46 3 RECREATION. UE eae 
way, of Castella. Heretofore it has been 
impossible to-convict anyone in Shasta or 
Siskiyou counties, of violating the game 
laws. 
Trout fishing season opened April Ist, 
and every kid in town wound his alarm | 
clock the night before. By daylight the 
stream was lined on both sides with fish- 
ermen of all grades and ages. 
The largest trout caught weighed 214 
pounds. There is little likelihood of any 
one becoming a fish hog on the upper Sac- 
ramento river, for the older fish not only 
know the name of every fly made, but also . 
the name of the maker, as many an expert 
angler has found, to his sorrow. The Sac- 
ramento is an ideal trout stream, fed by the 
snows of Mount Shasta and from its base 
it flows a torrent of ice cold water, clear 
as crystal for 30 or 4o miles. 
Val, Eureka, Cal. 

We have some veritable game hogs down 
here, and I shall want your help to con- 
vince them that this slaughtering of game 
can’t last always. 
These “inexhaustible” supplies will give 
out and public opinion will not always al- 
low it. Now, it is the custom for every 
man to kill every bird he can see and every 
fish he can pull out. I’ve heard several 
parties say they “‘caught fish as fast as. they 
could drop their hooks in,’ and had to 
stop, not because the fish wouldn’t bite, 
but because they were “‘tired’ of such 
mSDOmE. 
I frequently hear of a fishing party catch- 
ing from 400 to 7oo fish in one day. 
The fault lies, mainly, in their never hav- 
ing taken a thought as to the eventual re- 
sults. Cy EX Pleas: *@hipley, abla: 

Breaking the gut at the head of the fly 
is not caused by the shellac varnish as 
R. W. H. and others seem to think, but 
by the shank of the hook cutting the gut. 
Years ago I experimented considerably to 
prevent it, wrapping the hook with fine silk, 
coating it with a rubber solution, etc. 
These, though some protection, soon wore 
through. 
The best protection against loss of aah 
through frayed gut, is to have your flies 
dressed on eyed hooks, then, when you 
see signs of wear it is an easy matter to 
put on a fresh snell. This can be: done 
quickly by anyone. Flies dressed thus cost 
more, as they are more difficult to make, 
especially the upright winged ones. These 
are best finished off behind the wings. 
S. W. Howarth, Florisant, Colo. 

The champion black bass was caught by 
the champion fishermen and hunters of this 
country, Charles and Will Kline, who live 
3 miles from here. This fish was caught 

in Shoal creek, 5 miles South of here with 
a common bamboo rod and a live minnow 
bait. It weighed 8 pounds and measured 
22% inches in length. ‘ 
They are neither game nor fish hogs, ~ 
but caught quite a number of bass. The 
second largest weighed 5 pounds. a 
This is conceded to be the largest bass 
ever caught in this country. If any of your 
readers know of anything to equal it in this” 
section, let us hear from them. r = 
I admire the stand you take against | 
game hogs, and Hope. mu will continue to— 
roast them. N. C., Joplin, Mo. 

The fishing at Clear Water and Var 
num’s ponds, near this village is unusually 
good this season. Both ponds have al- 
ways contained trout and togue, and a few 
years ago were stocked with salmon. These 
have done exceedingly well and lovers of © 
the rod are anticipating great sport with 
them as soon as the ice leaves. % 
H. B. Brown, Farmington, Me. 

I saw in one number of RECREATION ~ 
in regard to catching bass © 
I caught one through ~ 
something 
through the ice. 
the ice while fishing for pickerel, Jan 28, 
Mr. 
1805. H. H. Fordham and I went ~ 
fishing at Elk Lake, Susquehanna county, | 
Pa., 7 miles from Montrose, county seat. ~ 
We had out 22 tip-ups. We got II nice 
pickerel and a black bass, which weighed ~ 
3 pounds 10 ounces. 
through the ice. 
Wyoming County. 
C. M. Hawley, Montrose, Pa. 

Our people seem to take more interest in 
the game this year than ever before. 
letters you published from Webber have © 
made a lot of talk here where he is well 
known, and I have yet to hear the man who 
takes Webber’s part. Even his best friends 
say he is in the wrong. E 
The trout fishing is.a month behind this — 
year, on account oo the severe winter we — 
have had. I was out yesterday and caught — 
a fair string in 2 hours. 
good weather lasts, the fishing will be as — 
lively as the biggest hog on earth could 
wish for. of 
Munro Wyckoff, Port Townsend, Wash. ~ 

Keepers of fishing resorts who are de- 
pendent on the patronage of lovers of — 
the sport often express approval, 
than indignation, when their patrons carry 
away small specimens on their strings. 
Again they sell fish to those who wish to — 
make a showing. 
effort to convince these men that a fish © 
That was the first 7 
time I ever heard of bass being caught | 
Since then several have | 
been caught the same way in Lake Carey, 
The = 
If our present @ 
rather iy 
It has always been mv 

