194 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



BOATING AT BINGHAMTON. 



Binghamton, N. Y., April 3, 1879. 



I HOW THE TROUT SEASON OPENED. 



i 



Ebitob Fokest and Stream : 



A few days since I paid a visit to the Parlor City, and inspected 

 the quailera of the Argonauts. The dab was organised in August, 

 1875, and has steadily increased its active membership as well as 

 its enviable reputation. 



Boating at Binghamton began with a juvenile club called the 

 Acacias, which died several years ago from natural cauBBB. Sub- 

 sequently another boat club, yclept the BinghumtonB, took their 

 place, but expired likewise after a short term of life. The Argo- 

 nauts then came to the front. Their hst includes about fifty 

 names. Their president ia a leading banker, and their vice- 

 president a well-known college oarsmeD. The names of the 

 officers are as follows : Pres,, Tracy B. Morgan ; Vice-Pres., Geo. 

 S. Lyon ; Sec, Unas. E. Ensign ; Capt. Geo. T. Kogers ; Treas., 

 Geo. C. Pierce. 



This club has absorbed moBt of the property and active members 

 of the defunct Bingharatons, and the result is not only an excel- 

 lent record, bnt a Btrong organization possessed of considerable 

 property. Indeed, the boat-houBe, which stands on the south Bide 

 of the "long and crooked" river — Susquehanna — just above the 

 great State Dam and new iron bridge at Book Bottom, in Millville, 

 is lined on each side with Borne of the finest shells and working 

 boats. The house is solidly built, about 60ft. in length, is nicely 

 painted, and Btands just above high water mark. The club ex- 

 pects to row with the ElmiraB at Owego this season, and a crack 

 Brooklyn club is down for a Bpiu over the Argonauts' magnificent 

 course above the dam this season. 



Their list of boats is as follows : One six-oared cedar shell ; 

 two paper four-oared shells for nrat-class racing, built by Waters, 

 of Tiuy | one pair-oared working boat, one double scull, and two 

 four-oared working boats, one of which ia a Tyne model, about 

 50ft. in length, and has never been beaten. 



Thoy have never lost a race. Their record is herewith given: 

 One home regatta, 1875— Argo's first crew took first prize for 

 four-oared shell ; same regatta— Argo's second crew won a 

 handsome prize over the Acacias ; same regatta— contestants, 

 Watklus, Owego, Binghamton, Acacia and Argonaut clubs; 

 regatta at Owego, 1876— Argo's first crow oaptured silver salver, 

 goblets and pitcher from the Watkina Centennial crew ; Owego 

 regatta, 1878— Argo's first orew captured an elegant silver ice 

 pitcher frem the Owegos and the Elmiras. 



Several years ago I assisted two or three members of the origi- 

 nal Binghamton Boat Club in measuring the course. It was done 

 with a surveyor's chain along the middle of the river on the ice. 

 The distance is exactly a mile and five-eighths, and is comprised 

 in the ourved area lying between the iron bridge already mentioned 

 and the D. L. and W. Bailroad bridge. Courtney has rowed over 

 it, and pronounces it a very pretty stretch of water. The starting- 

 point is on the down-stream side of the railroad bridge, and the 

 finish has usually been located opposite the Argo's boat-house. 

 Harding's bluff, just below the water works, affords a commanding 

 view of the whole course. From the high lands surrounding the 

 Susquehanna Valley Home a comprehensive view of the start may 

 be obtained, and generally the winning boat is easily distinguish- 

 able before it has passed out of range below Harding's. The only 

 bad place in the course is where the brook has washed a bar of 

 gravel into the stream, but even there a full hundred feet of 

 water, deep enough to float a heavy working boat, may be depend- 

 ed on in the driest seasons. Prom mid-stream northeastward, off 

 this bar, the water is very deep, and a south or west wind often 

 renders it very rough, owing to the current, which is most per- 

 cebtible at the point. Ordinarily, from June to October, it does 

 not average more than two or three miles an hour. 



The Argonauts held a meeting March 29, at which provision was 

 made for the requisite repairs to houses and boats. Several new 

 members were voted in. A delegate has been sent to the meeting 

 or rowing man at Gilmore's Garden, and he will bring a new single 

 Bhell for the club on his return. The club will send a crew to all 

 of the prinoipal regattas which take place this season. Ego. 



Having read In your paper 



How tront take a fly. 

 On the first day of April 



We thought we would try, 

 If the weather waB fair 



And our health did not fall, 

 To see If a trout 



Beally " bit wllh Ms tall." 

 SoMr.E. and myself, 



With fly-rod and reel, 

 Struck out for a stream, 



Bach to All up his creel ; 

 But when we arrived 



On the north of the hill 

 We discovered the snow 



Was lying there still. 

