230 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



L April 16, 1885, 



THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD BASS. 



SINCE writing through Forest and Stream for infor- 

 mation concerning the bass placed in Black's Pond some 

 ten or twelve years ago by a party of gentlemen interested in 

 fish propagation, of which I was one "of the members, I have 

 made inquiry in reference to the fish purchased and am satis- 

 fied the two gentlemen who had the matter in charge were de- 

 ceived by the person who furnished them. My part in the 

 matter was to subscribe to the fund to be used, 'and the two 

 who were to go to Hagerstown to buy the fish never saw 

 them distinctly, and would not have known a bass if one 

 was in plain sight before them. 



Returning from Hagerstown, Md., they brought with them 

 a large, firkin shaped tub. in which they only knew they had 

 fifty fish of some kind. On arriving at Philadelphia the tub 

 was transferred to the Swedesboro Railroad cai\, and reach- 

 ing the latter place after dark, the vessel was at once carted 

 to Black's Pond and it contents dumped into that body of 

 water. Before the breaking away of the breast of this dam 

 by freshet the pond contained numerous white perch, which 

 were frequently caught weighing two pounds. These, it is 

 known, were introduced into the pond from the tide water 

 of Raccoon Creek, into which the pond discharged its sur- 

 plus and overflow through a sluice gate, showing that it is 

 suitable for the growth of other fish than bullpouts and sun- 

 fish. But what 1 waut to get at is this. Before the two 

 gentlemen of our party liberated what they bought for black 

 bass into Black's Pond no chub or fall fish were known to 

 be in its waters. Now it is swarming with them, and the 

 writer has caught them there as "big as calves." May it not 

 be that the fish emptied into the pond were chub or fall 

 fish, and that the committee of two on purchase were de- 

 ceived? 



Black's Pond is a fair sheet of water, a mile and a half 

 long at one of its branches and a full mile in length at the 

 other, and I am sure that if tidewater perch were found to 

 thrive, there, the black bass also would, and I would strongly 

 advise that another attempt be made on a, large scale. I 

 think the large fish that your correspondent stated was 

 caught in Black's Pond would prove to have been a huge 

 chub or fall fish. The rock bass would undoubtedly thrive 

 there, and I am glad to learn that its introduction is thought 

 of, as it is a gamy little fish, and will take the fly freely and 

 furnish much better sport than the sunfish and chub now so 

 numerous on the water referred to. Homo. 



LAKE TROUT IN A STREAM. 



ONE hot day in August, 1882, Charley Q. and myself 

 arrived at the Connecticut Lake House about 2 o'clock 

 P. M., and not having time to make a long trip that day 1 

 took a bait rod and thought I would try the fishing below 

 the dam in the river. Climbing down the steep bank 1 threw 

 my hook baited with a good-sized angle worm into the rapid 

 water, and let it drift down into the pool below, when I saw 

 it; taken by a large fish, and trying to bring it to the top of the 

 water the gut parted and it was gone. I went back to the 

 hotel and got my fly-rod and landing net, and putting on a 

 heavy leader and larger bait-hook went back, thinking ' 'if you 

 bite again, old fellow, I shall probably take you in out of the 

 wet."' i 



I fished around the dam awhile but got nothing until I 

 cast the worm again in the same place and let it drift into 

 the pool, when I saw a fish take it that I thought nearly 

 twenty inches long, and appeared to weigh at least five 

 pouuds. "Well, if this is the size of the trout around here 

 it beats all the stream fishing I ever saw," said I to Charlie, 

 who had followed me down from the hotel and stood on the 

 bank.. "Is it a pickerel?" "No, it is a trout, I think, for I 

 saw it when it took the bait." "I guess I had better help 

 you land him then," and taking the net quickly he passed it 

 under the fish as I reeled it up, and took out a lake trout 

 that weighed, when we killed it before we left the lake four 

 days after, three and a half pounds. We took it to the house 

 and put it iu the watering tub, and it soon was swimming 

 around all right. 1 caught that night and the day we came 

 away four more that would average two pounds each. 



