190 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 5. 1888 



WALL-EYED PIKE OF THE GENESEE. 



I READ with great interest tie notes of correspondents 

 os wall-eyed pike in Forest and Stream of the 20th, 

 and as the fish is well known and much sought by anglers 

 in this vicinity, I tender a slight contribution to the general 

 fund of information on the subject. 



I have been fishing for them with more or less persistency 



from schoolboy days until the present, or -well nigh twenty 



rerage success. Older anglers tell me 



that tin- tisii were formerly more abundant than thoy have 



late years, and that long ago there was no difficulty 



in Wring 1 1 1. mii by the dozen with hook and line, Where it is 



not easy of lati to get a "strike" at all. The only water 



i 'in . it;,- in which !hey are angled for is that part of the 



River between the lower falls and Luke Ontario, a 



distance of about five miles, and nearly all the fishing is 



done within a mile of tlie falls. The w'ater is from six to 



feet deep, and has a rough, rocky bottom, on which 



there niusl be ii Ion of leaden sinkers and miles of fishing 



by contact with the boulders, 

 1 have never known any pike to be caught here except 

 during the month? of April, May and June. When the 

 snow melts early and the water in the river becomes Blear in 

 April some of the more enthusiastic anglers venture to try 

 for pike in April and are occasionally rewarded by S. huge 

 fish, for it is believed by the fishermen that three varieties 

 of pike come up the Genesee. In April and May a large. 

 dark-colored fish, denominated the "blue pike, " ia caught; 

 theii weight is as high as teu pounds. Aftvr they disap- 

 pear ii i- tbe general belief that the yellow pike .succeeds to 

 the dominion of the waters. This fish is generally from two 

 to six pounds in weight, and sonic have been Uiken which 

 the spring balance -how to weigh ten pounds. I do not pre- 

 tend to give the weight of the big fish which everyone loses 



jaat as it is about to he- lifted in the boat, but sol I nay 



■ mi ii ii 1 1 have told me. and noone doubts a fisherman s 

 wind, that they have hooked ami played pike near the island 

 which, lo judge from their visible dimensions in the water, 

 could not be- an ounce under fifteen pounds. These big fel- 

 lows, I am sorry to say, always broke loose just as their 

 would-be captors were inserting their fingers in their gills. 

 .May and the first half of June are the season for the yellow 

 A it'tei they stop taking the hook a small tish called 

 Juno pike by local anglers puts in an appearance in large 

 numbers. They seldom exceed two pounds in weight and 

 - leaden color, differing materially in appear- 

 ance from either the blue or yellow pike. I have never 

 known one ol any kind to be taken with a hook later than 

 nntilJulj 1. if the season, including water, tem- 

 perature, wind. etc.. is favorable, one may Cham 

 i r more in a few huuts. 

 Seth Green used to fish here and could tell you. f presume, 

 3t th is just now recovering from a very 

 Bevero attach of pneumonia, which prostrated him soon after 

 ' Ironi the South, where he was .sporting for several 

 weeks with Robert li. Roosevelt). Jacob A. EToekstra, city 

 editor of the Mn-ni E i ■-• many a line in the 



pools and knows what it is to bring home a big string of pike. 

 He and a friend from "sweel County dork," T. W. "A. .were 

 i ev< i knew to fish for pike with a spoon hook, 

 tight half a bushel full one afternoon. They 

 trolled deep and baited the hook with a strip of fat pork. 

 Until I heard of their luck I had followed the plan which 

 custom prescribed, viz. : us© a single hook wit li a strip of 



Cl i cloth tied a few inches above the hook, half a dozen 



common earth worms wiggling on the barbed steel, and a 

 throe-ounce sinker fifteen" inches above the hook. I have 

 since tried the spinning or spoon hook and prefer it. The 

 current of the river runs from three to ten miles an hour 

 where we look for pike, and one person must give bis whole 

 attention to keeping the boat in position, moving up and 

 down or across the parts of the stream where experience 

 has shown that the pike most do congregate. 



