28 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Ato. 6, 1885. 



Chelled Shot. — In your answer to "Tinlter," Decatur, 

 Ala. , in Foeest and Stbeam of July 23, 1885, as published, 

 are you correct? I think "chilled shot" do "preserve their 

 form better, and so fly truer and make much better pattern, " 

 and superior penetration. Were there not superior penetra- 

 tion in chilled shot, -which, as I understand the matter, are 

 merely hardened shot, why should a rifleman ex]3ect siipeiior 

 penetration from a hardened bullet? I will further say, I 

 consider for common pui'poses chilled sliot, equal in effect to 

 two sizes larger of common shot. In other words, chilled 

 IS's equal in'killing power to common lO's, but there is one 

 point to notice, viz., the lighter single pellet of smaller size 

 may not carry so far as the heavier, but the chances are 

 equalized when one remembers the increased number of the 

 smaller required to make up the weight. — Amateuk. [The 

 answer was plainly erroneous — the "not" having crept in in 

 some way iquite beyond understanding.] 



The Bi& Buck of Buenaventura.— San Buenaventura, 

 Cal., July 20.— Deer hunting is in full blast (if I may use 

 the expression) and deer are brought into town almost every 

 day. The largest buck ever brought into Ventura was killed 

 two days ago. His antlers measured nearly four feet from 

 .tip to tip. They were about two and one-half inches thick 

 at the base. One horn had three points and the other two. 

 Although he was not weighed, many estimated him to weigh 

 over two hundred pounds. He had been known for years, 

 but was killed in six miles of town. A few deer have been 

 killed five or six miles from town. Quail are here by the 

 thousand. — Typo. 



Oahoot.— Coralville, Iowa, July 28.— Editor Forest mid 

 Strmm: 1 saw in Fobest akd "STRE.-VjVt you wished the 

 common meaning of the word "cahoots," or in what way it 

 was used. Here it is used to indicate an equal division of 

 the spoils of a hunting or fishing trip, or other transaction 

 that two or more persons may be cngaged in. I have never 

 heaxd it used with any other meaning attached. — John 

 Williams. 



Moscow, O., Aug. 1.— The outlook now for good hunting 

 next fall is first-class. Young quail arc numerous, and rab- 

 bits, squiiTels, etc., are very plenty. Fox chasing is the 

 favorite sport here, the country being hilly and well suited 

 for such exciting sport. Any person wanting good quail 

 shooting can find it here in season. — Gr. G. J. 



Hunting Club Rules Wanted.— Huntingdon, Tenn.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: Some weeks ago it was asked 

 through your columns if some one could not give a copy of 

 the by-laws of a regular huntir g club. If you could pubUsh 

 such a thing it would be good reading for many. — H. 



The Beab Supply of this country was augmented last 

 month by the arrival of a band of French gypsies with ten 

 bears and a dozen monkeys. The commissioners of emigra- 

 tion sent the whole lot of them back to Fiance, so the that 

 bear census is just where it was before. 



New Jeesey Game. — Hightstown, N. J. , July 23. — The 

 prospects for game in New Jersey were never better. Quail 

 specially abundant. Our gunners are bringing in good bags 

 of very poor woodcock, — T. A. B. 



The ChjUCBeeltn Cartridge Co, issue an illustrated 

 catalogue cmbelli.shed with i^ictures of game birds and giv- 

 ing particulars of their fixed ammunition. 



The Michigan Sportsmen's Association wiU shortly 

 issue its annual book. 



Address all commumcations to the Forest and Stream PiMish- 

 ing Go. 



FLORIDA SUMMER FISHING. 



THERE had been a week of almost incessant rain. Every- 

 thing was wet, damp and uncomfortable, and the river 

 had become a mighty stream but little affected by tidal 

 changes. But the fact'remained that the ranch was suffering 

 for fish. A meeting was held and "Tarpon" was unani- 

 mously elected a committee of one to supply the want. 