Mr. Smith, who was then proprietor of the hotel, and 

 several people who had lived around there for years, said 

 they never knew of any being taken below the dam at the 

 outlet of the lake before. 



The brook trout are quite plenty in the river between the 

 dam and Perry's stream earlier in the season, but it was so 

 late we did not catch any there. S, J. G. 



Lancaster, N. H. 



THE MOST KILLING FLY. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In regard to the most killing fly in the American waters, 

 I do not think that any person can tell which is best. Any 

 one can have his opinion and may hit on a good killing fly 

 for many waters. Where can the fly-fisher be found that 

 ever saw a scarlet ibis on the stream, or most of those gaudy- 

 colored flies? My experience for thirty years, both in Eng- 

 land and America, is that fishermen that want good sport on 

 any stream should take a box of fly-making tackle and sim- 

 ply watch for the fly the fish are taking, catch one, press it 

 on a piece of clean paper, first noticing the color of the 

 wings and legs. By pressing the fly on paper you can in- 

 variably tell what color the body is. Then tie your fly ac- 

 cordingly. 



In Nova Scotia, in 1867, I fished a great deal, and noticed 

 the difference between the fishing on inland ponds or small, 

 deep holes. One could throw a fly of any description and 

 be sure of a rise, because the trout are so confined in these 

 pools that they will rise at anything that will fly in the shape 

 of a bug of any kind. Not so in a good, clean, running 

 stream, where natural flies of all kinds are setting on the 

 surface, because the fish feed on one particular fly. A party 

 of gentlemen from Pennsylvania, which I had the pleasure 

 of being with in 1878, started on a week's trip up the Loyal 

 Sock, a tributary of the Susquehanna, where, after fishing 

 three days with very poor success, millions of small yellow 

 sallys came and remained two days. I tied a few for each 

 person on a No. 12 sneck-bent hook, using a bright yellow 

 silk body with small yellow legs and yellow wings, which 

 gave us all the fishing we could attend to for that day, after 

 which not a fish could he taken with a yellow sally; in fact, 

 the only good killing flies in Pennsylvania are the queen of 

 the water, coachman, yellow dun, and cowdung, as in Eng- 

 land, tied on the smali hooks from No. 10 to if. 



In my opinion the best killing fly depends altogether on 

 the state and color of the water. Eor instance, on the upper 

 part of the Androscoggin River near the Middle Dam, and 

 below, called Cedar Stump, where I had my best fishing in 

 Maine, the fish would not take a gaudy fly but mostly the 



small gnat, professor and queen of the water as the best kill- 

 ing fly. Only in land-locked places where the fish are confined 

 like a lot of convicts, will they take anything in the shape of 

 a Qy. But let the fly-fisher cast his fly in a good running 

 stream and he has to fish for all the trout he gets, and if he 

 has any luck at all, he certainly will not get them with an 

 ibis or a gaudy fly, but with a'good imitation of the natural 

 fly. Here in Connecticut the best baskets of fish are taken 

 with a very small fly, such as a small march brown, willow 

 fly, dun, ledge, etc. Prof. Jackson, of Hartford, the most 

 noted fisherman there, caught a fine basket on April 3, with 

 march browns. As "S. J. G-." says, there is in nature no 

 such fly as the ibis, and certainly a man could use a dozen 

 different flies to more advantage than the ibis, although a 

 person might get up a particular fly of his own and it mitrht 

 prove a good killer in some waters but in others will not take 

 a fish. In fishing I only use about a dozen kind of flies, 

 none of which is the best killer, except at certain times of the 

 day or evening. 



For a night fly, the best in my opinion is the white moth, 

 ledge fly, Welchman's button and the coachman, tied on a 

 No. 3 hook. Perhaps for a bob fly a red spinner. The ibis 

 is a splendid fly for chub, perch, shiners and other mud fish, 

 but for trout 1 think there are twenty better flies. Let two 

 good fishermen go on a, stream, one with the ibis, the other 

 with the queen of the water, small gnat of any color, in fact, 

 any small dun fly. I say the scarlet ibis would be nowhere 

 compared with those mentioned; or with any other un- 

 natural fly. 



