FISH AND FISHING. 



373 



male fish builds the nest of small bubbles 

 in one corner of the aquarium, and when 

 it is completed the female spawns in it. The 

 eggs hatch in about 36 hours. After they 

 hatch the male zealously guards them 

 from the female, not allowing her near the 

 nest, as she devours the little ones at every 

 opportunity. He will also take any of the 

 little ones, which have strayed from the 

 nest, into his mouth and eject them again 

 into their home; he considers them able 

 to take care of themselves in about 2 weeks 

 and leaves them to their own resources. 



I consider it best to remove the parent 

 fish 4 or 5 days after the eggs hatch, as 

 the young fish seem capable of taking care 

 of themselves. It is, however, necessary to 

 add a little stagnant water every day, so 

 the little fish can subsist on the minute 

 animal life it contains. 



I should like to hear from other readers 

 of Recreation in regard to the propaga- 

 tion of aquaria fish, as it is a subject of 

 great and general interest. 



D. E. Bivins, Bartow, Fla. 



can just as well be employed to control the 

 fish in its long run. It also, of course, 

 lengthens the life of the other half, which 

 necessarily is affected by water and action 

 of the reel. — Editor. * 



TAPERED FISHING LINES. 



Why are some fish lines tapered? What 

 are the best ways to have them tapered? 

 What end should be fastened to the reel? 

 Why? — Chas. H. Scheuer, Mishicot, Wis. 



ANSWER. 



The inquiry you have put to me is most 

 difficult to answer, because it rests more in 

 theory than in actual practice. As far as 

 I have been able to study the matter out, 

 the tapering of lines arises through an ef- 

 fort to relieve the light bamboo rods 

 from as much weight of line as possible 

 in casting. Little over 50 or 60 feet are 

 rarely employed in practical casting, and 

 the tapering is an endeavor to take as much 

 weight as possible, as well as to minimize 

 resistance from wind. It is only applying 

 to the line the old practice which formerly 

 prevailed of braiding the leader until it 

 reached a single thread. This has been 

 discarded in favor of the single thread, 

 although some anglers still adhere to the 

 practice of braiding. 



As to the best way to have them tapered, 

 that is beyond my knowledge. All I know 

 is that I buy tapered lines. The manner 

 of tapering is one of intricate machinery, 

 I am informed, and may be better an- 

 swered by a manufacturer than by an 

 angler. 



Tapered lines are supposed to be tapered 

 from the center to each end so as to give 

 the purchaser 2 lines, and it is immaterial 

 which end is fastened to the reel. Some 

 anglers, economically inclined, cut the line 

 in 2 at the middle, and fasten the middle 

 end to a first-class linen line of 100 yards, 

 for the reason that the small portion of 

 the line is used for casting. The linen line 



HOW SMART ALECK REPORTERS 

 MAKE TROUBLE. 



Sam Humes and Edward and Ray Fox have returned 

 to Seattle from a fishing expedition to Arlington. They 

 met with excellent sport, catching 720 trout during the 

 lact three days of their stay.— Seattle, (Wash.,) paper. 



I wrote the men named above and asked 

 if the report were correct. Here is a re- 

 ply from one of them: 



Your letter was forwarded from Seattle 

 to my present address. 



The report you received must have been 

 based on an unauthorized report which ap- 

 peared in a local paper, and which was a 

 surprise and a source of regret to me and 

 my companions. 



We camped 3 days on Canyon creek, 

 Snohomish county, Washington, and al- 

 though fish were plentiful and took the 

 fly readily, we were satisfied with enough 

 for our morning and evening camp table 

 and with bringing home a single mess for 

 our families. Half of 20 I brought home 

 were caught by my brother. 



We are gentlemen and wish to be classed 

 with sportsmen, ar we have been in the 

 past, and will be obliged to you if you will 

 publish this in your magazine, knowing it 

 will thereby reach the local sportsmen and 

 vindicate us. 



I heartily approve of your war against 

 the hogs. 



Ray S. Fox, San Rafael, Cal. 



NIBBLES. 



The fish, the photo of which I sent y3u 

 for entry in your competition, weighed 2^ 

 pounds and was 3 feet 4 inches long. It 

 was not measured around the chest, but I 

 should judge it would have measured 

 22 or 2^ inches. 



The lucky angler was A. W. La Ferge, 

 700 Sewall avenue, Asbury Park, N. J. He 

 has fished along the shore here for a num- 

 ber of years, and this was the first time he 

 had ever struck a striped bass. He was 

 as happy as a boy with a new top when he 

 got the big fish safely on the beach. I 

 had the picture all arranged in my mind 

 and was just waiting for some one to land 

 the bass when Mr. La Ferge showed up 

 with his prize. 



F. L. Wilcox, Asbury Park, N. J. 



This photo was entered in Recreation's 

 5th annual competition, and is reproduced 

 on the cover of this issue. — Editor. 



Your magazine is undoubtedly the 

 sportsmen's own book. If the other maga- 



