Feb. 11, 1886.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



81 



TROUT OF SUNAPEE LAKE. J* 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



1 was much interested in jour article announcing the dis- 

 covery of a new species of trout in Sunapee Lake, and after 

 thinking the matter over for a while it occurred to me that 

 while I was a member of the New Hampshire Fish Commis- 

 sion we bad planted the Suhno oquas&a in that lake, and I 

 accordingly wrote to lny former colleague, Mr. A. H. Pow- 

 er^ of Gfrantkam, if. H\, a town Very near the lake, to ask 

 hitil about it, as he was the superintendent of the State 

 hatchery from the beginning; uutil Mr. Hodge succeeded 

 him ou his resignation of his commission. 



Mr. Powers writes me as follows: "On June 8, 1879, 1 

 planted 4,000 uquassa, or Hue-backed trout, in Suuapee Lake, 

 and these Sahno sumpee (?) may have come from that plant; 

 they have a look like the fry. as I remember them. But 

 could they have multiplied so, and grown to such monsters? 

 1 have no doubt that some of those we saw, for I was with 

 Mr. Hodge at the time, would weigh from eight 10 ten pounds; 

 we caught some of six pounds, and saw inuch larger ones. 

 Now these fish are lake spawners. Not one of them came 

 Up the brook 1 planted them in, while the landlocked salmon 

 of about the same weight did so. In Maine it was said that 

 they were small, about one-quarter pound weighty and came 

 into the river to spawn Oct. 10 to a day. That is as I re- 

 member it. ISow the question is, could they change from 

 minnows to whales and from river to lake spawners in so 

 short a time?" 



Now 1 am equally puzzled with my friend Powers. We 

 know that the landlocked salmon which we placed in Suua- 

 pee Lake, from eggs procured at Grand Lake Stream, have 

 attained a weight of over twelve pounds, though the Grand 

 Stream fish seldom go over two or three pounds, and the 

 same season's fry distributed in Squam Lake have gone up 

 to fifteeu or sixteen pounds. 



This I attribute to the fact of their finding plenty of fresh- 

 water smelts for food, for one reason, as well as to the' fact 

 that we usually find the size of the fish to correspond in 

 some degree with that of the water irom which they are 

 taken. 



This discovery is a very interesting one, and having found 

 a possible raison d'etre for oqiuma trout, in Sunapee Lake, I 

 send it you in hopes that some other correspondent may be 

 able to throw some light ou the matter, and t-olve Mi'. Pow- 

 er»'s queues as to the possibility of such rapid growth and 

 apparent change of habit. Samleu Webber. 



Cha blebtown, N. H., Feb. 2. 1SS6. 



A WINTER CHAT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



"Little Sandy" is sad, and why not? Information has 

 just reached us that the Legislature has repealed the State 

 law to prevent seining, etc., in the waters of Kentucky. 



For years we have been trying to effect a change in our 

 community by distributing some of the wholesome teachings 

 of FckesT and Stream to show up the evil effects of sein- 

 ing and kindred devices for catching fish. The State pissed 

 a law to prevent seining, and though badly enforced, it had 

 a good effect. Last spring we appealed to the ever gallant 

 and generous Dr. Ilenshall to furnish us, through your col- 

 umns, with a description of suitable tiy tackle, by which our 

 sport might be heightened and made more interesting. We 

 were congratulating one another a few days ago as a small 

 nucleus of the "new f angled fishermen" (as we are some- 

 times ironically called) had met around a plo wing fire to talk 

 over ou first year's experience in the most delightful of sports, 

 i. e., fly-fishing, when the sad news reached us of the action 

 of the Legislature. While we grieve we have much to be 

 thankful for. 



Acting upon Doctor Henshall's suggestion last spring we 

 sent for a pair of seven ounce laucewood fly-rods, reels, lines, 

 flies, fly books, and leaders, which came by express in a few 

 days, and were secreted under lock and key to that no un- 

 hallowed eyes might pry into those precious packages, for it 

 had already been noised about that my frieud Skill (may he 

 soon be released from his snow-bound situation and find a 

 fair market for his mules) and I were going to use horseflies 

 and gnats for our fishing baits instead of minuows the 

 coming season. That night we were children again, it re- 

 minded me of the Santa Glaus days. We put the rods to- 

 gether and praised their fine proportions, spring and work- 

 manship. How we longed to be in some secluded nook on 

 Stoner or Strode's Creek, where we might rig our first cast 

 just to see if what we had been told was really true, "that 

 fly-fishing was well enough up North or out East where fish 

 are plenty, but fish had too much sense to bite at a feathered 

 hook in Kentucky." 



