272 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 8, 1888. 



musl settle the question wllO is victor. Slowly my fish 

 makes foi the opposite b.-mk. and breaks water While"! was 

 wiping oul my eyes, which had become dim with perspi- 

 ration, and could not sec his glistening sides. 



What's ill-- trouble now? Everything is quiet except the 

 write. One mure twist on the multiplying reel; not a 

 start; sulking I presume, and after cudgeling my braius for 

 n reason wh\ the fish did not do something. I followed up 

 my line, coming nearer every monicnt to where the thing 

 broke wat'-r. 1 threw a stone in and nothing moved, but 

 something had it mortgage 02 my line, and I wished to fore- 

 close. 



HoW IS this? My line is under the hank and 1 cannot see 

 any fish; another Wonder, My fish must have found a new 

 mule, a- on close inspection there seems to be a hole in the 

 bank and my line is in that. One whoop! and the aforesaid 

 '♦par" came up; Inning been watching me at a respectable 

 distance. 'Now you he kind enough to go up to the house 

 and get a spade, tor this fish has got to come oul." The 

 spade duly arrived and also one very extensive family, and 

 our fisherman was nol feeling well, having the "shakes,'' 

 aud wishing some of the visitors could indulge in them. 



After much hard work we brought forth I lie. '•largest, 



plumpest" muslcrat you ever saw. being hooked in the 



stern. B"m k Flick, 



P. 8.— 51 y gum boots and other fishing gear are for sale. 



Hajitfoud. Conn.. April 88. F. F. 



SALMON IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 



FROM the "Guide, or Travels through British Columbia, " 

 by Newton II. Chittenden, Victoria, we take the fol- 

 lowing': "1 have read, with much allowance, accounts of 

 the multitudes of salmon sometimes seen in the smaller trib- 

 utaries of the Umpqua, Columbia, andFraser rivet! but, 

 after what I have witnessed today, am prepared lu believe 

 any ilsh .story within the limits of possibililes. Arriving at 

 Emory, live miles below Yale, two young men from San 

 Francisco reported immense number.-' of salmon at them, nib 

 of Emory Creek, a small, rapid, mountain stream flowing 

 into the' I'Yaserjost above. Uoiug there 1 found it packed 



so full in places that I counted 

 lion upon the railroad bridge, o' 

 salmon. 51entiotiing the matter t 



'Oh! that's nothing, if you wan 

 next creek beyond.' Beaching t 

 four miles, and taking a central 

 crossing it, 1 counted, without 



Tins stream plunges down the r 



mi' m one posi 



mndred different 

 ii. he remarked! 



ilmon go to the 

 a r. a Ik of about 

 ipon the bridge 

 iverSQO salmon. 

 lewitha fall of, 

 probably, one hundred and fifty feet within a mile and a 

 half, being from five to fifteen yards ill width. For a distance 

 of several rods up fiom its mouih, the salmon were crowding 

 in from the muddy Fraser. now again rapidly rising, almost 

 as thick US they could swim, and in (heir desperate efforts 

 to. ascend the successive falls above presented a spectacle 



never before witnessed by the oldest, native settler. Mr. John 

 Woodworth, who has lived here for twenty-four years, sav- 

 in- never heard of the like. The salmon is" a fish of extraor- 

 dinary strength and agility, and are said to jump and swim 

 up perpendicular falls from ten to twenty' feet in height. 

 I stood upon the bank an hour and watched them in 

 their desperate struggles to make the ascent of several 



i I' ej - i sight Of hundreds v.hieh made 



the attempt, only a few, comparatively, succeeded, but 

 fell buck exhausted, splashing and whirling among the 

 boulders. -Many wen- covered with great bruises, some had 

 lost their eyes, a few lo \ dead upon the shore, others were 

 dying, and all seemed nearly worn out. Stepping close ton 

 pool filled with them, 1 easily caught two iumy hands. which 

 offered but Tic resistance. 'Before leaving, a photographer, 

 Mr. D. 1!. Judkins, of New 'Westminster, arrived and took 

 two \ iews of the remarkable scene. Mr. Daniel Ashworth. 

 wife and family were also present. Reaching Yale i told a 

 hotel-keeper about it. estimating the salmon at thousands. 

