June 38, 188S. ] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



427 



int./ the rake just between the hotel*, ami good trolling for 

 pike and pickerel can be had here when it is too rough to go 

 Outride. Qcili.. 







f'.iities who wish to have moderately good black bass 

 iisiiino , either fly or minnow, tain find it on Goose Creek, 

 when rfear (which is, I'm sorry to .state, not the case BOW)i 

 in LOu'ddB county. V.i. One who examines the map will 

 And this tributary of (lie Potomac within easy access of 

 Washington by rail, sizable enough to hold many and large 

 tish, and small enough to be fished :it many points with the 

 fly by wading. As 'this stream empties into the PotrtnMC, 

 one has a ehoiee between two good things. Boats are used 

 more on the Potomac, and maybe taken uptioose Creek 

 for about, a mile before coming to a dam. One may find 

 cxeellenl accommodations at Lent's Dam, not far from (he 

 railroad. Mr. Lent has taken once, and i suppose would do 

 SO again, a pair, brace or couple (whichever is right) of 

 anglers let stay a night or two. 



I know from the gentlemen so entertained that they were 

 pleased with their "host and his treatment of (hem. Mr. 

 Lent's house is within thirty or forty yards of the stream 

 and admirably adapted to fish like warfare, Mr. L. and his 

 son in-law are so fond of fishing themselves that they take 

 a personal interest in the angler's success, and cheerfully do 

 all they can to assist him They have a large dip net, to 

 catch minnows-for bait, at their sawmill, and can procure 

 branch minnows from parties living on Syeohn, a tributary 

 of (loose <-'reck not lar off. Mr, L. and his son-in-law con 

 slitiile a perfect contradiction to the idea that persons fond 

 of the rod are lazy, as they have successfully made a clear 

 ing and built their houses and mill in one- of the rockiest 

 parts ill I be country, and are now cultivating land which 

 seemed to be covered at first with rocks fumbled in coufu 

 sion down the sloping country near the creek. A clear 

 colli spring (nicely encased in hydraulic cement) bubbles up 

 through an opening in the kitchen floor and within a loot 

 or two of the stove.'so that a person may dip water from the 

 spring to till a vessel on the stove without moving the feet. 

 A room adjoining has a trough cemented in the same way. 

 which serves as a* dairy for milk, flutter, and even fish can 

 lie kept alive ready for transportation at the close of a trip. 

 Everything about'the house is as neat as a new pin, and Mr. 

 L. and his family are genuinely hospitable and kiud, as 

 indeed folk fond of angling generally are. I hope it is not 

 necessary to say that, I have no earthly interest in this mat- 

 ter, except thai 1 have made pleasant acquaintances at 

 Lent's Dam among those who love the forest and the stream, 

 i he artistic fly and the bending rod. 



In one particular this placets deficient, viz., in a firsl- 

 elass boat. There are good boats on the creek at other 

 points. Leesburg is about three miles Off. Two Baltimore 

 gentlemen have lately tried this stream, and 1 can procure 

 their address. Thomas Williamson. 



THE ENGLISH TOURNAMENT. 



THE Making BaeeUe International Anglers' Tournament, 

 in aid of ihe Anglers' Benevolent Society, took place 

 at the Welsh Harp, Hendon, on Monday, June 11. The 

 day opened with a cold northeast wind and rain, and it 

 threatened rain all day. and this detracted somewhat from 

 the attendance. The presence in London of so many per- 

 sons from foreign lands who are interested in flsh matters, 

 brought out many strangers. A correspondent of the Spott- 

 ing Lift writes; 



TMTv-nrcl evening (lie mm shone out beautifully, aud a group of the 

 visiters was taken in the ground by Mr B. W. Goodden, photographer, 

 ot Putney. The first competition was (he amateur By-casting com- 

 putiiion, with single-handed fly rod. The competitors were Messrs. 

 Murpny, SBuTeek, Baker, JS. B. Marston, and Reuben Wood. This 

 was a ferj prettj competition, and resulted in the victory of the 

 Stars an I Strtpee, Mr. Wood throwing XT*4 yards, though he was 

 closely ran l.y Mr. Matlock, who was only half a yard behind him. 