The Linnie M. was on the ways for repairs, so the Buck- 

 tail was launched, the big rod jointed, the best spoon selected 

 and burnished, and the committee started. The current is 

 strong and the two miles between wharf and fishing ground 

 are soon passed over. With good courage the spoon is sent 

 astern, but not for long; five minutes suffice to fill the hooks 

 with grass. Clear them and try again. No use, the river is 

 full of floating grass, and after a hiilf hour of patient 

 endeavor the line is reeled in and the committee is skirmish- 

 ing for bait, for we must have fish. Crabs arc not to be had, 

 minnows are hard to catch, but fiddlers are plenty, and they 

 make good bait for sheepshead. So we'll get some fiddlers. 



While searching everywhere for the needful bait, we over- 

 haul an old wreck that was abandoned some six months ago. 

 It is completely honeycombed in places by the Terado navalis, 

 in others covered with masses of grass and barnacles. 



Not succeeding in getting either crabs, minnows or fiddlers, 

 the expedition had well nigh failed, but while almost in 

 despair, a dingey rounds the point and bears down upon the 

 disconsolate crew of theBucktail. In the stern of the dingey 

 is piled a long net, in the bow stands the motive power, in 

 the shape of a sharp, wiry "Key wester," Watkins by name, 

 the local fisherman and a good one. The problem was 

 solved. We would go on the outer beach with Watkins. 

 No sooner thought than done. The Bucktail is tied up by 

 the nose and we are off. Thanks to the stout pole and strong 

 arms of my friend we are soon out of the river and skirting 

 the outer beach, we have not far to go, A school of mullet 

 are soon seen rippling the water like the catspaws in the van 

 of a summer's breeze. Getting directly olf shore of the 

 school, I jump overboard with one end of the net, while the 

 boatman, making vigorous use of the pole, shoves the boat 

 around and toward thi? beach. In the meantime I am tug- 

 ging away at my end, and we soon meet, thus completing 

 the circle, and as we think we have them, the fun begins. 

 Did you ever see a flock of sheep go over a wall? Yea, 

 verily, then you can imagine how those mullet went over 

 that net. All of them? Well no, there was one sick one 

 that couldn't jump; we got him, but we let him go again. 

 No use to mourn, there are more fish in the sea. So piling 



in our net wc go on. Soon we sight another school, but 

 they seem to be more compact. Following the same plan as 

 at first, we are soon tugging away at the net again. All at 

 once Watkins wakens, bending to his work with all his 

 might, he yells: "Redflshl Go! Go! Double the net:" 

 Around we go and soon have a double wall of strong twine 

 around a compact body of rcdfish, estimated at from one 

 hundred and fifty to two hundred. Now we have business. 

 Redfish don't jump the net, but they lunge from side to side, 

 and if they once get an opening made, good-bye. 



Standing waist deep in the water, it is no boys' play to 

 pick up a forty-pound fish and put him in the boat, and so I 

 found it. The only way is to get your arms around him 

 and hug for all you are worth. The first one I tackled got 

 away from me, but it was the last one that did. We took 

 out twenty-five Avhen Watkins says, "Stop, we have enough." 

 I was surprised! A market fisherman to stop fishing just 

 because he had enough, when I have known sportsmen 

 to kill as long as there was anything to kill. We let 

 the rest go, and setting our sail were soon back in the river. 

 Casting adrift the Bucktail, a half hour's u.se of the paddle 

 and I am at home. There is once more rejoicing in Tarpon 

 Ranch. Tarpon, 



Tarpon Spbings, Fla, 



BOW RIVER TROUT. 



THREE kinds of trout abound in the surging waters of 

 the Bow, District of Alberta. These are the well- 

 known brook trout of the East, the "mountain" and the 

 "bull" trout. The latter names are purely local, for they 

 all come fi'ura the headwaters in the heart of the great Rock- 

 ies, and as yet no technical names have been assigned to the 

 Bow River species, at least to the two kinds wldch I have 

 especially designated. 



