VISHJNG 



79 



good reel in every respect. 1 have no doubt 

 that equally good ones may he had from 

 such firms as Mills, Abbey & Imbrie, and 

 Julius Vom lloff, but I certainly think for 

 casting a light bait the reel is as important 

 as the rod. Js not too much attention being 

 given to casting, anyway? As an old sal- 

 mon fisherman, 1 feel strongly on this point. 

 I have taken men to the river bank that 

 were wonderfully good casters, and who 

 turned out to be wonderfully poor fisher- 

 men. My experience in bass fishing leads 

 me to think that here, also, one can differen- 

 tiate pretty sharply between the long dis- 

 tance caster and the patient, quiet, skillful 

 fisherman. 



When once hooked, a small-mouthed black 

 bass, in the cool waters of the North is a 

 terrific fighter ; yet he is no better than the 

 gallant rainbow trout of the Pacific Coast. 

 And, ye gods ! What a difference there 

 would be were they laid side by side on the 

 platter ! The one brave, strong, active, is 

 but a coarse fish after all ; the other, the 

 glorious champion of the rushing waters— r 

 beautiful and game — the Darling of the 

 Gods! Perhaps I am prejudiced; but, for 

 me, the salmonidse are first and best, and I 

 can grant the black bass, taking all his quali- 

 ties into consideration — not merely his 

 strength and pluck — but a poor second. 



But, after all, have not youthful associa- 

 tions much to do with our judgment? The 

 boy who strolled along the banks of some 

 purling trout burn with a light heart, will 

 be very apt to be a lover of trout to the end 

 cf his days; while the youngster whose half 

 holidays were spent where the lily pads 

 sheltered the redoubtable black bass, regal 

 by comparison with the coarser denizens of 

 the sluggish waters, will consider Microp- 

 terus dolomieu the King of the Fresh 

 Waters. 



Samuel King, Rochester, N. Y. 



FISHING NEAR BUFFALO. 

 Editor Recreation : 



We have very good fishing within easy 

 reach of Buffalo. The fish consists of musca- 

 longe, perch, black bass, yellow perch and 

 blue pike, the latter fish being found only in 

 Lake Erie. 



Muscalonge is good only for about a couple 

 of months, but the other fish may be found 

 all the summer. The bait we use for musca- 

 longe is spoon ; for perch, worms and min- 

 nows ; for pike and black bass, soft shell 

 crabs and worms. The bass, of course, take 

 the fly, and muscalonge is also sometimes 

 caught with that lure. 



There are many places along the Niagara 

 river and near Buffalo, at the foot of Michi- 

 gan, Ferry and Hertel streets, where boats 

 may be hired for one dollar a day, or, with 

 boatman, at $4.50. We have any number of 

 hotels and boarding houses where sportsmen 



may put up. At the Bedell House, the rates 

 are from $2 to $3.50 a day. There is a hotel 

 on the Ontario side, at Black Creek, kept by 

 Mr. Charles Jenks, that is a good stopping 

 place for fishermen. 



Our muscalonge season opens June 1st, and 

 ends with the month of February. Black 

 bass fishing becomes legal June 15th, and 

 also ends with the month of February. One 

 muscalonge, weighing 18 pounds, was caught 

 off Fludson street, Buffalo, on June 2(1. 



Black Creek, about twelve miles down the 

 river from Buffalo, on the Ontario side, is 

 the best place for perch, and the head of 

 Grand Island, Niagara river is good trolling 

 ground for muscalonge. 



C. E. Sterling, Buffalo, N. Y. 



SPORT ON LONG ISLAND. 



Editor Recreation : 



We have had no fishing to speak of in 

 Moriches Bay and vicinity up to date of this 

 letter (June 2d), but there are plenty of 

 black fish just outside. Blackfish usually run 

 about thirty days. We use as bait, clams, 

 barnacles, and fiddler crabs. Our tackle is a 

 drop line, heavily leaded. Boats and boat- 

 men may be hired for $5 a day. Fishermen 

 will find good accommodations at either the 

 Howell or Prospect houses, their rates being 

 $2 a day. 



There is good fishing for perch, bass and 

 catfish in Kaler's lake, where there are also 

 a few trout. Boats may be hired at twenty- 

 five cents an hour. 



Jacob H. Miller, East Moriches, N. Y. 



SOUTHERN SEA FISHING. 



Editor Recreation : 



Our fishing season begins here about May 

 20th, when bluefish, weakfish, kingfish, Span- 

 ish mackerel, and several varieties of bottom 

 feeders are caught. A little later plenty of 

 sheepshead are taken about our wrecks, and 

 near our wharves. Some very heavy catches 

 are made. 



The most direct way of reaching this place 

 is by way of Beaufort, N. C, taking the 

 daily mail steamer from that port. 



FI. S. Doxsee, 

 Hunter's Home, Ocracoke, N. C. 



MAINE COAST. 



Editor Recreation : 



The present season is very favorable for 

 deep sea fishing off this coast. Plenty of 

 haddock, cod and pollock are being taken. 

 We have a good hotel here, with accommoda- 

 tion for one hundred guests, within six miles 

 of the fishing grounds. There is a large 

 launch that can be hired. 



Small fish, such as dinners, flounders and 

 eels, are to be caught in great abundance, 

 within a stone's throw of the hotel. Our fall 

 and spring gunning is unsurpassed. 



L. A. Dixon, South Freeport, Me. 



