510 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jtji.y 24, 1884. 



ping occasionally to pluck a wild rose that hung over the 

 stream, till we had the boat full of rare perfume. 



Mr. Cross was not at home, hut his wife, a sweet-faced, 

 middle-aged matron^ told us he would he engaged with his 

 team the" next Tuesday, and could not promise to help us 

 for a day or two after/ Another backset. 



The Gross farm is a little cleared patch right on the low 

 bank of the river, and is as lonely a looking place as one can 

 imagine, hut Mrs. Cross said she had become accustomed to 

 the solitude and did not mind it so much now as when they 

 first settled there. The children and the deer that visited 

 their little wheat field in front of the door at this season kept 

 her company, and she was contented with her lot. She said 

 that had we come a few minutes sooner we might have seen 

 a deer swim the river just above the house, but we were 

 glad we did not see it, for flesh is weak and Muller had his 

 ride along. We said good day to the matron and took our 

 way back up the lovely stream and to camp, satisfied that 

 contentment abideth not alone in the great cities. If this 

 ever meets the eye of the gentle-mannered and kindly lady, 

 she will recognize the writer as the smaller one of the two 

 that drank up all her buttermilk, and asked if there were not 

 a few drops left; and she may call to mind now we laughed 

 when she told us she preferred a pickerel for the table to "a 

 nasty thick-skinned bass." And she may be assured too, that 

 brother Muller and the writer join in wishing her many 

 years of quiet happiness iu her little cabin on the bank of 

 the Big Black, and we trust the "Crosses" she may be called 

 on to carry through life may not be more of a burden than 

 the little flaxen-headed ones we saw playing around the 

 door. Blessed are they that dwell in peace and content in 

 that virgin woods, for 'they are the "'salt o' this livm' earth." 

 (Ben.) 



Eackiu camp again long before sundown, we had pleasant 

 visitors that evening in the person of Judge 8. N. Maxwell, 

 an enthusiastic member of the Cincinnati Canoe Club, and 

 three companions, who were camped for a day or two at the 

 sandbank. They had come up the river in their canoes to 

 the foot of the rapids, bad then hauled around and were 

 here for a couple of days'* sport and sailing on Black Lake, 

 and had come over to our camp this shank of the afternoon 

 for a brotherly call. The Scribe acted as master of cere- 

 monies, and notwithstanding- the low state of the festivities 

 they were not allowed to take their way across the lake with 

 dust iu their throats. They left for Cheboygan next day, in 

 order to run the rapids in their canoes before a promised 

 ran of logs would most likely form a jam and force them to 

 make another portage around. 



Just below the roofless loggers' cabin, a stone's throw from 

 our camp, two wandering brethren had pitched their tent a 

 day or two before, but they, too, left us next day, in order to 

 be ahead of the logs in going down the rapids. They had 

 been wandering around^over the JSorth Woods for a couple of 

 weeks, wherever they could find water to float their boat, 

 and hearing of the attractions and beauties of Black Lake 

 they had come up here to enjoy a few days' sport and com- 

 fort. If I remember, they were a Mr. Arthur Clement, from 

 Joliet, III., and a younger companion from somewhere in 

 New York State, . They were pleasant, companionable gen- 

 tlemen, and we were sorry when their boat disappeared from 

 sight around the point below. 



That, night neighbor Merrill walked two miles in the dark- 

 to get another neighbor, Mr. Bush, to help Stewart get 

 us to town, and the arrangement was made for us to take 

 our outfit in the boats to the landing below the sandbank 

 where we first struck the lake, where they would meet us 

 with the wagons. 



A MORNING'S FISHING. 



n^HERE is a necessity in our very natures for relaxation, 

 X not so much for rest as for change. It may and gener- 

 ally does require more exertion and actual expenditure of 

 physical force to hunt or fish for a day than is required for 

 several days, devoted to our usual vocations, yet for all of 

 that the day's hunting or fishing is restful, and one works 

 better for the indulgence. A few weeks ago "our print 

 shop" finished the big job of the season, one that had kept 

 the full force hard at it to complete within contract time, 

 and fully believing in this law of relaxation it was decreed 

 that the' day after 'the completion of the given work should 

 be a holiday for all, from the editor to the urchin with 

 the profane cognomen who is supposed to preside over the 

 inky domains. 



