FISH AND FISHING, 



47 



WEST VIRGINIA WAKING UP. 



Constable L. C. Jones, who was recently 

 appointed by Gov. A. B. White as deputy 

 fish and game warden for this section of 

 the county, prosecuted his first case at Fair- 

 mont. 



It was remarked by many at the time 

 the appointment was made known that no 

 better person could be found in the State 

 to fill this position. His first victims were 

 John Brown and L. H. Slater, young men 

 living on the East side of the river. They 

 were dipping for fish at a point below the 

 first ward feed mill, when Jones went to 

 the place, arrested them and took posses- 

 sion of the fishermen's outfit. 



They were taken before Justice Benning- 

 ton Saturday and were fined each $25 

 and costs. The defendants took an appeal 

 to the circuit court and were released un- 

 til court shall convene by each furnishing 

 bond to the amount of $100. 



The fish and game laws have been 

 flagrantly broken for years in this State, 

 especially the fish law. So open have 

 the violations grown to be that fishing in 

 the common and ordinary way, by hook and 

 line, trout line, etc., have practically been 

 abandoned, and the fish box, dynamite, etc., 

 substituted. 



Judge Mason instructed the grand jury 

 to inquire closely in regard to the viola- 

 tion of the fish and game laws. 



I am looking forward to the days when 

 the L. A. S. will conquer and the bristle- 

 backs will be extinct. 



Clifford Merrifield, Riverville, W. Va. 



CARP FISHING WITH A STEEL TRAP. 



Some years ago my father received from 

 the United States Fish Commission a new 

 kind of fish known as German carp, and 

 said to be choice. We stocked a new 

 pond with them, and fed them regularly 

 every day for 2 years. At the end of that 

 time the pond was full of large fish; and I 

 proceeded to angle for them. I soon found 

 that no kind of bait was tempting enough 

 to induce them to bite, and the frequent 

 sight of a fin above the water soon made me 

 desperate. I studied the ways of these 

 carp, and found that they loved to suck 

 at a lump of wheat dough. They would 

 suck it all away, without once taking the 

 bulk in their mouth. This gave me an idea, 

 which I at once executed. I procured a 

 large single spring steel trap and tied a 

 piece of tin on the frame, so that when 

 set the trap could not be approached from 

 the bottom. I tied a lump of dough on the 

 treadle, tied the trap on the line in place 

 of the hook, set it, and held it out in the 

 water a moment. There was a snap, a 

 shower of bubbles rose to the surface, 

 and I brought out a 5-pound carp, with 

 his head mashed flat. In 30 minutes I had 



30 pounds of fish, and ot being a game hog 

 I quit. 



My thoughts when I attempted to eat 

 those fish are not fit ior publication ; and I 

 afterward blew up the pond with dynamite 

 to get rid of the small carp which could not 

 throw my steel trap. 



Ed. C. Hill, Horse Cave, Ky. 



HOW TO TREAT KINGFISHERS. 

 I have read with great interest a commu- 

 nication from W. L. Steward, of Monson, 

 Maine, in regard to the killing of fish by 

 the blue heron and the kingfisher. As to 

 the heron, I can not say. My experience 

 with him is limited; but the kingfisher is 

 without doubt one of the most destructive 

 enemies of the finny tribe. I have had am- 

 ple opportunity to study kingfishers dur- 

 ing my 3 years as superintendent of 

 hatcheries at this station. There is con- 

 tinual warfare by kingfishers against fish 

 during the spring and summer. We are 

 compelled to kill hundreds of these birds. 

 In spring, summer and fall I have often 

 seen them dart into the ponds and come up 

 with their bill run through a trout 4 or 5 

 inches long. They will also strike a large 

 trout that they can not handle, and wound 

 him. Then , fungus will set in and the fish 

 dies. I agree with Mr. Steward that a 

 bounty should be placed on this bird instead 

 of protecting him by law. I should also like 

 to hear from persons who have had oppor- 

 tunity to study the great merganser and 

 the water ousel. I have caught them both 

 at questionable tricks. 



C. W. Morgareidge, Wolf, Wyo. 



MINNESOTA WATERS. 

 Your magazine is properly named. I 

 never fail to read it. I note in February 

 Recreation that Mr. Stick, of Chicago, 

 after successfully landing a 14-pound pick- 

 erel, was so delighted that he could fish 

 no longer, returning home with joy. In 

 this paradise for anglers, Minnesota, we 

 usually find our craving harder to satisfy. 

 Mr. B. and I take frequent drives during 

 the season to the many lakes in our vicin- 

 ity, and have yet failed to return with less 

 than 20 to 30 bass of the choicest black va- 

 riety. Many a 5-pounder has bent our 

 light Bristol and made things hum before 

 we had him in our landing net. Eight to 15 

 pickerel, weighing 6 to 15 pounds each, are 

 common. Lake Mary has our preference, 

 with its sparkling spring water, high wood- 

 ed shores, abundance of fish. When we 

 get on the croppie we simply pull up stakes 

 and move on, as we find it monotonous to 

 continually take them off our hooks. We 

 have 6 lakes within a mile, and each 

 has its own specialty to offer in the line of 

 fishes. 



O. S. Lowell, Watertown, Minn. 



