FOREST AND STREAM. 



ent day. Mr, Gauthier of Sandwich, lias in operation 

 on the bank of the river a considerable establishment for 

 freezing w-hitefish, and this season, unfavorable as it is, he 

 will dispose of $12,000 worth in that way. They are sent 

 to market frozen, and may be taken from the package next 

 March as fresh as when drawn from their native element. 

 The other fishermen preserve theirs alive until the season* 

 is over by placing them as soon as caught in "pounds," or 

 enclosures in the rivers, through which the water flows 

 freely, but which is made too tight for the fish to escape 

 from. Whatever may be the facts as to quantity, the size 

 of the fish brought to our market during the present season 

 exceeds anything seen previously. 



— Last week we were pleased to examine some magnifi- 

 cent rods which Thad. Norris, Esq., of Philadelphia, has 

 just completed for the Centennial Exhibition. One is a 

 salmon rod of greenheart, with combination tip of bam- 

 boo, weighing thirty ounces, and valued at $80. Its length 

 is 17 feet 3 inches. The other is a split bamboo trout rod, 

 with cedar but, 11 feet 3 inches in length, and weighing 4f 

 ounces. One could not ask for more beautiful or better 

 working rods than these. Most professionaLanglers have 

 their favorite makers, but ¥m. C. Prime, Esq., swears by 

 the "Norris rod. One peculiarity in their construction is 

 the tip, which, in the salmon rod, is made in three sec- 

 tions, the lower paft being of greenheart, the middle one 

 of split bamboo, and the extremity of wrought bamboo, 

 unsplit In his split bamboo rods the lower section is fish- 

 jointed into a handle of cedar. 



— The seiners on the beach below Norfolk, Va., have 

 given. up fishing for the season. 



Seth Green ok Needle Points.— This veteran angler 

 has given us a new wrinkle as respects fish hooks. We 

 should like to pnt his views to a practical test. Who of 

 our readers has ever tried needle points without beards ? 

 Many of us tried pin-hooks in our boyhood; these had no 

 beard, and our success in fingerlings was most gratifying. 

 Seth saith :— 



Agreeable to your inquiries as to the best kinds of fish hooks for tying 

 flies on, my opinion is that there never were any made right except those 

 that I have made of needles. There was a lime when I made nearly all 

 of my hooks for trout fly fishing. I annealed the needles and bent them 

 the proper shape, tempered them, and tied nearly all the flies I used for 

 years on them. I could take twice as many trout with the same number 

 of rises as I conld with any hook with a beard on it. When I used the 

 common hooks I used to take a pair of pincers and break the beard off 

 to ge f , a better point, and to get rid of the shoulder; but then I did not 

 have a needle point. A fly hook does not need any beard, and no fly 

 fisherman should ever use one. Keep a steady strain on the fish, and the 

 rod will not let him get slack enough to unhook himself. A fly hook for 

 salmon or trout should have a needle point, and they can't be made if 

 there is a beard on the hook. The great cause of missing so many rises 

 when fishing for small trout is dull hooks. Another reason why fisher- 

 men miss is the quick stroke when the fish makes the break. The needle 

 point overcomes that, for there is no need of scarcely any stroke. The 

 fish will hook himself, and if it gets away it is the fault of the man and 

 not the hook. All fly hook makers are more than twenty five years be- 

 hind the times. Any man with ordinary skill who once uses a fly tied 

 on a hook with needle point and no beard will never use any other. If 

 he does there is something wrong in his upper story. That is, if he can 

 can get them. I can't get the hooks. Seth Green. 



. Gill Net and Seine Fishing. — Fred Mather, Esq. , in 

 the piscatorial department of the Live Stock Journal, thus 

 discourses wisely of the waste of fish life caused by seines 

 and gill nets : — 



"The idea that our fisheries were inexhaustible, and that 

 the sea, the lakes, and the rivers would forever furnish a 

 supply of food under any circumstances, has proved falla- 

 cious, as can easily be seen by a comparisen of the statis- 

 tics of the catches of the past ten years and those of any 

 previous decade. Yet improvident fishermen, while ack- 

 nowledging and lamenting the fact, still pursue the old 

 course of destruction, and often wantonly destroy imma- 

 ture and unsalable fish on the shiftless principle of letting 

 'to-morrow take care of itself.' 