 'Thousands!' he exclaimed, almost with indignation, 'why, 

 there are millions of them now running up the Eraser, within 

 a few miles of the town.' Getting aboard Mr. Onderdonk's 

 construction train 1 rode along the river, fifteen miles to the 

 end of track. Millions was probably not much of an ex- 

 aggeration, for although the river was quite muddy, schools 

 of salmon, numbering thousands each, could be 'seen from 

 the platform of the cars, at short intervals, the entire dis- 

 tance. The Indians were catching aud drying them in large 

 quantities. Standing upon the edge of perpendicular pro- 

 jecting ledges, they capture the largest aud finest specimens, 

 either by means of hooks or scoop -nets, dress them upon the 

 spot and hang tliem up on long poles to dry in the wind and 

 sun. When sufficiently cured they arc packed in caches 

 made from cedar shakes, and suspended for safe keeping 

 among Ihe branches of trees from twenty to fifty feet above 

 the ground. It is the opinion of those familiar with the 

 habits of the .salmon, that not one in a I housaud succeeds 

 in depositing their spawn, and that if hatching places 

 were provided upon these streams, and protected, that they 

 could scarcely lie exhausted, under proper restrictions as to 

 catching them." 



STUNNING FISH. 



FROM a paragraph in your April 12 issue, there seems lo 

 In 1 a doubt, in the minds of some persons, as to the truth 



of the statement! 



Ft ri king the water near t 

 It is not uncommon to 

 men. to take the black 

 ... liood, by watching 

 rifle in the si.allo 



killed by a ball 

 lurseinfltctingnpwouud 



r hall 1 call them fisher 

 ISS of He- St. John's, in this ncigh- 

 r them ami shooting them Willi a 

 n the spring of the year, and kill- 



ing them by firing at them, but seldom hitting them. They 

 [l be i inned long enough for tnc sportsman to go out ii*, 

 a boai, ii he is on shore, and secure hi.- game. They find 

 that the best time to shoot is whin the tail of the" fish is 

 toward you. 



We also hear of persons having been killed or seriously 

 injured by the wind of a bull, as it passes iii close, proximity 

 to ihe head. This statement has, I think, never been corrob- 

 orated ; but what appears to have been a very remarkable 

 instance of it, in the case, of a lower animal, happened here 

 this spring. A gentleman tired at an alligator a little over 

 three f I long with a rifle of .112 caliber." The animal im- 

 mediately disappeared without the usual commotion in the 

 water when wounded, and the gentleman found him at the 

 bottom apparently dead, lie, could only have been wounded 

 in the head, if anywhere, as thai was the only pall, old of 



thi ■ tei i lo was shot at very short range, but not the 



slightest trace of even an abrasion of ihe skin could befound, 

 In a, shoii, lime, he cooipli tel\ recovered, and turned out to 

 be a remarkably vicious specimen, jumping and snapping at, 

 persons coming near him, like an irritable dog. Iliad him 



in my possession for some days, and he now adorns my hall 

 us a stuffed and far less troublesome specimen. We might, 

 perhaps, naturally expect, that the concussion would be 

 much more serious to the brain of the alligator than most 

 other animals, since its size, in a reptile of Hint length, would 

 about equal that of the bullet, the brain of the largest 

 alligator only weighing a few drains. F. D. Lente. 



Pai.atka, Ida.. April a'-i. 



ROD AND POLE. 



THE editorial on "Rod a 

 of names that all anglers 

 they have been silent. 1 li 

 rods call them "fish pole- 

 informed on other subjects 

 peel better tilings. No ma: 

 said on the subject, a rone \ 

 skuuk. As the late George D: 

 of fishing to fish,'' and thing- 



by their right names, 

 piece a musket, nor a i 

 liave names (hat have be 

 worthy of being written 

 cither carelessness or an 

 manship. In most cat 

 heard a man who has 

 first number speak of Hi 

 but I am confident tl 

 Mr Kiidieoll's dcliuitioi 

 wdth bark on it, is gooi 

 all stiff natural stick.- 

 and stupidity" in the 

 term being applied ti 

 one piece or in six. i 

 or u natural bamboo 

 >,Ili. 



