29$ 



RECREATION. 



NIBBLES. 



How do eels propagate their species? 

 A. N. R., Ashland, Wis. 



ANSWER. 



The common eel, Anguilla chrysypa, 

 breeds as do all ordinary fishes, which is 

 by laying eggs. The eel is what is known 

 as a catadromous fish; that is, a fish which 

 lives in fresh water, but runs down to salt 

 water to deposit its spawn. The eggs of 

 the eel are small and numerous, and are 

 deposited in the spring in salt water, near 

 the shores of bays and inlets. The erro- 

 neous belief among the unobserving that 

 the eel does not produce eggs is due chiefly 

 to the fact that the eggs are so small and 

 difficult to detect. But the method of re- 

 production, as stated above, has long been 

 well understood by naturalists. — Editor. 



I am in receipt of the Talbot reel which 

 you sent me as a premium for subscrip- 

 tions to Recreation, and a careful ex- 

 amination of the little beauty convinces 

 me it is what its maker claims for it, "the 

 best reel that can be built at any price." 

 Accept my sincere thanks for your kind- 

 ness, and let me assure you I will never let 

 your gift be disgraced by lending its as- 

 sistance to a fish hog. 



By the way, I wonder if this breed of 

 hogs are descendants of those mentioned 

 in St. Matthew, viii, 32; St. Mark, v, 13, 

 and St. Luke, viii, 33? Whether they are 

 or not I wish to God they would all come 

 to the same ending as did those there 

 mentioned. 



C. L. Bailey, Mancelona, Mich. 



In August Recreation I notice inquiry 

 of I. E. Bracket^ regarding black bass. 

 These are the freakiest fish that swim. 

 During June they may be caught either 

 by trolling or casting, for this using frogs 

 or live bait. It is practically useless to 

 try in July. In the early part of August I 

 use grasshoppers and night walkers. Late 

 in August I found crickets and small frogs 

 the best bait. After this and until the close 

 of the season either helgramites or small 

 fish are the best bait, and of the latter I 

 prefer small suckers. 



James C. Young, New York. 



Crystal lake, near Beulah, Benzie county, 

 is one of the finest lakes in this State. It 

 is 9 miles long and 2 to' 3 miles wide. 

 It is fed entirely by spring water. I have 

 fished in this lake when I could see 30 

 feet down, consequently its fish are su- 

 perior to those caught in most inland 

 lakes. I was out with J. I. White one day 

 in the latter part of May. We caught 7 

 black bass weighing 20 pounds, which I 



consider a good catch. We had enough to 

 supply both our tables one good meal, 

 and were perfectly satisfied with our day's 

 recreation. 



W. O. Brigham, Toledo, Ohio. 



In answer to an inquiry regarding a re- 

 ported catch of fish I received the follow- 

 ing: 



Your letter received. Yes, my brother 

 and I caught 283 brook trout in i l / 2 days 

 in Laurel river, Somerset county, Pa. 

 They were all of fair size and were taken 

 on artificial flies. 



Albert Miller, Hyndman, Pa. 



You and your brother deserve a similar 

 sentence to that pronounced against Mr. 

 Jones by his satanic majesty, as recorded 

 on page xxii of July Recreation. — 

 Editor. 



E. G. Foss and Tom O'Brien, of this 

 place, took a day off last week to fish at 

 Lake Elmore. As bait was scarce, they 

 tried dynamite, and are now under bonds 

 for $500 each. Rather hard lines for one 

 day's sport. Perhaps they will try it again? 

 Our r"ish Commissioner was on the lake 

 at the time. 



W. R. Collins, Morrisville, Vt. 



A good Fish Commissioner! I hope he 

 may catch more pirates. It's more fun 

 than catching fish, any day. — Editor. 



Having business at Minocque, in North- 

 ern Wisconsin, one day last summer, I 

 took with me a Bristol rod and a Shakes- 

 peare reel. I did not have much time, but 

 went out one hour and 20 minutes and 

 caught a 15 pound muskalonge. Both rod 

 and reel worked to perfection. 



I showed the reel to many anglers, and 

 all are pleased with the looks of it. The 

 level winding device takes them at once. 

 S. M. Eaton, Watertown, Wis. 



Four Calhoun County, Mich., men went 

 spearing in Rice creek and caught one little 

 black bass which cost them $25.40. 



The largest rainbow trout ever caught 

 in Northern Michigan was landed by 

 George Ruff, Jr., son of the postmaster of 

 Traverse City. It took half an hour to 

 land the fish, which measured 26 inches and 

 weighed 8 pounds. 



Edward Blossom, Otsego, Mich. 



Will some reader of Recreation tell me 

 where I can find good trout streams and 

 good grouse covers in middle Wisconsin. 

 E. B. B., care Recreation. 