The brook trout, so toothsome to the Eastern epicure, is, 

 however, a rare fish in the Bow waters. Only a few speci- 

 mens so far have been caught, but there have been suffi- 

 cient to prove that he exists in the cold waters of this 

 mountain-fed stream. A year ago Mr. Whitcher, well known 

 ail over Canada, and m fact, in the older States, for his con- 

 nection with the piscatorial interests of the Dominion, made 

 a hurried visit to the district, and he spent several days on 

 the Bow making a canoe voyage to Medicine Hat on the 

 Saskatchewan, and obtaining information respecting the 

 finny inhabitants of the Bow, but whether his report has 

 yet seen print or not I am unable to say, as it has not yet 

 "made its appearance in this latitude. I am therefore com- 

 pelled to adhere to the local terms "mountain" and "bull** 

 imtil ]^Ir. Whitcher or some other expert further enlightens 

 us as to the nomenclature of the species of the great salmon 

 family which frequent these waters. 



The "bull" trout looks more like a "haddock" than a dis- 

 tinct member of the gTeat salmon family. The only part of 

 him that looks like a trout is his head and mouth, which are 

 unmistakable. Sure he has the "spots" or "speckles" which 

 are inseparable fi om the species, but he has also a broad 

 black stripe along both sides of his body which give him a 

 decidedly "haddock"-like appearance. He is caught at all 

 weights from two to forty pounds. He is as energetic and 

 as powerful as a salmon,'aud takes the fly or bait with a 

 jump and a ru.sh which mean both work and sport. The 

 biggest fish are caught as the headwaters of the river are 

 i-eached. In the vicinity of Calgary the bull trout is seldom 

 caught weighing over ten pounds. The explanation of this 

 is that the" large ones rarely venture below the fafls and 

 rapids which are numerous in the upper reaches of the Bow, 

 and the lower stretches are being well fished. The bull 

 trout, though good eating, has not the flavor of the trout. 

 Its flesh is more lilce that of the pike, it is mawkish and 

 watery. 



The "bull" trout, however, affords a great deal of sport, 

 for when he takes the hook he has no wish to remain. He 

 suddenly discovers that he has business elsewhere, and he 

 accordingly proceeds at once to attend to it. If you are an 

 experienced angler you know how to take care of yourself; 

 but if you are only green at the business, the other end of 

 the line is sure to get away with line and rod at imminent 

 risk to the angler. An Ottawa Senator, whose corpulency 

 was a great drawback to his "fishing weight," last summer 

 had an incontieut swim after Ijis rod on the Bow. A bull 

 trout took hold of the "far end" in the usually sudden way, 

 and, having unreeled the "spare," managed to reel the Sen- 

 ator off the bridge, where he had taken a firm hold. As the 

 Senator rose to the surface of six feet of water, his face look- 

 ing like a rising sun, he grasped a friendly birch and re- 

 marked that the"bridge was safe. It was an iron bridge on 

 the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Senator to this day en- 

 tertains a strong suspicion that unless he had let go his hold 

 of the structure the bridge woxild have gone too. The rod 

 and line had gone, so tiad the bidl trout, and the Senator 

 had found the Baptists ; but the bridge was safe. The Sena- 

 tor was a Conservative in politics and a supporter of the C. 

 P. R., but it is not likely that he will repeat the experiment 

 this year when he comes on his holidays. 



Fat men undoubtedly have their advantages when in 

 water. They will float, where a thin, bony individual will 

 go to the bottom like a stone, but they are "treading dan- 

 gerous water" when they are angling for bull trout off an 

 iron railway bridge on the Bow River. 



The "mountain" trout is seldom caught weighing over 

 four pounds. He is to all appearances a genuine trout, but 

 the fish has not ihe rich piuk color, nor has it the flavor of 

 the Eastern variety. The pink tinge shows itself here and 

 there on the body, but it is not so distinct as that of the 

 third variety occasionally found in the same waters, and 

 which bears an almost complete resemblance to the brook 

 trout of the East, 



The "mountain" trout is the most plentiful, and the kind 

 that is most frequently caught. 



