108 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



fSEPT. 2, 1886. 



HOW TO CATCH SPECKLED FROGS. 



IN Forest and Stream of July 1, "Hoosier" asks how 

 I catch frogs, which would liave been answered long 

 ago, onl}^ at the time I was busy winding up the "Carp 

 Lake letters" and getting ready at the same time to go to 

 the "bresh." 



Now that the annual summer camp of the Kingfishers 

 is a thing of the past a few "amphibious remarks" may 

 be devoted to the art of "rounding up," as old Ben would 

 say, the speckled frog with neatness and dispatch, wliich 

 may serve "Ho(3sier'' and others of the brethren in pro- 

 curing the best all-around natm-al bait I know of for bass, 

 pickerel and maskalonge when fishing the waters of 

 aiortheru Michigan. 



Old "Snake Root's" process of putting salt on their tails 

 (see Forest and Stream of a late date) is like the Irisli- 

 nian trying to get drunk on claret, a little too taydious, 

 as too mixch time is wasted in the endeavor to locate the 

 tail. Tills "chloride of sodium method" may do for Ken- 

 tuck}' , but I am convinced it will never "be generally 

 adopted for the captm-e of the Michigan frog. He is like 

 "Hoosier's" Indian frog, "too soon," I have witnessed a 

 good many frantic attemjits of "Snake Root" in the past 

 two years to catch a frog, wliich always resulted in a 

 telliant faihue. and it is safe to say that the only way 

 lie will ever get one, unaided, ^vill be to spriiikle the 

 Sod, cJiIorid. on one while in its infancy, stand over it 

 till it g: L'ows up and sheds its caudal appentlage and then 

 clap a landing net over it, or knock it out with a club 

 before it makes the first jump. 



But to the serious business of catching frogs. Fu-st 

 find the frogs; and the best jjlaces to find them (I speak 

 of northern Micliigan more particularly) are in marshy 

 and grassy spots along the lakes, in meadows, and best of 

 all, in newly mown hay and grain fields, sometimes a 

 quarter of a mile or more from water. Walk slowly 

 along, looking sharply ahead and on either side till one 

 is disturbed in liis meditations, which is always followed 

 by a leap of from four to ten feet. Keep your' eye on the 

 place where he struck the ground: go stealthily forward, 

 and if he has not crept under a tuft of grass or other 

 place of concealment, you will discover him squatted 

 as motionless as a cockroach and looking straight at you, 

 no matter whether you catcli sight of him from the s"ide, 

 fs^pnt or rear. When within a couple of feet (they will 

 not move even an eyelid if you are quiet about it) kneel 

 or squat down softly, dart your open hand out like a shot 

 and grasp earth, grass, mud, frog and all at one motion, 

 and the thing is done. When on yom- knees or squatted 

 down within reach of his frogship, never reach the hand 

 out slowly till it is nearly over him, for iust then he is 

 getting his bearings for a jump that will astonish you, 

 and about the time you are cotmting how many you^^will 

 hnve if you get that one he will be ten feet away, and 

 after the second leap they are apt to keep it up till they 

 find a place to hide where you can't get at them. Keep 

 your hand near the side and you will not usually alarm 

 the frog till ready for the final "scoop," then launch it 

 out like a flash and you will rarely miss. By careful 

 work I usually miss not more than two in twenty; but 

 the true secret of the wb ale performance is to be just a 

 trifle qrucker than the frog. Btmgling and alow work 

 catch no speckled frogs. 