For large flies, for day fishiug. I think the best are a Mayfly 

 and green drake tied to a No. 3 hook with woodduck tail, 

 buff body (large), peacock tail for ribs, light brown legs, with 

 woodduck wings. I have had good luck with those same 

 flies in, the Androscoggin waters, also in the Adirondack*; 

 in fact, tney are good killing flies in most waters from the 

 first of June till the middle of July. In my next I will give 

 you a little of my experience in 'fishing in the West Indies 

 and Brazils. W. C. Sparry. 



Hartford, Conn. 



Trouble Among the Shad Fishermen.— The gill- 

 net fishermen who operate in the Delaware Biver and Bay 

 are much excited over the late act of the Delaware Legisla- 

 ture which has just become a law by the approval of the 

 Governor, providing that, "It shall' be unlawful for any 

 person not being a citizen of the State to catch or take fish 

 of any kind on the Delaware Bay or River, or any creeks 

 emptying into the same on the limit of this State." The 

 State of Delaware claims under the original purchase deed 

 from William Penu jurisdiction over all the river and bay 

 below the Penn State line. In 1871 Delaware first attempted 

 to enforce this claim, and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey 

 fishermen resisted it and a number were killed in conflicts 

 will) the Delaware authorities. Commissioners were then 

 appointed by the Governors of these States to settle the 

 matter, and they arranged a case to be tried in the United 

 States Supreme Court, where the matter has since rested 

 until the recent oppressive action of the Delaware Legisla- 

 ture, The New Jersey gill-net fishermen were just about to 

 commence operation when they learned that the Delaware 

 officials had made preparation to enforce the law. The state 

 of* affairs was telegraphed to Gov. Abbett of New Jerse3 r 

 on Saturday and he was appealed to for protection. He 

 arranged for an inter view at his office in Jersey City and a 

 large delegation of fishermen headed by Capt. Whittecar, 

 Assemblyman of Salem countyj went on' a special train to 

 attend the conference. — Homo. 



How I Caught a Black Bass. — In your issue of 2d 

 inst. I read of an occurrence which 1 feel bound to support. 

 The difference between the two cases being only that the 

 writer of that note caught his bass iu the stern of the kiff, 

 while mine was caughf in the bow. It occurred in this wise: 

 The late Dr. Lister and myself went out on one occasion to 

 shoot wood ducks. Having shot until after sundown, we 

 were in a great hurry to catch our steamer. We were low- 

 ing side by side in our skiffs at the best pace possible through 

 the marsh, when 1 heard a great commotion in the bow of 

 my friend's boat. Nothing was said until we reached the 

 landing, when I asked the Doctor what caused the row in 

 his boat. He said he didn't know. We placed our boats on 

 the steamer, and then investigated the cause. We found in 

 the skiff a large-mouthed bass, which we put on the scales 

 and found to weigh six and one-quarter pounds. The theory 

 is that his boat struck it, which caused it to leap from the 

 water, and the speed caused it to drop into the bow. Many 

 a time since I have asked persons to conjecture as to how it 

 was captured, but never found one to hit it. — R. P. L. (Pic- 

 ton, Ont„ April 6). __^_ 



Tapered Hooks.— Redditch, England, March 31.— 

 Uditor Forest and Stream: We note in your issue of March 

 19 a letter signed "J. W. T.," in which he remarks that 

 tapered hooks are not marked because at the end of the 

 shank are too slender. This is an errroneous idea. Fish 

 hooks tapered shanked can be marked same as not tapered. 

 All the hooks we snood on to gut wo have them marked. It 

 is a little extra expense to us, but by doing this our suelled 

 hooks on gut give greater satisfaction. If the end of the gut 

 was made rough the hooks would still be firmer. If hooks 

 are tied in this way and properly varnished, there will be 

 few complaints from anglers. The rage is for cheap hooks 

 and cheap tackle. If tackle dealers will keep the best goods, 

 they will be able to get a fair price for their goods and in- 

 sure an increasing sale. — S. Allcock & Co. 