The rods are laid aside, a bundle of leaders receive but a 

 passing glance, then the Orvis reels; these fat first) look 

 awkward compared to a No. 1 Meek, of which the spool is 

 not more than one inch in diameter, but theu it takes up line 

 Tery fast, and the perforated plates allow the line to dry 

 -without removing it from the reel. Next come the fly-books 

 which are verv handsome and well made. "What, is this by 

 the side of the little green box marked flies?" asked my 

 friend. " 'Fisbiug with the Fly,' Orvis-Oheney collections, 

 a present." A hurried glance at the index shows articles 

 from the pens of a host of writers of whom we had long ago 

 become familiar through the pages of Forest and Stream. 



Since that night our fondest anticipations have been real- 

 ized, and though we had entertained some fears that the 

 light rods, in inexperienced bands as we were, might in a 

 well-contested battle fail, yet victory ou victory gave us more 

 confidence, and at the end of the season have sustained their 

 reputation. The flies, too, we ordered first (from names 

 onlv) proved very successful, and that the notes taken from 

 the" different writers on the "most killing flies" were not 

 made in vain. We have caught fish of ail the representa- 

 tives of our streams with the fly, excepting the sucker, and 

 we can well afford to leave him to those who are willing to 

 take their seats on the muddy and slippery bank, in Febru- 

 ary and March, at a place previously baited with dough 

 balls, and fish with the humble "warn" for bait. Anglers 

 as a rule are incredulous, and hold to the doctrine that "see- 

 ing is believing." One among my first essays was in com- 

 pany with a friend who thought "minnows were good 

 enough." But it happened on one of those likely evenings 

 previous to a shower, with a good breeze, and as it took me 

 some time to rig my cast, he baited his hook with a minnow 

 and commenced fishing down stream from the bank. 



When I got ready I waded out in the middle of the creek, 

 and cast right and left in his wake; he caught one bass, 

 while I was getting a rise at nearly every cast, and at last he 

 reeled up his iine and said he "would rather watch me than 

 to fish himself, it was so novel.' - I made a convert right 

 jfihera. This is uot the only instance, for to-day we have 



quite a number who are devotees of the fly-rod and have 

 enjoyed its seductive pleasures. I received a letter from 

 your correspondent "Vox," from Mt. Sterling, a few days 

 ago, saying that "1 have just received a split-bamboo fiVrod. 

 I want a few instructions. Come up and spend a day with 

 me. It would be like an experience meeting of old Metho- 

 dists." 



On the following day my genial friend E. P. B., treasurer 

 of the Bourbon Gun Club, met me. "What say you on 

 going to Mt. Sterling to-morrow?" "I can be ready by 8 

 o'clock." The next morning turned out to be one of those 

 Cold, disagreeable, misty days, the ground all covered with 

 snow and slush, but just right to talk fly-fishing. We 

 arrived at Mt. Sterling early, and as we sauntered iuto the 

 office we found "Vox" in his little workshop at the end so 

 busily engaged that he was Unaware of our presence. _ 1 

 knocked on the door, and turning he hid something which 

 to me looked like a fly-book. And with that whole-eoul 

 smile which characterizes him above all good fellows, "hail 

 friends well met," introduced us to the Rev. Mr. S., formerly 

 Fish Commissioner of Tennessee. After a hearty greeting 

 he imformed us that they had just been engaged in a con 

 versation on the subject of fishing. Ceremonies were cast 

 as-ide. My friend B. excused himself, having some bu&inpss 

 in town, which left the happy clover leaf in its glory. The 

 rods were brought out and I soon ascertained that "Vox" 

 had it bad. Fortunately the "weather conditions" were such 

 that it kept all the toothache patients at home, which often 

 prevents one of those pleasant tete-a-tete chats that we enjoy 

 so much, and then it gave us full sweep of the 100m. 