The foreman of the compositors and myself decided to go 

 fishing, and fishing we went early in the morning. It was 

 arranged to start at 4 o'clock; our team was engaged, tackle 

 and boots placed in readiness the evening before, and a 

 basket of provisions packed under my supervision. Our 

 objective point was some seven or eight miles away where a 

 broken and abandoned dam obstructed the Iowa River, 

 affording superior fishing. 



We were off on time, and before suurise were at our fish- 

 ing grounds. The foreman was detailed to make coffee and 

 ge breakf ast while compositor and myself took the minnow 

 seine, donned our rubber boots and finding a sandy shallow 

 bay proceeded to supply a goodly quantity of bait, which 

 we were not long iu doing, but not before a pot of splendid 

 coffee was waiting for us, and hurriedly disposing of out- 

 break fast, for which we had an abundant appetite, we 

 betook ourselves to the anticipated sport. The Iowa River 

 this near its source is not a large stream, being only six or 

 eight rods wide, and quite shallow. No such strings of fish 

 are to be taken from its waters as can be from the lakes or 

 the rivers in newer parts of the country, yet it abounds with 

 black bass, pike, pickerel, catfish, and many other varieties 

 of that joy or the small boy, the sucker tribe. It is a clear, 

 limpid stream, running over a rocky and sandy bed, and 

 among some of the finest scenery in all prairiedom. Many 

 a fishing excursion has the writer taken along its pleasant 

 banks, seldom returning without a very fair string of fish. 



On this occassion we industriously fished the eddies and 

 pools about the stranded logs and scattered rocks below the 

 old dam and were fairly rewarded therefor. The compositor 

 was the first to land his fish, but soon the rest of us had 

 done as well. We quit in time to get home by noon, and 

 upon counting thera found we had seventeen fine bass. 



It was a pleasant trip for us all, and although we worked 



harder than we should have done had no holiday been taken, 



we felt better for it and the next day took up our work with 



energy, and I believe there was no loss to the business 



because of the diversion. 



By the way, there is one stock subject or theme, upon 



which much is said by certain of your correspondents, 



which I do not quite understand, and I know that many 



who keenly enjoy angling can join me in this, and that is 



lenient of ''eaminess." Is not this a kind of fashion or 



"Oscar Wildeism?" One will write of taking a little bass 

 or pickerel weighing a pound or two, and tell how it fought, 

 and how it made his pulses beat. Some of them even time 

 the "struggle," giving the number of minutes, as one did 

 lately, saying "time of light, 20 minutes." Now I do not 

 exactly understand this. I have caught such fish and much 

 larger ones in both lakes and running water, and I have 

 tried to get up such combats and failed. I have let a five or 

 pound six pickerel have the line to run with, and they will run 

 until it fairly hisses through the water, but I know that fish is 

 fast and uniess the line is thrown slack he cannot get off 

 the hook, and I also know that I can stop his race at any 

 time I see fit, and take him out of the water, and that almost 

 without his pickerelship making a struggle. I can see no 

 rare sport in letting a fish swim about in the water, thinking 

 it can get away, when I know it cannot, and that I can take 

 it from the water at any time I please after the hook is 

 struck, and such sport seems to savor more of cruelty than 

 is necessary. I think any fair-minded man who will take 

 the trouble to catch the "critter" will agree with me that a 

 sucker or red horse will, pound for pound, "fight" harder, 

 and give its captor more trouble in getting it out of the 

 water if he will attempt to take it as soon as it is hooked, 

 than will a pike, pickerel, or black bass. This may be rank 

 heresy, but it is my experience. W. S. P. 



Ei.dor.a, la., July 12, 1884. 



