AuausT 26, 1880.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



69 



killing them now. Their hungry gullet outrides all their 

 line feeling.s, and. although they claim to be gentlemen, 

 they are pot-hunters. • V. 



Bass Fishino in Kinderhook Lake.— Mr. I,. H. 

 Abbey, 'of Abbey & Inibrie, went up to Kinderhook 

 Lake, last Friday, after his old friends, the black bass. 

 They Rave him a mcst deliglitful reception, and more 

 than forty insisted on goinjj hotne with him to dinner. 

 One old chap, who weighed four pounds and two ounces, 

 found great difficulty in giving due expression to his 

 feelings ; being so completely overcome that he was un- 

 able to say a, single word, but merely danc^ed on his tail 

 and jumped some two or three feet out of water more 

 than a dozen times. 



Mr. Abbey wasi most hospitably entertained by Robert 

 Trimper, proprietor of the Lake House. There was only 

 one thing which marred his pleasure, and that was a 

 thing which the fish wardens ought to put a stop to at 

 once. He discovered a number of set lines and \vas cred- 

 ibly informed that almost every night nets are dragged 

 in the lake. This will soon put an end to good lishiiig in 

 this beautiful and oonvenionLly locited angling resort. 

 Those who knosv Abbey and his opinion of anyone who 

 will use anything but a fly for taking 1 lack bass, can un- 

 derstand his feelings on this subject. 



.S.\T,MON AND THEIR MIGRATION'.— Jl/onirfaZ, AlCQ. Wth. 



I liayejitst returned from an extended trip through the 

 maritime provinces, and can report good success trout 

 tisbinar. but poor sport among the salmon. The latter 

 have been so scarce that most of the fishermen on the 

 Bvy Chaleur look up their nets fuUv three weeks ago. 

 The few salmon tliat tliev ciiugVit w.^re marked and nui- 

 tiUtedby porpoises, which, to.-ether with sharks, are 

 swarming in numbers in all the Ixiys .along the north 

 shore. Since Prof. Hind's letter appeared in your col- 

 umns I have takeji considerable pains to get the opinions 

 of many of the north shore fishermen regarding some of 

 the theories advanced iiy him, that salmon are bien- 

 nial spawners and often enter the rivers for sanitarv pur- 

 poses, not for the purpose of spawning. Most of the 

 fishermen regard these theories as mere suppositional 

 ones, without any positive show of proof to back them. 

 while there are ahimdnntproofs that'some salmon ascend 

 the rivers with remarkable uniformitv to deposit their 

 ■ spawn. My own opinion is that tlie diseased fish, let 

 loose from the ponds at the iiatchiii^ estHiiiishmejii, vei-y 

 materially assist the porpoises and sliarks in drivina: 

 Salmo su/rtr from their accustomed haunts. Let us hear 

 from some of our intelligent and observing fish commis- 

 sioners on this subject. Staxstead. 



The Ui5E OF THE Hook on- the .Samion's Jaw.— Prof. 



Hmd's view of the purpose of the hook on the lower jaw 



statement .of the practical 



fish in aid of the, opeia- 



s:ii in Forest and .Stream 



- iiilerestina-and verv novel. 



I'.w u-li,-';;,.,; 1,,.:.:,. views are 



od.Hl ..!.- : .,, .; ,-,;■ asliy- 



m the 



Hind. 



^ 



:'.! 1 



of the male salmon, and 1 



ine to which it is pnt by II 



tioa of spawning, a-; i^xiai 



July 32d. are certainly v.-i 



lam at a loss, however, t'l Inii.w \> li, ; 



presen ted as the resu 1 1 s o 1' .- 1 . ; ( 1 1 n 1 . . i , - 



potheses. Hypotheses. I ^lionld ■ 



manner in wliich the suliject is in( roai 



He does not assert the presence of a 'hymen' ui the 



organs of the female salmon, but says : '• I'think you will 



find," etc. If, then, the whole description is hvpotlieti- 



cal, It must aw.ait punitive proof. If there exists any 



positive evidence in its frl^-,,l■ naturalists will surelv be 



under great obligations to Prof. Hind if he will .^ive tliem 



through Forest and .Strea'.:, a detailed statement of 



the observations from which his conclusions have been 



n^\' . ,, . CHAS. G. ATKIS.S. 



Buoksport, Maine, Aug. lOlh. 



^Salmon Mior-^tiox on the Pacific Coast.— The 

 Olympian says: "The taking of salmon in the sea 

 oil Monterey has banished two theories which bad pre- 

 viously been accepted by the pisciculturists of this State. 

