Dec. s, 1886.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



S67 



little tumbling trout brook, wMcli comes dowu from the 

 mountains for all the world like a New England moun- 

 tain brook 



Of coiu'se we had inquired of the resident traders what 

 our prosi^ects were for success, and all had declared that 

 there ^\-as "no trout fishing at this season," and that the 

 only time to catch them -n-xs "early in the spring, soon 

 after the ico wont out.'" (This was something like the 

 dictum, "Alaskan trout never rise to the fly.") We, how- 

 ever, had faith in Capt. Herendeon, the interpreter above 

 mentioned, who had frequently been at Unalasku with 

 the coast survey parties, and who declared positively that 

 he had caught trout there at that very season of the year. 

 In deference to public opinion, however, we did take 

 with us some newly salted salmon, the only available bait 

 we could obtain, but we determined not to use it except 

 as a last resort. 



Well, there is no need for me to describe how we 

 tramped up that little stream in the rain, working against 

 the breeze, and what a good time we had. The fishing 

 was just like any other fishing. The trout were there, 

 and we caught them in spite of the season, and we caught 

 them with the fly, too, in spite of then- being Alaskan 

 ti'out. I shilted my tackle once and tried a piece of red, 

 raw salmon, with a view to capturing a big ti'out we saw 

 in one pool, after lie had declined my flies, but he paid no 

 more attention to the bfdt than he had to tlie flies. We 

 took in all fifty trout, averaging about thi-ee to the pound, 

 though Dr. Vi^ilson took one beauty of over a pound 

 weight, and I struck and missed one fellow that, to judge 

 froiii the breadth of tail he tmrned up, must have been a 

 good two-pounder. Twenty of these trout we took ont of 

 one little pool, standing and casting side by side, getting 

 a rise about every other cast, and hooking a fish about 

 every other rise. They were of the species known to 

 ichthyologists as Salvelinus malma, the Pacific red-spot- 

 ted trout, but perhaps better known to sportsmen by their 

 popular name of "Dolly Vardcn trout." They were "bright 

 aird silvery, like the trout of the streams of Long Island 

 and Cape Cod, showing that they were in the habit of 

 running dowir to the sea, and were\lelicious eating. The 

 flies used were very small black and brown-hackles. One 

 red-bodied bro\%Ta-hackle did good execution. I tried the 

 usually pojaidar rod-ibis, but it met with no favor. 



Altogether, we were very well pleased T^-ith our day's 

 fishing. The stream is conveniently near the village and 

 easily fished, and the trout of a fair size and fairly plenty. 

 I tJiiuk I may safely advise any angler who may chance 

 to get an opportunity to wander so far from his usual fish- 

 ing grounds, to remember to take his fly-rod, with the 

 assm-auce of fair amusement, if nothing more. 



John Mubdoch. 

 U. S. National Museum, WasLington, Nov. 33, 



THE BLUE CATFISH AS GAME. 



ALL my life I have taken great delight in fishing, and 

 have had the pleasure of landing many of the game 

 fishes of om- waters. Among those which have fur- 

 nished the most sport is the blue, or channel cat. I know 

 that most sportsmen do not so consider it; but by what 

 right it is thus excluded I am unable to imderstand. It 

 certaudy cannot be because it is not gamy, for of all the 

 fish that I ever hooked it makes the hardest fight for its 

 life. It differs from them in that they, when struck, leap 

 out of the water, and rush thi-ough it with their mouths 

 open, thus making it much easier to conquer and land 

 them; while the catfish takes the hook in its mouth and 

 starts for the bottom of the stream or lake, with a vim 

 that -will test the tackle of the best expert. I have had 

 more real sport with it than with any other fish I ever 

 tackled. It is full of fight from the strike to the landing 

 net, and requii'es longer to bring it to hand than any 

 other of its weight. 



