLake country in Maine, which makesthe most authentic claim to the recordtrout of over twelve pounds. Even nowa fisherman there is occasionally as-tounded by hooking one of the enormoussurvivors of the Saturnian Age. Troutof upwards of seven pounds are notinfrequently caught in the BelgradeLakes, Pierce Pond, and other watersnorth and east of the Rangeleys.

Outside of Maine, to find trout ofover five pounds in any numbers, wemust go to Canada. The NepigonRiver, flowing from Lake Nepigon intoLake Superior, was justly regarded asthe greatest trout stream in the world,but those waters were pretty thoroughlyfished before the days of conservation.

The Nepigon Reserve is now well pro-tected, and large trout are still to befound, but the fish must have time torecover in size and numbers. There, asin Maine, the conditions which developthe big ones seem to exist in a continuousdistrict, though on both sides of a water-shed. Trout of the Nepigon class arefound in the waters north of the lakeof that name draining into James Bay,particularly along the Ogoke River.

At the eastern end of the Canadianforests, in the Province of Quebec, isthe remaining region of prospecting forthese jewels of the waters. Trout ofgoodly size are found here and there innorthern New Brunswick and betweenNew Brunswick and the St. Lawrence,but the aboriginal sockdolagers are inthe great wooded country stretchingnorth of the St. Lawrence. The regionalong the Lake St. John Railway andsouth of the Saguenay River is largelytaken up by clubs and preserves. Northof the latitude of Lake St. John is awilderness little visited except by trap-pers. Fortunately the Montagnais In-dians and the white trappers care littlefor trout. Whitefish are more readilytaken in nets, and the net result is satis-factory to the trappers and their dogs.

Generally it is only trout which spendthe greater part of the year in a lake ofconsiderable size and depth that attain aweight of seven pounds and upwards.To develop perfect specimens built forspeed and power, the lake should be con-nected with large, swift rivers brokenby many rapids. Time as well as spaceseems a necessary factor, for Agassizestimated that trout of eight to twelvepounds in weight had reached, as com-pared with most of their race, a patri-

By EDWIN W. SANBORN

S

[352]

Nepigon trout, 5 pounds, length 34 inches, mounted by Indian guide. Birch barkis stretched upon a frame of four spruce sticks, and skin of trout is stitched flat uponthe bark and then varnished.

archal age. One can well believe itwho has noted the thickness and steel-like texture of the skulls of such fish.

The thirty-two-inch trout, by whichthese remarks were suggested, conjuredup a picture of ideal conditions—big,deep, unmolested lake, connected withrapid rivers, in the depths of the redtrout region. It is toward the latterpart of August that the trout come upfrom the cool deeps that are their sum-mer watering place and gather in schoolspresided over by the oldest living gradu-ates. Their coloration then is most richand vivid.

At that season, in 1914, came the firstopportunity to bring out Monsieur's mapon the grimy wrapping paper, and toplan a quick campaign in limited time.

The campaign against the big fish openedin impressive style, but the advance be-came less rapid as the railroad stage ofthe trip was succeeded by buckboardtravel and then by canoeing againstquick water. The portages were longand rough, and after we left the beatentrail of hunters and trappers, they con-sisted of little but the blazes marked byour friend when he had followed hisunreinunerative hunch in search of min-ing indications.

After many days, we came out upontraces of the camp which Monsieur haddescribed. There were the sagging polesof a shelter tent and the charred re-mains of a camp fire. The hour wasabout noon. As soon as possible westarted up the river leading from the

Southern large-mouth black bass (Florida), weight9¼ pounds, length 86 inches,girth 18 inches. Contour about three-fourths natural body. Mounted over loose tilling.Skin first filled with modeling sand and moulded to natural shape. After five or sixdays, sand is run out and skin retains its shape. Skin then packed with soft, loose ex-celsior. Specially treated cork or sawdust is sometimes used.

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354 OUTING

lake, and paddled several miles over thepools which had been portrayed as alivewith monster fish. Patient casting every-where; no proceeds except a few smalltrout for supper.

On the next day we met with the sameresult at the same pools. A little fartherup stream was a broad pool where atrout of about two pounds rose to thefly. We went as far as the big lakewithout a sign of big fish. On the way

jumped clear out of water. Don't lookat me that way; I say he jumped clearout of water with broad side on.