 And, to make matters worse, 



The wind blew a gale, 

 And the tront would not bite 



With their head or their tall. 

 But while Ashing a poo), 



Now what do you think? 

 One came to the surface 



And gave me a wink ; 

 And In order to please him 



1 threw him the fly, 

 And he actually jumped up 



And bit with big eye ! 



Sancho-Panza. 

 Mb. Editob— I send the foregoing as the result of our trout 

 fish on the 1st instant. S. P. 



Mifflintown, Pa. 



j|^r nnd §ivet[ $8hinQ. 



FISH IN SEASON IN APRIL. 



Speckled Trout— Halino fontinalis. Land-locked Salmon— Salmo glowri 

 White Perch, 



TROUT FLIES FOR APRIL. 



The following are imitations of natural Insects which flrst appear on 

 head sprlngB, and later In the season are found on ponds and rive) s : 

 Black GNAT OR Mind*.— Body and feet, black ; wlcgs, sub-Hyaline. 

 DiiiK lxabet Gnat.— Body, dark claret; feet, black; wings, snb- 



^Buujbt Claret GNAT.-Body, bright claret, mixed wllh yellowish 

 gray ; feet, ginger ; wings of one sex, hyaline, of the other, ocberous. 



olive GNAT.-Body, dark olive ; feet, ginger ; wings, hyaline. 



Gbat Gsat.— Body, dark fox fur, mixed with dark claret ; feet, 

 gray ; wings, hyaline. 



Dark Fox.— Body and feet, dark fox fur, mixed with lemon-colored 

 mohair ; wings, sub-hjallne ; tall, three llbros of dark gray hackle. 



Blub Blow.— Same as dark fox, but of blue shade. 



rooa Man's Flt.— Body and feet, hare's ear and yellow mixed ; 

 wlnga, slightly mottled gray. 



Bright Fox.— Body and feet, brlgkteet part of fox far, mixed with 

 yellow ; wings, brightest hyaline ; tall, pale yellow. 



Fish in Mabket— Bbtam. Pbioks.— Base, 20 cents ; smelts, 15: 

 blue fish, 12^; salmon, Kennebec, $1.50 ; shad, per pound, 20 

 centa ; white peict, 15 cents ; green turtle, 15 centa ; terrapin, 

 per doz., 818 ; frost fish, per pound, 8 cents ; halibut, 18 cents; 

 haddock, 8 cents ; codfish, 8 oents ; herring, 6 cents j flounders, 

 Scents ; eels, 18centB; lobsters, 10 cents; shoepshead, 15 cents; 

 tnrbot, 18 cents ; scallops, per quart, 35 centB ; soft clams; 30 to 

 75 cents j pickerel, per pound, 18 cents ; perch, yellow, 10 cents ; 

 brooK trout, Canada, 35 cents ; brook trout, Long iBland, $1; red 

 snapper, 18 cents; pompano, 75 cents; prawns, per quart, 30 cents; 

 ahrimps, per quirt, 35 cents ; hard crabs, per dozen, 3d centa. 



—Mr. Eugene Blackford has four specimens of the parrot 

 fish (Scums). This species was fully described and illustrated 

 in a late number of the Fokest and Stbeam. The largest 

 wild trout received so far weighed 7J pounds with entrails 

 out. It came from Lake Piseco, Hamilton Co., N. Y. 



—Messrs. Oonroy, Bissett & Malleson, of 65 Fulton street, 

 have just forwarded an extra fine rubber and nickel salmon 

 reel to Allan Gilmour, Esq., of Ottawa, Canada, who is the 

 proprietor of the celebrated salmon river, the Godbout. 



— Mr. Chas. F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vermont, wishes us 

 to inform our readers that he has a very large stock of super- 

 fine trout flies on hand, which he is disposed to brag on ; 

 also that his trout leaders will mixt-Uy trout as well as some 

 others we read of. These leaders have a series of loops for 

 the droppers by which the droppers are not only put on with 

 little trouble, but the wear and tear of the gut is saved in 

 changing flies. 



Eight-Stbip Bamboo Bods.— We were altogether in error 

 in stating last week that L. M. Hoskins, of Owego, was the 

 only manufacturer of eight-strip bamboo fishing rods, as 

 Messrs. Buckingham & Perrie, of Utica, have made such rods 

 for a long time. When we wrote, we were for the moment 

 under the impression that their rods were six-strip rods, 

 though having often examined them, we were really better 

 informed. Tbo statement was made inadvertently. 



