480 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jcxt 6. 1882. 



THE "BLUE GILL" MINNOW PAIL. 



THE minnow pail described by "At. Fresco" in your 

 of June 8, '82, we know to be an excellent article, 

 having used the "idea" of false bottom nearly five rears! 

 We, liowever. do not approve of holes near the top, con- 

 sidering them of no benefit save to unnecessarily utilize 

 space and create genuine "splashers.'' All needed light and 

 air is furnished minnow pails by well perforated lids, the 

 diameter of the holes not being less than that of ordinary 

 al use lead pencils. 



Afi it is often desired to keep minnows over night, or for 

 several days, permit us. if not trespassing on your columns, 

 to send you on paper our "Blue Gill" bucket. " We give the 

 principle, and not the dimensions, the latter is left" by the 

 -wayside. "Everyone has his own notion" and can size up 

 to suit fancy or whim. Our outside bucket is a plain, 

 ordinary one, substantially and well made; a perforated 

 Ducket, one and a half inches shorter, tils Snugly inside. 

 another perforated bucket is fitted within the" hitter, so 

 arranged as to draw out telescope fashion without separat- 

 ing. When the perforated buckets are closed thev are not 

 as long by one and a half inches as the outer or male* buckets. 

 Any style top, lid or fastening may be used as suits the 

 taste. Ours fastens with lock. Having a supply of min- 

 nows on hand (imagination at the present moment) to pre- 

 serve in good lively condition, the telescope is pulled and 

 cast into the water, giving 100 per cent, more room f r 

 the game fish's "sweet morsel" to sport in and make room 

 for each other, and of course- a chance to avoid accidents 

 that generally happen to a poorly regulated, overcrowded 

 bucket. The "chubs," and "shiners," and such must have 

 room to get around, in order to flourish in confinement. 



At this point the writer is reminded of a "yarn" related 

 by a dear farmer friend, now laid to rest. Pardon a digres- 

 sion, and we give what may be old to many of your numer- 

 ous readers. The old man said, "Willis, I have some of the 

 best potatoes ever grown in Allen county. Why, the other 

 morning T went out early to one of my patches, I heard a 

 sort of a grumbling, growling noise, over the fence, in an 

 adjoining patch. 1 could not understand it, so I "snuck" up 

 to the fence, and peeped over. I saw nothing at first; pre- 

 sently I noticed someof the littlehills moving:'! listened atten- 

 tively, and would you believe it, those potatoes had growed 

 so fast during the night, that they had become crowded, 

 and the noise I heard sounded like the following: 'Git over 

 there, give me more room, dry up and shrink.' T can't, I 

 have no room to spare,' 'I'll fall out,' 'quit pushing,' etc. 

 Well, I tell you, Willis, them are boss potatoes. The big 

 crowded the little ones out, so that I only got one potato to'a 

 hill, but what I lacked in number, was made up in weight." 

 So it is, if the angler could hear the grumbling and growling 

 of minnows in an overcrowded bucket, they surely would 

 adopt, the "enlargement" plan for holding stock over night. 



But to return to the bucket, and resume the "explain." 

 The false bottom fits close in the inner perforated bucket, a 

 stiff wire extends from its center— of course, firmly fixed— 

 to near top of bucket, A sliding or hinged lid is raised, the 

 ring on the wire taken hold of. and "the bottom full of 

 squirmers raised, and the choice of bait taken. (Dose to be 

 repeated as often as necessary.) This is wmat we call the 

 "Blue Gill" minnow pail (everything is entitled to a name), 

 and believe it a big improvement over common pails, with 

 but little extra weight added. 



The one we have attempted to describe has seen service as 

 our minnow protector for nearly five years. 



^ „ _« ^ * Willis D. Maier. 



Fik and Feather. Fort Wayne. Ind. 