The jump was not like the leap of aouananiche, straight up into the air fouror five feet, trying to shake the hookfrom his mouth, nor was it in the man-ner of a black bass hurling himself side-long. It was a long, clean leap in thearc of a great circle, clearing the waterby several inches.

Speckled trout (Northeastern Quebec) mounted "flat," skin being drawn over a thinboard shaped to reproduce outlines as originally traced. Weight 5¾ pounds; length 25inches; girth of fish when caught 14½ inches. Mounted to imitate live fish at rest instill water. Lines characteristic of trout living most of the year in a lake. In more con-lined water, depth of belly would increase; size of tail and tins would diminish.

home, late in the afternoon, we had thecanoe at the head of the large pool ofthe two-pound trout.

I made a careless cast to get out theline, and saw the fly followed by thehuge black jaws of a prodigious trout.A little longer cast, a boiling swirl, astrike, and the trout starts like lubri-cated lightning down the middle of thepool. Twenty yards of line followalong. The fish comes to the surfaceand flaps the water with his huge fan-like tail. He comes back with muchpower in the direction of the boat.When half way it occurs to him to turnsharply and make for a tangle of brush.The line swishes through the water andlifts a sheet of spray. The tip and buttof the rod come together in close con-sultation and persuade the fish to stop.He then uncovers a series of other pro-ceedings.

It would be small compliment to sucha trout if one could be taking mentalnotes of all details for a moving picture.I do recall that the fish tore over to theopposite side of the pool and incidentally

I recall that he used the tactics whichanglers sometimes describe as chugging,holding himself broadside against thepull of the line, and making a series ofdeliberate, savage jerks with the head todislodge the hook. I remember how hethrashed about when brought near theboat, and I remember the bending of thelong handle of the salmon net as it wasslowly lifted out of water, and thegleaming of the trout's golden spots asthe net settled down within the canoe.The discussion occupied some twenty-five minutes.

The fish measured thirty inches inlength and sixteen inches in girth. Ourscales had been battered on the way in,and could not be trusted for that exactprecision that is dearer to the anglerthan life. I could make oath that thefish weighed somewhat over nine pounds,and if this were questioned might makesome additional oaths. The armamentwas a five and a half ounce Leonardrod, rather heavy enameled line nottapered, a strong six-foot leader, a singleParmacheene Belle fly and No. 4 hook.

FISHING FOR KEEPS 355

During the short stay forwhich we had time in thesewaters we caught two other trouteach within a quarter of apound of the same weight, andtwo of about seven pounds each.We put back many weighingfrom four to six pounds. Nodoubt these fish might have beentaken with much lighter tackle,but the object of the trip was tomake sure of specimens formounting.

Many anglers advise a smallhook for big fish on the theorythat the bend is better filled andmore firmly imbedded. The jawsof these fish, however, were bigenough to take care of a codfishhook, and it is an equally plausibletheory that big flies attract bigfish. The trout see them better,especially after their eyesight hasbeen dimmed by months of livingin deep, dark water. When alight, leisurely fly is floating downtoward the water, the smallertrout near the surface are watch-ing for it like a fullback for apunted ball. A big hook attractsthe bigger fish in deeper waterand the small fry scatter. Infact, the fighting qualities oftrout are often magnified by lightrods and fine-spun tackle.

Several of these fish, when theline was reeled in, did their bestto run under the canoe. Hadthey been landlocked salmon ofnine pounds, or active black bassof from four to six pounds, theywould have done more than try;they would have broken throughunder the boat, dragging mostof the rod down into the waterafter them.

But why should carpingcriticism evoke a rise from thetrout? He is trained for self-defense so far as becomes agentleman, but gladiatorial ex-cess he leaves to others. Henever forgets that he is a trout.Less to be desired is he for thetable than the yellow perch orthe common fish of salt water.

Panel of six speckled trout weighing from 6½to 9 pounds, and measuring 26 to 29½ inches inlength. These fish are mounted full body, in "deadgame" style, the design being to restore the ap-pearance of the fish as if freshly caught The twolargest fish are the highly "red" trout of North-eastern Quebec.

OUTING

But why concern himself that humancannibals prefer other victims?