 In the second competition, an amateur competition with single- 

 handed fly rod, in throwing fly Willi greatest accuracy and lightness 

 under bushes, the Englishmen had their revenge, Mr. Mallock.of 

 Perth, proving the winner, Mr R. B. Marston. the editor of the Fish- 

 i„fi (lazctl". being second, and Mr. Baker third. For the third com- 

 petition, tor amateur tly casting, with double-handed trout fly-rod. 

 several prizes were given. Mr. Mallock made some splendid casts. 

 heating our American friend, Mr. Wood, though he certainly threw 

 a splendid east. Mr. Parker, of the Greshaui Anglers, made some 

 capital throws. For the fourth competition Messrs. Wood and Matlock 

 again contested, and Mr. Wood won with a grand cast of thirty-six 

 yards. Ins i'ri.-ndly competitor only being one yard behind him. For 

 thi J: competition, which was for au amateur contest in casting in 

 Ihe Thames style, three prizes were given, and great excitement, 

 prevailed. Messrs. Powell, Palmer, Cuborne, Granfleld. Chambers, 

 Hobden, Lewis, Aldis, Simpson and Da Costa competed, and Mr. 

 Powell won, Mr. Simpson being second, and Mr. Aldis third. The 

 sixth competition was for amateur casting from the reel in Notting- 

 ham style. Messrs. Slater, Martin, Gregory and Hobden competed. 

 Mr. Slater won, but Mr. Hobden was only half a yard behind, with 

 Mr. Martin third. The seventh competition was an amateur contest, 

 open to Tharne? and Nottingham style, at casting at a fix. d mark, 

 the angler casting the ban nearest to the mark to take first prize; the 

 next best angler the second, and the third kest cast the third. For 

 the seventh competition. Messrs. Slater, Simpson. Chambers, Pow- 

 ell, G. Lewis, North, Palmer, Packman, Sr.. and Hobden competed, 

 and after an exciting contest Mr. Powell won. Mr. Slater second, and 

 Mr. i IhombBTS third. The excitement now grew intense, aud for the 

 eighth contest i litee of the Wildera (well known on the Thames), Ted 

 Andrews iof Maidenhead!, and Bob Plummer iof Monkey Island. 

 competed, Mr Andrews Won with a cast of fifty-four yards, Wilder 



■ ' - i H.acas' of forty-five yards, and very clever that 



was considered Xhe eighth competition was that joined in profes- 

 sionally, and the contestants were the three Wilders (well kuown on 

 the Thames). Ted Andrews of Maidenhead, aud Plummer, Jr.. halt- 

 ing, if we recollect rightly, from somewhere in the vicinity of Mon- 

 key Inland. The ninth competition, For professional casting from 

 the reel, in Nottingham style, Messrs. Gibson, Marston. Andrews, 

 Wilder, Jr. A sort of consolation prize, and my old friend, the 

 'Trent titter." and several other,, compete. Unfortunately the com- 

 petitions were prolonged, aud at the time I left, the competitors were 

 busy at it. 



The London tip-ir/smaii says: 



Special temptation to visit Hendon was tound on Monday in the 

 angling tournament, which was held partly on the lake and partly In 

 the. grounds of the Union Gun Cluh; Mr. Warner, who is nothing if 

 Hot ingenious, ha 1 rigged up a. sort of Robinson Crusoe raft 

 posed of empty beer barrels and planks, and had moored it along the 

 shore. From this the competitors threw their lines with more or less 

 vigor into the lake. The majority of the contests, however, took 

 place upon dry land, the ground being staked nut in lines tor the pur- 



thi ji being (he center of the inch. sine usually occu- 

 pied as n shooting ground. A won! as to the weather will not be out 

 ot place especially as this gathering has generally been associated with 

 rain and cold winds. The committee, probably, going on the princi- 

 ple i hal a good fruit year comes once m every three, looked forward 

 to a glorious lime, this season, as they bad been sadly disappointed .0 

 previous meetings. Happily the rain which threatened held orf, though 

 the day was cloudy and cold. The number of visitors was larger 

 than at any similar gathering, though tie- attendance was by no 

 means as large as II should have been, considering the charitable ob- 

 ject for which the meeting was promoted. The attendance, how- 

 i-vr, by n,. means represented the whole or the profit which win 

 acme to the society from the tournament, as a very large number of 

 persons who did not attend had bought tickets. 