LITTLE WIND RIVER TROUTING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Permit me to quote a few lines from an article published 

 in the New York Herald of this date, and headed "Fishinc 

 in the West": ° 



"No Seth Green is needed here to breed fish for us. The 

 good Lord has stocked our rivers and streamsfull to overflow- 

 ing with the speckled beauties as fine as the eye of the ano-ler 

 vex beheld 



' 'Two days later we crossed the divide and encamped in a 

 beautiful cottonwi od grove on the banks of Little Wind 

 River. I had often heard of the trout in this river and at 

 once made arrangements for a general fish. Part of the 

 officers were to go up the stream and part to fish down, while 

 Jackson and myself, advised by Crutcher the <ruide, had de- 

 termined to fish in a little stream called Trout Creek. The 

 one who took the greatest amount of trout in pounds was to 

 have a feast, and the one who secured the largest single trout 

 to be given a fine buffalo robe. The sun was just risino- 

 when we set out up the beautiful valley. Partinsr at the 

 forksof the trail with our friends, they went down to the 

 river while Jackson and I turned toward the hills." 



"We were «oon at work lifting out the speckled denizen?. 

 Taking my post behind a leaning cottonwood live, I let my 

 line drop over the bank, and hardly had it touched the water 

 before there was a splash, a jerk, and f landed a half- 

 pounder." 



"But I forget quite. From my perch behind the cotton- 

 wood stump I east again and again, each time hooking my 

 nimble victim, until eleven had been landed from the one 

 hole. They were not large trout, perhaps from half to 

 three-quarters of a pound. Just right for table use and very 

 fat, their sleek sides and deep vermillion spots glistening 

 like silver in the sunlight. Half an hour later I overtook 

 Jackson and found him with a full string. We emptied our 

 strings twice into the ambulance, and then we lunched 

 under the shade of a wide spreading cottonwood tree. 



"Two i»ours later the driver came to say if we intended to 

 ride home in the ambulance we must stop fishing, as we had 

 all the springs which our own weight would bear. Every 

 one who has seen a government, arm")' ambulance knows the 

 seals run lengthwise; and sure enough the space bet ween the 

 seats was wed filled with trout. I could hardly realize that 

 we had taken so many: but there they were. 



"It was not yet quite three o'clock when we arrived at 

 Crutcker's house, but some of the. party were there before 

 us, each one having taken great abundance of fish. Lieu- 

 tenant Dinwiddie had the largest trout, haying taken a 

 three-pounder. Jackson and I had by far the largest num- 

 ber and the greatest weight, he claiming seventy-six pounds 

 when they were divided. I had sixty- 1 our." 



Now referring to the first quotation, no man can breed fish 

 BUpugl Hi repair such ravages as the one described above, 

 nor will i he good Lord smile upou such reckless waste of 

 His good gifts. 



Thine are many passages in this article that indicate in the 

 writer the possession of good, honest, sportsmanlike instincts, 



but r the work above described was not done by the same 

 man who wrote the following, which, however. I extract, 

 from the same letter, or if it was, he was possessed by very 

 different spirits at the different times: 



"My first experience at trout fishing out West was in the 

 Wind River country. We had camped late one night on 

 the Big Popoagie River, and the guides told me it was a 

 famous trout stream. In the morning I rose at reveille and 

 taking my rod went down the stream and cast the line, bait- 

 ing with a grasshopper. Hardly had the bait touched the 

 water before it was taken under by a trout. Another and 

 another was taken until I had six. when I went back to 

 camp to have them cooked for my breakfast. These trout 

 were one to one and one-half pounders, red sDeckled, and 

 I heir n.eat hard, firm and sweet. They were as good as any 

 brook trout I had ever eaten." 



That was honest, fair sportsmanship — but the ambulance 

 full— that was a little too much for sport. 

 „ Vehde Monte, 



Rutland, Vt., June 12. 



TROUT AT MEACHAM LAKE. 



W^-KILE our spring fishing season has been a very lively 

 » T one, there have been no very large catches of trout by one 

 individual. Mr. John S. Barnes, of Wall street, made the 

 best— eighteen pounds in four hours fishing— with the fly. 