A Cold Opening.— Fishing season opeus with two feet 

 of ice on our lakes, and only very rapid streams free from 

 ice. Snow deep yet in the woods, and from my library 

 window I can see drifts ten feet deep now. Thermometer 

 10° above zero to-day; lower yet yesterday. We hope for 

 better weather this side the Fourth of July.— Ned Bunt- 

 line (Eagles Nest, N. Y„ April 10). 



Large Striped Bass.— Mr. 0. M. Raymond, of Sing 

 Sing, N. Y., took a striped bass weighing sixty-eight pounds 

 in the Croton River, with hook and line, on the 8th inst. 

 The fish was sent to Mr. S. H, Everett, and was shown in 

 front of his hotel on Barclay street. Cuttyhunk and Pasque 

 Island will have to look to their laurels when such fish are 

 caught in the Croton. 



A Valuable Fish, — The statement is made in the papers 

 that while fishing in Chattahoochee River, near Cedar 

 Springs, Ga., John Leedom caught a catfish weighing five 

 pounds, and in its stomach was found a gold $20 coin dated 

 1816, 



«ffk1imltnm 



OYSTER FARMING FOR NORTH CAROLINA. 



[Written by Professor AV. K. Brooks. Johns Hopkins University 

 Baltimore, upon request of S. G. Worth, to be read before Fisher- 

 men s Convention, at Raleigb, October 15, 1884] 



From very early times the cultivation of the land has been 

 recognized as one of the most propper fields for private in- 

 dustry, and an extensive area of productive land in the hands 

 of private owners and under thorough cultivation, is the 

 most convinciug evidence of permanent prosperity which a 

 State can exhibit. 



I suppose that no one of my hearers doubts this, but a little 

 thought will show you that the whole world does not agree 

 with you. There are men living to-day in our country, who 

 are bitterly opposed to all agriculture, and who believe that 

 the country should be preserved in its natural state as a public 

 hunting ground, and nothing but armed force restrains them 

 from asserting their opinions by the murder of the farmeis 

 who have trespassed upon their rights. 



Much as we may sympathize with the hardships of the mi 

 civilized Indians, we all know that they must either change 

 their opinions or die. There is no room in this country for an 

 unproductive race. 



The natural resources of the earth are sufficient for a scanty 

 population of savages, but we might as well try to supply the 

 demand for horses in our cities and farming regions by catch- 

 ing colts on our prairies, as to hope to support a civilized 

 human population upon the natural products of the unculti- 

 vated earth. 



We all recognize that this is true of the lands out of the 

 water, but many people believe that it is not true of the lands 

 under the water. Private industry can do very little to in- 

 crease the supply of migratory sea fishes, and it is therefore 

 obvious that no one person should be permitted to monopolize 

 the supply which belongs to the whole people. 



Now does this hold true of the oysters? it is true that the 

 natural resources of the State belong to the. whole people, lint, 

 an oyster is as stationary as a potato, and if it is true that 



Erivate industry can promote the wealth and prosperity of the. 

 tate by the cultivation of the oyster grounds, public rights 

 must give way, just as the public rights to the lands above 

 water have given way, for the good of the public as a whole, 

 before private agriculture. 



In order to show you that private oyster culture is possible, 

 and that it would, like agriculture, bring wealth and. prosper- 

 ity to the State, and would greatly increase population and 

 taxable real estate, I wish to call your attention to a few facta 

 regarding the value of cultivated oyster grounds, as compared 

 with the natural facts. 



Five years ago the system of private oyster farming was in- 

 troduced into the State of Connecticut. Previously to this 

 time the Connecticut oj r ster planters were compelled to obtain 

 more than half a million bushels of seed oysters from the 

 Chesapeake Bay each year for planting, but the owners of 

 private farms are now able to supply all the oysters which are 

 needed by the Connecticut planters, as well as those, of Mas- 

 sachusetts and Rhode Island. Most of the seed oysters 

 planted in New York and New Jersey are now purchased from 

 the Connecticut farms, and, in addition to this, one firm in 

 1883 shipped to San Francisco fifteen minion seed oysters 

 which had been reared upon a private farm. 