"SALT-WATER FISHING," 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Tour article on sea fishing and the replies lately published 

 were read by me with much interest. I am as fond as any- 

 one of trout fishing, but I do not consider that the only kind, 

 nor do 1 sympathize with the Pharisaical spirit which holds 

 that among sportsmen, he who wades the stream and throws 

 the fly has the sole monopoly of virtue, poetry, and peace of 

 conscience. The truth is the two kinds of fishing are dis- 

 tinct. Each suits its own mood ; each satisfies some bodily 

 or spiritual want which the other cannot meet; each demands, 

 and so fosters in its votary, certain valuable but different 

 qualities, moral and physical. 



Salt-water fishing, however, undoubtedly occupies but a 

 small space in sporting papers. It is probable that if more 

 interest were shown and more written about, it, its methods 

 might improve; and, conversely, such improvement would 

 create interest. Last summer 1 tried for the first time troll- 

 ing with rod and reel for bluefish, The result seemed to me 

 so satisfactory and such an improvement over the hand line, 

 that 1 send you the following account, in the hope of inter- 

 esting, and perhaps calling out suggestions from some of 

 your readers. 



The ground we visited was .Nantucket, Off the extreme 

 point of this island are bars, over which, at low tide, there 

 is a considerable surf. In this rough water bluefish were 

 nearly always to be found. For the most favorable condi- 

 tions the tide must be on and the wind off. This enables 

 you to sail along the edge of the rough water (to go through 

 it would drive out the fish), the tide carrying the trolling 

 lines into it. For tackle, we used the ordinary bass rod of 

 about sixteen ounces, though I have no doubt a lighter 

 weight would do, and about one hundred yards of twisted 

 linen line, rather light. We found this length sufficient, 

 though some might feel safer with more. The spoons were 

 rather small size, made by Gregory, which wc refitted, using 

 but oue set of larger hooks at the tail, rigged with copper 

 wire instead of gimp. This gimp or fiddle string, by the 

 way, seems a special favorite with tackle makers, the theory 

 being that a fish cannot bite it off. This is probably true, as 

 they always break it. In trolling we were more successful 

 when at moderate speed. In high winds we hooked fish 

 nearly always when going about. A strike when under way 

 makes lively work for a few minutes. As your reel starts 

 the skipper' throws the boat into the wind, and your com- 

 panion gets in his own line to give you room, meanwhile 

 you must handle your rod, control the line without losing a 

 finger, keep clear of the main sheet, see that you are not 

 knocked over by the boom, and remember to smile and pre- 

 tend to like it, when the sea shoots over and soaks you, which 

 it is sure to do. As the boat loses way your fish is just get- 

 ting under way; the reel probably stops and the line slackens 

 until you think he has probably left you. After a moment 

 of dreadful doubt and rapid reeling you find he is still fast 

 and may then address yourself to bringing him to gaff with 

 what skill you are master of. Not being in the season for 

 the largest' (fish, the heaviest we caught weighed ten pounds. 



In closing, I may state that the catch will not be large, 

 probably not above one-fourth of what would be taken with 

 hand lines under the same conditions. There are several 

 reasons for this. Where four hand lines can be used, not 

 more than two rods can troll with any comfort; otherwise 

 tangles and maledictions are inevitable. Again, the time 

 required to land a fish is much greater, during which, also, 

 the other rod is out of the fight, and can enjoy himself only 

 as an altruist. I suppose, too, there are not many spots 

 where, as here, the fish keep in a comparatively small space. 

 At sea, or where a school must be followed up, the rod would 

 be still more unptoductive. Yet, where it can be used, the 

 capture of a large fish will inspire the true angler with a feel- 

 ing of self-respect and deep satisfaction which mere numbers 

 cannot yield. 0. E. P. 



Philadelphia, July 19. 