1 Pole" touched upon an abuse 



aw suffered from, but on which 



,'c heard men who owned fine 



1 and they were men who were 



and from as lion, one would ex- 



•r what Shakespeare may have 



ld not be as sweet if called a 



rson has said, "it is not all 



:d in sports should be called 



We would not call a fine fowling- 



anofi a scow. Many of our sports 



•n in use since thev were first thought 



about, and a misuse of them denotes 



ignorance of the literature of sports- 



es it is the former. Not- long ago I 



cad FoBEST AND STREAM from its 



rjggej of his gun as the "fricker." 



at he would not have written it so. 



of a pole, which you give as a stick 



d as far us it goes. ' I would include 



hieh haul a fish out by "main strength 



itegory of "poles," bul 1 rebel at that. 



i rod tit to play n fish, whether it is in 



whether it is it manufactured article 



ue. R, N. F. 



I would refer vonr correspondent, who wishes to know if 

 "rod" or -pole"' is the correct term for his angling imple- 

 ments, to Webster. Under "pole" he gives us carriage-pole, 

 liberty pole, May-pole and beanpole, but. not fish-pole. 

 Under "rod'' he gives "The shoot or long twig of any woodv 

 plant, a branch, or the stem of a shrub: "as a' rod of hazel", 

 of birch, of oak or hickory. A slender stick; a, wand. * * * 

 A support for a fishing line. " I do not remember to have heard 

 an angler call his rod a pole, but I have heard country hoys 

 speak of a li-h-polc. I should as soon think of calling my 

 rod a fishing-stick as to term it a pole. ' Rochester. 



I notice your edilorial article of April 12 relating to "Rod 

 and Poie. " Please ask any good rod-maker if he makes fish- 

 poles. If he does not jump up and dance around I am mis- 

 taken. S. B. B. 



KtlTLAND Vti 



The Question oft' asked by our angling friends 

 As to where Rod begins, and where the Pole ends: 

 Though a hard nut to crack, if you'll but give me lime, 

 I'll endeavor to answer the poser in rhyme. 



There are many who hold that a stick with hark on 

 Is a Simon pure Pole, in their learned jargon; 

 So, per contra, the truth of their ride would be proved. 

 It a slide were called Rod when its bark is removed. 



There is one man I know, who 1 grieve to say leans 

 To the belief I hut a Pole is a prop used for beans, 

 But as he is a farmer of practical mind, 

 His Rods, Poles aud Acres are not of our kind, 



But joking aside. Asa rule 1 would move, 

 And I hope all my angling brothers approve, 

 That to settle the. vexatious question in point, 

 A Pole be called Rod, when it boasts of a joint. 



BLACK BASS HABITS. 



A WRITER in the Washington Star says: "The laws 

 of .Maryland prohibit taking bass during the month of 

 May, and those of Virginia for a certain time, commencing 

 thc"lotli of May. I contend that the angler's rod exerts but 

 a very small influence in thinning out the bass, and that 

 consequently all legislation on the subject is wholly un- 

 necessary as" will he hereinafter more fully set forth. l"t has 

 been about thirty years since bass were'first placed in the 

 headwaters of the Potomac, the facts pertaining thereto, as 

 procured from one of the parties who assisted in their in- 

 troduction, being us follows: Fourteen bass were procured 

 from some of the Western waters and placed in a mill-pond 

 near Cumberland. The. .stream was small, a mere creek. 

 After some years the dam broke and a number of the fish 

 finally found their way into the Potomac River. At this 

 time there were no fish in the Potomac that fed on other 

 species of fish to any great extent. The river being well 



slocked with toba -boxes (sun perch), mullets, suckers, 



etc., elc, the bass held a high carnival and, as a result, 

 increased very rapidly. Consequently flic river became 

 well stocked With them before the people were aware of 

 their presence, as they were not accustomed to fishing for 

 this kind of fish. But, after a few years, their numbers in 

 the vicinity of Cumberland began to tell on the fish on 

 which they depredated, aud it was noticed that as these fish 

 grew scarcer the bftSS correspondingly grew scarcer. 