Movements of the Fishing Fleet, — The marked inci- 

 dent of the week has been the arrival of 3 vessels from West- 

 ern Bank codfishing. Six Bankers have arrived from halibut 

 trips since our last issue, bringing 200,000 lbs. halibut. Num- 

 ber of Georges arrivals, 11,875,000 lbs. codfish and 5,000 lbs. 

 halibut. One arrival of frozen herring ha; been reported 

 from New Brunswick. Whole numbers of fishing arrivals 

 for the week, 22. The fish market remains firm, with a light 

 stock in all departments, and prices well maintained. A 

 large portion of the Georges fleet has been detained in port 

 the past ten or twelve days by easterly winds, and many of 

 them have lost their bait from the detention. — Cape Ann Ad- 

 vertiser, April 4. 



New Yobk— Niagara Falls, March 31.— By the middle of 

 April our creeks will be filled with the plucky little rock bass 

 and perch; then the sport will begin, and indeed we are very 

 hungry for a sun bath as well. We should have had some 

 law passed this winter for the protection of fish in Niagara 

 River, whereby it would have been dangerous for any one to 

 be seen near a seine. Our neighbors over the way — the 

 Canadians— have well protected their water, and it is too bad 

 that ours is not as well secured. Niagara is the true home of 

 the black bass, and the recollections of the sport we have bad 

 there with them will brighten up any gloomy day. We in- 

 troduced a few friends to the sport last summer, and hence- 

 forth Niagara iB to be their summer home, they say. 



H. E. G. 



New Yobk— Chatham Village, April 4.— The winds have 

 kept up an almost incessant howl thus far this month. The 

 prevailing clouds, surcharged with fury, shut out the sun and 

 shut in the angler. There is precious little fun in stringing 

 up for trout with the mercury at 20 deg., the wind blowing a 

 gale, the streams hrim full, and snow-water at that. Yester- 

 day morning early there was a lull, the wind had fallen, the 

 clouds were gone and the sun came up once again in a clear 

 sky. My neighbor fell in readily with the proposition to try 

 il. Breakfast dispatched, horse in the harness, tackling in 

 the wagon, and ourselves tucked in the robes, we were off for 

 Pulver Creek, a stream a short drive away. Before we ar- 

 rived there, however, the heavens began again to frown and the 

 winds to blow, and we landed our flrst and only trout againsta 

 driving snow storm, which grew to be so terrific and trouble- 

 some as to really force a suspension of operations. Hence, 

 with our solitary beauty, we journeyed homeward through a 

 storm which almost equaled, for severity, any that visited 

 this section during the winter, whose final "laps," extending 

 into April, seem bound to blast the angler's wakeful hopes. 

 Two other members of our club were a little more fortunate. 

 They took an excursion on the second day to the Stale Line, 

 Mass. , and returned in the evening with a fair showing of 

 trout. Six of the larger ones averaged half a pound. The 

 sheriff of our county said to me on Tuesday that he saw at 

 Pittsflsld, Mass., on the previous day (April 1), a magnificent 

 lot of trout, which were caught in the streams of the 



Berkshires. So the prospect brightens. We have only 

 to be patient a little longer till the thermometers wake 

 up and the snow banks melt and the winds go to sleep, and 

 then we shall report bigger and better things, and send you 

 some samples to tickle your palate with. " Hrx. 



— The waters of Hemlock rose and spread over the flat 

 land at its head, last week, and quickly receding, left countless 

 numbers of pickerel lying on the ground. It is asserted that 

 the finny denizens were carried away by the wagon load. 



Kllenville, N. Y., March 24.— I notice in your last issue a 

 communication inquiring if any one other tbnn the writer has 

 used the shad-blow wood (Amelanchier canadensis) for fly-rod 

 making. In answer I would say that I have used it solely in 

 the construction of my rods ever since 1 discovered its value, 

 which was about ten years ago. With the exception of split- 

 bamboo, there is no material that surpasses it, in my opinion, 

 for rod fishing. 



Vibginia— Staunton, April 5.— A few of us wet our first 

 line on the 2d inst., in "Ramsay's Draft," about 22 miles 

 west of here; but the wind blew so hard that we soon aban- 

 doned the sport, having taken 3G trout in two hours, and 

 " blessed " the wind ten times to each fish. Ics, March, tor- 

 nadoes and black clouds are not conducive to the piety of the 

 average fisherman. Jack. 



West Vibginia— Berkeley Springs, April 2.— We had 

 some very fine bass fishing on the Potomac on St. Patrick's 

 Day. C. V. and myself caught eighteen in three hours, aver- 

 aging l 1 pounds. Took the red worm equally as well as the 

 minnow. Tip. 