The spring of 1885 in this latitude set in unusually early. 

 On the 38th of March, Dominion Timber Inspector Gouin, 

 brother of Mr. Gouin, long proprietor of the Russell House, 

 Ottawa, and now postmaster of that city, caught eighty- 

 three pounds of "mountain" trout, varying all the way from 

 four ounces to three pounds. They were all of the "moun- 

 tain" variety. The "speckles" on the "mountain" trout are 

 small and numerous, but not distinct. 



It is the fish which the tomist finds on the hotel tables 

 along the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, from Medi- 

 cine^Hat to Golden City, British Columbia. 



Mr. Gouin made his catch on the 38th of March with a 

 httle dark fly resembhug a. grub. In May and June there is 

 a small dark grub about half an inch long, on which both 

 the bull and tlie mountain trout feed voraciously. There is 

 also a small, black water bug which is a favorite bait. In 

 July, August and September the grasshopper is sure to take. 



and the local sportsmen avail themselves of a fly made to 

 resemble a grasshopper, which takes well. 



Mr. Gouin has noticed a peculiar fact with regard to 

 "mountain" trout. Pie has found them more or less in 

 spawn from May to October. Climatic difference, owing to 

 sudden changes in the altitudes of the mountainous region, 

 may account for this, but he vouches for it as a fact. 



'rhe fishing season in these waters lasts from April to 

 October, though during the short interval of the fresheis, 

 which occur in June, when the water becomes muddy, the 

 trout disappears; suckers, pike and a species of grayling are, 

 however, very plentiful during the high water; but the trout 

 reappears when the waters subside, for these again become 

 clear as crystal, and as suddenly so as they became murky 

 when the rise began. 



During the high waters, caused by the heavy June rains, 

 the trout hunt the deep spring holes where the water main- 

 tains itself comparatively pure and clear. A baited hook 

 dropped into these holes during a freshet is soon seized, and 

 the fish may be caught in great numbers, but it is not sport. 



As yet the Dominion Government has done nothing to 

 protect this fish preserve of the Bow. People fish at all 

 times, and the Indians use the net with a reckless regard to 

 the consequences. Two or three sawmills will soon empty 

 their refuse sawdust into the Bow waters, and the time is 

 not far distant when the lower waters of the river will bo 

 depopulated of its trout, if not of all kinds of fish. 



1 have referred to a third variety of trout found in the 

 Bow ; it is so seldom caught that its existence In these waters 

 is doubted by many. I have, however, seen a few specimens 

 that have been caught. They weighed from eight to twelve 

 ounces, and so closely resembled the brook trout of the East 

 in shape, color and flavor that it is only an expert that couM 

 point out the dift'erence. 



This season will throw more light on their presence and 

 habits in these waters, and in another paper I will eudeavor 

 to compile the results of the investigation. 



Geo. B, Elliott, 



Oalsary, Alberta, N. W. T., July, 1883. 



AN AWNING FOR FISHING BOATS. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



I send you a description of a small awning which I use 

 on my rowboat. I used the awning yesterday for the first 

 time and found that it added so much to my comfort that 1 

 do not think any pleasure boat is complete without one. I 

 was out on the river between 3 and 3 P. M., and although 

 there was quite a breeze blowing up the river the heat was 

 almost unbearable when exposed to the direct rays of the 

 sun. I put up my awning, took off my coat and hat, and 

 after wetting the top of my head with river water, 1 decided 

 that I was feeling about as comfortable as was possible out- 

 side of an icehouse. I met and passed craft of all kinds, 

 from the canvas canoe of nineteen inches beam, up to the 

 rowboat of fifty, with the long ash oars and the long, lanky 

 oarsmen, wearing straw hats with brims as large as a sulky 

 wheel, and almost rivaling my awning; but tlien the hats 

 lested on their heads and the sun beat down most unmerci- 

 fully on top of those hats. The skipper hails me with 

 "What's your time aroimd the island now?" I answer "30.30, 

 what's the bestfor your boats?" "30." "Isthatthe same old 

 record made before the Fourth of July?" "Yes." We all 

 smile and I pass on. They arc going my way with two at 

 the oars, but they exhibit a great desire to study the model 

 of the stern of my boat. They always do. 