Some assert that the charm of troutfishing lies in the environment, in thesetting which surrounds the living jewelof the wild. But the ouananiche andoften the black bass are found in wildwaters. There must be other explana-tions of the alluring tradition whichcauses the trout to be regarded with analmost affectionate touch of sentiment.His very name echoes the plashing ofwavelets under the bow of a canoe, orthe music of a mountain spring spoutingout into a cooling pool.

But he has a charm more subtle thanis imputed by his surroundings. Hechooses his home in clear, clean, activewater, and in this water of equal oppor-tunities he has gained that enviablequality, distinction. There is bound tobe a fascination in that which is rare,precious, and elusive, and of such thingsthe trout is a symbol. The ruby glint-ing on his side, the evanescent shimmerof silver and discs of golden yellow areemblems of things that are hard to get,and harder yet to keep.

Making the Memories Concrete

And that is where fishing for keepscomes in. It is an impulse to try tocarry home and hang on your walls theessence of things as fleeting as the rain-bow and the sunset. Look at these hugetrout as they lie in the bottom of thecanoe, and you see that they have anadvantage over the big fish of the Nepi-gon or of Maine in other things thansize. The Nepigon trout are thicklycovered with the large yellow or lemon-colored spots, but they generally lackthe deeper colors. The Rangeley fishoften have the richer colors but not toequal the so-called red trout of north-eastern Canada. The very heavy Range-ley trout are generally too deep in thehold.

An enthusiast over this hobby of col-lecting game fish was seeking to leadthe conversation toward his favoritetopic, when the lady to whom he wastalking, innocently remarked, "If thereis anything I particularly dislike, it's adead fish." This view is natural to any

one whose impressions are gathered fromcasual inspections of deceased cod in themarket stalls, or any of the melancholyfish exhumed from cold storage. Whenyour big trout is mounted, looking as itdid when lying on the bottom of thecanoe, it will enjoy a perfection of physi-cal immortality which the Pharaohsfailed to attain. It will meet the Gre-cian tests of grace and beauty.

Few humanly designed lines are moregraceful than those of a yacht. Thetrout is made up of such lines. It is asubmarine designed by the Almighty.It makes the most of the simple elementsof artistic beauty; symmetry of line,suggestion of agile power and delicatelyblended harmonies of rich color. Itmakes you see visions—a glassy, rose-tinted pool at sunset; a huge whirlingeddy below the mist-covered crash ofheavy waters, where flakes of foam maketheir solemn circuit upon the surface ofthe dark pool; or perhaps it brings tomind grim ridges covered with bristlingspruce over which the rising mist dragsits reluctant way.

But you will fail of these effects un-less you find a taxidermist who workswith judgment and reserve. He mustbe an artist indeed who can reproducethe fish as a living creature in action.Most desirable is it to avoid a troutcovered with glass and doing its best toescape from a hand-painted background.Birch bark seems to have been providedas a natural background for mountedfish, and in general, no form of mountis better than the dead game style, whichshows the fish as if hanging from a stringor as laid on a birch log.

Perhaps the nearest approach to theillusion of life is in mounting the fishflat, and independent of a panel or back-ground. A flat, light piece of wood isshaped and smoothed to reproduce thelines of the fish. The skin is drawnaround this form to give the appearanceof the fish as when resting in a pool.The fins should not be fallen at rest norstiffly erect, and the tail should beslightly dropped.

Another method of preserving skinsis that practised by the Ojibway Indiansin the Nepigon country. They stretchthe skin flat on birch bark, stitch it

356

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FISHING FOR KEEPS 359

around the edges, and varnish it. Theeffect, when the work is well done, isgood. From the simple method ofstretching the skin on a flat surface thereare many possible gradations, as "quar-ter fish," "half fish," up to the processwhich reproduces the full contour in life-like manner.

It is no easy matter to find a service-able substance for the artificial body.Soft materials lose their form and wehave the unshapely spectacle of a"stuffed" fish. Some hard substanceslike plaster of Paris promote shrinkingor expansion under atmospheric changes.Solid wooden forms are used success-fully, particularly by taxidermists inMaine. In case of the exhibit of Cana-dian fish at Ottawa now in preparation,papier maché is used for the surfacemodeling, around a temporary body.After the modeled surface hardens, theinner body is removed, leaving a shellof papier maché over which the skin isfitted.