The State of Maryland has more than 640,000 acres of oyster 

 ground, which is managed by the State, and from this area 

 the fishermen obtain about §2,000,000 a year. In France a 

 crop valued at $8,000,000 was raised in three years from a 

 farm of less than 500 acres, where there were no natural 

 oysters. 



The State of Virginia has more than 1,000,000 acres of 

 oyster ground, yet a Connecticut farmer states that the 

 annual crop from his farm is now equal to one-third that of 

 Virginia. 



In 1879 there were in Rhode Island 902 acre of oyster ground 

 under a very imperfect system of cultivation, yet the oysters 

 were sold for £680,500. If the oyster grounds of Maryland 

 were used to no better advantage "they would yield $550,000,000 

 a year, instead of the $2,000,000 which the fishermen now obtain 

 from them. 



So much for the return to the individual. Now a word about 

 the advantage to the State. The oyster grounds of Maryland 

 give employment, for a few months in the year, to about 50,000 

 fishermen. If they were 'thoroughly cultiyaterl they would 

 give profitable employment to more than 500,000 people for 

 the whole year. 



Besides the great advantage to the State which comes from 

 the wealth and prosperity of its people, oyster cultivation may 

 be made to contribute to the public revenues by direct taxa- 

 tion. 



The revenue of the State of Maryland, from 640,000 acres of 

 uncultived oyster ground, for the five years from 1878 to 188-3, 

 was .3210,000," or about 840,000 a year, but the expense of col- 

 lecting it was nearly §218,000, or more than $9,000 in excess of 

 the receipts. 



In 1SS3 the revenue of Rhode Island from 1,100 acres of cul- 

 tivated oyster grounds was $11,000, and on the same basis the 

 annual revenue of Maryland should be more than 80,000,000. 



These facts will. I trust, be sufficient to show to every one 

 the great advantages of oyster culture, and the subject should 

 have an especial importance at this time to all public-spirited 

 citizens of North Carolina. 



The near-sighted policy Avhich the States of Maryland and 

 Virginia have pursued is rapidly leading to the extermination 

 of their natural supply, and the demand for oysters from all 

 parts of our rapidly growing country must be met in some 

 way. 



The clear-headed citizeus of Connecticut have discovered 

 this, and they are rapidly developing a system of private oys- 

 ter culture with very remarkable success, but their climate is 

 unfavorable, and oysters in shallow water are often destroyed 

 by starfish and other enemies which are much less dangerous 

 in our own land-locked and brackish waters than they are in 

 Long Island Sound. 



If ' the people of Maryland and Virginia would adopt laws 

 for the encouragement of oyster farming, they might draw 

 into their State the energetic men and the millions of dollars 

 of capital which are now engaged in this business m Con- 

 necticut. . , 



Unfortunately there is, in each of these States, a large and 

 influential body of fishermen, who have always made their 

 living by fishing upon the public beds, and these were all 

 bitterly opposed to any system of private cultivation so long 

 as the natural beds are not entirely destroyed. 



Before this happens the Connecticut farmers will have ob- 

 tained control of the market, unless they shall have been 

 drawn to North Carolina by the advantages of a warmer cli- 

 mate, the absence of marine enemies to the oyster, and the 

 much more rapid growth of the oyster in Southern waters. 



Here then, is the opportunity of North Carolina. In her 

 great land-locked shallow sounds and tidal livers there Is a 

 great undeveloped source of wealth, which can be made to 

 supnort hundreds of thousands of people. I am unable, in 

 the absence of exact survey, to state just how large the terri- 

 tory is which is favorable for oyster farming, but it is cer- 

 tainly not much less than a million acres, and the possible 

 revenue from this source is so great as to seem almost fabu- 

 lous; but I wish to call your attention once more to the fact 

 that the Rhode Island oyster grounds yield on the average 

 $700 per acre each year. 



This great source of wealth cannot be much productive 

 without the investment of a large capital. The establishment 

 of any oyster farm itself requires capital, and in addition to 