 First, it proved that the Sacramento River salmon, when 

 migrating to the sea. went south instead of no/ th of this 

 port, and this, m turn, may ;n;count for the ability of 

 this variety of salmon to tjaverse the warm water of" the 

 lower Sacramento on tlieir wav to the spawning grounds 

 Second -.in exaininntina of tlie stomachs of these fish 

 showed, m every instance, their food to be tomcods or 

 frost hsh (_a botlom fish), instead of herrings, smelts, an- 

 chovies and other small surface fish. That the salmon 

 which frequent the tributaries of the Sacramento River 

 to spawn during the summer season come from the sea 

 south of this port is also corroborated by the testimony 

 of Oapt. Hobron, who has run schooners between San 

 Franci-sco and Santa Cruz during the past eighteen years. 

 Cipt. Hobron states that ho has fren'ientlv" seen salmon 

 at sea breaching into, the nir tiet',v.en this port and 

 Santa Cruz, and has afteniptel to take them, but with- 

 out success, not having suit[iiile bait." 



f Catfish Eat S^^akies.- Savanna, Term., Aug. 9«i— It 

 is too late for thissntke story to enter in competition for 

 the " big hook," but as it is true I will send it on. A 

 few days ago a party of gentlemen were bass fishing on 

 a stream a few miles from town. One of them was fish- 

 ing in a canoe, and seeing a snake lying on a log in the 

 middle of the stream killed it with a blow of his paddle 

 ue.i.riy severing its head froni the body. The snake fell 

 into the water and sank out of sight. About an hour 

 after one of the party hooked, and after a lono- and ex- 

 citing struggle landed a blue or channel catfish^weighiiiE 

 fifteen pounds. On cleaning this fish the snake was 

 found insiile of it, and was recognized as the same snake 

 from the f.ict of its head being neai-ly severed from its 

 body. The snake was of the striped water snake variety 

 and measured over thirty-one inches in ieugth. Wilu 

 ^ ' * 



Men'Hades PlestV, but yfr..'iK.—Tii,dcerton, N. J.. 

 July mh.—Prnf. Spencer F. Baird, Washington. D. C. 

 Dear Sir : I take the liberty to inform you of a sino-ular 

 fact in regard to the menhaden in this vicinity. "The 

 menhaden this season, up till within the past week, seem 

 to have been plenty, covering the water for niile-s each 

 w.iy from this place, not in schools, but scattered all 

 over, so that the fishermen could not catch many There 

 also have been plenty of the largest kind of hlneflsh here 

 !»ll the season. Some of the sr.hoo.ls of them, mv fisher- 



men think, would cover an acre of ground, and, instead 

 of leaving, seem to stay. This past week there seems to be 

 one or two large streaks of blood in the water; one of 

 them, my men think, was one and a half miles in length 

 and five or six miles off shore. The menhaden also ?eem 

 weak : as soon as the net goes around them, and they are 

 fast, they sink right down in the net, dead, so that it is 

 almost an impossibility to raise them. .Some of my men 

 think it is the hlneflsh not giving them time to feed : 

 others lay it to the heat making them so weak. Please 

 advise me if tlie above comniunicatiou is of any service 

 to you. If so, I will report any other peculiarity I may 

 notice. Will yuu al.'o, if convenient, advise me what 

 you may think is the cause of the weakness? Respect- 

 fully, James E. Otis. 



Fish in Market.— There is a falling off in the number 

 of bluefish from the East coast but many are coming 

 from New Jersey. The first smelt of the season have ar- 

 rived from NewBruns wick. Large Spanish mackerel, 



aver .iging four pounds, are arriving from New Jersey. 

 Sleepshead are more plentiful from Barnegat. Soft 

 crabs from Long Island are also plenty. The first .scal- 

 lops of the season were received this week from East 

 Greenwich. E. I. Prices : .Salt water fish : stripped bass. 

 '2') cents per pound ; smelts, 2') : sahnon, ;!.j ; iiiaekerel, 

 15: weakfish. 10 ; Spanish mackerel, 2.j : halibut, IS ; 

 haddock, 6 : kingfish, 2.j ; codfish, 10: blacklish, Vi; 

 fiounders. 8 to 10 ; porgies, 13 ; sea bass, IS ; eels, 18 ; 

 sheepshead, 25 ; smoked salmon, 30 : green turtle, 15 ; 

 lobsters, 10 ; soft crabs, ^1 per dozen ; scallops, 40 per 

 quart. Fresh water fi.sh : whitefish, 15 ; salmon trout, 

 15 : frogs, 35 cents per pound. 



FLY-FISHING FOR Bl.AGK BASS. 



^ the mechanics of FLY-CASTlNO. 



IT has been deemed advisable, for the purpose of mak- 

 ing plainer the modus operandi of eastiny; tlie arti- 

 hcmlfiy, to introduce the following cuts and diagram.-. 

