290 



FOREST r AND STREAM. 



These are properly all the flies necessary for an angler's 

 ■repertoire, though there are choice patterns highly prized by 

 experts which mil not be found in the stock of the tackle 

 shops. We are very glad to be able to speak of these flies of 

 Mr. Haily as very carefully and conscientiously prepared 

 productions. Probably -we have never possessed better. We 

 know that any gentlemen ordering from him will receive full 

 satisfaction. We always order our flies made in winter. The 

 manufacturer has more leisure then, and can do his patterns 

 better justice. In the spring every one applies at once, and 

 are not as "liable to be so well served. 



Another Beautiful Rod.— Verily, we are favored among 

 sportsmen! Mr. Chas. F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vt., whose 

 reputation as the maker of fine trout and bass rods has grown 

 deservedly wide within the past three years, has kindly pre- 

 sented us with one of his finest trout rods. It is made of 

 luncewood throughout, silver mounted, with metal reel seat, 

 and whipped with silk throughout like split bamboo rods. 

 These silk windings prevent the rod from breaking, and add 

 much to its beauty. In some respects the rod before us is a 

 novelty. It is a " combination " rod, but it is the only com- 

 » bination that we ever took kindly to. The first joint is about 

 sixteen inches in length. This includes only that portion 

 which is held in the hand, commonly designated as the bulge. 

 Behind the bulge and near the extremity of the bit is the reel- 

 plate, which holds the reel. Into the ferrule of this joint can 

 he fitted at option either one of two sets of joints, making a 

 complete rod, either for trout or bass fishing. In other words 

 the angler is provided with two separate and distinct rods, 

 with a handle common to both. Thus the uniform elasticity 

 and play of each is preserved throughout ; whereas in the old- 

 fashioned combination the quality of one or all must be im- 

 paired. We understand that Mr. Orvis can manufacture rods 

 of this kind to order for the low price of $15, and we can 

 most readily recommend them to the attention of any who 

 find economy in expenditure to be a consideration, or who pre- 

 fer wood to bamboo. For this gift so generously bestowed, 

 the donor has our sincere thanks. It shall be put to no ignoble 

 service. 



Oryih's Show Case fob Fly Patterns.— We are gradu- 

 ally collecting at our office quite a museum of sporting ma- 

 terials. Sometime ago we were presented by the Hazard 

 Powder Company with a magnificent mahogany case display- 

 ing the several kinds of powder manufactured by them, and 

 more recently a similar case with the sizes of shot made by 

 Tatham Bros. These are of great service to sportsmen select- 

 ing their amrnunitidn for various kinds of game and calibres 

 of gun. Of like service is a beautiful case presented to us last 

 week by Mr. Charles F. Orvis, of Manchester, Vermont, dis- 

 playing the several varieties varieties of trout and bass flies 

 made by him for the use of anglers. The name of each pat- 

 tern is attached to it, so that the puzzling nomenclature of 

 the profession is at once made intelligible to the tyro, and he 

 has only to make his selection and send in his order according 

 to the patterns desired, merely giving the name of such and 

 size he may want. We think if all dealers would adopt the 

 plan of hanging a similar show case in their shops they would 

 not only facilitate the transaction of business and satisfy the 

 purchaser, but largely increase their sales. Mr. Orvis' flies 

 are very carefully tried, while the materials are selected with 

 scrupulous care. That buyers are pleased with his work is 

 shown by the fact that he is constantly filling orders from 

 every State in the Union, however remote. 



A Fish Showee in Canada. — The story runs somewhat as 

 follows, and it all happened to a school-marm in Harwich 

 Township: Having dismissed her school, she was walking 

 to her boarding-house on or about the 8th of this month, when 

 in the grass [Query— Is there grass in or around this part of 

 the Dominion in November ?] the lady came across another 

 school of fish, this time in a pasture. Having been ' ' brought 

 up at the sea shore," where she first undoubtedly saw a fish, 

 she took them to be rattlesnakes ; then her marine icthyolog- 

 ical knowledge being of great use to her, she instantly knew 

 the fish to be a kind of pickerel. [Query— Does the esae fre- 

 quent the sea shore ?] Anyhow, after a few screams, being a 

 thrifty young woman, she came to, and having gone back fo 

 a pail in the school-room, she collected a bucket-full of fish. 

 "The circumstance," writes a paragrapki&t to the Toronto 

 Globe, " is unique, apart from its strange surroundings.'' Now 

 had the fish been smoked herrings or desiccated cod, the whole 

 matter would have become quite plain ; but a fish shower of 

 pickerel in Canada, it must be confessed is puzzling. Per- 

 haps the Provinces are jealous of the richness of the States. 

 Since we have had a sausage storm in and around Cincinnati 

 and a hash hurricane in Illinois, why should they not have a 

 pickerel avalanche in Harwick Township? 



