io 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



LJak. 38, 1886. 



BROWN TROUT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I am glad to see that some of your correspondents have 

 begun to sing the praises of the brown trout, Salmo fario ,- 

 just keep on doing so, as they are worthy of our best efforts. 



I am conservative and don't always put much stock in fish 

 new to our waters until fully convinced that they are worth 

 attention and are an addition. A few years ago the Califor- 

 nia trout were introduced into our eastern waters; they grew 

 fast, etc., etc., but they can't be called much of an addition, 

 as theji don't stay if they can getaway. 



Three years ago this winter a few thousand eggs of the 

 brown trout were received from Germany by Mr. Fred 

 Mather, who divided them into small lots, sending them to 

 two or three of the hatcheries in the country. Some were 

 received here at Caledonia and were hatched out; some of 

 the young fish escaped into the wild stream, and during this 

 past summer quite a number have been caught in the stream 

 weighing from 5 or 6 ounces to Impounds each, and they 

 were only 2$ years old! I did not have the pleasure of 

 catching but one, but I saw and dressed several that were 

 caught by friends, and I must say they are a grand fish 

 They are beauties, I was going to say the most beautiful fish 

 of the trout kind I ever saw, but 1 am afraid some people 

 would call this treason and I will take it back, on compari- 

 son with our native brook trout with which we have always 

 been familiar, and say that if a brown trout, fresh from the 

 water, had a little more red on the belly it would be hard to 

 decide which was most beautiful. On their backs they are 

 a rich brown, which on the sides runs into a gold color with 

 great big red spots, but not so many of the spots as on our 

 native brook trout, but the spots are larger and very bright, 

 I will not attempt to describe the beauties of their fins, but 

 will call on your modest and bashful fish editor who can do 

 it up in good shape. 



Every fish that I have seen has been very fat, fatter than 

 any of the other kinds in the same stream. The other kinds 

 are our native brook trout, the California trout or raiubow 

 trout and a hybrid, the last, 1 believe, coming from the sal- 

 mon or lake trout on one side and the brook trout on the other. 

 I made an examination of the contents of the stomach of the 

 brown trout, dressed by myself, and found plenty of many 

 kinds of insect life, any amount of flies and the larva of 

 flies. On account of their being such good feeders, I think 

 they will be a favorite with the fly-fishermen; they certainly 

 will, after the fisherman lands the first one of them, as they 

 are great fighters. 



It may be of interest to fishculturists to know something 

 about how they stand confinement, and if they are easily 

 raised. I found them quite shy, but good feeders, they 

 would pick up much of the food after it had sunk to the 

 bottom, to a much greater extent than any of the other trout 

 family. If they don't see you, or see the motion of your 

 arm in throwing the food to them, they feed, like other trout. 

 I found it a good plan to have a number of hiding places in 

 the little rearing pond, in which I kept them, and by stand- 

 ing at the foot of the pond and throwing the food up the 

 pond, they did not see me as well, and fed better, but if 

 disturbed, they would pick up the little particles of food 

 from the bottom as soon as I went away or was quiet. 



If, after two or three years, the offsprings continue to 

 grow as fast as the parents have, and do as well then, I say 

 they are the best trout for the present conditions of streams, 

 etc., in the United States. 1 think they will stand water a 

 little warmer than our brook trout from what I have heard 

 of some of the English trout, streams. If your readers can 

 get any information from this I hope it may prepare them to 

 see the coming fish for American waters. J. Annin, Jr. 

 Caledonia, N". Y. 



Editor Forest and Stream; 



My experience with the brown trout is rather limited, but 

 is, thus far, very satisfactory. They are hardy and rapid 

 growers, those I have from eggs received from Mr. Mather 

 being considerably larger than either our brook or the rain- 

 bow trout of the same age. I prefer them to the rainbow 

 trout and think they are second only to our native brook 

 trout. 'Frank N. Clark. 