Tennessee— Nashville, April 2.— Co:. Akers returned from 

 his Little Harpeth fishing with nine bass which collectively 

 weighed thirty-one pounds. One or two of the larger ones 

 were alive when the Colonel got back home. He told me a 

 curious fact iu connection with biss at this season. In the 

 stomach of the adult fish no sign of food could be found save a 

 slimy substance which had the appearance of sediment from 

 the water they had taken in, whereas in the smaller fish the 

 stomachs were filled with flies, bugs and animalculffi. Min- 

 nows were the only bait the fish would bite at, and only the 

 liveliest and choicest of them. Another peculiarity about the 

 fish in these waters is, they will not bite except when the 

 wind is in the south or in that quarter. The weather is as 

 yet too cold for the less enthusiastic of our anglers to start 

 out, although at almost every store in the wholesale part of 

 the city preparations can be seen going on for the coming ex- 

 peditions. J. D. H. 



Hbnttjckt— ML Sterling, March 31.— Fishing has com- 

 menced in earnest on Red River. One day last, week a good 

 string of pike were taken. We flrst bait for suckers ; that 

 brings the pickerel, and the suckers flee. Then we use a sucker 

 for bait and capture the pike. A parly started for Licking 

 River to-day. W. Van A. 



Floeida— Halifax Inlft, March 28.— The fish'mg has eo far 

 been poor this season. Have hadonly three good days. March 

 4 — two anglers— 55 sheepshead, from 2 to 8 lbs. March 19 — 

 three anglers— 22 red bass, from 4 to 10 lbs, besides many 

 small fish. March 20 — three anglers — 12 red bass, with Bome 

 sheepshead, whiting and pig-fish. S. O. C. 



Judicial Fishbemen.— St. Louis, March 30.— Editor For- 

 est and Stream : With the advent of warm spring weather 

 there is a general desire to get away to the lakes and streams 

 around the city, and our Judges are among the first to "light 

 out." To day's Olooe-Demoa-at says: "None of the Circuit 

 Judges were on the bench yesterday. Judges Hindley and 

 Adams went down to Murdock Lake, on Friday night, to 

 hear the case of Hook et al. vs. Bass, Croppie et al. Mr. D. 

 P. Dyer Went along as amicus curia piscatorius." 



J. W. M. 



Mubdook Lake Club. — St. Louis, March 27. — The ad- 

 journed meeting of the Murdock Lake Club was held on (he 

 evening of the first Monday in March, at which a goodly 

 number were present. New officers were chosen for the 

 present year, and each individual member seemed imbued with 

 more energy. Several parties have been down to the club- 

 house for shooting and fishing, and the sport has not been 

 better for many' years. It is not an uucommon thing for 

 parties of two in a boat to take from fifty to one hundred and 

 fifty black bass in a single day's fishing, and they bring them 

 all away. I am making my feeble protest against such deple- 

 tion at this season of the year and just before spawning time. 

 I know it is a great temptation to haul out the gamy fellows 

 when they bite so voraciously. But after awhile we may be 

 wondering why it is that we don't catch fish as we used to. 

 So fai we don't hear much from our Slates Fish Commission- 

 ers, but we shall get awake to the necessity of protecting our 

 fish and game by stringent legislation and enforcement of 

 wholesome laws. D. L. D. 



An Iowa Frsn Shoot. — A Vail, Iowa, correspondent, who 

 went out duck hunting, turned his attention to pickerel shoot- 

 ing instead. One of the party shot a pickerel that measured 

 just twenty-six inches. There was nothing peculiar about 

 his outward appearance, but upon bcint; opened he was found 

 to contain a pickerel fifteen inches long, which had been 

 swallowed headforemost. The writer adds: "1 measured 

 these two fish carefully that the story might not be exagger- 

 ated. Please tell me, is this not almost incredible?" 



Not at all incredible. This is only a fifteen-inch fish 

 story. We have often told bigger ones than that ourselves 

 Let us see i 15 into 2(5, once and 11 over. 



How to Dbaw Silkworm's Gdt.— An English work en- 

 titled "Sea Fishing as a Sport," contains the following di- 

 rections : — 



"Select a number of the largest and best silkworms, just 

 when they are beginning to spin, which is koown by their 

 refusing to eat and having a line silk thread hanging from 

 their mouth -, immerse them in slrong vinegar and cover them 

 closely for twelve hours if the weather be warm, but two or 

 three hours longer if it be cool. When taken out and pulled 

 asunder, two transparent guts will be observed of a yellow- 

 green color, as thick as a small straw, bent double ; the rest 

 of the entrails resemble boiled spinach, and therefore can 

 occasion no mistake. As to the silk gut, if Ibis be soft, or 

 break upon stretching it, it is a proof tual the worm has not 

 been long enough under the influence of the vinegar. When 

 the gut is fit to draw out, the one end of it is to be dipped into 

 vinegar and the other end is to be stretched gently to the 

 proper length. When thus drawn out it must be kept ex- 