[The second paragraph in this article is exactly the idea 

 we wished to convey, i. c, if more were written about salt- 

 water fishing the interest in it would increase. _ The tone of 

 our much-criticised article was that sea fishing does not 

 seem to inspire its votaries to write about it; they are con- 

 tent to catch fish and to trust to makers of tackle to improve 

 their tools. There is no experimenter like Mr. Wells among 

 them.] 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your editorial of July 10, on "Saltwater Fishing," has 

 stirred up a brace of correspondents to write in defense of 

 the charms of their sport. They seem to me to bear witness 

 to the truth of your remarks rather than to controvert them. 

 Mr. C. T. Duncklee mentions Scott and Roosevelt as authors 

 who have been poetically inspired by sea fishing, but a peru- 

 sal of Scott will show that it is only in salmon and trout 

 angling that he becomes enthusiastic on the subject, and 

 that when he treats of salt-water fishing he merely gives 

 directions for the capture of the fish. The same may be 

 said of Roosevelt, whose sense, of humor makes him always 

 readable no matter what may be the theme. His other author, 

 Ward, I do not know. 



Your next critic, "Rnebcl, ' proves the truth of your 

 statements, for he measures his sport entirely by the pounds 

 of fish caught. He says: 



"I will give you an account of my sport and luck combined 



that I have had lately, hoping others will do the same. Fri- 

 day evening, June 20, a party consisting of ravself and two 

 friends took the last train on the New York, 'Woodhaven & 

 Rockaway Railroad to Broad Channel, Jamaica Bay (you can 

 start from Hunter's Point, Bushwick or Flatbush avenues as 

 well). We stopped overnight; room and bed for s:.'.5(). Got. 

 uo at 3 A. M., took a boat and paid fifty cents for use of same. 

 Pint of shrimp cost forty cents. Started at:; -30 A. M, tide 

 running in. and went east to the club house, or a little above 

 it, between the club house and a place they call the "Pot, 1 ' 

 known to most of our baymen, and dropped anchor, rigged 

 our rods and commenced to fish about 4:30 A. M. I was the 

 first to get the fine over, and soon hooked a two-pound weak- 

 fish, and a hungry fellow he was, for he had my bottom hook 

 away down in his belly. We fished until 6:30 A. M. The tide 

 changing, fish stopped biting, and to be sure we stopped fish- 

 ing, put up our tackle, and took a bite ourselves, which we 

 had fairly earned after one hour and three-quarters of excit- 

 ing sport, for fish at that time in the morning bite fearful and 

 almost take the rod and reel out of your hands. We counted 

 our fish, in sizes running from, one and a quarter to three and 

 a quarter pounds, and 13'.) was the number, all weakOsh. 

 Now if this don't come up to your fresh-water fishing, I mean 

 when you fish for about five or six hours and catch thirty or 

 forty line trout from five to six inches in length, or about six 

 to the pound, and instead of sailiug to your hotel in a boat 

 you must walk from three to five miles and carry a heavy 

 load of trout, then T am greatly mistaken. We congratulated 

 each other, divided our fish, and by 8 o'clock we fastened our 

 boat to the float and took the first train for home." 



This probably was sport, but it contains nothing instruc 

 five except the locality, expense, and the pot. Nothing of 

 tackle, no observations on the surroundings except a refer- 

 ence to the bird called the quack, and is wholly destitute of the 

 inspiration of the angler. It reminds one of the idea offish 

 ing expressed by John Smith, of Pocahontas lame, who 

 wrote of the fishing in Virginia as follows ' 'And is it not 

 pretty sport to hale up two pence, six pence and twelve 

 pence as fast as you can hale and reare a line?" 



A trout fisher often has an enjoyable day on the Streams 

 when his catch is not worth mentioning, and he finds plea 

 sure outside of the weight of his creel. It would appear thai 

 salt-water anglers, as a rule, have little besides their catch to 

 rejoice in, because, as you have hinted, their surroundings 

 are not of an inspiring kind. I troll for- bluefish and also 

 take them with the rod, but the prospect of a day's sport 

 with them does not produce the pleasures of anticipation that 

 an appointment, to fish a mountain stream does. Nor does 

 the retrospect of a day spent weakfishing linger in the mem- ' 

 ory as does the same" time in the woods. 1 think it is the 

 woods themselves that, cause this difference. Foxtlxvms. 