TJ. S, Fish Commission, Nortliville, Mich. 



TWO HOOKS FOR BASS. 



Editor Forest and. Stream: 



Your correspondent "F. W. 0.," of Kansas City, asks for 

 information from some of your learned fishermen in regard 

 to using two hooks in still-fishing for black bass. While I 

 do not claim to belong to the class of fishermen he speaks of, 

 yet, I think I can justly lay claim to the title of enthusiastic 

 fisherman, and will give him the benefit of my observations 

 during the past five seasons. Of those who fish for the 

 small mouth black bass in this section I think I may safely 

 say that ninety-nine out of every hundred use live bait ex- 

 clusively. I fished the Schuylkill four years, at Black Eock, 

 Perkiomen and Catfish dams, without seeing any one use an 

 artificial fly. Last season I used the fly with some success 

 on several occasions, and know of two others who used it 

 almost exclusively. 



The custom in this locality is to use two or three hooks, 

 generally two, on each line. A gut leader about four feet 

 long is attached to the line. At the extreme end of the leader 

 is attached a lead sinker from half an ounce to an ounce in 

 weight, according to the swiftness of the current. About a 

 foot above the sinker a snooded hook is looped to the leader 

 just above a knot in the latter, which prevents it from slip- 

 ping down. A second snood is attached about eighteen 

 inches further up. If a third hook is used the leader should 

 be five feet long. The gut leader is almost indispensable, as 

 it prevents the tackle from getting into a snarl. The best 

 material for a leader is extra heavy salmon gut, which should 

 be used single. A twisted leader is very strong, so is a 

 clothes line, and either may be used with the same success. 

 The advantage of using two or three hooks is considerable, 

 as several different kinds of bait may be tried at the same 

 time, and much valuable time saved in finding out what kind 

 of food the bass are looking for on any particular day. I 

 have used one, two and three hooks on different occasions; 

 and also on different rods at the same time, and my experi- 

 ence is that the rod that is rigged with two or three hooks 

 will take about twiee as many fish as the rod with but one. 

 I believe this to be the common opinion here as it agrees with 

 the general practice of the most successful fishermen. "When 

 fishing with a friend in a small boat each fisherman should 

 not use more than two rods. Some habitually use three, but 

 I don't want to fish from the same boat. 1 had rather take 

 my chances alosg shore. 



While on 6ke subject of bass fishing I would like to ask 

 jnfpjmafcioii h regard to a suitable /or eastings min- 



now "d la Henshall." I am aware that a high grade multi- 

 plying reel, costing about fifteen dollars, will give satisfactory 

 results. I would like to know if there are any lower grade 

 reels that will do the work fairly well, and answer its pur- 

 pose as well as a one dollar reel " does in fly -fishing. Could 

 not a plain reel be manufactured, without click or multiply- 

 ing mechanism, that would answer the purpose? If not, 

 in what important particular would it be lacking? 



E. A. Leopold. 



N0RRI8T0'WN, Pa. 



THE STRIPED BASS LAW. 



TN our last issue we stated that in the Senate of New York 

 i. Mr. Pierce had introduced a bill to exempt striped bass 

 from the provisions of the law which was intended only to 

 apply to the little fresh-water fish which bears the same 

 name locally. Our readers will remember that at the time 

 of the passage of this law we strongly objected to it and our 

 objection brought out the fact that the trainers of the law did 

 notintend to include the Boecus lineatu8,ihe "striped bass" par 

 excellence, but meant an insignificant lake fish, the B, cJirysops. 

 We commended on the mischief resulting from people med- 

 dling with what they did not understand and suggested that 

 all laws relating to fishes should be submitted to the Commis- 

 sioners of Fisheries for their approval, before going to the 

 Governor. 



The law of New York referring to striped bass, passed 

 May 9, 1885, reads as fellows: "No person shall catch, kill 

 or expose for sale, or have in his or her possession after the 

 same has been killed, any black baas or striped bass weigh- 

 ing less than one-half pound, or less than eight inches in 

 length from end of snout to end of caudal fin, at any time. 