The best hours for fishing are from sunrise until about 

 ten o'clock, and from three P. M. until sundown. The river 

 ia from thirty to fifty yards wide, and on a pleasant day 

 during a good season ten to fifteen boats can be seen on the 

 fishing ground at Once. It is a rather romantic spot for 

 angling, as the banks of the river ascend over a hundred 

 feel and almost perpendicular, which circumstance allows 

 the wicked "small boy" to stand on the bank above and en- 

 danger the angler's life by pelting him with stones. Pru- 

 dent fishermen sometime carry a revolver for the purpose 

 of intimidating the festive youth overhead, but apart from 

 ource of danger the contemplative fishenneetfi with 

 nothing to disturb him. 



I presume that trained ichthyologists will smile at my 

 Classification of the pike, but they are welcome to do so, 

 for I make no pretense of knowing anything about them 

 scientifically and merely record what I have heard. None 

 of our pike make a good tight. MTdh, 



1;i Schuster, Ma rch 31. 



WALL-EYED PIKE. 



J HAVE read with considerable interest the views of sev- 

 eral Correspondents Ol the Fobest \xn Stream in re- 

 gard to the wall eyed pike, or pike perch. As this is one of 

 our most abundant fishes in this section of the country, 

 what little I am able to say maj interest wine of your 

 readers, and at this season of' the year, just before the break 

 up here, perhaps I can be a little more liberal to the wall-eye 

 in my views, than I otherwise would be after having cap- 

 tured hundreds, and the longing and excitement had some 

 what subsided. 



The peculiar nature of the country here in the great park 

 Minnesota furnishes splendid opportunities for 

 fishing. The many beautiful lakes and swift, running 

 treats keeping the water clear and cool seem to just suit 

 the wall-eyed pike, for they are found in great numbers, and 

 large la! fellows they are. There seem to lie several 

 branches of the family, for some are very light colored, 

 while others are equally dark, in the spring of the year, as 

 soon as the water begins to flow into the lakes from the 

 thawing of snow, the pickerel or grass pike begin to run up 

 the stream lo spawn. In a couple of weeks, say about the 

 first I o the middle of May, the wall-eyes follow and then 

 gi-eat numln i g i pgared. Everybody has a spear in this 

 country, from the ten year old boy to old men. No mercy 

 is shown the tish, but wagon-loads arc carried si way every 

 day, and there is no law to protect them and bar thiswhole- 

 hter. No idea can possibly lie given- of the im- 

 mense numoera that are found in these small streams from 

 April to June. 



The Pelican Rive) lie-, jut south of this village :md drains 

 many of the largest lakes in Itieptrrk region. Tf is about 



twenty feet wide at this point, and averages perhaps a foot 

 or two in depth. The bottom is hard and gravelly and the 

 water is clear as crystal. The fish run so thickly here t bat 

 a boat descending the stream in spawning season drives the 

 tish ahead in such numbers that a wave'is raised by them 

 often a foot in height. This is a common occurrence and 

 can be seen at anytime during the mouths mentioned above. 

 After the spawning season is over the fish retire to the lakes 

 again, and then the rod and reel come into active use. As 

 1 said before the pike is one of the most common fishes 

 here, and in fact I suppose two of these are taken to every 

 other one of different varieties. They are not the best 

 biters by any means, but whether it is from the good living 

 they find or their natural disposition 1 am unable to judge', 

 and would like to hear how they act elsewhere. Certain it 

 is that in the opening of the season they bite much better 

 and harder than later on. I have never seen them taken 

 with the fly in these waters, but I think they could be very 

 easily, for I have seen them spring entirely out of the water 

 for insects, time and agsiin. Have' also drawn a baited hook 

 swiftly over the surface and had them dsirt up at it, and 

 have sometime secured them in this manlier. The common 

 mode of fishing for them here is with a heavy bait in the 

 deep water. They take it very quietly, and you seldom feel 

 them on the hoo'k until you beam to pull tip, The way 

 you generally find that you have a fish is to see your line 

 move off at an tingle— a pretty sure sigu that the end of the 

 hook is occupied. Occasionally you receive a good hard 

 strike, but it is a rare occurrence With the pike. 