The office was hardly high enough to make the overhead 

 cast comme ilfaut, but taking off the butt joint we managed 

 to lay out (an imaginary) line fairly well. Thrice the dinner 

 oHl rang before we could find a convenient stopping place. 

 After dinner followed a long discussion on the action of 

 legislators, which closed with the hope that the Senate would 

 be awake to its duty and surely "kill the bill " We cast our 

 eyes across to the court house clock whose hour hand already 

 pointed a little after five and bade our friends a reluctant 

 an remit with the promise that as soon as the water was in 

 right condition when spriug has asserted her rights again I 

 would telephone them when they would meet me to try the 

 result of our meeting. 



As we drove homeward through the falling mist and rain 

 I could scarcely think of anything but the pleasant day 

 spent with genial companions when everything was present 

 but tbe fish. Little Sandy. 



North Middleton, Ky. 



Another Wat to Carry a Landing Net.— Centralis, 

 Pa, Feb. 6.— Any plan or arrangement that adds lo the 

 pleasure or comfort of a sportsman's "outing" I think 

 should be common property, so let i«ne tell of a contrivance 

 that helps to keep this necessary but cumbersome article out 

 of the way while always ready for quick use. I take it to be 

 the invention of a friend, one who can entice mote fish into 

 his net with the gentle persuasion of his springy greenheart 

 rod than any other fisherman 1 know : Fastned securly to 

 the short handle of the net is a loop of say four feet of the 

 very best elastic web, three-quarters or one inch wide; this is 

 worn around the neck and when not in use is thrown so that 

 it hangs down the back; when wanted and your fish is ready 

 to be lwnd'ed taking the handle the web will stretch as far as 

 you can possibly reach; when the two pounder is taken care 

 of a toss puts it back over your shoulders ready for the next 

 one. In my early fishing days I was sorely bothered with 

 the corkscrew twist that was always in my six foot leaders as 

 I took them out to replace one that my largest fish had 

 cairied off; it was only after some minutes drawing through 

 the water and making every trout in tbe pool think moie 

 about a water snake than of the white winged coachman, 

 that it straightened out for business; now when starting on 

 mv trips 1 take a common tin oval tobacco box, one that can 

 be handilv carried in the pocket; theu dampen a heavy piece 

 of cotton flannel that has been cut the width of the box and 

 twice its length; laying it in I place the leaders on it then 

 fold the end back over them; very soon they are as soft and 

 pliable as if they had been soaking in the water and are ready 

 for immediate use. Both of these plans may be nothing 

 new to most of your readers, but perhaps it may to some 

 one of them save a tangled line or another fish for his creel. 

 — Spicewood. 



Adirondack Fishes. — I will again appeal to the kindness 

 of friends and ask them to send me such notes on the fishes 

 of the Adirondack redon as they may h^ve. The few hun- 

 dred copies of my "Memoranda" for Mr. Colvin's forthcom 

 ing Report of the Adirondack Survey, which were issued in 

 advance of bis report, are nearly exhausted, and it is proposed 

 to extend the report on fishes. The following note, which is 

 just at hand, explains it: "Albany, Feb. 4, 1886. Mr. F 

 Mather, Dear Sir: I think that you can rely upon having 

 fully six months in which to get in all the addenda. I shall 

 use every effort to make your report as perfect as possible, 

 even if we have to cut the electrotype plates. Sincerely 

 yours, Verplanck Colvtn, Supt." My collecting tour was 

 a hasty one, and it is very probable that I missed some 

 species; in fact, I inserted the "Miller's thumb," Uranidea, 

 on the authority of Dr. Merriam, as I could not find it. 

 Some of the sticklebacks may also be found there, and then 

 we want specimens of those "Morse Lake minnows," and 

 "SeveuthLake minnows," which are mentioned, but which, 

 owing to their decayed condition, could not be identified, and 

 which Prof. Jordan thought might be new. Had it not been 

 for the good friends who helped me out in making out tbe 

 list of the distribution of species this portion of the work 

 would have been omitted. This is a very important portion 

 of the work and is not complete, and all volunteer help in 

 the work will be thankfully received.— Fked Mather (Cold 

 Spring Harbor, N. Y.). 