 No person shall expose for sale or have in his or her posses- 

 sion after the same has been killed, any black bass, Oswego 

 bass, striped bass or mu^calonge, save only from the twen- 

 tieth day of May to the first day of January. # * * Any 

 person violating any of the provisions of this section shall 

 be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and in addition thereto 

 shall be liable to a penaly of ten dollars for each fish." 



The objection to the law was the dates during which 

 striped bass must not be sold, and by this name we always 

 understand the salt-water fish, and this time is the season 

 during which the fish from Southern waters come into our 

 markets and are consumed in great quantities during the 

 Lenten season. Fish is an article of food to a greater extent 

 than game, and the great supplies should not be cut off in 

 their proper season by any considerations of sport. The 

 sale of brook trout, if stopped entirely, would not seriously 

 affect either the market or the tables of the poor, for the 

 number of pounds is small; but the consumption of striped 

 bass is great, as is shown by the following petition, which 

 was signed by most of the wholesale fish dealers of New York 

 city: 



"To the Legislature of the State of New York: The peti- 

 tion of the undersigned wholesale fish dealers, respectfully 

 represents : That they are wholesale fish dealers in the city 

 of New York, and receive for distribution among consumers 

 the bulk of the salt-water striped bass, their consignments 

 from North Carolina alone, between Feb. 1 and April 1, 

 varying from two to five tons per day. Fw (if any) of such 

 bass are native or received from New York State waters. 

 With these striped baas come shad, herring, catfish, perch 

 and eels — many tons daily. The salt-water bass is scientifi- 

 cally known as Boecus lineatus.. It spawns late in the spring 

 and early in the summer. The greatest demand for this 

 fish is during the Lenten season, which will commeuce on 

 March 10 this year. Bv Chapter 242. Laws 1885, amending 

 Chapter 534. Laws 1879, known as the game laws, the sale or 

 possession of striped bass is prohibited between Jan. 1 and 

 May 20. We are informed by the draftsman of the act of 

 1885 that it was prepared at the request of the St. Lawrence 

 Anglers' Association, to apply solely to the fresh-water 

 species of striped bass, scientifically termed Boecus chrysops. 

 The ambiguity of the words 'striped bass' is a matter of pub- 

 lic concern, because, as law-abiding citizens, we cannot 

 receive or handle the species from the sea, and shippers 

 refuse to consign the other fish unless we accept the bass. 

 As a result, the supply from the South is decreasing and will 

 soon be much below the demand, whereby prices will neces- 

 sarily be largely enhanced without profit to either dealer or 

 consumer. To fairly prepare for Lent, our cold storage 

 houses should be filled immediately during the present cold 

 season, when the supply is readily obtained." 



In addition to this petition of the dealers the Commission- 

 ers of Fisheries have written expressing their approval of the 

 new bill. Hon. Robt. B. Roosevelt says: "In reply to 

 your letter asking my opinion of the intention of the Legis- 

 lature in the use of the words 'striped bass' in the amend- 

 ment to the Act for the Protection of Game, passed in 1885, 

 I would say that I have no doubt that the intention was only 

 to apply the expression to the fresh-water bass and not to 

 that of the salt, although they are hoth commonly called by 

 the same popular name. As to the advisability of protect- 

 ing the salt-water strip sd bass, labrax or Boecus lineatus, to 

 the extent of preventing its sale in the spring months, my 

 judgment is that the time has not come for such extreme 

 legislation, and that the people would suffer from the de- 

 privation of a general article of food without corresponding 

 benefits. I would advise a modification of the statute so as 

 to confine it to the fresh-water striped bass. 