.pother way is to carry a light &tick 4 or 5ft. long, and 

 wn6h you see one light slip up and give him a tap with 

 it, and a very light stroke stuns him so he is easily trans- 

 ferred to the bucket in a somewhat dazed condition, but 

 he will soon revive and be as lively as ever. Still another, 

 and probably the easier way for "amateurs" is to use a 

 net, as "Jason" advises. I have a small one somewhere 

 ainong the "calamities" that has been the death of many 

 a too credulous frog in the past 6 or 7 years. The hoop is 

 No, 8 wire, 8 or 9in. in diameter, to which is attached a 

 short handle. On the hoop is fastened a piece of minnow 

 seine webbuig with a "bag" of about 9in. — a miniature 

 landing net in fact. With this in hand, slip up on your 

 frog, clap it suddenly over him and grasp him through 

 the meshes with the other hand, when it is little trouble 

 to "extract" him and steer him tmder the lid of your 

 bucket. Where the grass grows rank, or the weeds are 

 over a few inches high it is not as certain as the "hand 

 method," for in cases of this kind you can rarely get it 

 close enough to the ground to keep the frog from crawl- 

 ing under the net and escaping, but it is doubtless the 

 better method for begimiers and those lacking in extreme 

 celerity of movement^ 



But after all, "Old Knots's" method will probably meet 

 with more favor from the bretlnren as a sure thing — he 

 hires a small boy to catch tliem for lum — and "Hoosier" 

 can take liis choice from the divers and various ways as 

 above set forth. KiNGriSHER. 

 CiNCrNNATi, O,, Aug. 26. 



A CATCH IN THE DARK. 



A PARTY of five of us were camping on the shores of a 

 small lake in New Hampshire, to my mind one of 

 the most beautifid of the many beautiful sheets of water 

 in the Granite State. For many seasons we have pitched 

 oitr tent each summer in the jjine woods that grow nearlj^ 

 to the water's edge on one side. A pure w^hite sand beach 

 and waters clear as crystal and sweet as any mountain 

 spring are some of the attractions that annually draw us 

 to the old camping ground. It was our last day in camp, 

 • and those whose love for camj) life has ever been gratified 

 by a season of its pleasures in a spot that seems the one 

 spot of spots for camping, with a chosen few congenial 

 spirits, know full well the feelings of a last day in camp, 

 when thoughts of the pleasures now almost over are dulled 

 by the feeling that to-morrow will bring back the almost 

 forgotten world; and one feels that he must take one more 

 sari over the lake and make one more cast in some favor- 

 ite spot, and perhaps be able to strike and kill the big fish 

 that has been so patiently angled for every season since he 

 ■was a boy with his first alder pole and cotton line. 



So on that last afternoon one of the party (a well known 

 pedagogue in New Hampshire's spindle city) and the 

 writer took our rods, and with helgramites and minnows, 

 frogs and grasshopper, crickets and worms for bait, rowed 

 to om- favorite bass fishing ground late in the afternoon. 

 Quietly the boat was anchored over a sand bar and hooks 

 baited and the cast made. We waited for the supremo 

 moment when the hoped for giant bass should be struck, 

 and soon the sport commenced. Scarcely was one fish 

 landed before the second and third and fourth were 

 fastened, tlie latter the king of the lot, and how he 

 fought. What mighty leajjs and cunning efl:orts to double 



in air, and with a stroke of tail fin, broke from the fasten- 

 ing of the sproat; but the schoolmaster was too well 

 accustorued to managing refractory pupils and kept cool, 

 while liis bass-ship gi-ew more and more excited, untn 

 finally coolness and skill, assisted by the well tested lance- 

 wood, the battle was won, and the four-pound small-mouth 

 lay quivering with bloodshot eye on the bottom of the 

 boat, and beside him tlu-ee others nearly as large. 



The sport seemed to be over, still we sat tliere reluctant 

 to move and distm-b the quiet of the closing day. We 

 saw the sun disappear beldnd the western hills, and 

 Avatched the last beams clirabiug the mountains in the 

 east, while the twilight of New England came stealing 

 over us. Suddenly the bass commenced biting again and 

 until dark we were kept busy attending to them, and a 

 dozen more dusky beauties were added to the' score, 

 though none as large as the first four that were caught; 

 but tlie best sport must have an end, and as it grcAv too 

 dark to see the lines and to bait our hooks, the bass sud- 

 denly left us, and we prepared to wind up om- lines for 

 the last time, well satisfied Muth the residt of our parting 

 cast. _ My friend was slowly reeling in his fine, allowing 

 the still baited hook to remain in the water, when with a 

 jerk the tip of his rod was pulled under water, the handle 

 of the reel was pulled from Ms grasp, and witha whir-i'-r^ 

 the line rushed out, and a greatly excited fisherman was 

 on his feet trying to check the rushes of a monster fish. 