Our attention has been particularly called to this matter 

 the present season while in the service of the United States 

 Fish Commission. We were sent to Virginia to try to in- 

 crease the future supply of shad in the Pamunkey Elver, 

 and were warmly-welcomed by the fishermen, who, appre- 

 ciating the necessity of having the river restocked, afford- 

 ed us every facility, and showed by their kindnesses that 

 they had faith that their river could be made to swarm 

 again with fish as had been done in the case of Northern 

 ones; but our surprise at their criminal carelessness (that 

 is the proper name for it) in allowing hundreds and even 

 thousands of young fish to die on the shore for want of 

 thought or cere enough to return them to the water, was 

 so great that we could not help remonstrating against it. 



Although the seines used were two-inch mesh measured 

 the largest way (which is the only correct method), yet 

 there would be hundreds of small fish not over an inch 

 long on the shore at each haul. These fish could have gone 

 through a mesh one quarter this size, but on the low, sandy 

 flats would be kept in shore by the presence of the larger 

 fish who kept close to the net until they were all huddled 

 together in the bag and quickly landed. The small fish 

 were largely of the Glupeidae, and probably consisted of 

 shad, herring, (Pomolobus psuedoharengus) and "winter 

 shad" (P. mediocris) but too small to be identified with cer- 

 tainty. The large shad, herring, winter shad, catfish, rock- 

 fish, (striped bass of the North, Boccus lineatus), sturgeon 

 and eels were taken up in baskets, leaving a living mass of 

 gars, rockfish, yellow and white perch under five inches 

 long, as well as the small shad, catfish, silver perch, (or 

 strawberry bass, Pomoxis hexacanilms) and sunfish (Powotis). 



After handling the shad for eggs, we would sort over 

 this mass and return such as were living to the water. We 

 handled many rockfish, but found none ripe, and when the 

 proprietor of the fishery expressed a wish that the "rock" 

 could be increased by artificial means, we showed hire the 

 young ones dead on shore, and plainly told him that we 

 did not care for those already growing, and that each fish 

 there four inches long, which had passed the critical period 

 of babyhood, now represented at least a hundred hatched 

 a year ago. Of the waste occasioned by the use of gill 

 nets, we - have not space now to speak, but would refer 

 those interested to the paper prepared by Prof. Milner, on 

 the "Fisheries of the Great Lakes,." and published in the 



report of the United States Commission for 1872-73, where 

 he shows how nets which have broken loose in storms 

 have kept on fishing until sunken with the weight of fish 

 caught, and that when the men are dragging a grapnel for 

 nets recently lost, they often find one that has been missing 

 for a year or more, filled with the skeletons of fish. 



There are perhaps places where no other net can be 

 profitably used, as in the great lakes, but it does seem to be 

 too destructive a mode of fishing in many other places, as 

 so many fish are killed that never are utilized. Fish taken 

 in gill nets are often dead, twenty-four hours before being 

 taken from the water, and Prof. Milner states that in 

 stormy weather it is often impossible to visit the nets for 

 several days, when the entire catch is unfit for food. 



This mode of fishing is illegal in many small inland 

 lakes and streams where there are but few fish, and these 

 mainly protected for sporting purposes, and we raise the 

 question, why not forbid them in the commercial fish- 

 eries?" 



— An English magazine remarks in this sensible way as 

 to the best method of angling for trout: — 



"The best trout in a pool is always' in the best place. 

 The strongest fish in a pool will invariably lord it over the 

 others, and hold the 'coign of vantage' against all coiners. 