Commissioner R U. Sherman writes: "I have your letter 

 of the 9lh, inclosing draft of a bill to exempt the anadvomous 

 striped bass from the operation of Chapter 242 of the Laws of 

 1885, which would seem to exclude that fish from market 

 during the closed season for fresh-water bass. It is ad- 

 mitted by the framers of that law that it was not intended 

 to apply to the striped bass from the sea which form so im- 

 portant a part of the market supply. The bill you propose, 

 intended to correct the error, is proper and right, and should 

 become a law at the earliest practical period." 



Com. Wm. H. Bowman adds his approval: "Your note of 

 January 7 received. We have no hesitation in recom- 

 mending the passage of the act proposed by you amending 

 Chap. 534 of Laws of 1879, as amended by Chap. 242 of Laws 

 of 1885, so that it shall be applied solely to fresh-water 

 striped bass." . . 



Com. Eugene G. Blackford writes: "My opinion as a Fish 

 Commissioner of the State of New York being asked 

 whether the words 'striped bass' occurring m the game 

 law, should be limited to the fresh-water striped bass 

 known as Boecus chrysops, in reply I would say, it is 

 not probable that the Legislature fully weighed the subject 

 when the words 'striped bass* were used in the game law. 

 The intention doubtless was to confine legislation to the fresh- 

 water species, and not to include those from the sea. The 

 salt-water striped bass largely contributes to Lent, and its 

 exclusion from the markets from the first of January to the 



twentieth of May, would be to deprive the people of a large 

 quantity of valuable and important fish food, especially during 

 the Lenten season, when nearly all kinds of fish are scarce. 

 This would result in largely advancing the price of all other 

 fish at the time when the demand for it is the greatest. In 

 my opinion, the bill prepared by your committee, which ex 

 eludes the salt-water striped bass known as Boecus lineatus 

 should be immediately passed by the Legislature, in 

 the interest of the entire people of this State." 



With these arguments in its favor we hope the new bill 

 will pass and correct the blunder perpetrated by those who 

 may have meant well but who only knew of one striped 

 bass. 



TWO WEEKS WITH A FLY-ROD. 



THIS is not written for those who had "just as soou 

 calch fiies as fish," still less for those who think "fish- 

 ing is done with a rod with a fly at one eud and a fool at 

 the other," but for those who find their reward, not so much 

 in the value of their catch as in the exorcise of their skill, 

 and in the health and enjoyment that come from a life in the 

 open air. 



There never was a sportsman worthy of the name who did 

 not find in nature a constant delight, and who did not feel 

 in her companionship a sense of enjoyment which alone was 

 a goodly measure of recompense for all his labors. A. patch 

 of bright color in the woods, a roaring brook tumbling over 

 a cascade into a pool below, the various notes of birds, all 

 bring with them a thrill of pleasure the "fry catch r" will 

 never know. 



The number of people of sedent ary habits who are learning 

 that country air taken in liberal measure, with rod in hand, 

 is better than medicine, and far more pleasant, increases 

 each year, until good sport has become scarce, and can no 

 longer be found near this section, as a rule. 



There are grades of expertness in the art of fishing (for it 

 is an art, and a fine art, too), as in other things, but fly-fish- 

 ing must be acknowledged to stand at the head. The* man 

 who can cast a fly straight as an arrow for eighty or ninety 

 feet with a five-ounce rod, may well feel ab-iv<j him who can 

 "sit like a bump on a log" and fish off a dock. 



