Well, here in New Hampshire a Swamp Donkey is slang for moose, the giant, lumbering, stank beasts that inhabit our forested hinterlands. Moose are quite common in northern new england especially in the sticks where I normally fish. On a fine early morning while fishing in extreme northern New Hampshire with my eternal fishing buddy Joe, we launched the canoe in the misty morning fog hoping for some northern pike action. The pond was calm and the air was crisp and cool creating floating clouds on the water. The smallmouth bass fishing presented itself quickly as both of us began slammin smallies on topwaters. As we meandered our way through little coves and behind tiny islands we began to detect a rather "special& amp;qu ot; odor lingering in the air. As we perused the shoreline searching for the source of the stench and catching a bass or two along the way......a large mound of mammal caught our attention. It was tucked behind an island half submerged, rotting in a fly infested heap. As we paddled closer we realized it was an adult moose that met it's unfortunate demise along the pond's bank. Firstly, moose smell like death before they are dead, so image what a 900 pound soaking wet, maggot laden hairball smells like. After inspecting the creature and satisfying our curiosity we decided to take a few casts and see what kind of fish structure a moose can provide. We bounced a few lures off from the bloated carcass and saw a swirl near the aptly placed torpedo, enticing the efforts of a small pickerel. No pike were caught that day, we managed to boat 25 or so bronzebacks, but it's the Swamp Donkey that i remember from that day. We later launched at a pond less than 2 miles from there and saw yet another dead moose ready for casting. Good times.
(4 comments)