 It was already so dark that it was difficult to manage the 

 fish, as nothing could be seen of his actions, and the fight 

 had to be carried on by sense of feeling; the excite- 

 ment of my friend was as manifest as had 

 been his coolness on former occasions, and such 

 expressions as, "'Tis the ancestor of all the bass, I 

 know!" "I never hooked so big a fish before!" "Great 

 ScottI it must be the grandfather of the race," etc., etc., 

 filled the air. Then a groan from the man at the butt as 

 a fresh spurt of the fish snapped the tqa, the line by some 

 means having fouled and got fast to the ring of the tip. 

 "There goes my tip and the bass with it," said my friend, 

 with a howl of despair, and threw down his rod. The 

 broken tip and line attached dropped near me, and I 

 began to pull it in, when I felt the fish still on the hook. 

 Slowly and carefidly I puUed it toward the boat, and, as 

 well as I could manage in the dark, slipped the landing 

 net under it, and the fish was saved. Once more my 

 friend roused up, and, striking matches, eagerly inspected 

 his catch, and he saw— what? A bass? Oh, no! an eel of 

 perhaps a pound weight. 



Our sport was over; slowly the anchor was lifted and we 

 rowed b ack to camp. Our last cast had been made, the 

 last fish had been saved, but there was no rejoicing by the 

 one who had caught it; but we had beaten the record and 

 were satisfied, and many a laugh has been enjoyed at the 

 expense of the one who hooked the "ancestor of the bass 

 family," but which failed to materialize as such, 



NOINOE. 



SPANISH MACKEREL OFF MOREHEAD. 



]\/rOREHEAD CITY, North Carolina, August.— I thank 

 ItX you for the very accm-ate appearance of my crab- 

 bedly written communication, which apiaeared ia your 

 issue of July 15, and which was sent you from" the 

 home of the speckled trout in Western North Gai-olma— 

 Banner Elk. I am just concluding a few weeks -vdsit 

 to this charming seaside, Morehead City, N. C, and be- 

 lieving a few notes on the deep-sea fishing enjoyed by 

 om- pai-ty ^vill be of interest to the craft I send them to 

 the Forest and Streaji. 



The records of the national weather bureau show that 

 the three -windiest points within tlae limits of the United 

 States are Mount Washington, Pike's Peak and Cape 

 Lookout, the latter a few miles north of where I am 

 writing. Because of that windiness the days, as well as 

 the nights, are always cool and bracing at this summer 

 resort, no matter what maybe the heat of the direct rays; 

 I can therefore conscientiously recommend it to those 

 who not only seek sea bathing and coolness but the most 

 exhilarating' sport known to fishermen. And I may add, 

 entre nous, there can also be found there delightful, mr- 

 sehish and genial social intercourse. 



I had trolled for bluefish in the ocean, for muskallonge 

 in the lakes and for jack salmon in our rivers, and was 

 thrilled by their fierce resistance, but I never experienced 

 delirium until I saw a lolbs. Spanish mackerel leap into 

 the air m a struggle to shake himself free of the weU- 

 hooked artificial squid at the end of 300ft. of stout line. 

 Try to imagine the sight of four of these slender, green 

 and pearly gray, maroon-spotted darlings being hauled in 

 at the same moment by four shouting and dancing fisher- 

 men. Don't speak of dignity at such a time. Life is too 

 short. To be sure they were bespattered by the spray, 

 almost strangled, and the landing of the struggling 

 Scomber vulgaris required the full exercise of the muscle, 

 but therein lies the sport. One who has not participated 

 m it cannot realize the delights which exceed, dashing 

 hither and thither through schools of these cavaliers of 

 the ocean, and the landing of hundreds of them in the 

 tlu-ee hours of the morning expedition. 