With two congenial spirits I started about the middle of 

 September for a little vacation in Maine, where all sports- 

 men hope some time or other to go. It seemed as though we 

 covered a great deal of country, but when I look upon the 

 map and see how insignificant a space it occupies there, I 

 realize that Maine is a great State. We staid a night in 

 Boston, reached Farmington, Me., late the next day, where 

 we changed cars for the Sandy River R dlroad. I had never 

 heard of this road before, and I shall never hear of it again 

 without a smile. The gauge of the track is only tweuty- 

 four inches, and cais and engine are on a similar scale, so 

 that the whole thing looks like an ordinary train viewed 

 through the wrong end of an opera glass. A man standing 

 in the aisle, and extending his arms, can touch both sides of 

 the car at once. Each passenger has a whole seat to him- 

 self. The little engine starts the train of one or two cars, 

 as travel may demand, at full speed, and makes its run of 

 eleven miles to the other termiuus, uphill and down, 

 for the track is laid with almost no attention to 

 "grades," "cuts" and "fills," and the engine whirls the 

 train along regardless of such trifles, and makes very decent 

 time too. At Strong another road of the same gauge runs 

 fifteen miles to Eingfield. The State Railroad Commission- 

 ers require them to consume an hour and a half in making 

 their run. The night we went up the conductor obligingly 

 ran his train back several miles to Salem because he had lor- 

 gotten to leave off the mail, which cons'sted of two or three 

 postals. 



Another night at Kingfield, and we started out in the 

 morning in a four-horse stage for - a thirty-mile drive, to 

 Smith's Farm. There were more hills than houses on the 

 road, and the way old Horace Wells sent his long lash in 

 among those horsps at the top of every hill, and half way 

 down, was a caution. We held on the best way we could, 

 or we would all have landed in the front seat. When we 

 reached level ground he would turn his head around and 

 ask, ' Are ye all there?" 



From Smith's Farm we set out for a seven-mile walk 

 through the woods, "up hill and down dak," over rock?, 

 roots and stumps, and through mud which filled all the low 

 places. They called it a road, but save the mark. 



It was a half hour past dark when we reached "Tim 

 Pond," our Mecca. Though bearing an abominable name, 

 given to it in memory of a mighty hunter who was the 

 "Leatherstocking" of this region, it is in reality a beautiful 

 lake, washing the base of Mt. Kenebago, and entirely sur- 

 rounded by mountains, whose sides were already painted in 

 beautiful colors by the frosts of early autumn. Prof. Yib- 

 berts calls it "that magnificent spring," and so it is. A 

 spring a mile and a half long, and 2.000 feet above : the sea, 

 clear as crystal, and as full of "speckled beauties" as an egg_ 

 is of meat. 



Here Kennedy Smith, one of the best guides in Maine, 

 and the best of hosts also, has a camp of a dozen e thins in a 

 little opening on the edge of the lake. Each cabin is called 

 a "camp." 



It was late in the season for the best of fishing, but we 

 had the best of air, appetite and solid enjoyment. We had 

 the pick of aU the weather this fall, and caught fish enough 

 to satisfy a reasonable person. 



After supper we unpacked our traps, put leaders to soak, 

 made up a good fire, and went to bed in a bunk filled with 

 boughs ana good, clean blankets, and slept the sleep of the 

 just. The next morning we were out early to see what 

 "Tim" looked like. We found it smooth as glass, which is 

 the exception rather than the rule at this season, and the 

 trout were breaking water in every direction. At the 

 landing were plenty of good clinker-built boats. A good 

 boat to row, and for rough water, but rolling too quickly for 

 a novice to use. We selected a likely looking spot, beside a 

 growth of lily pads, and anchored, while Fred tried the 

 water. No rise. Moving off a little he whipped the water 

 faithfully for five minutes in every direction, but without 

 success. It looked rather blue, when a quick ripple in the 

 water, a man off his guard, a tardy strike, and fish de- 

 parted. But this awoke us to action, and we carried thirty- 

 three beauties into camp next day. 



Forty rods from the camp is the outlet ealled "Tim 

 Brook," which is nine miles long, and empties into the Dead 

 River. It is a very romantic and swift stream. I fished 

 down for perhaps a mile and a half, and should say it fell 

 200 feet in that distance. There were three beautiful cas- 

 cades, two of them fifty feet in height. Fresh d-;er tracks 

 were seen in abundance every morning within sixty rods of 

 camp, and moose and caribou are numerous. Two years 

 ago jtuis moutb.i^enty-ais caribou were seen ou Tim rmi 