 As stated in my last (fourth) paper, the backward move- 

 ment, or throw, is made iu one time and one motion ; 

 while the forward movement, or cast, is made in one 

 time and two motions, according to the following form- 

 ula of time :— 



1.^ = i. [a] * li) '• 



No. 1 represents the backward throw, in oneniotion. in 

 the time of a half note. No. 3 represents the forward 

 cast, in one time and two motions, « and d, in the time 

 of two quarter notes. This is not to be understood as 

 fishing by note, but the relative time of making the dif- 

 ferent motions in casting the fly approaches very near 

 th.at of the formula given. This'is better explained by a 

 reference to the following outs : where figure 1 repre- 

 sents tlie liacliward throw, and figure 3 represents the 

 first part or motion (a), and figure 3 the second part or 

 motion (6), of the forward cast. 



The following diagram i-epresents the arcs djscribed by 

 the tip of the rod, and the flies :— 



C 



O is supposed lo be the angler, and as we are looking 

 down upon him, from above, it represents his hat. Tlie 

 dark line, a b c. is tlie curve descriiied liy the tip of tlie 

 rod in ihe backward and forward niovenientsof the cast ; 

 back over the left shoulder, and forsvard over the right : 

 while tlie dotted curved line, d e. f, is the approximate 

 arc described by the tail fiy, leaving the water at "d, and 

 alighting, by a lengthened cast, at/. 



By sludying these diagrams in connection with the in- 

 structions heretofore given, the theory and mechanical 

 principle will soou be mastered by the novice. He 

 should then by assiduous and patient endeavor make a 

 practical application of tliese principles, and become 

 tolerably proficient in .'asting the fly, before he attempts 

 to venture near the haunts of the bass. 



GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS AND REMARKS. 



It has been doubted by some that the black bass will 

 rise to the lly, or at best that they are 

 uncertain in their modes and times of 

 di.ang so. as .compared with the brook 

 trout. These doubts are mostly raised 

 by those who angle for the black bass 

 in precisely the same way as for the 

 brook trout, upon the supposition that 

 the two fish are identical in habits and 

 instincts. But wliile their habits of 

 feeding are very similar— butli feeding 

 on the bottom, in n : on the 



surfac-e, on crustac mows, 



insects, etc. — thiij i . mother 



habitual features an i iwil.si uciasies. 



The black bats will rise to the fly as 

 readily, under any and all conditions, as ^,„. „ 



the brook trout, when fished for understandlngly, and 

 under proper precautions. There are times, seemingly 

 favorable, when neither bass nor trout -will rise to the 

 fly- 

 One reason why the bass is thought to be uncertain in 

 rising to the fly is this : While he is fully as wary as the 

 trout lie is not so timid. A trout dart's incontinently 

 away at the first glimpse of the angler, .and is seen no 

 more ; but the bass will retire but a short di taiice. .ui 1 

 as often will stand his ground, and on bahm -ed lin ; will 

 watch the angler vainly casting his brown liarkle or 

 coachman over him, perhaps laughing in his sleeve 

 (shoulder gii-dle) at his discomfiture. The truth of tlie 

 matter is, the bass is not uncertain, but ho is too know- 

 ing to be deceived by his flies, so long as the anger is in 

 sight. 



Fish are more suspicious regarding objects on the sur- 

 face of the water than of those beneath. I have often 

 demonstrated thi?, causing them to skurry away, by 

 holding a long stick immeditUely "ver them, above tb 



No. 1. 



No. 3. 



surface : while I could introduce the same stick under- 

 neath the water and even prod the fish with it. without 

 alarming it much. This is why more caution is necess- 

 ary in fly-fishing than in bait-fishing ; the bait in one in- 

 stance being on the surface, and in the other, beneath. 

 If a black bass, in rushing to the surface for the fly. sees 

 the angler, he at once stops in his course, and thenceforth 

 the daintiest flies, never so deftly thrown, will be cast in 

 vain while the angler remains in view. 



The most important rule, then, to be observed, first, 

 last and aJl the time in fly-fish- 

 ing, is: Keep out of sight of 

 the fish \ and the next is : Kefp 

 asquiet and nirdioniess as pos- 

 sible. Let your necessary 

 movements be" deliberate and 

 methodical, avoiding all quick, 

 sudden or energetic motions. 

 Fish sec and hear much better 

 than we gi^'e them credit for. 

 To keep out of the fish's sight 

 we must he screened by such 

 natunal objects as bushes! trees, 

 rocks, etc., or by keeping wi II 

 hack from the brink and mak- 

 in.g long casts. In wading the 

 stream it is alfo necfssary to 

 make long casts. The latter is 



the best plan of fishing a stream, as the angler, being so 

 near the water, is not so apt to be seen. 