The sun came down out of a cloudless sky one breezy 

 morning early in July, while four of us lounged under an 

 awning on the cusliioned seats of a two-masted sharpie 

 sailing up Bogue Sound, by ancient and historic Beaufort, 

 and under the guns of Fort Macon, bound for the wide 

 ocean and the dining halls of the Spanish mackerel. Be- 

 fore reacliing the bar- Ave came into the harint of the blue- 

 fish, and the artificial squids were cast into the sea. How 

 viciously the voracious rascals did strike and pull, but 

 there was little enthusiasm among my companions who 

 had been fishing for Aveeks, though this was my first ad- 

 A'^enture. "Pshaw! they are only vulgar plebs," cried an 

 old-timer, Avhile he sarcastically pitched a five-pounder 

 away up toward the bow of the yacht, ' 'Wait tiU we sail 

 the wide ocean," I waited and Avas repaid. 



"Hi, hi," cried out Capt. WiUis, managing the tiller 

 wdth his feet and slacking nervously the sheet in Ms left 

 liand. "There's a school over yonder and rare sport, too, 

 gentlemen." He was anxiously looking seaward AA^here 

 a cloud of birds were flying and diving. Aroimd went 

 the flying beauty, doAvn came the awning, and each 

 braced Mmself for the expected assavdt upon the compact 

 ranks of the Spanish mackerel. Bim, bini, bim, bim. 

 Good heavens, such shouting and dashing of spray as the 

 sharpie fairly flew through the leaping school. Out of 

 the tide sprang the hooked beauties, or darted off with 

 our squids toward the Pillars of Hercvdes. Shout after 

 shout rent the an-, and the fish piled up in the bottom of 

 our boat. For an hour the excitement was consuming, 



wMle the boat flew backward and forward on every j)os- 

 sible tack. 



A monster swallowed the hook of a bank cashier from 

 Tennessee, and it Avas almost too much for his feeble 

 strength. Off dashed the mackerel with a hxmdi-ed feet 

 of suddenly released line for the Bermudas, then bemg as 

 suddenly checked leaped into the air, shaking himself 

 fiercely. Suddenly he came toward the sharpie, tugging 

 AAuth might and main at the inhauling wliite line, cleav- 

 ing the brine like the proAV of a laimch, and leaAong be- 

 hind a mighty wake. With savage ferocity he leaped 

 forAvard, but Avas too securely hooked to profit by the 

 slackened line. Closer he came until his olive green liack, 

 pearly gray and maroon dotted sides and silvery belly 

 glistened in the garish sunshine. He was lifted by boj 

 Dick into the boat, conquered but not subjugated— to die 

 with an execration. 



The sport was indescribable. Scarcely Avould tlie squid 

 sferike-.the AA^ave before it was swallowed by a voracious 

 mackerel. Bluefish and sinners Avere absent. In and out 

 of the flocks of birds and the school of mackerel dashed 

 onr boat on short tacks, every fisherman wet as a rat and 

 chock-f\ill of enthusiasm. At last the wind I'ell ott', and 

 the speed of the sharpie became too slow for brilliant re- 

 sults. Slowly it Avent about on a tack for another school, 

 and the Tennessee cashier began hauling in his liue to 

 prevent it fouling- with the others. All had sat down for 

 a breathing speU, Avhen there was a leap and a slidut, and a 

 161bs. mackerel sprang over the rail and into the lap of the 

 fisherman Avhose squid he had SAvallowed AAutliont being 

 hooked. The sudden jerk of the fine by Capt. Willis ex- 

 cited the hungTy cavaher, and his leap is Avithout parallel 

 in ocean fishing at Morehead. 



Bluefish and Spanish mackerel fm-nish the prefeiTed 

 sport of the ocean. They are ahvays preseiit off this 

 bar dm-ing the summer months. There is scarcely a be- 

 calmed day from June to mid August: hence ocean fish- 

 uag is always possible. The beautiful and fleet shai-pies 

 are especially adapted to such fishing, and the expense is 

 only 50 cents for each person per day, the boat furnishing 

 squids, lines and ice-water. I need scarcely add that the 

 true fisherman goes every morning (except Sabbath of 

 course) to the ocean during his stay. 



