Where the Wabash forms the line between Indiana and Illinois commercial fishing is permitted, and the laws for the protection of our game fishes do not apply. Above this, up to Huntington, and beyond, there are many splendid bass fishing places. But as a fishing stream, where one would choose to go to enjoy all the beauties of nature, most people prefer its neighbor and tributary the Tippecanoe, a few miles to the north.

THE TIPPECANOE RIVER.

There are few, if any, more picturesque or finer fishing rivers anywhere in the land, or in any land, for that matter, than the Tippecanoe. Its water is almost always clear as crystal, its banks are beautiful, and it abounds with small-mouthed black bass, catfish, crappies, etc., while in their season large numbers of fine wall-eyed pike are taken from it. Many people from the cities of the State now spend their annual summer vacations in camps and cottages along its banks, and it is each year growing in popularity.

The Tippecanoe gets its head waters from the numerous lakes of the southern part of Noble and Kosciusko and the northern part of Whitley counties, some of which lie nearly a thousand feet above tidewater. Its course is thence southwest and west through Fulton and into Pulaski counties, and thence, from a point near Winamac, south through White County to its confluence with the Wabash at a point in Tippecanoe County a few miles above Lafayette.

A favorite vacation trip with many people is to float down the Tippecanoe from Warsaw to Monticello in a rowboat, fishing and drifting from village to village each day; or, where the towns are too far apart, stopping for the night at farm houses where such travelers are welcome. The river flows through a rich and thickly settled farming country, and all the way has high and beautiful banks.

Tributaries of the Tippecanoe are Moore's Creek, Honey Creek, Mill Creek, Scott's Creek, Spring Creek, Big Monon Creek, Mud Creek, Yellow Creek, Walnut Creek, Big Creek, Indian Creek and Timber Creek.

Below the mouth of the Tippecanoe there are several creeks of considerable importance that empty into the Wabash, all of which are excellent fishing streams. Probably the most important of these is Wildcat Creek, which enters the Wabash from the east just above the city of Lafayette. It has a length of some seventyfive miles, and in this distance a fall of some four hundred feet, and coming down from a hill country it is very erratic, and in time of heavy rains is a savage stream, worthy its name. In time of drought, however, it becomes nearly dry. Sugar Creek, that joins the Wabash farther south, in Parke County, has many of the characteristics of Wildcat Creek. It, too, has a length of some seventy-five miles and a fall of probably 400 feet. The scenery along the lower portions of it is most beautiful, it having excavated its bed in rock strata to a depth of 50 or 60 feet.

Farther down are Coal Creek and Big Pine Creek, each 35 or 40 miles long, and after them Big Raccoon Creek, which enters in Parke County, near Montezuma, and is 60 miles or more long; then Busseron Creek, which comes in a few miles above Vincennes, and is between 30 and 40 miles long. All these are fine fishing streams.

THE SALAMONIE RIVER.

In Jay County, near Portland, rises the Salamonie River, which flows northwest through Wells and Huntington counties and joins the Wabash above the city of Wabash, its length being some 75 miles. Its elevation is about 1,000 feet above tidewater, and it

has a fall of three to four feet to the mile. Some eight or nine small creeks flow into it along its course.

THE MISSISSINEWA RIVER.

A little farther south and over in Ohio some 10 or 12 miles from the north line of Randolph County rises the Mississinewa. It flows west across the north part of Randolph County into Delaware, thence northwest, parallel with the Salamonie, through Grant and across the southwest corner of Wabash counties, and enters the Wabash in Miami County just above the city of Peru. It is in all about a hundred miles long. Its water is naturally clear and pure, and it is a beautiful fishing stream. Unfortunately, however, through much of its course it is contaminated by sewage, and refuse of factories. Like its neighbor, the Salamonie, it has many creeks emptying into it, but they are small and afford fishing only in times of high waters.

EEL RIVER.

There is good fishing in Eel River throughout most of its length, but its water is not clear, as is the Tippecanoe, but most of the year is muddy. It is between eighty and ninety miles long. It rises northwest of Fort Wayne, in Noble County, flows southwest through Whitley, Wabash and Miami counties, past the towns of Columbia City and North Manchester, and joins the Wabash at Logansport. It, too, has a dozen or more small creeks flowing into it that furnish sport for fishermen only in times of high water.

WEST WHITE RIVER.

The west branch of the White River rises in Randolph County, near Winchester, from whence it flows west, past Muncie, in Delaware County, Anderson, in Madison County, and on into Hamilton County, where it turns to the southwest and flows past Noblesville, thence through Marion County and the city of Indianapolis and on, maintaining a southwest course through the counties of Johnson, Morgan, Owen and Greene, and forms the line between Knox and Daviess counties to where it is joined by the East Branch

some forty miles from the Wabash. It is the second river of the State and drains an area one-half as large as that drained by the Wabash, or one-sixth that of the whole State.

The length of the valley of the West White is some two hundred and seventy-five miles, but it winds greatly within its valley, particularly through its lower half, and is probably a hundred miles longer.

It has a fall, from its source to its mouth, of 800 feet, or somewhat more than two feet to the mile. Above Anderson, however, it has a fall of 375 feet in 60 miles, or more than six feet to the mile. In the last 150 miles of its course the fall is less than 1.5 feet to the mile.

The West White is a clear, beautiful river and a splendid fishing stream naturally, particularly for small-mouthed black bass. Much of the upper portion of it is contaminated by sewage from the cities of Muncie, Anderson, Noblesville and Indianapolis. It is to be hoped that the time is not far distant when these cities and others will be compelled to make other disposition of their sewage than pouring it into our streams, and the West White will return to its naturally pure condition.

From Martinsville down there are no large cities to pollute the river and its water becomes pure. And here it flows through a more hilly country, and its scenery becomes much more picturesque. And it abounds with catfish, bass and other fish.

West White River has few tributaries of importance. Fall Creek, that rises in Henry County, near Newcastle, and empties into it at Indianapolis, has a length of some seventy-five miles, while Mill Creek, that joins it in Greene County, near Worthington, has a length somewhat greater. There is good bass fishing in each of these streams. Cicero Creek, some twenty-five miles long, drains Tipton and northern Hamilton counties, is a clear, beautiful stream, and furnishes good bass fishing. Eagle Creek is forty miles long and drains southeastern Boone and northwestern Marion counties. It is also a good bass stream. Further down is Lick Creek, thirty miles long, that drains eastern Hendricks and northern Morgan counties, Indian Creek, twenty-five miles long, that drains southwestern Johnson and southern Morgan counties, Beanblossom