 At about the same time, Wm. Man, also of Wall street, 

 caught, sixteen pounds with the fly. 



The season has been a queer one in many respects. With 

 the thermometer indicating 28 degs. raw north wind, we have 

 had our best fly-fishing. Uncle Reuben Wood caught quite a 

 lot of trout May 3, with his R. W. fly, when the water was 

 full of floating bits of ice. Several times I have caught them 

 among the ice with the red ibis. The season, as some one 

 expressed it, has "busted" a great many of the fine theories of 

 both guides and fishermen. The day Mr. Man caught his 

 basketful, the guide, who claims to know all there is worth 

 knowing about the trout in this locality, told Mr. Man 

 there was no use trying the fish with a fly in that particular 

 place, as he would not get a trout. And so it has been all 

 the season. Where we least expected them we have made the 

 best catches. 



While no one made a great haul, there have been a great 

 many trout taken, as there have been a great many fisher- 

 men. Mr. Geddes made the best day's trolling, taking 

 thirteen salmon trout in one day. 



Just now we are having good fly-fishing in the lake, near 

 the house. The ladies catch a great many trolling, with flies. 

 I have been greatly interested in the discussions in regard to 

 the California mountain trout. While I cannot make up 

 my mind that he is as good as our native trout, I think him 

 a great addition to our stock of trout, as he will live and 

 thrive in waters where our trout will not grow ; and in lo- 

 calities where they have no trout, most people are very glad 

 to get a fish which the trout fisher despises. In many places 

 the bull-head is thought the best fish that swims, and as an 

 illustration of this: Five years ago I put seven pouts into a 

 pond half a mile from the lake, where there were a very few 

 large trout that we could not catch. Last season parties used 

 to come twenty-five miles, build a fire on the bank and fish 

 all night, often taking away two bushels of pouts— the result 

 of one night's fishing— saying nothing about the wauon loads 

 of fun. This year some of the pouts caught weigh two 

 pounds each. 



There are hundreds of ponds in the State where trout 

 will not live, which now contain no fish of any value to any 

 one. Many of them would be fine places for other fish. Why 

 not look them up and learn what fish would erow there, 

 then stock them ? Somebody would be very much pleased 

 with pouts even, and where they cost so little I think it 

 would pay. a. R. Fuller. 



Meachah Lake, New York, June 16. 



[Parties can leave New Tork, Boston or Albany at six 

 o'clock in the evening and dine the next day at Meacham 

 Lake. It and the waters about it are well" stocked with 

 trout and salmon, and local sentiment enforces observance 

 of the game laws. Artificial propag- lion of fish is carried 

 on yearly by the proprietor, and under this arrangement the 

 fishing improves every season.] - 



MOOSEHEAD LAKE. 



THE season of fly fishing at this popular resort has opened 

 later than usual. Only within a week has the trout 

 taken with zest the artificial deception, but to-day the angler 

 is well rewarded for his efforts. Trolling with the fly and 

 bait-fishing until now has met with the greatest success, but 

 the pleasure and excitement of catching one trout with the 

 fly, is double that of either of the other two methods. 



The indications to-day point to the best of fly-fishing dur- 

 ing the entire month of July, which is something very un- 

 usual with this region, the 10th of that month being the 

 ordinary limit, A party of six yesterday captured ninety- 

 one trout, from one and one-quarter to two and one-half 

 pounds. These were all taken with a fly, the red hackle and 

 blue jay being the leading colors, although a number were 

 taken with the white miller 



A lady fishing (with bait) landed twenty-eight trout that 

 weighed fifty-two pounds, five of the trout turning the scales 

 at three pounds each. 