The first competition was for lly casting with the single-handed 

 rod. winch was won by Mr. Wood, wh.. threw a,U. yards, Mr, Mallock. 

 an expert Scotchman, being second (8» yards), and Mr, Kaker third, 

 with St. Mr. Reuben Wood, who resides at Syracuse, New York 

 state, is .0 present, staying in England in connection with the Fisher- 

 ies Exhibition, where he has charge of an American collection of 

 rods and lines, etc, [Je is tec champion fly-fteher of the. States, and 

 president of the Onondaga Fishing Club. Mr. Wood is over sixty 

 years of age, but as active as a young man at twenty. He has a lot 

 Of prize trophies, but the one he values most is a beautiful gold 

 badge given him by the members of his club before he left for 

 England. 



Casting contests are in neb more common in America than in Eng- 

 land. ;and Mr. Wood has generally figured to good purpose in these, 

 for the last twenty years, aud he has been champion for twelve. 

 His style of fishing is neat, skillful aud cleaniy, and he is a e insum 

 mate master of the difficult aft of getting bis fly on to the water 

 before his line— a feat in which so many amateurs fail. Mr. Wood 

 used split bamboo cane rods— Implements in the manufacture of 

 wlich Americans excel. The split or glued rods are mam In, , 

 nmples of Yankee Ingenuity. They have gradually been improved 

 until they are now as near perfection as i! would be p issible to get a 

 rod. They ale made in hexagon form, the strips being beveled so as 

 to fit each other with the greatest nicety. The glue, however, with 

 which (hey arc • •fixed up" is a trade secret, known only to about 

 three men, as is also the varnish. Both are perfectly impervious to 

 wet, and It; is impossible to gel the best made roils apart, or to injure 

 them except by ill-usage. They are tough enough to hold any fish, 

 and yet so flexible that it is possihlc almost to make them crack like 

 a coach-whip, 



But to resume our narrative. Mr. Mallock was first in the second 

 contest for "throwing the lly (single-handed rod! with I he greatest 

 accuracy aud lightness, under bushes;'' Mr. Marston second, and Mr. 

 Baker third. The said bushes were another triumph of Welsh B?arp 

 ingenuity, and were certainly worthy of a stage manager. A contest 

 of double -handed fly -rods followed, and in this Mr. Mallock and Mr. 

 Wood ran a very close race, the American ehampi.ni being beaten by 

 justhalf a yard, thff winner managing to throw his fly thirty live 

 yards. Mr. Mallock used a splendid greenhart pad, and certainly 

 made his line travel in extraordinary fashion, but he would hare to 

 select bis pool if he were to fish for the lordly salmon in similar 

 fashion. He certainly would run t lie risk- of hauling up a tree or t wo 

 by the roots, to say nothing of clearing off the "wee. modest daisy" 

 heads behind him. Mr. Reuben Wood beat his friendly rival in the 

 next contest (for salmon-rods., as lie managed to throw a cast fitted 

 up by Mrs. Williams, of Great Queen street, no less thnu thirty-six 

 yards, the Scotch representative failing to get beyond his original dis- 

 tance of thirty-five yards, 



RULES. 



I. -Competitors are at liberty bo use their own rods, lines 

 ;ept where otherwise specified, and subject, to 



(be 



Kiel 



II. -No rod shall exceed the following lengths; 



Ft. In. 



Single-handed fly competitions 13 (i 



Double-handed ft v competitions 1(1 



Salmon rlv competitions 20 



Thames style bait competitions U 



Nottingham style bait competitions 14 



III.— No allowance in points le.r distance) shall be made for 

 difference in length of rods. The term rod shall be. understood 

 to mean a bona fide fishing rod. 

 IV.— Each competitor shall use the artificial baits and flies 

 .r casting provided by the management. 

 V.— Competitors shaU draw- lots to determine the order in 

 Which they shall cast, and must be ready to commence when 

 called upon by the time-keeper. 



"I.— In each competition live minutes will be allowed for 

 ting; the judges, however, may allow further time, if they 



II.— The fly competitions will take, place on the water, 

 L each competitor will be required to cast from the same 

 position, either from a punt on the lake or from the bank 

 (according to the wind), as mav be deluded bv the judges. 



V 111. —The bait castings will take place on the grass, and 

 competitor will be required to stand on the selected ground, 

 which will represent as far as possible the floor of a punt. 



IX. — In no ease will three prizes be awarded in any compe- 

 tition unless there are at least four competitors. 