The European taxidermists generallyfavor elastic materials with a certainamount of "give," or else loose fillings.In the rooms of the Piscatorial Societyin Russell Square, London, a societywhich traces its lineage nearly to therevered Izaak, is a collection of Britishgame fish, each with the date of captureinscribed on a plate. Some of thesedata indicate that the fish, still in finecondition, have been mounted for a sur-prising length of time. For that matter,the fish preserved by the ancient Egyp-tians are in pretty good shape, consider-ing how long they have been out ofwater. The Metropolitan Museum hassome specimens.

There are many of the larger gamefish whose heads may be mounted afterthe manner of game heads. The headsof huge pike or muskellunge of open andreceptive countenance are specially ef-fective. The heads of large "lakers"are worth setting up, as well as of manysalt water fish. Even a big catfish maydo duty as a gargoyle. It pays to pre-serve the skins of all the trout you kill,even of rather small size. They aretough and may find a varied use incovering small articles and for house-hold decoration. The skin of a trout,

wound around mica, makes a novel shadefor an electric bulb.

Fishing for keeps is a specialized formof angling, an impulse to break awayfrom the niceties and refinements intowhich sport is constricted. When thelarger game fish fade away in the dis-tance, it is a natural disposition to adapttackle and methods to the shy survivorsand to the smaller species which remain.As the work of shotguns becomes lighter,the engraving about the lock tends tomore elaborate design. As fishing be-comes less a matter of fact within cast-ing range, and merges into the realm ofsentiment and imagination, the anglerdevelops an affinity for household petsin the way of artistic flies and inbredtackle.

Away From the Trodden Trails

Fishing for keeps represents the otheralternative—chasing after the originalenvironment. The search for big speci-mens leads one away to the remotestwilds, away from liver-fed fish, beyondsummer resorts, beyond the last rockyfarm, beyond sporting camps, beyondlumber shanties, often away from imme-morial trails, into the wilderness as itwas. Wilderness fishing may not satisfythe angler who must pore over his libraryof flies until he achieves a triumph—until the fish recover an appetite, or riseto a point of order. Where trout areunsophisticated, one may often see thewhole process of a rise—a lightning dartup through twenty feet of still, crystalwater.

After a half hour's fishing, especiallywhere fish have been returned to thewater, it is necessary, of course, to givethe place a rest. Generally one mustwait for a passing cloud or a ruffling ofthe surface. But red fly or brown fly itmatters not. There is something doingwhere there is anything doing. Thesport is not so much in luring the fishas in action after the fish is hooked.

Where is then the finesse, the finework, the delicate play in wildernessfishing, corresponding to the charm ofdry flies or delicate tackle? The answer—one of them—is: barbles hooks.Take along a pair of pincers and you

360 OUTING

may make a gentleman of any hook by-pressing down the barb. There is lefta small hump which checks the pullingout of the hook, but insures the fish'smouth against laceration. Fishing withsuch a hook is a sport which keeps allthe faculties of the angler on the job.There must be a constant and steadypull. If you wish to release the fish,relax the line and leave the rest to thefish. He will excuse himself none theworse for the interview.

Fishing for keeps prompts one to letthe fish go. It is a counsel of conserva-tion. You care only for the super-trout,and when a nine-pounder is landed youregard him with respect, almost withreverence. There is a creature whichhas perhaps outlived a full generation ofarticulate speaking men. He has livedhis own life, caring not the least of hisspecks for their arts or articulations.His life is the confined life of the water,but he gets all there is in it.

Like anybody else, he has lived on hisneighbors; but all the beauty that hascome into his experience he has made apart of himself; all the prismatic huesthat have filtered through the water,from the silvery sheen on its surface,from the rose-tinted clouds, from thebow of many colors, from the scarletleaves that fall on the water, from theglistening snow that mingles with theshadowed green of the pines. He de-serves to be made a joy forever.

Maybe a mounted fish is not worthyto be called a trophy, but in these daysof high-power rifles, there isn't much inthe trophy idea unless one goes stalkingKadiak bear in open country. Suchhardships as there are are the naturalhazards of the woods. Look at a fewincidents in the day's work of a fellowwho goes fishing.