In addition to the sad death of the guide, Copt. Hiram 

 Manscll, previously reported in your paper, Mr. H. Wilson, 

 who keeps the house at the east outlet of the Kennebec 

 River, lost (the first of the month) all the fingers of his right 

 hand at the sawmill adjoining his place, while Silas Oscunk 

 Uerhine, a celebrated Indian guide, was thrown from a tree 

 last winter and instantly killed. S. 



Mt. Kineo House, Moosehead Lake, June 2G. 



OSWEGO BASS FISHING. 



SOMEWHERE in the long list of pleasant fishing resorts 

 for the summer months which the happy reader may 

 accumulate in the perusal of his Fokkst and Sthkam, now 

 fairly breathing the fragrant ozone and life of the rivers and 

 woods. I desire to write the name of this frontier city. We 

 are not upon the salt water, it is true, nor even close to the 

 great, forests; but for a day or a week of delightful rest and 

 enjoyable bass fishing I believe that we offer the best oppor- 

 tunities of any settled locality in the State. Our river is 

 now filled with gamy fish that rise readily to the fly, and 

 range from one to three and a half and four pounds in weight, 

 while the lake shoals within a dozen miles, either east or 

 west, along the coast fairly teem with great schools of black, 

 Oswego and striped bass." Within the past ten days three 

 catches have been made upon the shoals, averaging eighty 



pounds each, while every night the sportsmen return from 

 points two and three miles above the city nn the Osweso 

 River with twelve and fifteen pound creels filled with fish 

 taken with the fly. 



Three weeks since your correspondent spent a day upon 

 the headwaters of the Mad River after trout, killing ahout 

 seven pounds of the speckled beauties, of an average weight 

 of from five to eight ounces, while many streams' "within a 

 dozen miles afford a half day's good sport at anytime during 

 the season. 



We caught, salmon within the city limits last year; we 

 have repeated the exploit this spring; and when our McDonald 

 fishways are in place, as they will undoubtedly be before 

 fall, we shall expect to add this king of fish to the list of 

 Oswego attractions. 



Prospects for fall shooting are good. Partridge and ducks 

 are nesting all about us, and in safety. F. E. H. 



Oswego, N. Y., June 25. 



NOTES FROM KENNEBAGO, 



AT daylight. June 18. I was aroused from sleep by the 

 guides, w T ho were stirring thus early to dress and pack 

 fish for those parties who were going out that morning. It 

 is but a few steps to the outlet of a brook where the trout are 

 corraled in pens and crates, so I followed to witness the 

 modus operandi. As the fish were taken out 1 hey were 

 killed by a stroke on the head with a club. Only those of 

 half a pound weight and upward were despatched"; all small 

 ones were returned to the lake. The amount of trout there 

 corraled was simply enormous. Nearly every day parties go 

 out and take along one or more boxes hi trout. Some days 

 the boxes amount to a horse load. 



After a late, breakfast, with B. M. Darling, a member of 

 the quill-driving guild, for companion, a start was no 

 a day with the trout ourselves. Without attempting in 

 detail the sport was all that could be desired, and at 3 o'clock 

 P. Mi we reeled up our hues. Our fish car contained forty- 

 eight beauties, from three pounds down to one-half pound 

 w T eight, all smaller than the latter size were at once returned. 

 We were surrounded by other parties who kept up the fight 

 with the game fish till sunset, After reeling we crossed 

 over the foot of the lake and leisurely rowed up to camp on 

 the west shore. 



We reached camp in season to care for rods and tackle, 

 perform our ablutions and have a good smoke while sitting 

 on the veranda watching the varying shadows on West 

 Mountain in the setting sun. arid the returning boats as they 

 filed singly into the cove. As each party arrived those about 

 the camp went down to view the fish as the cars were trans- 

 ferred from the lake to the hook. Not a car had less than 

 forty, and some had over sixty, fine fish, some exceeding 

 three pounds weight. 



