454 
squeteague and squit). To have him at 
his best he should never be allowed to 
touch that destructive agent to fish flavor, 
viz., ice. It is not, however, his grace or 
flavor which so particularly endears him to 
the heart, but his prime qualities as a biter 
and fighter when hooked. That at one 
time there was a close relationship be- 
tween him and the lord of the brook and 
lake (fontinalis) there is small room for 
doubt. The contour of body and. fin is 
nearly identical, and there are many char- 
acteristics in common. Angling for 
weakfish is practiced in many ways and 
constitutes the sport of thousands of peo- 
ple who care little for other sort. These 
fish are taken from the beach, direct, from 
July until November, when conditions are 
iavorable, and furnish grand sport to 
those who are competent to do the expert 
casting necessary. But it is in river and 
bay fishing that they play the most impor- 
tant part, and where they can best be 
studied and enjoyed. They will bite on 
both flood and ebb tide both night and 
day, but by all odds the night and ebb 
tides are the best. While they are willing 
to take a variety of baits, shedder crab 
is beyond question the most reliable bait 
to be used. My method is and has been 
for a number of years as follows: First 
secure an agreeable companion who will 
stick at the sport no matter if the be- 
ginning is a little slow. Next obtain a 
good, safe, dry boat. Having reached the 
grounds known to be the resort of weak- 
fish, anchor just outside the channel way, 
and if possible close to an oyster reef, as 
the weakfish is much given to running in 
the shallows during the night. I use for 
tackle a good, hand-made split bamboo 
rod with sufficient backbone to strike 
sharply against the tideway, as it is nec- 
essary to set the hook firmly at the strike; 
a 1-0 “Silver King” reel which will hold 
200 yards of the 12 thread regular, or 15- 
thread special line; and either a 5-0 or 6-0 
Kirby Limerick hook. Now I hear a 
chorus of voices. “Carlisle,” says one; 
“Aberdeen,” says another; while “The 
Sproat is the only hook which can be used 
tc advantage,” says a third. But, brethren, 
I have used all kinds and conditions of 
hooks, and never found any to equal the 
above mentioned favorite, in all respects. 
Then with line just sufficiently leaded to 
keep the bait well down and to steady a 
medium sized float, pay off to the tide, 
until the strike is felt. It is not necessary 
to watch the float. When a weakfish takes 
a floating bait it is done with a snap and 
a rush which set at rest all questions as 
to the nature of the disturbance, and 
should he be of good size there is work 
for both tackle and angler. There are 
but few fishes more beautiful when first 
RECREATION. 
taken from the water. The same speci- 
men seen later in the fishmonger’s stall 
would not be recognized save for his 
form. IBRRL 

AT BLUE POND. 
When my friend, whom I had been for 
a week expecting, at last arrived, we 
planned a fishing trip for the following 
day. We made an early start next morn- 
ing and picking up our guide began. our 
5-mile jaunt through the woods. Half 
of the way was easy, there being a trail 
as far as Windfall pond. That we crossed 
in a dugout. Then our climb began, 
first up a mountain and then down it to 
the pond we were seeking. There we 
di.gged our boat from its hiding place, 
rigged ourrodsand fished, or, rather, tried 
to fish. At dusk we had but 5 little trout 
for our pains. We passed the night in a 
shakedown, bedded with balsam boughs, 
and at 4 a. m. were ready to try the fish 
again. In a few moments we landed 2 
beauties, each over a pound. Then we 
caught 2 or 3 smaller ones, and then my 
line began to cut the water and I knew 
I had a fish worth having. It was 20 
minutes before I could get him to the 
surface. Then the net went under him 
and a 2% pound fish was mine. We fished 
until 10 o’clock and went home with 42 
trout, weighing 22 pounds. Anyone 
wanting good sport can not do better 
than at Blue pond, on the New York & 
Ottawa R. R. It is within easy reaching 
distance of the State lands in township 20, 
Franklin county, N. Y. 
Rex, Derrick, N. Y. 

FISHING IN IDAHO. 
Fishing has been poor this season owing 
to the continued high water caused by 
excessive snow on the mountains. The 
catches of trout would admit no one to 
the hog pen. On the middle fork of the 
Salmon river we caught a few rainbow 
trout. Brook trout were abundant there 
but we did not fish for them. 
Never before were there so many camp- 
ing parties in the mountains. Boise and 
vicinity furnish the most. They haunt the 
trout streams but seldom reach the good 
game resorts. The first party we met 
was at Cape Horn. The young ladies 
were dressed in big overalls of blue 
denim, cowboy hats and bike boots; hair 
in the breeze and riding horseback. We 
first supposed them to be Indians, but dis- 
covered our mistake on approaching 
them. They inquired for a good camp- 
ing place. When I began to unsling my 
camera they gave exclamations of horror, 