"Tic result of this is that in the vicinity of Cumberland 

 the bass are not now so plentiful as they "were a few years 

 ago, and if the catch in this vicinity was totally prohibited! 

 hazard but little in saying that I bey would never become as 

 plentiful as formerly, unless some means be devised to in- 

 crease the fish upon which they feed. When theirsupply of 

 food gives out. they turn to eating each other, and regulate 

 their numbers in that way. even if there be not: one taken 

 with a hook or other means. 1 know that they eat each 

 other. Tor the reason that one of the largest, if not the 

 largest, bass I ever caught was found to have previously 

 swallowed a bass some live or six inches long— large enough 

 to jatoh with a hook. It could not swallow more than three- 

 fourlhs of the little bass, there being from one to two inches 

 of the tail protruding above its throat. Although thus 

 gorged, it sought another bait aud was caught, as stated. 

 This celebrated bass was caught at what is known as the 

 Stubble Field Falls, about three miles this side of the Great 

 Falls. 



"With such voracious fish prowling around how cau the 

 smaller fish maintain thcii requisite numbers, and unless 

 they do Ibis how can the has-, procure the necessary amount 

 of food without feeding on each other; Will our law- 

 makers give us some information on this subject,? The fact 

 is 1 1 ■ ; e r , c,-i-. I,-,-, taken leaves 'hut. many more small fish 



for the others, and therefore correspondingly le n i. 

 necessity for feeding on each other, Residents in the 

 vicinity of the Great Falls tell us that suckers, tobacco- 

 boxes, etc, etc., are much less plentiful than they were 

 before bass were introduced into the river, aud the presump- 

 tion is that but for the large number of bass that have been 

 taken m this vicinity by hook and line said fishes would 

 long ere this have been almost, or quite, exterminated. 

 Therefore if our law -makers would maintain and even in 

 crease the numher of bass, let them provide the necessary 

 hatching-houses for propagating mullets, suckers, tobacco- 

 boxes, etc.. etc. Keep the supply of food fishes up to the 

 demand, and the bass will take care of themselves fu spite 

 Of the angler's art. No mistake on this point. 



"Another reason why the fishing laws should he abolished 

 is thai the condition of Ihe weather and water is frequently 

 such as to prevent spring fishing until about the time said 

 laws take effect. Duriug the lime the fish are spawning 

 they need no laws to protect, them, for all anglers know that, 

 no kind of fish will bite at such times to 'amount to any- 

 thing. They appear for a tune to lose all desire for food, 

 and will spurn the most touching bait that can be offered. 1 

 have offered a hook to several species of perch while bed- 

 ding. They would take the hook into their mouths and carry 

 it out of their beds and drop it. No bait, that could be found 

 would tempt them into a bite. These same fish at other 

 seasons would bite ravenously. 1 am credibly informed 

 by others that they have, in Ihe same way. seen "bass refuse 

 the best bait that could lie offered. What, then, is the use 

 of laws to protect them at a time when they will not bite? 

 There could be no harm in laws that would" prohibit bass 

 fishing from, say, Hay 15 to September 1. 



"Adopt necessary measures to supply them with plenty of 

 food aud their numbers can never be materially lessened 

 by hook and line. "Angleu." 