Tbe black bass are also very numerous here, and some of 

 the finest specimens I have ever seen have been taken. Four- 

 pounders sire of common occurrence, and some run even 



!n- li as da and -ix and a half pounds. They striki 

 well, and it i- always an easy matter to tell whether a pike 

 or bass i - tugging at your line. For my part, I like the flesh 

 of the pike much battel than the black bass in this locality. 

 The meat is liner, harder and of a clearer color. Of course , 

 all have their preference, hot i think this is the popular 

 opinion among the fish-eating community here. 



I have fished considerably in different "parts of the country, 

 and I believe that in no 'part of the West are such fine 

 catches made as are tsiken here. A prominent Indiana 

 sportsman, here last summer, says he has fished in the waters 

 of nearly all the States and Territories, but never saw any- 

 thing that equalled our lisbiug here lie went out with a 

 party of three, and after fishing till 1 P. M., but twenty tish 

 were taken. Thev then moved along some distance to the 

 inlet ol o good sized lake. Bight at this inlet there is a. small 

 bay, I en Feel square, with the water quite deep and still. A 

 Strong wind was blowing directly in from the lake, and 

 rolled the waves up well. The fish under these circumstances 

 slwayt congregate here in large quantities. In one hour 

 they had increased their string from twenty-five to one hun- 

 dred and thirty-seven, Nearly all were wall-eyed pike, 



th several bass, pickerel, etc. They stated that their 



trfneeof tl 



.ter before they 



ii.is ii! the aireontinu- 



frotn the gentleman 



ent referred to above. 



this. One of them 



pent a whole day on 



They took over 



The wall-eyes 



hooks hardly touched tin 



were taken, and a fish or f v 



ally. It took the breath cleat awi 



from Indiana and he msec ! jtafc 



I have seen still greater catches ths 



was thai of a party of three, who 



Detroit Lake without weighing an 



three hundred fish, two-thirds wall-cy._. 



alone filled an apple barrel to overflowing, and a large box 



beside. 



Of course all this fish slaughter is useless, but while the 

 fish do bite the fishers will fish, at least until our Legislature 

 passes laws to the contrary, which is very hard to regulate. 

 Parties getting off for a day's fish are bound, ten to one, to 

 vie with each other to see who can make the greatest haul. 

 Mow I have told what I know about the wall-eye here and 

 should like to see other readers of the Fouest and Stream 

 come up and state what they know. One thing I can assure 

 all sportsmen. If they want a pretty, quiet place to spend 

 the heated season, where sufficient fish and game is found to 

 insure good sport, they cannot do better than to come here. 

 I ain pleased to slate that this season will witness ample ac- 

 commodations for all, and I would be pleased to give desired 

 information to parties inquiring. Below I give you a syn- 

 opsis of the game law passed by the late Legislature of 

 Minnesota: Ducks from the 1st of September to the 15th of 

 May, prairie chick, as d el err mse from the loth of August 

 to The 1st of October, partridges, pheasants, etc, ■, from the 1st 

 of October till the lit of January. The deer shooting season 

 has been extended from the 1st "of November to the 1st of 

 December. H. P. Hamilton. 



Detroit. M1rm., March 25. 



Philadelphia Ancili.no Notes. — March 31. — There is it 

 poor outlook at present for our trout fishermen who resort 

 to Pennsylvania State as soon as the condition of the streams 

 after the, opening season. April 1, permits. No one as I can 

 find out will attempt a trip now. as the mountains are yet 

 full of snow, and this will have to disappear and run off be- 

 fore fishing will be worth trying. The backwardness of the 

 season has caused the coming of the shad up the Delaware 

 late this year. Many giJling skiffs have started down the 

 bay and arc already fishing there. All that is wanted is a 

 lew days of warm,' spring-like weather, and the shad will 

 run. Big preparations for the season are being made sit 

 Gloucester and Howell's Cove fisheries.— Homo. 



New Hampshire Thoiit Season.— Franklin Falls, N. 

