Fisk and Fishinor in America. 



6i 



the spawn of nobler species, and the 

 vegetation upon which wild fowl feed, 

 should act as another caution signal in 

 the introduction of foreign species of 

 fish in American waters. If we study 

 the results of what has been done in this 

 direction, we find either absolute failure 

 or positive injury to our indigenous 

 game fishes so strongly shown in the 

 multiplication of the German or brown 

 trout in the brooks where our fontinalis 

 lives. In the face of these facts we now 

 find our United States Fish Commission 

 busy over the propagation of the tench, 

 an European brother of the carp, and a 

 fish that is considered in England, 

 where coarse fish are eagerly sought by 

 the general angler, to be below the carp 

 as a rod fish, and "when brought to 

 table they smell and taste so rankly 

 that no one will eat them." vSo saith 

 Pennell, an English authority on fish 

 and fishing. 



Amply as I have written, somewhat 

 under a sentimental protest, about the 

 carp, many additional pages could be 

 printed relative to its history and habits, 

 but " Sufficient unto the day is the evil 

 thereof," and I have now only to treat 

 of its qualities on the rod and on the 

 table. In 1882, soon after its first dis- 

 tribution in American waters through 

 the United vStates Fish Commission, 

 inquiries where made of the editorial 

 department of Tlie American Angler as 

 to the standing of the carp in the family 

 of the so-called game fishes. I replied 

 at lengfth and as follows : 



The carp is, without doubt, destined 

 to become one of the most plentiful of 

 our food fishes, and as such we have 

 had its merits heralded for three years 

 past ; in fact we have, to phrase a para- 

 dox, been lately surfeited with this fish 

 before we have even tasted it. His gift 

 of age and heft has been conceded, but : 



" Is he as good to catch as he is said 

 to be good to eat ?" 



Let us look into this serious phase of 

 the carp question, first learning what 

 the old anglers say about him : 



Dame Juliana Benners, in her " Boke 

 of St. Albans," printed in 1496, in her 

 queer, positive old English, lays down 

 the carp law to us, with a woman's 

 directness of language and force of 

 temperament. We quote : 



He is an euyll fysshe to take. For he is so 

 stronge enarmyd in the mouthe that there maye 

 noo weke harnays holde hym. And as touch- 

 ynge his baytes I have but lytyll knowledge of 

 it. And me were loth to write more than I 

 knowe & haue provyd. But well I wote that 

 3^e redde worme & ye menow ben good batys 

 for him at all tymes, as I haue herde says of 

 persones credyble & also found -\\Tyten in bokes 

 of credence. 



* We must admit that the Dame is very 

 good as far as she goes, but she does 

 not go far enoiigh. 



The Father and Teacher of us all, of 

 whom to speak is to revere, " Old Isaak." 

 talks as quaintly and knowingly of the 

 carp, and of catching and cooking it, as 

 he does of all the rest of the fish that he 

 angled for, cooked and ate. Read what 

 he says : 



If j-ou will fish for a carp, you must be put 

 on a very large measure of patience — especially 

 to fish for a river carp. I have known a very 

 good fisher angle diligently four or six hours in 

 a day, for three or four days together, for a 

 river carp, and not have a bite. And you are 

 to note that in some ponds it is as hard to catch 

 a carp as in a river; that is to say, where they 

 have store of feed, and the water is of a clayish 

 color; but you are to remember I have told you 

 there is no rule without an exception; and, 

 therefore, being possessed with that hope and 

 patience which I wish to all fishers, especially 

 to the carp angler, I shall tell you with what 

 bait to fish for him. But first, you must know 

 that it must be early or late; and, let me tell 

 you, that in hot weather, for he will seldom bite 

 in cold, you cannot be too early or too late at 

 it. And some have been so curious as to say 

 the tenth of April is a fatal day for carp. The 