Morehead City is reached by direct rail from Washing- 

 ton, via Richmond and Raleigh. Indeed there are easy 

 communications from all points, Ioav railway rates and 

 very low hotel charges. Those mterested in this letter 

 may find a very pleasant resort for their families at tMs 

 seaside, while reveling in ocean fishing themselves. And 

 I may add in conclusion that some of the A^ery largest 

 mackerel caught this season Avere hooked by ladies A\^ho 

 are as devoted to the sport as the men. G. C. Connob. 



SUSQUEHANNA BASS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



More bass have be(>n caught on the Susquehanna this 

 year than any previous years. Many large ones are taken 

 by trolfing with lamprey eels. Fishermen going doAvn 

 the river catch the Susquehanna salmon in tins way, and 

 some of those fish have been caught weighing as high as 

 lOlbs. and 131bs., but most of them average 21bs. apiece. 



Something curious happened Avitli two of our fishermen 

 the other day. They were out together after bass and 

 while floating along Avith tlic current enjoying a smoke. 

 Each felt a bite and hooked a bass at the same time. After 

 playing the fish a few minutes they discovered that they 

 both had on the same bass. It liad sA\ allowed each of 

 their hooks. Another fisherman wlule fishing at the old 

 dam had tAvo hooks on his line and on landing a bass was 

 surprised to find it liad both hooks in its mouth. This 

 bass Avas determined to make a square meal or be caught. 



I retm-ned last Aveek from a four day fisliiiig and camp- 

 iug trip doAvn the Susquehanna Avith a party of others. 

 We traveled in canvas canoes and went as far as Wyalus- 

 ing and caught bass enough for our meals every day, sent 

 soine of the largest ones home, gave some to fai-iners along 

 the river and some e\'en spoiled so they Avere throAvn 

 away. The largest bass was caught by James CarroU and 

 weighed 41bs. 3oz., Avhile his brother John took one 

 weighing 3|lbs., the rest averaged about lib. apiece. We 

 caught the most on the last part of our trip and the bait 

 used were small bullheads, such as are found under the 

 loose stones in riifles. It is the principal bait along this 

 part of the river. They Avere hooked through the lips 

 and kept alive for a long time, and we caught ten bass 

 on these to one on dobsons. Lamprey eels are splendid 

 bait but ai-e very scarce and hard to find, P. 



Athens, Pa., Aug. 23. 



THE CARP AS A GAME FISH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In yoiu- issue of Aug. 19, "Bi^ Sandy" requests me to 

 try catching Germtm carp Avith tlie fly. I, too, have had 

 some experience. While fisMng in Mr. Buckner's pond, 

 three miles from this j^lace, this spring for croppies and 

 bream, I stmck a large fish. My tackle being very light 

 and fine, it required delicate handling. The pond is 

 large and deep AAuth but few obstructions, and this made 

 the battle much in my favor. A number of times my 

 fifty yards of line Avas so reduced on tlie reel that the axle 

 of the spool was Ausible, and once I thought I Avould lose 

 my fish at the exjiense of my rod. At the expiration of 

 three-quarters of an hour my friend Doug. Thomas landed 

 the fish for me, which proved to be a carp weighing 41bs. 

 13oz, 



In justice to the fish and myself I may add that, while 

 the stretcher had a good hold on him, in nautical par- 

 lance, he was hooked on the starboard side aft of the dor- 

 sal fin, and when landing hoA'e to tail foremost. But 

 with all that he was indeed very gamy. 



Little Saitdy. 



TVTOKTH MinCLETOAVN, Kj. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Yoiu- reply to "A, F. O.," in A\ig. 13 issue induces me to 

 give my experience Avith carp. Samuel Read, of Mt. 

 Hermon, N. J., constructed a pondby asimple dam across 

 a brook. fioAving from limestone hiUs. The water is from 

 Sin. to 6ft. in depth. About the middle of last May he 

 put in 500 scale carp 3 to 6in. long, and 13 carp (some of 

 them leather) 2yrs. old, in spaAvn. At the date of my 

 visit, Aug. 17, Ave were much interested in seeing the fish 

 fed Avitlr bread and much astonished at the size to wliich 