X. — The decision of the judges to be linal in all cases. 



We are enabled to give the following score through favor of r 

 Mr. B. B. Marston, of the Flxltim/ GazAle. Judges: Messrs. 

 Bates, Cmtuplen and C. Hatfield. 



Amateur fly-casting with single-handed (ly-rod. Eat. 



Amateur competition in casting in I lie Thames stvl Gael 



pelitor to use the same rod. line, winch and weight, which in this in. 

 stance will be SL.y.z. Rntrauc fee i's. (Id. 



First prize Cahoru 61 yards. 



Second prize Hobden C.n yards. 



Third prize I'lmnpton 5P yards 



[FROM OUR OWN OOKBESPONEoeStta.] 



The Great Intebnattonal Fisheries Exhibition, > 

 South KEWsmaTon, y 



London, June 14, 1883. ) 

 Kilitur Fimxf anil Stiwm: 



The inclosed dipping will give the principal details of Ujo 

 Anglers' Tournament, on Monday, 11th insl. It occurred tit 

 Welsh Harp, a beautiful village' about ten miles from the 

 center of London. The United States was represented by 

 Mr. Reuben Wood, who covered himself with glory, cany 

 ing away three prizes ilwo first and one second). He might 

 have won others hail he entered for competition. To cheer 

 him on several of our parly were on the ground, including 

 Prof. Goode. f'apt. Collins, .Mr- IlausiiiiMin and myself. 



I i,i, is I. II. 111. and IV. were from a raft on'the shore 

 of the pond; other contests in an tuclosure on the level turf. 

 In the first contest there were five competitors. Mr. Wood 

 used a split bamboo rod 11 ft. in. long, an E line I water 

 proof enamel silk), and an automatic: reel. He threw 27.1 

 yards. Mr. P. H. Mallock, of Perth. Scotland, threw 37 

 yards with a hickory tod 1 1 It. in. long and a waterproof 

 silk line. 



Second contest wits with same rod and lines, won bv Mj 

 Mallock. 



In the third contest Mr. Wood and Mr. Mallock both used 

 the same rod, a 16-ft. greenhart. The latter gentleman 

 won bv three ipiaiicts of a yard, throwing 36 yards to 341 

 by Mr. Wood. 



'The fourth contest was a fine one between Wood and 

 Mallock. Wood used an 1-S-ft. split bamboo fly-rod. 

 enamel line B. and an automatic reel. Mr. Mallock a green- 

 hart rod 18 ft. long and a heavy silk line, B size. Wood 

 made oti yards, Mallock 35, 



The other contests were not international, but entirely 

 between Englishmen. 



You probably know the difference between the Thames 

 and Nottingham style of casting, the latter being from the 

 read, same as the Cuttyhunk method, while in the former 

 style the line is coiled or thrown on the ground before 

 casting. 



These styles of fishing are for (rout, and pike, the rods 

 being generally of solid cane Kift, 6in. long, and very line 

 lines ot flax or hair. In the Nottingham style, the Notting- 

 ham reel is used, running with scarcely a particle of friction. 



Throughout the contests there was a wind from behind, 

 blowing quite fresh at times. A. Howard Clark. 



6d. 



First pri/.t 



..R.Wood.. 



fee, 3s. 

 2714 yards. 



third prase ■ Bajcer... 23 yards. 



ittiateur competition With single-handed flv-rod in throwingflv 



ith (rreaf si accuracy an. I lighin.-ss under bushes. Entrance f-e 2s. 

 d. first prize, Mallock; second prize, Marston. 

 Amateur lly -casting with double-handed trout tly -rod. Entrance 



First prize Mallock BE yards. 



Second prize R.Wood . .UlJ^yards. 



Amateur ay-casting with salmon rod. Entrance fee, 2s. C.s, 



First prize Tt, Wood 8(1 yards. 



.Second prize Mallock .35 yards. 



Amateur competition in casting in the Thames style, Bos. weight. 

 5n trance fee, 2s. (id. 



First prize Powell 51 yards. 



Second prize Sim pson .. ... Ill vards. 



Third prize Aldis -Fiji; yards. 



Amateur competition in casting from reel in Nottingham style. 

 oz. weight. Entrance fee. 2s. tid. 



First prize. Slater 87 yards. 



Sei-ond prize Hodden SOWyards. 



Thirl prize Mania 8S yards 



Amateur, ompolili,,,, .,],... to Thames and > Nottingham styles, m 



a .\t. best cast 



oast by an. .11 

 Entrance fee, 2s. lid. 