 Should he be caught, then the next strongest fish will take 

 his place — will succeed to the throne and become king of 

 the pool. If a man, therefore, have wit enough to judge 

 which is the choicest bit of water, wherabouts the securest 

 lurking place, and where the most insect food comes float- 

 ing by, he will know where the very heaviest fish is lying; 

 and it is always good to try for such a fish in a pool first, 

 and before the water has been disturbed. Now, in the 

 case before us, a single glance tells us where these condi- 

 tions are fulfilled. A broad belt of water descends verti- 

 dally a little to one edge of the pool, within a yard of a 

 huge slab of stone half covered with water. Just where 

 the water falls its turbulence is too great for any living 

 thing to exist, but between the actual downpour and the 

 stone the water ceases to boil and bubble, and, where the 

 eddy slackens a little at one spot, a thin sheet of foam 

 bubbles lies on the surface. Throw exactly on this frothy 

 scum. Let it be rightly done, and there is not merely a 

 chance of tempting a good fish, but a certainty. The flies 

 rest a moment on the froth, then fall through and di'sap 

 pear. At this instant a broad, fan like tail breaks the sur- 

 face for a second, and in the next the rod is bent double, 

 and the winch is revolving with the most satisfactory ra- 

 pidity. What has happened is this — the monarch of the 

 pool has taken the fly as it sank, he has turned to dive be- 

 low, and in doing so has discovered his tail above the sur- 

 face. This has constituted the 'rise,' which the angler has 

 seen only, for the noise of falling waters has .not let him 

 hear the splash. He strikes a little late, but scarcely too 

 hard for so heavy a fish, and his quarry is now making his 

 first desperate rush into the watery abysses." 



*' Those Trout Among the Wiihe Hills. — A correspond- 

 ent, who is naturally inclined to be critical in all matters 

 relating to angling, opens the following mathematical 

 broadside upon a statement recently printed in this paper: 

 Editor Forest and Stream:— 



There is a well written article in your issue of November 11th entitled 

 "Trouting Among the White Hills. 1 ' I say "well written," for the 

 author has an eye foi the beautiful in nature and knows how to describe 

 it. But let me ask you and your readers, is he a sportsman? Fisher- 

 man he may be, but not in its true sense an angler. On his second day 

 out he comes to Jefferson Brook, and concluding "that whatever fish 

 were taken from it must be with something other than a fly/ 1 resorts to 

 his worm box. "Oh, but it was lively work!' 1 he writes. "The fun 

 grew hotter and hotter, without any sign ol abatement, but the length- 

 ening shadows warned me to get out of the bush. Emptying my creel 

 on a mossy bank I found that my catch had yielded me 237 fish, * * 

 marly of them running np to ten inches in length. Now, Mr. Editor, 

 and any of your readers who profess to be anglers, let us halt heie, al- 

 though not on a "mossy bank,' 1 and do a- little sum in arithmetic. Sup- 

 pose "J. G. M.' 1 — over these initials the author writes — had a creel of 

 the largest capacity, say one that would hold fifteen pounds, or two hun- 

 dred and forty ounces, and emptied from this creel "on a mossy bank" 

 237 "fish," as he calls them, what would be the average weight? I think 

 the answer is one ounce and 3 237. He goes on to say: "They were a 

 handsome mess of trout, many of them ranging up to ten inches .in 

 length." Let us assume that there were a dozen and a half that meas- 

 ured ten inches and call that number 'many, and as trout of ten inches 

 average about three to tbe pound, let us deduct sis pounds and eighteen 

 fish and see what the remainder of his catch averaged— i. e., 219 "fish" 

 to nine pounds, or 154 ounces. "Whv, just three-quarters of an ounce! 

 "Oh, shade of Walton!" J. G. M.'s" catch the succeeding day was only 

 one less, making in the two days 473 of these fingerlings. Is it any 

 wonder our streams are depleted when young gentlemen are let loose 

 from the cities to commit such havoc among the infantile troutlings? 

 And then record it in print. 1 have seen the picture of "The Murder of 

 the Innocents," and now I read about it. X. Y. Z. 



The Fishekies. — There have been 26 arrivals of the 

 fleet this week as follows: 9 from St. Lawrence, 6 from 

 Georges, 11 from the Banks. The receipts are 142,000 

 pounds Georges codfish; 263,000 pounds Bank codfish; 

 45,000 pounds Georges halibut; 135,000 Bank halibut; 

 840 barrels Bay mackerel; 400 barrels of shore mackerel. 

