FISH AND FISHING. 



387 



I thought the fish was too near the sur- 

 face; so went out and sank it a little deeper. 

 The next hawk to try his luck was a young 

 one. He struck the fish all right, but could 

 not rise with it. After several trials he re- 

 tired in disgust. 



During the 2 hours I watched the fun, at 

 least 6 hawks tried to catch the dummy. I 

 left it there several days, and when I fin- 

 ally took it up, it looked as if it had been 

 through a threshing machine. If anyone 

 wants fun let him try this experiment. If 

 ii does not make him laugh, his laughing 

 machine needs repairing. 



M. P. Dunham, Ovando, Mont. 



"THEY CAST THEREFORE." 



A page of your magazine has been sent 

 me, which contains an unfair criticism re- 

 garding what I said about a big catch of 

 trout. 



The correspondent who calls your atten- 

 tion to it signs himself " Game Protector," 

 Chester, Pa. In noticing it you accord 

 with his views. You are both mistaken 

 as to the purpose of the article written 

 by me; and the use made of the fish caught. 



Evidently your correspondent and your- 

 self concluded that Mr. Sidney Williams 

 was fishing merely for sport, and to see 

 how big a catch he could make. It was not 

 for sport, but to supply the market of Seat- 

 tle. Is 571 fish too large a supply for a 

 population of 60,000? If this be wrong, 

 what shall be said of the great " multitude 

 of fishes " caught in the sea of Tiberias, 

 when the disciples were directed by the 

 Saviour where to cast their nets. 



I wrote the article to defend this young 

 man and his brother, who are most expert 

 fishers, from a cruel aspersion which 

 charged that they used some explosive. 

 Knowing this to be false, I think I was jus- 

 tified in defending them. 



If this catch had been for sport or recrea- 

 tion merely, I would make a stronger ex- 

 pression than either " Game Protector " or 

 yourself has made. Instead of 200 I should 

 say there were 571 too many. 



I trust you will give space to this ex- 

 planation, in justice to Mr. Williams and 

 myself, whom you have so severely con- 

 demned. 



Geo. F. Whitworth, Seattle, Wash. 



The fact that Mr. Williams was fishing 

 for, market does not justify him. The 

 mountain trout is not properly a commer- 

 cial fish. If you undertake to feed 60.000 

 people on trout, how long will the supply 

 in your rivers last? — Editor. 



AT GRESHAM LAKE. 



Our party, consisting of 20 members of 

 the Kokomo Rod and Gun Club, arrived 

 at Woodruff, Wisconsin, and procuring 

 teams, loaded our baggage, consisting of 6 



boats in addition to our camp outfit. We 

 went 16 miles Northwest into the forest, 

 and located our camp on the bank of Lower 

 Gresham lake. This is one of a chain of 

 3 lakes — Upper, Middle and Lower Gresh- 

 am — which empty by a small stream, into 

 the Manitowish river. It was the close sea- 

 son for game, and although deer, ducks, 

 and ruffed grouse, with an occasional bear, 

 were to be found, we restrained ourselves 

 and confined our attention to fishing. 

 These 3 lakes abound with muskalonge, 

 walleyed pike and bass. There were no 

 " hogs " in the party. The largest catch, 

 for any one day, was 97 pounds, which was 

 no more than enough to feed the 20 men. 

 We were well pleased with the location, and 

 spent 2 weeks most delightfully. The larg- 

 est fish caught was a muskalonge, weigh- 

 ing 16 pounds. 



Recreation is the best sportsmen's 

 journal I have seen, and I wish it success 

 in its war of extermination on the " game 

 hogs." 



A. W. Holcombe, M.D., Kokomo, Ind. 



NOTES. 



Mr. Harry Church, of New Bedford, 

 says, in Recreation, that white perch are 

 strictly fresh water fishes. I should like to 

 ask him if he has not caught white perch 

 in the tide water pond North of the Old 

 Colony R. R. in the town of Mattapoisett. 

 If he does not think that water salt, let him 

 taste it. I have caught white perch in the 

 many fresh water ponds North of New 

 Bedford; but all of those ponds have an 

 outlet to salt water. In 60 years of fishing, 

 I don't recollect ever catching white perch 

 in any land locked pond of fresh water. 

 But I have caught many in or at the head of 

 tide water. It is a common belief that 

 perch spawn in fresh water, as do shad and 

 herring. Some of the herring stay quite a 

 while in fresh water. I have caught them 

 in ponds, with hook and line, as late as 

 September, while fishing for black bass. 



Will Howard, Colorado Springs, Colo. 



The San Francisco Fly Casting Club is 

 making preparations for an Open to the 

 World Tournament to be held in San Fran- 

 cisco September 9th and 10th. 1898, in 

 which Fly Casting and Lure Casting events 

 will be programmed. 



Our club has taken this matter up in ear- 

 nest and will make the tournament a most 

 attractive one, in the number, character 

 and value of the medals and prizes, and as 

 an interesting event to the angling fra- 

 ternity. 



It is hoped that competitors from the 

 East, and from abroad, will enter the con- 

 tests, and we assure a most hearty welcome 

 to all who can arrange to be with us. 

 Horace Smyth, Secretary, 



San Francisco, Cal. 