Florida Fish Killed by Cold.— St. Augustine, Fla., 

 Jan. 31. — I have just returned from a fishing cruise to the 

 head of Matanzis River. The sight that I saw was enough 

 to make the heart sick. Hundreds of large sea trout and 

 channel bass were lying dead along the shore, killed by our 

 last cold snap. One can understand how the sea trout were 

 caught in the shallow water and frozen. But my surprise 

 was great when I saw many shecpsheads among them, as 

 t hey are fish which usually seek deep pools and channels. 

 The buzzards are so full they will hold no more, and such 

 a mass of decaying fish certainly will not be conducive to the 

 health of tbe country. In spite of this wholesale destruction 

 I had very good sport with rod and reel. And many a fine 

 fish was replaced in his native element for fear of killing 

 more than I could use. The nights have been rather cool of 

 late, and I have been glad while sleeping in my boat to Jtiave 

 my second sleeping bag around cae, — Windward, i 



Bisby Club.— TJtica, N. T., Feb. 3.— The eighth annual 

 meeting of the Bisby Club was held here to day, and thf* fol- 

 lowing trustees chosen: Gen. R. TJ Sherman, Hon. H. J. 

 Co^kinham, H. Lee Babcock, O. J. Cbilds, Thomas R. 

 Proctor, A. G. Brower. At a subsequent meeting of the 

 trustees the following officers were elected: President. G^n. 

 R. TJ. Sherman; Vice-Presidents, Christopher Roby, W. W. 

 Snow, D. W. Cross, Thomas R Proctor; Secretary, Henry 

 H. Thompson; Treasurer, S. F. Sherman; Legal Counsel, 

 Hon. II. J. Cookinham. The club passed a lesolution de- 

 claring agtunst floating for deer, favoring the limiting of the 

 shooting season beginning Aug 15 and closing iSov. 1, and 

 advocating hounding from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. 



Not an Uncommon Case — ' 'Got any fish f ' 'Nary fi°fi . " 

 "Got any bites?" "Nary bites." "Gotanyba.it?" "Nary 

 lrut." "What are you doing there?" "Fishiu'."— Texas 

 Sijfi?iffs. i 



THE FULTON CHAIN HATCHERY. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



At the annual meeting of tbe Boonville Sportsmen's Club, 

 held at the Hurlburt House, Boonville, recently, the following 

 officers were elected: President, L. W. Fiske, Boonville: First 

 Vice-President, S. T. Miller, ConstableviJle; Hecond Vice- 

 President, H. G. Emms, Turin; Treasurer, C. W. Colton, Boon- 

 ville; Secretary, G. A. Willard, Boonville. 



The report of the committee on the new fish hatchery just 

 completed on the Fulton chain of lakes, was read by Hon. H. 

 Dwight Grant. The leport stated that the hatching house 

 was located near Cold Spring Camp, on Fourth Lake of the 

 Fulton Chain, on the recommendation of State Fish Commis- 

 sioner Sherman. The site was selected for the purity of the 

 water and its convenience as a central poh-t for procuring and 

 distributing trout fry. The plans of the building and plant 

 were made and furnished by Mr. Sherman on the most ap- 

 proved methods for hatchins. The dimensions of the build- 

 ing are 20x36 feet. It is boarded and battened on the outside, 

 and has a plain, tasty cornice and gabled roof covered with 

 good pine shingles. It is lighted by 8 windows of 12 lights 

 each, 9x14 inches, and has one door. The inside walls are 

 lined with building paper and covered with matched spruce 

 ceiling. The rooms are also ceiled overhead with spruce. 

 Water is conducted to the building through a 3-incn main 126 

 feet in length from a reservoir built for that purpose. The in- 

 side reservoirs and hatching troughs are on the ground ready 

 for setting up. Necessary wire cloths for hatching trays has 

 been purchased and the frames are in process of construction. 

 Owing to late commencement of operations on the building 

 and the early forming of ice on the lakes, the managers were 

 unable to transport and set up the hatching appai atus until 

 after the time that the spawn had reached maturity, thereby 

 making it unsafe to remove them from the State hatchery. 