Trout here are not as large as at the lower lakes, but in 

 May and September some are caught every season of five and 

 six pounds. Here, too, one can take them all season through 

 with the fly, and the beauty of all is there are no fish but 

 trout. The scenery here is grand beyond description, and, 

 although the visitors here increase in numbers from year to 

 year there is no perceptible diminution in quantity or size of 

 trout. To account for this we consider the many" ponds and 

 streams from the divide on the north which takes in the 

 famous Seven Pondsas well as the chain of large. lakes below, 

 all of which contribute to this favorite home of Bitlmo fonti- 

 nalis. It is beyond the power of a woodsman's pen to ade- 

 quately describe the beauties of this resort, and it needs to be 

 seen to be fully appreciated. 



From Forest Retreat, the fine camp of the Messrs. Rich- 

 ardson & Grant, the route is easy to the Seven. Ponds — most 

 of the route is by boat. There the above named firm are 

 equally at home, and provided with fine boats and camps. 

 They were the pioneers in opening up the county for sports- 

 men. From Kenebago to the ponds the scenery is charming, 

 and large game, as well as trout, abound. "More than a 

 dozen deer have already been seen at and near Kennebagp, 

 and the present week, a party en route to Seven Ponds saw 

 four moose on the stream — one large bull, a cow ani .' two 

 calves. Caribou do not show themselves on the streams in 

 summer like deer and moose, but the woods are full of them, 

 as can be shown in the winter season. The proprietors of 

 Forest Retreat have increased the capacity of their camp the 

 past winter to a large extent, and added many improve- 

 ments. Let none suppose that the foregoing is a" puff, as it 

 is written unsolicited and without the knowledge of the 

 proprietors. Moreover, I pay my bills there as do others; 

 and in proof that the sport is all 1 paint it, 1 start the very 

 moment this screed is completed on a ten-mile tramp for 

 another whirl there with the gamy trout. Wabfield. 



Rangeley, June 29, 1882. 



THE PISCATAQUIS SOCIETY. 



THE annual meeting of the Piscataquis Game and Fish 

 Protective. Society' of this town was held at the office 

 of J. F, Sprague, Esq., counsel of the society. The officers 

 elected for the ensuing year were: Freeman B. Shedd, of 

 Lowell, Mass., President; Edward T. Rowell, of Lowell, 

 Mass., and Crowell C. Hall, of Monson, Me., Vice-Presi- 

 dents; E. R. Haynes, of Monson, Secretary; Fred J. 

 Wilkins, of Monson, Treasurer; John F. Sprague, of Mon- 

 son. Counsel; Executive Committee — John F. Sprague, 

 E. R. Havnes. A. W. Chapin; Directors— 11. A. Hildreth, 

 E. D. Holden, G. S. Cushing, C. H, Latham, G. A 

 Matthews, O. A. Dennen, 0. S. Pullen. J. C. Tripp. E. M. 

 Bray, C. M. Coombs, G. F. Jackson. 



It" was voted that the treasurer be authorized to procure 

 of the Mount Kineo Hatchery 5,000 to 10,000 trout, or as 

 many as possible, to be put into Hebron Lake; that the 

 counsel be requested to prosecute all violations of the game 

 and fish laws of this State which come to his knowledge; 

 that the executive committee make arrangements to procure 

 what trout they can for the purpose of re-stocking Hebron 

 and Monson lakes for the coming yc.tr. 



The following resolutions received a unanimous passage: 



Bssdfoed, That this Society believe that the public interests 

 demand the passage of a law by the Legislature of Maine. 

 which shall prevent, fishing from Oct. 1 to May 1 in one 

 or more of the most important lakes or ponds around Mon- 

 son for- a period of not, less than ten years, and also a law 

 prohibiting the selling and transportation of the trout be- 

 yond the limits of the State which may be taken in any of 

 the waters in this immediate vicinity. 



Hniioleed, That tin- officers of this'Society be and are here- 

 by directed to draft such laws and adopt* proper measures 

 to secure their passage at the next session of the Legisla- 

 ture. 



Besohed, That this society is requested to petition the next 