Some years ago a party of us were camped on Severn 

 River. We went there to catch bass, and did not want 

 any other fish to take om* bait. We caught as many bass, 

 perch, pickerel and maskilonge as we could use in a camp 

 of thirty-five. One day we were trolling rip the river, 

 using a large spoon, when there wag a strike as if the 

 hook had fastened on a log. The boat was stopped, and 

 after a hard fight anSlbs. channel catfish was landed. On 

 another occasion three of us were still-fishing from a boat 

 in one of the bays of Sparrow Lake. We had no luck for 

 a long time, and were becoming careless and discouraged, 

 when I felt a tug at my hook as if something intended to 

 upset the boat. In a moment we were all excited by the 

 mighty efforts of the captive to free himself from the 

 hook. He did not rise to the surface, but seemed deter- 

 mined to take us down with him. I had a very strong 

 tackle so had uo fear of a break when the strain was put 

 on it to see what kind of a creature was causing so much 

 disturbance; but it would not come to the surface. If it 

 had been in salt water I should have thought it was a 

 shark, but we could not think what it could be that could 

 pull the boat about as it did. After a long and hard fight 

 it was at last brought to the landing net, and proved to 

 be a blue cat. It was not only a very lively fish hxit was 

 one of the hanrlsomest things^I ever took from the water. 

 It weighed just six j^ounds. Now, if this fish will take 

 the same bait as those which are catalogued as game fish, 

 and gives one as hard a fight, and it requires as much 

 patience and skill to land it, and its flesh is only a httle 

 inferior to that of the others, I see no good reason for the 

 general feeling of disUke that is so often manifested 

 toward it. 



I would not desne to see any other of the catfish family 

 brought into the same position as this one. as thej'- differ 

 as much from it as it does from any of those winch are 

 genei-ally considered as so much finer when on the table. 

 If any of your readers have never tried to satisfy a sports- 

 man's appetite on a breakfast of "catfish and coffee" Avith 

 the other et ceteras, let him try it once when he is hungry 

 and has a hard day's sport before him, and I think he will 

 be convinced that it is very toothsome and has great .=tay- 

 ing qualities. And if any one of , them lias been in the 

 habit of ignoring its claims to a place in his favor, let him 

 give it a chance the first opportunity that presents itself, 

 and if he does not change his opinion of it then I am 

 either no prophet or else no judge of good sjioit and royal 

 li-ting. 



Another thing in its favor is that it can be raised in 

 waters where most of the regular game fish %yill not 

 thrive. They can be grown in ponds^ and will repay one 

 for the time, trouble and expense. They are certainly 

 far superior to the eaa-p as a table fish, aiid will not re- 

 ^uu-& nearly so iuueh carei But ihey do best wliea they 



live in pure running water. This is not the case with 

 them ouly. but with all other fish. If they have grown 

 in a muddy stream or pond, the flesh will be rank and 

 strong, but in a stream of clear-, cold water the texture 

 and flavor is entirely different. Under any circumstances 

 their flesh is very rich and will not agree with a delicate 

 or weak stomach. Homerus. 



BLAIRSVIIjLE, Pa. 



FISHING IN JAPAN. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



My daughter, who has been a resident of Japan for a 

 number of years, sometimes writes us letters containing 

 items which I consider of sufficient interest to publish. 

 In a letter lately received she tells me something about 

 fishing in Japan, which I think will interest the readers 

 of Forest and Stream. She and her husband, Rev. E. 

 C. Hoi:>per, are both fond of angling. Being driven out 

 of Tokio the past summer by the cholera, they visited 

 Kobe, Nikko, Futago, and other places, where, however, 

 they had been several times before. Futago (about ten 

 miles from Tokio) is a famous place for ai iishing. I will 

 condense as much a,s possible. Writing of Futago, Mrs. 

