Catches Sword Fish In Eau Claire River
Local Angler Makes Rare Catch Last Evening
Eau Claire Leader | June 18, 1908

James J. Raymond brought to the Leader office last evening a sword fish, which he caught below the Eau Claire river dam at the Linen mill. It measured about three feet in length, and had a sword a little more than six inches long and when opened spread across a space of five inches.

This is a rare catch in this part of the country. The fish is a salt water specimen and very seldom seen in fresh water streams. How it comes to be in these waters is a mystery. Mr. Raymond was fishing with the ordinary tackle and was quite surprised with his find. The fish still showed signs of life when exhibited at the Leader office last evening.

Chad’s Take: Not a fishy story (Sorry)
I have collected hundreds of articles that tell of some creature being found far from its natural habitat. Among these stories are alligators discovered in Minnesota, kangaroos in Wisconsin, a mysterious serpent in Iowa, and many more. Mr. Raymond’s claim of reeling in a sword fish out of the Eau Claire River certainly fits into the above category. To help add to the credibility of his bizarre story, Mr. Raymond decided to bring the live fish down to the Leader office for all of the newspaper staff to inspect.

It must have been quite the scene for Chippewa Valley residents who caught sight of Mr. Raymond carrying a three foot sword fish through downtown Eau Claire. The mystery of where the sword fish came from was never solved, and I have not been able to uncover what became of the fish once it departed the Leader office. Most likely Mr. Raymond would have put the curious fish on display where anyone with a spare dime could have viewed it . Or perhaps the fish was simply tossed back into the Eau Claire River where it is still waiting to be captured again.

Keep an eye out