 II. , April %.— Editor Fort*/ >■■»"' Stream: In your leading 

 editorial of March 28, you give the Open season of brook 

 trout as commencing April 1 in this Slate. By referring to 

 Forest and Strew of December ?, 1883, and also to 

 "Fish and Game Eaws of Ihc Stale of New Ilsimphshire" 

 1 find that the close season is from September 30 lo April 

 80. I direct your attention to the above sis you may mis- 

 lead some of our more ardcnl for verdant) anglers. Trout 

 fishing here, at present, could be neither pleasant nor profit- 

 able, "owing to the great amount of snow which still re- 

 mains, an average dephlh of about two feet. — H. 



Born; to i u k Nepioon.— Will some one of your readers 

 who "knows the way" to Nepigon be so kind as to inform 

 the writer through the Forest and Stream of the shortest 

 time route to Nepigon from Chicago, and what the time is? 

 Also, how far must one ascend the river to obtain good trout 

 fishing? By so doiug he would much oblige one who would 

 like to know.— Ang ler. 



Go to Press we learn of the death of Mr. William 

 Mills, senior partner of the firm of William Mills & Son, 

 dealers in fishing tackle, 7 Warren street, N.iw York. 



THE TROUT DISPLAY. 



■PIIE new Fulti 

 1 and Tuesday 



profusion. Mr. H 

 specls exceeded 

 former years. It 

 of the number or 1st 

 of electric light 



si Market was in gay attire on Monday 

 last, and trout ami roses were there in 

 lekford had a display that in some re- 

 in I in others fell behind his efforts of 

 ixceeded former displays in the matter 

 ge Western trout and the introduc- 

 s in the tanks ot live fish, while it 

 n be 



fell behind in the number of private exhibitors. Canada 

 was well representee! by a great quantity of wild trout, 



which were in good condition, much better than informer 

 years. They were long shapely fish, very dark, and witli 

 bright red bellies. A pair of Canadian "sea trout" attracted 

 much attention, and anglers disputed as to their being 



foiitiiwlix, 

 in salt wa 

 State, Rt 

 sola, Pet 

 nestled 



crimson spots 

 irtsofNew York 

 ichusetts, Minue- 

 d the tables and 

 rated them. The 

 mil sent many live 

 g by the electric 



the moss divisions which "s 

 South Side Sportsman's Club of Long 



trout winch showed well in the evt , 



lights suspended in their tanks. They were startled by it at 

 first, but gradually lost fear of the strange brightness. 



RAINBOW TROUT. 



The display of the rainbow trout {8. irith-n) was the best 



ever inside in she East. Six specimens, ranging from eight 

 to sixteen pounds, stretched their lengths on the dabs and 

 looked larger than they were. These specimens were taken 

 in Paper Mill Creek, Marion county, Cal., and were not as 

 bright as some smaller specimens" sent by the U, S. Fish 

 Commission from the salmon breeding ranch at Baird. 

 I Shasta county. Cal. The Dair of live rauibows of two and 

 a half and three pounds, raised from the egg by the South 

 Side Sportsman's Club, attracted much attention; their 

 darkly spotted sides, red central lines and brilliant opercies en- 

 abled the most careless observer to decide that they were of 

 a different species. 



THE MINNESOTA FISH COVUVKSStON. 



The Minnesota Commission sent from their State hatchery 

 specimens of California salmon, brook trout, land-locked 

 salmon, lake trout and hybrids, wall-eyed pike and yellow 

 perch. The specimens ranged from halt a pound to two 

 pounds, and were in good condition. 



DOLLY VAP.DEN. 



A single specimen of the Dolly Varden trout, HOiueltn if a 

 malma, was sent by the U. S. F. "C, and greatly inti resti 

 fishculturists. The fish would weigh about six pounds and 

 it was spotted with large crimson dots all over its .-: tes Jli 

 high up the back, and is no doubt a beautiful fish when fresh 

 from the water. It is rare in its own country, and fishcul- 

 turists have not yet succeeded in obtaining its eggs. No 

 doubt it will be a valuable acquisition to our Eastern game 

 fishes when once introduced. 



EMBRYO TISH. 