 H. says: 



"Now about the fish. The ai is called trout in English; 

 but it looks and ta^^tos exactly like smelt. * * * As a 

 rule, fish are taken ^-^ith tlie net, though sometimes a 

 bamboo rod, ^^■Hh line and artificial fly, is used. * * 

 To go fishing in Japan does not meau to flsh yourself, but 

 simply to look at tlio fishermen catch the fish, for which 

 you have to pay tliem. They put the fish into baskets, 

 and you come homo loaded with fish and tell your friends 

 you have been fishing, have had a good time, and then 

 have a feast for supper.'" A practice somewhat resem- 

 bling this is not very uncommon here. 



It may interest the readers of Forest and Stream to 

 know how these Japanese fishermen catch the fish. Mj 

 daughter, in addition to her own description, sends me a 

 transcription from a Japanese liand book, which I give 

 heroAvith, as it is full of detail, as follows: 



"Futago is a place much resorted to during the summer 

 months, on account of the ai fishing which the river 

 affords. This fashionable amusement of the Jajoanese 

 (for sport it can scarcely be termed) is quite characteristic 

 of their tastes. The pleasure consists in sitting in a boat 

 watching fishermen (who are engaged for the purpose) 

 catch fish with nets. The scene on the river is very 

 picturesque, and it is quite worth visitmg Futago to wit- 

 ness it, and also to taste this delicately formed fish, fresh 

 caught and cooked in Japanese fashion. 



"The season for fishing commences about the middle of 

 April and ends in the early part of November. The best 

 months are from July to October. Tlie ordurary method 

 of catching the fish is by using the Tu ami, a eii'oular net 

 made of silk and about eight feet in diameter. The cir- 

 cumference of the net is weighted with pieces of lead 

 and to the center there is attached a line at the end of 

 which there is a loop. With a little practice a fair 

 amount of dexterity can be attained in thromng the net, 

 which is cast m the following manner: The noose at the 

 end of the line is passed over the left hand and fastened 

 to the wrist. The line and part of the net, as it hangs 

 from its center, is then made up in turns and held loosely 

 in the left hand. The left edge of the hanging part of the 

 net is then thrown over the left elbow, and the remainder 

 is taken in parts between the fingers of the right hand. 

 In this position the fisherman prepares to cast the net, 

 which should be thrown with a good swing to the right 

 front, turning at the same time in that direction, and let- 

 ting the folds of the net and line freely escape from the 

 hands. An expert Avill so cast that the net -will fall flat 

 on the water, spread out to its full dimensions, and the 

 weights cause it to sink at once. If thus thrown from a 

 boat or by a person standing in deep water, it is after- 

 ward carefully drawn in until the edges of the cu-cum- 

 f erence meet" The net is then hauled into the boat or 

 raised, and the fish that may have been inclosed are now 

 so entangled that they cannot escape. When thrown in 

 a shallow part of the river tlie plan is to pick the fish out 

 from under the net as it lies on the bottom. The native 

 fishei-men are wonderfully sharp in marking fish in the 

 water, and seldom fail in at once inclosing them within 

 the meshes of the net. 



"Another contrivance for catching az, which is gener- 

 ally preferred when the river is ipartly flooded, is the 

 u-u:ana. This consists of two bamboos about 15ft. in 

 length, fastened together at one end, forming an angle 

 sufficiently open to admit the width of the net, wliich is 

 tied between them at their outer extremities. A cross 

 bar of wood is lashed to the bamboos about 3ft. f' om the 

 angle where they join, thus not only giving firm support 

 to the frame, but enabling a man to carry it conveniently 

 by resting the bar on his shoulder. The net, which is 

 made of fine silk, is about 13ft. in width at the top, and is 

 fastened to the frame by means of string at intervals of 

 lift. , the lower end being caught up and secm-ed to the 

 middle of the cross bar. It thus forms a bag, and the 

 whole may be said to resemble a large scoop. In addition 

 to the net and frame a rope measuring from 15 to 20yds. 

 is used, having bunches of the wing feathers of the cor- 

 morant tied to it at intervals of 24ft. , wlule stones are at- 

 tached to it at distances of 10ft. to act as weights. This 

 rope is divided in the center and joined together agam in 

 the same place by means of an iron swivel. 