 The catch of mackerel is over for the year, and the sto^k on 

 hand is very light for the season. Georges and Bank cod- 

 fish are firm at $5£ and $4f per qtl., with a good demand. 

 The herring fleet are getting ready, while the other vessels 

 are being hauled up for the Winter. — Gape Ann Advertiser, 

 Nov. 19th. ^ 



^ Conneaut, Ohio, November 15th, 1875. 



Editor Forest and Stream:— 



To give you an idea oi sporting facilities at this place, I will say that 

 fishing is excellent six or more months hi the year, either in Lake Erie 

 or in the river that enters it here. Black bass, pike, and perch are the 

 principal kinds caught with hooks; but it is not unusual fur several tons 

 of whUefish to be taken off this harbor with gill nets in a single day. 

 Conneaut River abounds with fish, and large mascalonge are caught in it 

 many miles from its mouth and above several mill dams. Judging from 

 the quantity of fish in this s tream, it was rightly named the Conneaut 

 over a century ago by the Seneca Indians, which means in their language 

 many fish. At the date of my letter, some parts are fairly swarming with 

 fish from one to four inches in length. They are in such countless num- 

 bers that a barrel could be filled with them in five minutes by ating a 

 small minnow scoop to catch them wi h. Duck shooting has not been 

 good this Fall, on account of very low water in the marshes. Squirrels 

 have been quite plenty, and a few miles south of here any quantity of 

 partridges can be found. They are reported as unusually plenty this 

 Fall. Conneaut is on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad 

 twenty-eight miles west of Erie, Penn. II C. A, 



Jzchting Hud Ranting. 



All communications from Secretaries and friends should be mailed no 

 later than Monday in each week. 



HIGH WATER. FOR THE WEEK. 



Date. 



Nov. 25. 

 Nov. 26. 

 Nov. 27. 

 Nov. 28. 

 Nov. 29. 

 Nov. 30. 

 Dec. 1. 



Boston. 



n. w. 



9 49 



10 31 



11 14 

 11 56 



morn. 



37 



1 22 



New York. 



H. 



M. 



6 



35 



7 



16 



r t 



56 



8 



39 



9 



23 



10 



8 



10 



44 



Charleston. 



H. M. 



49 



« 31 



7 14 



7 56 



8 37 



9 22 



10 7 



—What is the next thing to a hen stealing: Why, a 

 cock robin, of course. 



Yacht Cruise to the West Indies--. Our Salem, Mass., 

 correspondent, "Teal," informs us that "the famous yacht 

 Julia, built in 1852 by Geo. Steers, has just cleared from 

 that port for a cruise South, and possibly to the West In- 

 dies. After being altered many times and passing through 

 various hands she is at present owned by a Mr. Tudor, (of 

 Nahant, I think,) who, with a party of four others in the 

 cabin and six to work the yacht, completes the. list of those 

 onboard. The party, 1 understand, are well fitted with 

 sport ng implements, and 1 should think were bound for 

 some sport both 'on the wing and wave.' She is a fine 

 yacht though an old one, and, judging from the hasty in- 

 spection I made of her last Thursday A. M., was as well 

 fitted for sea as could be. She is the hands of her old 

 sailing master, Capt. Lloyd, who will do her justice. The 

 party expect to return in four or five months." 



PltOSPECTUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGATTA TO BE 



Held Next Yeah.— The Schuylkill Navy has issued a 

 prospectus of the projected international regatta, to be held 

 on the Schuylkill River next year, containing the follow- 

 ing pregramme, which has been approved by Director Gen- 

 eral Goshorn : — 



First. An international race will be held, open to all reg- 

 ularly organized boat clubs throughout the world, to be 

 rowed in accordance with the rules of the National Ama- 

 teur Rowing Association of the United States; the prizes 

 to be a piece of plate each for fours, for pairs, for doubles, 

 and for single sculls, and in addition, medals to be pre- 

 sented to each man rowing in the race, to be of gold for 

 the winning crew, for the second crew of silver, and the 

 remainder of bronze. 