 The committee recommends that the apparatus be set up in 

 early spring and everything be. put in order for future use. A 

 better building has been erected than Commissioner Sherman 

 contemplated and it will be better equipped. It has already 

 cost $572.44, and $50 or $60 more will be required to complete 

 it. The report was accepted. The treasurer's report, which 

 showed a balance ot $90.95 on hand, was also read and ac- 

 cepted. 



Hon. H. Dwight Grant, Geo. H. Beck, John Brinckerhoff, F. 

 A. Barrett and C. W. Colton were elected manageis. L. W. 

 Fiske was delegated to go to Albany to confer with represen t- 

 atives in regard to securing aid for the new hatchery and to 

 voice the sentiments of the club on the proposed changes in 

 the game laws. Poktsa. 



TJtica, N. Y., Feb. 3, 1886. 



BLACK BASS IN" GERMANY.— We have received a 

 pampulet of eight pages from Herr Max von dem Borne, on 

 the black bass. This gentleman, it will be remembered, has 

 introduced the two species of bass into Germany and has sent 

 us accounts of his success in breeding them. He has called 

 the small^raouth der Schwartzbarsch, and the big-mouth der 

 Forellenbarseh, Forelle being the German word for tiout. 

 The great success in breeding these fish, together with their 

 growth and game, qualities, causes Mr. von dem Borne to 

 value them highly, and to recommend their introduction into 

 suitable waters in his country. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Publish- 

 ing Co. 



FIXTURES. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



Nov. 23.— Eighth annual field trials of tbe Eastern Field Trials Club, 

 at High Point, N. G. W. A. Coster, Secretary, Fiatbusb, Kings 

 couBty, N. Y. 



DOG SHOWS. 



March 16. 17, 18 and 19.— Western Pennsylvania Poultry Society's 

 Dog Snow, at Pitisburgh. Pa. C. B. Elbei , Secretary. 



March 23. 24 and 25 -First Annual Dog Show of the New Jersey 

 Kennel and Field Trials Club. Newark, N. J. A. P. Vredenburgn, 

 Secretary. Bergen Point, N. J. 



March 30 to April 2.— Tbird Annual Dog Show of the New Havsn 

 Kennel Cmb. 8. K Hemingway. Secretary, New Haven, Conn. 



April 6, ?, 8 and y.— Second Annual Dos Show of tbe New England 

 Kennel Club. Edward A. Mbseley, Secretary, Boston, Mass. 



April IS, 14. 15 and 16. First Annual Dog Show of the Hartford 

 Kennel Ciub. A. C. Collins, Secretary, Hartford, Conn. 



May 4, 5, 6 and 7.— Tentu annual dog snow of the Westmicster 

 Kennel Club, at Madison Square G'irden, Kew York, James Morti- 

 mer, Superintendent. P. O. Bos 1812, New York. 



A. K. R.-SPECIAL NOTICE. 



THE AMERICAN KENNEL REGISTER, for the registration of 

 pedigrees, etc. (with prize lists of all shows and trials), is pub 

 ished every month. Entries close on the 1st. Should be in early. 

 Entry blanks sent on receipt of stamped and addressed envelope, 

 ftegistration fee (50 cents) must accompany each entry. No entries 

 inserted unless paid in advance. Yearlv subscription $1.50. Address 

 "American Kennel Register," P. O. Bo., 2832, New York. Number 

 of entries already printed 3185. 



EASTERN FIELD TRIALS CLUB. 



THERE was an important meeting of the Board of Gov- 

 ernors of the Eastern Field Trials Club at the at. James 

 Hotel on Tuesday evening, Feb. 9. The Treasurer's report 

 showing a balance in favor of the club of S838.60 was accepted. 

 Messrs. J. L. Breese, New York; C. L. Dick, Pittsburgh, Pa.; 

 O. H. Denny, Pittsburgh, Pa., aud J. T. Perkins, Brooklyn, N. 

 Y , were elected members, The conditions of the Members' 

 Stake were changed so as to allow any member to handle a 

 dog owned by another member. The committee on i mining 

 rules reported several amendments which we shall publish 

 next week. The date of birth of entries for the Derby of 1886 

 was changed back irom May 1 to Jan. 1, tbe entries to close 

 May 1, with $10 forfeit and 810 additional to starters. The 

 stake will be $700, with $400 for first, $#JD for .second and $IW 

 fox third. 