In the glass hatching jars on Mr. Blackford's tables were 

 infantile specimens of brook trout. German trout, salmon 

 and land-locked samon from the Cold Spring hatchery of the 

 N. Y. Fish Commission, and some eggs of the rainbow trout 

 from the same place. 



OTHER FEATURES. 



Many large striped bass and other fishes were displayed, 



, of • 



. egentle- 



whom there were a great 



;, boquets and trout made 



right picture, and proved 



ive so good an opportunity 



i;it yearly set out by Mr. 



man'- there was a fine dis- 



d a large cam which, swam 



b new and 



in butter, 



, hud hurried to get their new 



ve in for (he benefit of the crowd 



to attract. One curious feature 



sent from France by M. Charbon- 



aud which had laid "many ol their 



the tank. These animals were 



iind the floral decoratic 



men as well as by the ladk 



number present. Climbini 



from different flowers, mat 



a treat to thousands who ni 



of seeing such an exhibition as th 



Blackford. At Middleton & Can 



play of trout from near home, am 



contentedly in a globe. Inside tl] 



bright with freshly painted stalls. 



meats, game, vegetables. 



stands in order and to m 



Which the trout were sur 



was the pair of axolotlo 



nier to Mr. Blackford, t 



large gelatinous egg; 



albinos, and their pu 



where they are said to ne eaten; in tact, me army oi uortez 



is reported to have fed largely upon them. Th y have i 



legs and external gills, and resemW t the so-called prpteus ol 

 "lizard'' of the great lakes. 



VISITORS. 



All day, from five in the morning until !i at night, a con- 

 stant stream of visitors passed through the pint of the market 

 next to Beekman Btrcet, and which is known as "Fish 

 avenue." Ladies came in great numbers toward the middle 

 ol the day. and the restaurants were busy serving trout in 

 all shapes to the hungry. In the crowd 'we noticed many 

 anglers whom the recent cold storm had kept av, s , Eton) 

 Long Island, and who. if they were deprived of catching 

 tiout, were determined to see them in all their variations of 

 shape and color. Among them we noticed Prof. E. L. You- 

 nians, ex-Gov. Gibbs, of Oregon; Fish Commissioner Hon. 

 R, B. Roosevelt, John E. Devlin, George Shepard Page, 

 Piesident of the Fisheultural Association; Assistant 

 United States Treasurer Thomas 0. Acton. Leon- 

 ard Jerome. Jordan L. Mott, John Foord, and 

 Earl Grosveuor, son of the Duke of Westminster, of Eng- 

 land.; Prof. Bice, of the Johns Hopkins University; Francis 

 Eudicott, President of the National Rod and Reel Associa- 

 tion: Chas. M. Evarfcs, of Yermont; Dr. E. Bradley, Presi- 

 dent of Blooming Grove Park: A, i\'. Cheney, of Glens 

 Falls; Charles llsdlock. II. J. Feuton, Superintendent Con- 

 necticut Fish Commission: H. 11. Thompson. Secretary 

 Itisl.v Club; William Mitchell, Charles F. Murphy, Dr. 

 Geo. M. Eddy, Prof. A. M.Mayer, Reuben Wood, B. F. 

 Nichols, Charles E. Fecks. Fred Malleson, Samuel J. 

 Guthrie, and a host of others to whom we nodded as we 

 passed through, but whose names have at: present escaped us. 

 Taking it all in sill it was a great day for the worshipers of 

 Saint Salvclinus. 



A.NoeiAo Books. — The collection of angling books belong 

 ing to the late Lorenzo Prouty is now offered for sale. Mr 

 Prouty was an angler well known to our readers as being 

 forthe past quarter of a century at the head of tl 

 tsickle department of the late firm of Bradford & Anthony, 

 Boston. During tins time he collected many books on ang- 

 ling; and no doubt many of his friends will be ji.i 1 i 

 obtain a memento of him in the shape of one of his hooks. 

 especially when it is known that the sale is for the benefit of 

 his widow and child. A short time before his death Mi, 

 Prouty had decided to withdraw from the firm above named 