Cmuons Capture of a Seal. — One Thomas Mortis, while 

 standing upon the high cliffs of Ramsey Island, Great Britain, 

 perceived a seal asleep on the shore helow. Descending, he 

 Nicceeded in getting between the animal and the water before 

 it awoke. As it made for the beach, he seized it with his 

 hands, and after along and severe struggle succeeded in tying 

 a handkerchief around its flippers. It proved a very trouble- 

 some pet, snapping at every one who approached it, but 

 curiously enough is far more incensed at the sight of its 

 captor than any other person. The cliff where Morris 

 descended seems almost impracticable, and how Hie man ^ J ot 

 down, and still more how he got up, carrying a struggling and 

 snapping seal is a my stery. 



Cod Fishing in Iceland,— Cliambern Journal gives an in 

 tereating account of the French fisheries for cod in Iceland: 



The fishermen, it seems, are sometimes rather impressed than 

 serve as volunteers. Most of the men come from Brittany. 

 The duties when fishing are very heavy, a id the accommoda- 

 tions for the men miserable. 



In a cod fishing craft it is necessary '0 have as many men 

 as possible, and twenty are usually takt n. The arrangements 

 are woefully insufficient. There are only sleeping-places for a 

 thud ; one sailor resting while two are As ring. Thus, after 

 six hours spent on deck without shelter from rain, wind and 

 snow, the waves washing over and the heavy fine in their 

 hands, the men go down stiff with cold and worn out with 

 fatigue. Yet they must he, dressed as they are, on a hard , 

 damp mattress ; and frequently the clothes are never changed 

 from the beginning to the end of the voyage. After five voy- 

 ages a man is authorized to take the command, and though 

 styled captain, he is nothing more than the head of the fisher- 

 men. It is his work to keep the account of the number of 

 cod caught ; the sailors taking care, as they hook a fish, to 

 cut out its tongue and place it in a bag hung to their belt. 

 When the hour of repose comes the tongues are taken to the 

 captain, and about ten centimes is allowed for each. The 

 second in office is only chosen as being the most skillful with 

 his line ; then comes the man who cuts off the cods' heads, 

 opens and prepares the fish for the Salter ; and lastly the one 

 who lays them in the barrels and closes them for sale. Those 

 ships that have chosen their position for fishing take down 

 their sails and lie as quietly at anchor as the wind will permit, 

 the men standing in a close line at the side of the vessel. 

 They are clothed from head to foot in knitted or flannel gar- 

 ments, with waterproof capes and hats. A petticoat of 

 strong linen is tied around the waist, descending below the 

 knees, and to preserve the feet from wet they wear woolen 

 stockings and waterproof boots. Thick woolen gloves, lined 

 with leather, save their hands from the injury of constant fric- 

 tion from the heavy line. The whole forms a curious picture 

 of ragged, patched, greasy, well-tarred habiliments, which a 

 comic pencil might rejoice to portray. The men, indifferent 

 to their appearance, seek only to be saved from moisture. 

 The lines they use are necessarily very heavy to bring on 

 board a fish weighing, say forty pounds. There are two hooks 

 baited with the entrails of fish ; but the voracity of the cod 

 is such that it is scarcely necessary to be too particular as to 

 the lure. Thus the men stand for six hours consecutively, 

 gently moving the line, and when a shake indicates a catch, 

 lifting the heavy weight on board. The fatigue is very great, 

 and much of it is pure loss, as the line too often brings up 

 another fish, called the fletan, which, though very good to eat 

 does not bear preserving. The sailors hold this interloper in 

 extreme aversion, as it often breaks the line by its weight, 

 and gives them much trouble to heave on board. 



The Use of Pigeons in the Fishery Biwiness.— We have 

 already spoken of the employment of carrier pigeons in the 

 fishing industry. From the Fishing Gazette we take the fol- 

 lowing : 