 •r; third prize. Chambers. 

 I In casting la the Thames style. Ko « 



Professional competition in casting from reel Id Nottingham style. 

 No entrance fee. Weight, 2oz. 



First prize, ... Foster 46 yards. 



Second prize Andrews. . IJ yards. 



London, June 12. 

 Editor forest and Stream: 



The Tournament, came off yesterday, aud I will try to give 

 you a little account of it. 



When I first arrived in London, I took my letter of intro- 

 duction to Mr. Marston, and found him a genial gentleman, 

 who has done everything in his power to make if pleasant for 

 me. so much so that i do not see how all the obligations I am 

 under to him can ever be discharged. I went to Hunger- 

 lord with him to tish for trout, and had a good time, but let 

 me tell you the fishing is very different from ours. Here 

 they use very small flies, and exceedingly fine drawn gut 

 leaders, aud have to dry the lly every titne* they east. If the 

 fly is not dry when it, strikes the water it is no use. This 

 makes it laborious, and you cast awayaml dry flies until one 

 feels like resting. They do not cast 'until a trout is seen to 

 rise and then they go for him: if none rises near they walk 

 along the bank and watch for a break above, or below, and 

 then cast about two feet ahead of the fish, and let the dry fly 

 float down over it, aud it must go just to the spot dr it is 

 useless. There are plentj of trdul in the stream that wu 

 visited, but if one takes two or three braces of them in a 

 day's fishing he -has done well. 



Ton will see bv the reports lhat, I took two first prizes, one 

 with a single-handed trout rod. and one with a salmon rod. 

 I came out second in a double-handed trout match, which is. 

 as you well know, a. style not in use on our side of the her- 

 ring pond. In this style they swing their tly back and forth" 

 through the air to dry the fly. I entered more to lill the 

 class than in the expectation of winning, for there were two 

 prizes and only one entry at first, a third coming in after. 

 Mr. .Mallock. who won Brat in this match, is from Scotland, 

 and is a cordial gentleman, lie offered me his two-handed 

 rod and urged me to come in. 1 was glad lo see him win in 

 this contest, for he is a clever angler and easts a neaf fly. 



All through the fly-casting we had a Strong Wind at our 

 backs, or our record would have been better in all the 

 classes. These anglers are jolly fellows, and have made it 

 very pleasant forme. The prizes are to be given out. at 

 Kcn'ester's Hall, Clerkenwell road, on Friday, June 2, at ft 

 P.M. This means, I think, a big dinner and a pleasant 

 time. Reobkn Wood. 



ANGLING AT PLEASANT POND. 



THE morning of May 1, a friend and I left our "bed aud 

 board" at "3:3(1 A.' M., and after au appetizing tramp 



of six miles reached ouo of our favoiite fishing grounds, 

 where the lively trout bolt! forth. We at once jointed our 

 rods, and baited up with the lowly worm ore piece of chub, 

 for as this brook runs through an almost impassible swamp. 

 |t was no use attempting to use the tly. Our hick Luis sea- 

 son was not near as good as it was the first time last year. 

 The snow water not, yet being out of the brook, the trout 

 did not seem to have any life about them, and would lake 

 hold more like a sucker ihan our lighting friend. Our catch 

 was twenty Ibis year, as compared with "seventy last year. 



Mav 34, being a holiday, Dick. Albeit, and Oiysulf made 

 up our minds to go to Ayr, a small village fifteen miles from 

 here. We made our Rtai'f at ."> A. M., anil took, I Ihiuk, Ihe 

 coldest drive I ever had in summer. We arrived at our des- 

 tination al seven o'clock, and after putting up our horse we 

 immediately left for Cedar Creek. It is not five minutes 

 walk from the village, and being quite a large si ream, we 

 were, enabled to use our rods full length. We once tit com- 

 menced fishing, just below the old dam tit the mill, and 

 working up the stream for half a mile, we got into the thiol; 

 swamp, and after fishing for about ten minutes in it, we had 

 to stop on account of the mosquitoes. I believe they had 

 been waiting for some nice, tender city fellow to come 

 along, so as to have a good sepia re meal. "The next time 1 

 go, 1 will be prepared for them. Going down stream we 

 only caught three or four, and arriving at the mill we in- 

 spected our catch, sixly-fv" , , taj for the three of 