There being high wind and rain onthe lake, we put in a little time afterluncheon exploring on foot a small riverwhich rushes down through a ravinefrom the high hills. We walk up theleft bank of the torrent, and find thebank becoming too rough and steep.Are glad to see that, just ahead, a largespruce has obligingly fallen across thechasm. At this point the valley nar-rows to a mere defile. The water rushes

far underneath like a mill-race and intoa deep pool just below.

I have on a long rubber automobilecape, which is light and protects oneagainst the wet bushes. Toward themiddle of the bridge there are boughsof the tree sticking up which give onesomething to hold on to, but which tendto hold on to the cape. When just overthe middle, where the tree bobs up anddown with one's weight, a sudden tre-mendous squall of wind sweeps up thenarrow ravine, swoops under the cape,and swells it into a balloon. The restof the wind comes along to join in thesport; the whole cape breaks loose fromthe spikes and boughs, and gives an imi-tation of an umbrella turning inside out.

It streams up in the air, yanking mefrom one side to another, and, with theaid of a small whirlwind, winds itselfaround head and arms. Down I go,half stumble and half crouch, and therehappen to be just enough boughs in theright place to keep me from falling off.The whirlwind, its time being valuable,goes on to other engagements, and thecape uncoils. The wind must have itslittle joke.

More Than Enough Moose

Going back to camp we are favoredwith other chances. In the shallowriver near a high, steep bank is standinga big moose calf. The calf has not metmany people and is loath to move. Awolf, not long ago, has taken a chanceat pulling down the calf, and has jumpedat his flank, where there is a raw wound.The animal stretches out his long neckand shows his teeth, looking like a biggoose, as he is.

Wishing to see him splash out ofwater, we yell, and bang the water withthe paddles. There is a sudden clatterat the top of the high bank where, outof sight, the cow moose has been onguard against wolves or worse. Welook up and observe half a ton, or sucha matter, of maternal moose coming ourway down the steep bank. She couldn'tstop if she would. She plunges into thewater, trots straight for the canoe, andrears straight in the air. A franticstroke from the paddles takes us out of

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Speckled trout (Northeastern Quebec), weight 9 pounds, length 30 inches, girth 16½inches. Shape and proportions good for fish of this weight. Lines are those of a troutliving in quick water. Mounted over manikin of papier maché, compacted to proper flexi-bility, and bound with fine thread. Manikin is covered with thin gauze cloth treated withouter coating of modeling clay for smooth moulded surface.

reach as her down-coming hoofs grazethe stern of the boat.

On the way home, when we hadreached the buckboard stage of the trip,the rain had settled into a classic deluge.All day long we had been racked andwrenched through mire and over hugerocks. The axle of the buckboard hadbroken as usual.

I was listlessly aware of the genialyelping of wolves pursuing an unfortu-nate rabbit, when suddenly I saw stars.Slowly gathering myself up and piecingmyself together, I became aware thatthe hind wheel of the buckboard hadthoughtfully picked up a mud-encrustedstake some ten feet in length by severalinches in diameter, whirled it throughthe air, and brought it down directly onmy bump of benevolence. Nothingheroic in being drowned in the convolu-tions of a rubber Mother Hubbard, orjumped on by a cow moose, or whackedon the head by a water-logged stake, buta person might be retired from businessas conclusively as if charged by a double-horned rhino.

But those are not the things of whichthe mounted trout will remind one.The bump of benevolence will hardlyhave had time to reverse itself when we

shall be scheming to get up there again.Further on in the homeward journeywas a camp where we stopped to conferwith a venerable Indian who had beenall over the place. He had canoed andportaged 'cross country from the head-waters of the Peribonka to those of theMistassini. He had traveled up to LakeMistassini and down the Rupert Riverto James Bay, and along the shallowmargin of the bay to Moose Factory.

This ancient man had visited ouridentical lake and river, and in the sixIndian languages at his command hesought with senile animation to tell ofhis experience. We gathered that infloating down the river his party haddecided to get a trout for dinner. Theywere towing a heavy line terminated bya huge hook imbedded in a chunk ofpork. A trout of terrifying proportionsengulfed this lure, and towed the canoefor a considerable distance up stream,until the line fortunately parted. Thedetails were somewhat obscure, butwhatever he said I believe to be true.I have faith to believe that somewhereup in those woods is a regular trout—brook—speckled—fontinalis—three feetlong and fifteen pounds in weight, andthere is just room for it on the wall.

[362]