The experiment which was tried last year of employing car- 

 rier-pigeons for the purpose of bringing" earl v intelligence each 

 morning from the fishing-ground of the result of the night's 

 labor, is again being resorted to this season, and with the most 

 satisfactory results. One of the birds is taken out in each 

 boat in the afternoon, and after the nets have been hauled on 

 the following morning and the extent of the catch ascertained, 

 the pigeon is despatched with a small piece of parchment tied 

 round its neck, containing information as to the number of 

 crans on board, the position of the boat, the direction of the 

 wind, and the prospects of the return journey, etc. If there 

 is not wind to take the boat back, or if it is blowingjn an un- 

 favorable direction, a request is made for a tug, and 1 from the 

 particulars given as to the bearings of the craft, she can be 

 picked up easily by the steamer. The other advantages of the 

 system are that, when the curers are apprised of the quantity 

 of herrings they may expect, they can make preparations for 

 expediting the delivering and curing of the fish. Most of the 

 pigeons belong to Messrs. Moir & Bon, Aberdeen. When let 

 off from the boats, the birds invariably circle three limes 

 round overhead, and then sweep away toward the land with 

 great rapidity, generally flying at the rate of about a mile per 

 minute. Two superior birds in Messrs. Moir's possession have 

 occasionally come a distance of twenty or twenty-five miles in 

 as many minutes ; and on Tuesday one of these "pigeons came 

 home sixteen miles in the same number of minutes. Another 

 of Messrs. Moir's pigeons flew on board the Heatherbell on 

 Tuesday afternoon off the Girdleness, bearing a slip of paper 

 containing the intelligence that the boat from which it had 

 been dispatched at 11:54 had a cargo of twenty-five barrels of 

 herrings. The pigeons require very little training, and soon 

 know where to land with their message. A cot has been fit- 

 ted up on the roof of Messrs. Moir's premises at the quay for 

 the accommodation of the birds, and they invariably alight 

 there on their return from sea. 



CONDITIONS FOR GOOD BASS FISHING. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



If sportsmen would give i.ne practical features of their knowledge, 

 experience or observation, it would add greatly to the value and in- 

 terest of 'Heir writings. One may tell of glorious sports in fishing for 

 black baBS, but how much more acceptable it would be if the conditions 

 Rev which success was achieved, or which led to success, were given. 

 The time of year, a description of the day, the temperature, direction 

 of wind, the sky, conditions of water, stage of moon, time of day, kind 

 of bait, depth of fishing, kind of tackle, am] any observations that may 

 have been made. Here I will mention some items of experience in le- 

 gavd to bait. I have learned by repeated trials and careful notice that 

 there is no minnow, of all the kinds to which 11 . BO good 



for black bass as the shiner ; unless 1 except one that resembles it in 

 color, but which is hardier and lives longer on the hook. I have heard 

 many assertions adverse to this from pcrsonB who ought to know,. and 

 whose assertions proved raiiy a hindrance to me in arriving at the 

 truth. A minnow marred or disfigured Lottie slightest degree wid be 

 I when a perfect one will be taken. I ;:m well a 



bass are plenty and hungry they wil, iake almost any kind of a minnow 

 or even a piece of one. but when they are shy and hard to tempt the 

 above remarks will apply.' One frosty October day, when bass were 

 biting freely and continuously, I discovered that when I baited with a 

 very small minnow, not more than an inch in length-ao small indeed 

 that they were regarded as useless until a prospective scarcity of bait 

 induced atrial of them— I took the largest sized bass, weighing from 

 two to two and a half pounds, while with minnows from three to four 

 inches iu length I took them weighing generally less than a pound. 

 This occurred under circumstances admitting of so many trials as to 

 prevent the conclusion that it was accidental. Since then I have not 

 noticed the same thing, but my opportunities have never since been so 

 good. This is contrary to all that I ever beard from fishermen on the 

 subject, they always advising large minnows for large bass. I should 

 like to bo informed if any one else has had similar experience. 



Splasher. 



THE ROUTE TO THE UPPER MAGAL- 

 LOWAY, 



Jamaica Flain, Kov. 9, 1577, 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



Having just returned from the Moosehead Lake Region, where I have 

 been busy on my forthcoming " Guide to Moosehead Lake and Northern 

 Maine," I naturally, as soon as I could find time, looked over the file of 

 your valuable journal that had collected during my absence. Jn the 

 number dated Oct. 18, 1 found an article headed "The Upper Mugal- 

 loway River," some statements in which 1 do not agree with The 

 writer, speaking of the route to theMagalloway River and Parmachenee 

 Lake, via Upton, Me., spoken of in my "Richardson and RangHey 

 Lakes Illustrated,'- states the conveyance between Upton and Errol 

 Dam to be by stage. This statement is wrong, as all trave iug that 

 route take the steamer Diamond 1 1 Upton, in the morning, after arrtva 

 by stage the night before, and uav • a delightful sail to" Wfutivorth's 

 Location, touching at Errol Dam on. '.■ way. If " YV. C. E." will refer 

 to page 72 of the Guide, he will find stfe .-<i iu the book that the. convfty- 

 ance is by steamer, and not by stage, a 'ie wrongly quotes. Hew'H 

 also find the route by way of North Stiaiiord and Coiebrook. fully de- 

 scribed on pages 63 and 6T, chapters 14 and 16. I have been both ways, 

 and the Upton route is certainly the easiest and cheapest. The eceneir 

 via Colebrookis undoubtedly the finest, as by that route one passes; 