SiZE AND WEIGHT OF BLACK BASS. 



IT is a most difficult thing to get a rule that will ^ive an 

 approximation of the weight of any fish, taking its length 

 as a base. This is especially true of the black bass, which 

 varies so much in depth and thick nsss. 



The largest bass which I ever weighed and measured was 

 one from Rice Lake, Canada, of 6 pounds. It was 20 inches 

 from nose to end of the caudal fin ; 14 inches in girth and 

 3| thick. Another fish of the same length and thickness, 

 but only 13 inches in girth, weighed 54 pounds. A bass 

 taken from Lake Champlain, 16i inches, the other dimen- 

 sions not recorded, weighed Si pounds. Small fish weigh 

 less in proportion to their length than larger ones. From 

 some crude memoranda I condense the following table of 

 relative lengths and weights of black bass, the length., being 

 from nose to end of tail fin : 



Length. Weight. 



8 inches \k pound. 



9 " , 11 ounces, 



9^a " 15 ounces. 



10 '■ 1 pound 2 ounces. 



10}4 " 1 pound 6 ounces. 



11 '• 1 pound 8 ounces. 



HM " .1 pound 12 ounces. 



12* " 2pounds. 



13 " 2 pounds 4 ounces. 



14 " 2 pounds 10 ounces. 



14U " .'. 3 pounds 2 ounces. 



15 " 3 pounds 8 ounces. 



There is always a difference in females at the spawning 

 season, and this* table is not to be considered as infallible. 



PoKE-O-MoONSUlXK. 



FISH-EATING PLANTS. 



PROF. Bairdhas just received from Prof. 11, In. Moseley. 

 of Oxford University, England, a specimen of an aquatic 

 plant holding in its fond embrace a considerable number of 

 young fish which it has caught and killed. 

 ' This plant is the Great Bladderwort, known to botanists 

 as Utrkukma vulgaris, L. The species is widely distributed 

 over England, and has been introduced into our waters 

 where it is often found in abundance in fresh-water ponds 

 and ditches and in the shallow coves along some of our rivet- 

 banks. It is a large plant, with stems often attaining a 

 length of two or three feet. It has no roots, but tioats free 

 in the water, its root-like branches being covered with 

 pinnatified capillary leaves, each bearing one or more small 

 transparent hollow bladders, with openings at one end, 

 which serve as traps to catch newly hatched fishes, minute 

 Crustacea, worms, and infusoria. It has no digestive appara- 

 tus, but is thought to derive nutriment by absorption, from 

 the decomposing animals. 



The bladderwort has long been known to catch the lower 

 forms of animal life, but it was only recently that its fidi- 

 catching propensities were discovered. Mr. G. E. Sunms, 

 of Oxford, was the first to call public attention to the fact, 

 on finding that a specimen which had been placed in his 

 aquarium for supplying oxygen to the water was actually 

 catching and killing large numbers of newly hatched perch 

 and roach which had hatched from a mass of eggs lying at 

 the bottom. The little fish were usua lly caught by the head, 

 but some were caught by the tail, while others were doubly 

 trapped, the head being held fast by one trap and the tail 

 grasped by another, the body of the fish forming a connect- 

 ing bar between the two. 



To learn something of its destructive powers, Mr. fatmms 

 placed 150 perch fry in a glass vessel containing specimens 

 of Ucricularia, and at the end of two days all but one or two 

 had been trapped, 



Prof. Baird thinks the discovery has an important bear- 

 ing on the future abundance of several of our important 

 food-fishes. . 



Twelve to fifteen species of the genus, some of which 

 have a wide geographical range, are found within the limits 

 of the United States, and millions of fry must be annually 

 caught in the little bladder traps. 



The Utricularia occurs in abundance in carp ponds 

 throughout the country, including the U. S. Fish Commission 

 ponds in "Washington" and iu some localities has been hv 