It is useless to cast for black bass from high elevations 

 near the water, as a bold bank, a projecting rock, a dam, 

 etc., under ordinary circumstances ; for the angler must 

 remember that the' most commanding situation for see- 

 ing the fish also furnishes the best facibtif.: for lieing 

 seen in return, and rice vvfsa. In fishing fiuia a b laf. it 

 must be kept in deep water, while long casts are made 

 in shore, toward the feeding grounds. We should never 

 fish with the snn at our back, or in such a position as to 

 throw the shadow of our rod or person upon the water. 



From what has been said, it will ne apparent that it is 

 absolutely necessary that there be a breeze sufficient to 

 rntfle the surface of tlie w-ater. It is perfect folly for the 

 .angler to cast bis flies uiion a smooth surface, if the 

 water is clear enough for fishing. A gale is better than 

 no wind at all," and it does not matter from what direc- 

 tion the wind blows, if the condition and temperature of 

 water are right. .A. good breeze is the angler's best allv, 

 for by rippling the water it breaks the line of sight, to'a 

 great extent, between him and the fish. 



The angler should endeavor t.i cast his flies as lighPy 

 as possible, causing them to settle as quietlv as tlur-ile- 

 down, and without a splash. After casting, the tlii>s 

 should be skij.ped along the surface in slightly curving 

 lines, or by zigzag movements, occasionally allowing 

 them to Ijecome submerged for several inches near likely- 

 looking spots. If the current is swift, allow the flies to 

 float naturally with it. at times, when they can be skit- 

 tered back again, or withdrawn for a new cast. Two or 

 three times are enough to cast over any one spot, when 

 a rise is not induced. 



When bass are biting eagerl}' and C|uickly, whii>ping the 

 stream is 

 to be prac- 

 ticed, that 

 t h e 

 casts are 

 to be often 

 and rapid- 

 ly repeat- 

 ed, firat to 

 one side, 

 then the 

 other, al- 

 1 iwingthe 



iliestoset- Xo. 3. 



tie but a moment. In casting and manipultiting the flies, 

 the line must be ever taut ; for often a bass will "thus hook 

 himself, which he never does with a slack line. 



The angler should strike by sight, or by touch : that is 

 he should strike the moment he sees therise : for tlie bass 

 has either got the fly in his mouth, has mi-sed it, r.r has 

 already ejected it, when the rise is si.eii : it very seldom 

 iiappens that the rise is seen before the fly is reached by 

 the fish. The angler must also strike at the moment ho 

 feele ilie slightest touch or tug from the fi.sh, for often 

 the bass takes the fly without any break at the surface, 

 especially if the flies are beneatirtlie surface. 



Striking IS simply a twist of the \vr,st, or half turn of 

 the rod. either upward or downward (upward with stilf- 

 ish rods, and doivnwanl with very w idowy ones), wbii-li 

 is sufticient to set the hook if the 'rod and line maint.iln a 

 proper state of tensiMn ; but when tlie careless anu'lev lui's 

 aslack fine, and. cinsequently, a lifeless rod, he muKt 

 necessarily strike by a long upward or side sweep of tlie 

 rod, called 'yanking ;" and should he succeed in hooking 

 lhefi.-,h, the chances are that it will shake the hook out 

 again before the slack can be reeled up. 



Tlie rod must always beheld upward, so that it con- 

 stantly maintains a curve with the lino ; and never ur- 

 der any circumstances must the rod point iu the riiivc 

 lion of tue flies after they leacli the water, forthis allows 

 the direct sti-ain of th- fish to come upon the line fr 

 leader. When a bass is hooked, he must be kdled on tlin 

 rod ; the rod must stand the bnini; of the contest; the 

 more pliable and springy tlie rod, the less likelihood of 

 its breaking, for a still rod is more oliable than a fle>, 

 ible one. Give the bass more line oi'ilv when hetakesit • 

 make him fight for every inch, anrl take it back when 

 you can ; hold him by the spriiiLr of t he rod, and do not 

 Hesitate to turn the butt toward him to keep him away 

 from weeds, rooks, snags or other dangerous places ; this 

 wUl bring him up with a round turn, and is called 

 '•giving the butt." 



Don't beiu a hurry to land liiin ; the longer he resists, 

 the better for your sport ; take your time, and only land 

 him wlien he is completely exhaustied ; for if lie is well 

 liooked, and the proper tension of rod and line main- 

 tallied, he cannot getaway : on the other Imnd, if he is 

 tv?nderly hooked, tlie more gingerly he is haiidleil the 

 better. Therefore, never be in a liurry. and never at- 

 tempt to force matters ; always keep ;k beat rol and taut 

 line ; if the b.iss breaks water, the liest plan is to lower 

 the tip, so as to slack the line, and immediately raise the 

 rod and tighten the line when h^ strikes the water aonin, 

 for if he falls on the tightened line he is most sure to es' 

 cape i this J3 one of his most wily tricksi 