 through Dixvllle Notch. I would recommend that to make a pleasant 

 trip one should go by Upton, and return via CoIebrooK and North £ btat- 

 ford. By Upton one has a great deal less staging than by North St rat" 

 ford. Thedistance from North Stratford to Wentworth's Location via 

 Colebrook, is 40 miles, aud even if you tike, the steamer at Errol XJaiu 

 you have 34 miles of staging against 26 miles via Upton. The stage 

 from Bethel to Upton reaches the Lake House at the same time at night 

 as the stage from North Stratford reaches Colebrook, although the dis- 

 tance is 13 miles more. At the Lake House one can sleep until half- » - j 

 six the next morning, aud then be in time for the boat. They 1 1 

 have to turn out at half-past four, as "W. C. E." says he did at Pole 

 brook. 



But I have said enough on this matter, as it is immaterial to me which 

 route sportsmen take to Parmachenee. They will find them all fullv de- 

 scribed in my "Richardson and Rangeley Lakes Illustrated," and cat! 

 choose for themselves. 



One last correction In regard to the boat on Lake Umbagog. In June 

 August and September it makes four daily trips per week, instead of 

 three, as " W. O.E." states, and in July only three trips per week. 



Iu regard to the tront up the Magalloway, I would state that they run 

 small on that river, on Parmachenee Lake ami the ponds iu the vicin it v 

 as compared with those In the Richardson and Rauge'ey Lakes.A four- 

 pound trout is a big fish for Parmuchenee Lake and that vicinity. 



The small pond in front of Flint's Camp two years ago contained 

 nothing but small trout, although Mr. Flint has since stocked it with 

 larger fish. But. I think it would trouble " W. C. E." to prove that a six- 

 pound trout ever came out of it, or ever was in it, as six-pound trout 

 in that immediate vicinity are as scarce as black flies in January. 



In closing, I would suggestto "W. C. E." that Hie next time he 

 visits the Magalloway, he had better try the Upton route, for i'f he 

 has never been that way he will find it offers some advantages over the 

 other. Charles A. J. Farr jB . 



HEXAGONAL SPLIT BAMBOO RODS. 



Editor Fobf.st and Stream ; 



In your issue of last week, in answer to a correspondent from Lees- 

 burg, asking the relative merits of the round and hexagonal split bam- 

 boo rods, we observed you give judgment iu favor of the former. .As 

 our experience as manufacturers is directly opposed to the conclusions 

 you draw, may we, if it will not be considered a presumption on our. 

 part, be allowed to sta! e wherein we differ from you, and the reason for 

 our opinion? 



You are undoubtedly correct " that the value of a rod depends on its 

 mechanical construction, materials and its working power." You slat io 

 that •' the hexagonal is the easier made, and, therefore, about forty (io) 

 per cent, cheaper." 



Our experience is, that ft costs as much to make the hexagonal as the 

 round. To make the six parts forming the joint exactly of the same- 

 size, b ) that when put together they will be perfectly fitted, requiring 

 no outside reduotion (which would remove a part of the enamel) Is a 

 very line job, and one that only a highly skilled workman can accom- 

 plish. The workman who can make a perfect hexagonal joint can make. 

 the round equally as well, but there is m ire skill required In the former 

 ban the latter, In the former, if the parts are not closely fitted, any 

 imperfection is readily detected ; while in the latter, as the enamel in 

 part, is necessarily removed to make it round, and the grain of the barn - 

 boo exposed, it is a difficult matter to distinguish a defect in fitting from 

 the wood itself, aud a poorly constructed rod may appear as well made 

 as the best, 



Again, as it is universally admitted that the essentftls of a good split 

 bamboo rod— its strength, elasticity and durability, are mainly due 10 

 the enamel, it follows, that removing any part of it lessens the value in 

 all these vital points. Yon state that " the most experienced workman 

 can make the round joint entirely of enamel." Thatlt is an impo 

 to make a round joint and preserve even the larger part of the enamel 

 we know to be the case. The natural bamboo, as you areaware, is hoi' 

 low ; to make from this a solid joint in six strips, suitable for a trout" 

 or salmon rod, the original circle or the bamboo is so much re 

 that the strips, when placed together, do not form a " round " but a 

 hexagon. Now. to f>rm this into a "round," a very great part of the 

 enamel has to be removed. To show this plainly, if you wil: draw a 

 hexagon figure, and from its centre describe a circle covering its sides, 

 you will si e at a glance the large portion of the enamel destroyed e.16 

 how impossible it is to make a "round" joint and yet 

 enamel intact. As the hexagonal form tori , enamel, it fol- 



lows that this is the strongest form in which to make the rodi. 



As to the " working" of the two forms, the hexagonal having ali the 

 enamel and no weak points, gives a uniform swing throughout, 

 n the - round," from its want of uniforms 



