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FISHING WITH A SHOTGUN Pike Hunting with Novel Tool in Eastern Ontario Waters Xiiie Shells IVct TwentyOne Pike CoiiciisKlou the Great Flsli Siibdiier Hunt what Why the groat northern pike of course Mention the name to any one of the few dozen fishermen in the neighborhood of Pike Creek and then prepare yourself for the yarn that is sure fo follow followIn In the following article I will endeavor to ex ¬ plain how we hunt the great northern pike in one of the few thousand of creeks in Ontario namely Pike Crtek It will be necessary therefore to describe this particular crcek This stream is u brunch of a wellknown river in eastern Ontario and its name was well chosen There is apparently no source to it strange to say but it connects with another small stream known as Little Creek In the summer both run dry within a half mile of the main waters The intervening space is all swamp land filled in autumn by heavy rains and flooded in the early spring by heavy thaws and melted ice Generally speaking the pike do not begin to run until the flood has subsided considerably although I have caught them when the ico was still thick in parts of the swamp We are quite satisfied how ¬ ever if they appear by Easter if not well there are bound to be a few disappointed people myself being jone joneThere There are several ways of catching these denizens of tlte deep and it is true that some of them are illegal My own choice is a light boat and a 22 caliber rifle My friends laugh at my using such a gun but the fish are never mangled in this way wayFISHING FISHING BOAT OF TREACHEROUS TRICKS TRICKSThe The boat which we use can be built in a couple of hours by two or three men It is pointed at both ends thus insuring easy passage through bushes and other numerous obstacles Let a green ¬ horn step into one of these boats and watch the fun They aro treacherous even to the experienced but constant use enables one to handle them with ease easeAt At first I used a spear but met witli little suc ¬ cess However as tlm passed 1 became quite expert with one and could soon land the fastest fish in the swamp A couple of us used to go out in the afternoon and haul in a couple of dozen in short time if the weather were favorable Most of my early fishing experience was obtained from a neighbor but of late years I have used my own brains and derive much more pleasure from it I will now relate some of my own experiences experiencesIt It was a warm day late in March when I first saw the pike last spring The water was still running swift and considerable ice was yet in the swamp so it was a little unsafe to venture out with a boat I had just settled down on an old rail fence when a pike about six inches long flashed by me That was enough Away I went after the boat and was soon at the narrows Wait ¬ ing until there was no ice in sight I let the boat go and hung on It was easy going but coming back was quite a different problem as I found out later I sjyent an hour or so looking for fish but saw none so concluded that they were still under the ice iceSHOTGUN SHOTGUN FISHING FIRST SPOILS SPOILSTlie Tlie next few days made a big difference as snow and ice were both disappearing fast I man ¬ aged to shoot two one day but really should have had at least six I blamed the ammunition for my misses but soon found that these were my own fault They days passed quickly The snow was practically gone the water was going down and the frogs were beginning to croak but still there was no fisli of any account accountA A ft ws days later two of our old neighbors came out from town for a days sport but when I told them of our luck they sure were disappointed Nevertheless away we went to the swamp There were four of us Mv partner and my brother went together while the Other chap and 1 went in a different direction Well between the four of us tinlie was only one fish by noon Toward night things began stirring Our two friends succeeded in getting a fine bunch but I was unsuccessful Monday came A fine sunny morning it was So grabbing my gun and shell pouch away I went Overhead a flock of geese bunked merrily a pair of ducks flew over the swamp circled and dropped from view This was more like n good fish day but to my disappointment there was a thin coat ¬ ing of ice along shore when I arrived at the swamp The first two pike I ever caught were speared through a quarter of an inch of ice After finding a suitable place I sat down in the boat fo wait for a kick But was doomed to disap ¬ pointment Getting lip I started to shove around after them and much to iny surprise there lay a beauty not six feet away One shot was enough for him himNINE NINE SHOTS YIELD TWENTY ONE PIKE PIKEBy By dinner time I had five fair fishbut the sky was all overcast and soon a fine rain came on With the rain came the fish They started to kick and play in fine style so after them I went I never expect to have so much real sport again I would wait for a kick and then start for it The unsuspecting fish were easy prey I turned them up by twos and threes yea even by fours foursThefwfcwere Thefwfcwere four lying in a foot of water and between us was a heap of brush so I had to take my chance Much to my surprise I got the entire four and with a I caliber rifle too The only way I cin account for this is that the concussion stuns them By the middle of the afternoon I had sixteen more to my credit and if I remember right only nine shells were used to kill twentyone pike four of which tipped the scales at twenty pounds The next day the weather remained the same and 1 was early on the spot Much to my surprise the host fishing was in deep water but owing to the clouds you could scarcely see in the water There was not much need to see however as they were kicking all around You would no sooner get started for one place than there was a kick at the place you had Just left That was the last of the pike nine being all I could induce within range of my field gun Walter II Sills in Sports Afield
