FISH AND FISHING. 



A REPENTANT SINNER. 

 I am sorry to inform you that we have 

 among the L. A. S. here a full grown fish 

 hog in the shape of a recently appointed 

 Territorial Fish Commissioner, Mr. Jean 

 Allison. Mr. Allison caught 71 trout the 

 first day of last open season, while his 

 companion was sportsman enough to quit 

 at 25. You have a place for such animals 

 as Mr. Allison, in Recreation, the only 

 sportsman's paper on the earth, and I hope 

 you will roast him as he should be roasted. 

 No. 953 L. A. S., Jerome, Ariz. 



To the foregoing I replied : 



I have written Mr. Allison direct, asking 

 him if the report you give is correct. I 

 wish to get his own admission if I can. I 

 wish to be well fortified before attacking 

 any man. If I find «Mr. Allison guilty, I 

 shall give him what he deserves. 



Mr. Allison did reply to my inquiry as 

 follows : 



I am sorry to say the report that I 

 caught 71 trout in one day is only too 

 true, and I find many of the L. A. S. boys 

 criticise me. Foster, the author of "Scien- 

 tific Angling," draws the line at a full 

 creel, and, following his example, I did 

 not stop until mine was filled. I will tell 

 you how it happened, and promise not to 

 be in line again with Messmuck, who 

 says, in "Fishing with the Fly," by Orvis 

 and Cheney: "I am afraid to say how 

 many trout we had at the fiuish, but I 

 know we packed 300 pounds in ice, to take 

 home with us; and gave away as many 

 more to the captain of our steamer, there- 

 by calling down on our heads the earnest 

 blessings of passengers and crew." 



Like Messmuck I have for years made 

 a practice of bringing in fish for neighbors 

 and friends. I have spoiled these people, and 

 while getting the blessings of a favored 

 few, I am now up against the real thing, 

 and am to be stuck, scalded and bristles 

 scraped, to the criticising public. How- 

 ever, I shall not be guilty again. My 

 friends must "tread the dangerous path 

 alone" and expect no more trout from me. 

 One close shave is enough. 



Before I close, however, I want to tell 

 you how it happened, and probably some 

 readers, at least, will sympathize with me. 



An old gentleman and I had planned for 

 months a 5 days' trip to Oak creek, 25 

 miles by wagon road and a 12 mile trail to 

 pack over. The morning we started we 

 were joined by 2 young men, who had 

 never fished for trout and could only stay 

 ©ne day on the creek, (while my friend and 



I were to stay 3 days. By daylight we 

 were fishing, and up to noon the 2 young 

 men were discouraged and were afraid 

 they would not be able to take home any 

 trout. With that feeling of pity for the 

 boys of "fishermen's luck," I fished hard 

 and caught the number mentioned that we 

 might have a hearty trout supper and give 

 the boys fish to take home; also that I 

 might send some in to my family. The 

 trout were nearly all small, 7 to 10^2 

 inches, the 7 inch predominating; so, in 

 weight, the 71, for the purposes stated, 

 were not a slaughter. The only slaughter 

 was that I showed the bristles in catching 

 the number in one day. 



Years ago 100 trout were no unusual 

 catch, and would not be now. We had no 

 limit, and the L. A. S. was not in the 

 field then. Fifty-nine is the most I have 

 allowed myself to catch for over 3 years. 

 This time I thought I had 60, so I put up 

 my rod and walked home along the stream 

 for 4 miles, where a line had not been wet 

 that season. We had 6 in camp and I had 

 to supply most of the fish. The next day I 

 did not fish. 



And now, begging pardon, I shall watch 

 for the other fellow, who is sure to do the 

 same thing, and I trust it will not be re- 

 corded from Arizona. Jean Allison, 



Jerome, Ariz, 



WHY EASTERN LAKES ARE DEPLETED. 



Mr. Chas. A. Morrell, Nyack, k. Y. 



I am informed that you and a friend re- 

 cently caught 71 pounds of fish in Rock- 

 land lake. Will you kindly tell me if this 

 is true, and if so, will you give me full 

 particulars? G. O. Shields. 



To the foregoing letter Mr. Morrell re- 

 plied : 



August 30th Mr. T. B. Bohr, of Spring 

 Valley, and I made what was considered, 

 for Rockland lake, a good catch of bass. 

 Enclosed clipping from the Nyack Evening 

 Star will give you all the information you 

 probably desire. If it is your idea to make 

 note of this catch in Recreation and you 

 wish an illustration, I can send you a 

 flashlight picture. Chas. A. Morrell, 



Nyack, N. Y. 



The clipping enclosed by Mr. Morrell is 

 as follows : 



Messrs. Charles A. Morrell, of Nyack, and 

 Theodore B. Bohr, of Spring Valley, recently 

 caught in Rockland lake 65 pounds of black basa 

 and 6 pounds of pickerel. Eight of the bass 

 weighed 4 pounds each, and the rest were of good 

 size and weight* 



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