Presently I pass an unpretentious fishing skiff built of 

 Ihree-quartcr-iuch white pine. The oarsman is perspiring 

 freely, and the coxswain is almost roasted. The fcmer 

 ceases rowing, and the latter suddenly springs to his feet^ 

 removes coat and hat, and mounts the stern seat as though 

 about to take a header. Wishing to see the performance, I 

 back water with one oar, come round, and repass the boat. 

 The coxswain having reconsidered the matter, has taken his 

 seat. The oarsman asks, "Could you tell about how much it 

 costs to occupy such a boat ?" 1 answer, ' 'About sixty doflars, " 

 and he remarks, "And it's well worth it." Presently 1 come 

 to a lone fisherman with his boat drawn up on the' bank as 

 far as the strength of one man can draw it. He is sitting in 

 the broiling sun just where I saw him six hours before. 

 "Are they biting any?" "O, yes, I've got four eels." Pass- 

 ing around the lower point of the island, I head for the 

 Bridgeport locks. Two or three small boys are in sight. 

 "0, look a' there," and in thirty seconds a score of small 

 boys swarmed on the towpath. The lock gates are open, 

 and I run the gauntlet ciuickly. I do not remember all the 

 comments I heard in the few brief seconds I was within ear- 

 shot. They were mostly complimentary, but one remark 

 which was intended to be otherwise I remember, Failing to 

 give a prompt answer to the question, "What kind of a boat 

 is that?" the next thing I heard was, "O say, he's a gitten 

 ball-headed." This latter remark did not refer to the boat. 



I started out to say something about the construction of 

 the awning. It consists of four posts Ixi- inch cedar, two 

 parallel bars at the top, to which the covering of ihin oilcloth 

 is tacked, and a stretcher across the middle of the top of the 

 awning, under the oilcloth. The parallel bars and stretcher 

 are white pine f xf. The parallel bars are four feet long, 

 and when in position are parallel to the longitudinal line of 

 the boat, and are fastened to the tops of the posts with one 

 rivet at each end, forming a hinge joint, and allowing the 

 posts to be folded up on the bars, after which the whole may 

 be rolled up into a compact shape, the same as a map 

 mounted on a roller. The stretcher is not permanently at- 

 tached to the bars, but is sprung in from the underside after 

 the other part is in position. It is held in place by means 

 of a tenon one-fourth of an inch long, cut on each end. 

 These tenons fit into notches cut into the top sides of the 

 bars. They fit in between the oilcloth and the bottom of 

 the notch, the shoulders formed on the ends of the stretcher 

 butting against the bars, forcing them outward and thereby 

 stretching the oilcloth. The lower ends of the four posts fit 

 into four pockets, the depth of which correspond to the 

 width of the gunwale minus the distance the gunwale over- 

 laps the next strake below. They (the lower ends of the 

 posts) are inserted between the gunwale and inwale, and rest 

 upon the upper edge of the next strake. 



1 inclose a diagram showing the con,struction of the pock- 

 ets. They are made of small strips of ash one-quarter of an 

 inch thick and fastened to inside of gunwale with brass 

 screws seven-eighths of an inch long. The length of the 

 pockets front and aft is one and three-eighths inches, and 

 the awning posts being only one inch wide, the awning may 

 be set in a vertical position, or canted forward or backward, 

 in such a position as to best protect from sun or rain. The 

 top of the awning is eight inches wider than the boat, and 

 its height is such as to just clear the head of the oarsman 