Delaware River Notes.— The U. S. Fish Commission 

 on the 24th deposited the 'Joh. 0011 salmon fry in the head 

 waters of the Delaware Eiver, as I wrote you was to be 

 done. But there is much to be feared from ' the black bass 

 Which were placed in the same waters in 1870, and now 

 occupy the stream in immense numbers. We learn that 

 the Commissioner himself expresses a doubt that the re- 

 stocking the riverwith the salmon which years ago naturally 

 inhabituted the Delaware, will not lie attended with good 

 results, owing to the presence of the voracious bass, udiich 

 may not give the salmon a chance to grow and propagate, 

 Two or three years ago some of the streams emptying into 

 the upper Delaware were slocked with California mountain 

 trout, and protection has been given them. A few days since 

 an urchin of Hancock took a fine specimen of this fish, 

 which shows they have thrived. Suckers have commenced 

 to run in numbers in the upper Delaware waters, and 

 although before season, many larsc bass are now being 

 taken. It is stated that bass were never known to be so 

 plentiful as tit present about, Port Jervis. Trout fishing be- 

 gan April 1, but the streams have been so swollen, and so 

 much snow water is running, increased by the late storm, 

 no one has been able to enjoy the sport thus far. Anglers 

 may count on a good season in the Delaware valley as soon 

 as the first spring-like weather sets in, as the storm just 

 passed will put everything in order for a good campaign. 

 —Homo. 



Dynamite Fiends.— While England is trying to suppress 

 the murdering dynamite fiends who blowup buildings and 

 endanger the lives of innocent people, our neighbors on the 

 Pacific coast arc complaining of the use of dynamite by the 

 Chinamen, who use it to destroy fish. A writer in the Port- 

 land (Oregon) JVetrs says: "The cunniug Chinese often get 

 up to an unlawful trick here which had ought to he put a 

 stop to. It is blasting fish. They do not exactly get a fish 

 and blast it to pieces, as one might surmise from the phrase, 

 but they first steal a stick of giant powder, then find a point 

 in the river where they are cute enough to know the fish 

 accumulate, and there set off a heavy blast on the surface of 

 the water, which stuns the fish and' causes them to float on 

 the water. The long-fingered heathen soons rakes in a load 

 of them and trots off to camp. It really makes one sad and 

 somewhat mad, and his mouth to water,' to meet, while going 

 fishing, one of these grinning, grunting gormandizers.' with 

 a bland smile of contentment on his greasy features, his little 

 pig-eyes twinkling, his mouth split back" to his ears, almost, 

 showing his long white teeth, while he trots swingingly, 

 slowly along under a good load of fine fresh mountain trout 

 strung at each end of a bamboo pole. If you ask him, 

 'Where vou catch "cm, John';' hell be sure to say. -Me heep 

 no sabe'e, loung time; what fourr'.'' That's ail the satis- 

 faction one can get out of them. You go out fishing all day. 

 but never get a oite, and come home cussing your d — iviue 

 luck, and every pink-eyed, kruel knabcr in the kuntry." 



Worms rs Black Bass.— West Springfield, Pa.. April 

 23.— Wc have here a stream called Conncaut Creek, it has 

 a rocky bottom, swift current, and many deep pools. It 

 contains black bass, rock bass, pickerel" and many other 

 kinds of small fiy. As soon as the weather gets warm 

 enough, the bass tret wormy. The worm is about one inch 

 long jadisaaccbi i trigbf v.dlow th: >- ire usually found 

 under the scales, but 1 have often found them on the caudal 

 fins. Later on in the summer they seem to become more 

 numerous, and the fish are full of tliem. Can you tell me 

 what they are and what causes them ? The fish'are unfit for 

 use, and 'when so affected arc not very gamy. The bass are 

 the only fish they are found on.— Mack. [\V e have had sev- 

 eral accounts of 'these worms, but no naturalist has worked 

 out their life history. We have found them in perch also.] 



Growth op Salmon.— Manchester. N. H., April 28.— I 

 am very skeptical as to the supposed enormously rapid 

 growth 'of salmon in Scotland, as described in the article 

 you have just reprinted froni Blacfanood, Mr. Atkins is a 

 very earful observer, and his notes do not show any such 

 increase; and also confirm the "biennial" theory. ' about 

 which one of your correspondents, some time since, -won- 

 dered at me for admitting there to be any question. 1 have 

 no doubt of it, and cannot, take in the idea of a spent 

 salmon gaining a pound or two a, week in salt water, and 

 returning the same season to spawn again, though it may 

 be so.— SutrjEL Weiibkr. 



Abkkx the Salt Mackerel.— As to that salt mackerel, 

 skin it, and it doesn't make a bit of difference which side is 

 up. By the way, you will remember that Anacreon had 

 something to say on this subject — IxBvt .vviMtoro;, etc. — 

 Viator. 