Second. An international college race for four-oared 

 shells will be held, the prize to be a piece of plate, with a 

 gold medal to each member of the winning crew, open 

 only to under graduates. 



Third. An international graduates* race wilt be held for 

 four-oared shells, open only to graduates of colleges or uni- 

 versities, the prize being a piece of plate, and a gold medal 

 to each member of the winning crew. 



No person will be allowed to row in both the interna- 

 tional college race and international graduates' race. 



Fourth. Professional races will beheld, open to all crews 

 throughout the world, for four oared and single sculls for 

 suitable purses, the amounts of which will be announced 

 by the 1st of May, 1876. 



The races will be held between the 20th of August and 

 the 1.5th of September, and the entries shall be closed on 

 July 15th. 



An entrance fee of $25 will be charged for fours; $15 

 for pairs and doubles, and $10 for singles. This fee will 

 be returned to all boats starting on the races, and is de- 

 manded as a guarantee of good faith in making the entry, 

 and to justify the committee in making the necessary ar- 

 rangements for properly housing the boats of the entering 

 crews. 



The amateur races will be rowed in heats one and a half 

 mile straightaway. The professional races will be rowed 

 three miles, one and a half mile and return. 



Besides the above prizes the "Jury on Rowing" of the 

 United States Centennial Commission, who will have au 

 oversight of all the races, will award the diploma and 

 medal of the commission to the victors. 



The National Amateur Rowing Association will bold 

 their annual regatta over the same course (the national) 

 either previous to or immediately after the above interna- 

 tional races. 



The following definition of an amateur oarsman, with 

 the required pledge, will be strictly enforced for all en- 

 tries in the regatta: — 



The president or presiding officer and secretary of each 

 club entering either of the amateur races or regatta con- 

 trolled by the Schuylkill Navy will be required to certify 

 on honor, in writing, that each member of the crew entered 

 is strictly an amateur, and is not paid, directly or indi- 

 rectly, for his services either by place, emolument or office, 

 as a member, or by reason of his being a member of the 

 club; that he "does not enter in open competition for 

 eiiher a stake, public or admission money, or entrance fee, 

 or compete with or against a professional for any prize, 

 and has never taught, pursued or assisted in the pursuit of 

 athletic exercises as a means of livelihood, or has been em- 

 ployed in or about boats or in manual labor on the Avater.' 



These races, while under the control of the United States 

 Centennial Commission, will be under the management of 

 the Schuylkill Navy, a boating organization composed of 

 nine clubs, whose boat houses are cm the east bank of the 

 river within Fairmount Park. The leading boating organ- 

 izations of the country have consented to co-operate. 



The Schuylkill Navy, besides furnishing quarters for the 

 boats of visiting crews in their own boat houses, purpose 

 erecting temporary boat houses in the park, and will thus 

 be enabled to accommodate all who may accept this invita- 

 tion to take part in the races. The following is the Regatta 

 Committee:— A. Ivrumbhaar, Philadelphia Barge Club, 

 Executive Committee National Association, Chairman; &■ 

 S. Miles, University Barge Club; W. R. Tucker, Undine 

 Boat Club;* v G. W. Parker, Quaker City Barge Club, Exec- 

 tive Committee National Association; -F. W. Murphy, 

 Pennsylvania Barge Club; Isaac Bedichimer, Malta Boat 

 Club; H. R. Barn ham, Crescent Boat Club; H. V. Still- j 

 well, West Philadelphia Boat Club; Dr. Daniel Bray, Col- 

 lege Boat Club. James M. Ferguson, Commodore. 



John Hockley, Jr., Vice Commodore. 

 Jonathan Gillingham, Secretary, 



Sc r JLLiNG at New Haven. — An interesting and long an- 

 ticipated match was rowed on Lake Saltonstall on the 

 afternoon of the 17th inst., the contestants being Mr. Juliaa > 