The method of fishing with the u-wana is as follows: 

 One man takes the net, resting the cross bar on his 

 shoulder, and wades into the river up to his Avaist: then 

 facing up the stream, he places the scoop flat on the 

 water, holding it by the end where the bamboos join. 

 Two men are stationed about 30 yards further up the 

 stream, one on shore, the other in the water, and hold tlie 

 line taut between them by the loops at its ends. When 

 all is ready they move slowly down the stream, drawing 

 the line through the water a little below the surface. 

 Gradually they begin to move more quickly; the man in 

 the water sweeps round toward the net, and finally, when 

 within a few j^ards of it, the pace is increased to a run. 

 Cai'e is, of course, taken to keep the line well down in 

 the Avater, so as to drive the fish before the brush of the 

 feathers into the scoop, the angle end being pressed well 

 down to the bottom of the stream. In tliis way hauls of 

 from thu'ty to forty flsh at a time are taken." 



This artice is too long for comment; but I may suggest 

 briefly, compared with our murderous methods of netting, 

 that of the Japanese is exceedingly pictm-sque and 

 humane. If the above proves to b© interesting, I have 

 more of a like nature. PfiTRAa 



SENSrBtLiTT OF FiSHBS TO VAm,— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: In yours of Nov. 11, 1 see a note by "O. O. S." 

 in reply to me. I find ujion inqtury of Dr. Marshall, that 

 it Avas a companion who did the cutting of the live fish, 

 and that the fish was not thrown back into the water, but 

 fluttered out of the hand into the water while being car- 

 ried to the bucket. The object of my article was to prove 

 that fishes have very little sensibihty to pain, and I stated 

 a fact which was so remarkable, that 1 brought in the 

 Rev. Doctor as my authority, as without the very best 

 authority I would not lielieve it myself. In "Humboldt's 

 Travels," he mentions that lie w.-^s astonished at seeing 

 the same sharks" repeat(jdly taking the bait, wliile their 

 mouths were terribly torn and bleethng from previous 

 bookings. It goes to prove, that such cold-blooded ani- 

 mals have not that sensibility to i>ain that is generally 

 supposed. Comparing them with warm-blooded animals 

 we make a great mistake; our premises are wi'ong, there- 

 fore our conclusions are erroneous. This is proven here 

 and elsewhere, as we cannot sui:)pose that the fish alluded 

 to was in sensibility different fi-ona flsliss of the same 

 species, or from fl.s'iies iii general. Oxu- mode of fishing 

 is to fasten on tlie honk a live niinnow, or live worms, 

 frogs, grassho]'ipers, etc. Experience has taught us that 

 fish do not like dea,d liait. We siqjpose God taught them. 

 Somethnes they will take artiticial bait, but by^ all odds 

 live bait is the best. If we cannot get sidtable live bait, 

 we cut up a live or dead bait, as the case may be, we do 

 not wait tUl it dies and then fish with it. "^We suppose 

 that "O. O. S." never fishes with live bait of any kind, or 

 if he does that he ties it on with a soft string, on a soft 

 bed of cotton, with some soft mollifying ointment to cure 

 its wounds.— B. F. M, 



Minnow Experience.— ■\^1ien a small boy my passion 

 for gunning and fishing w-as as large in pro]iortion to my 

 size and knowledge as at present. Witli the first thick 

 ice I was out with pail and net after minnows for fait. 

 One bait in use here in eastern Maseachus- etts is the mum- 

 my chub, so-called; the other is the common sflver min- 

 now. The mummy is by far the toughest and long-lived, 

 but is not so good a^ lure to the big-mouthed "winter 

 king," the pickerel. The mummy is caught with scoop 

 nets in the creeks and shallow pools near some salt-water 

 bay, and while it will die in a short time if kejjt in a pail 

 of Avater, it will live hours and days in a Avet piece of 

 flannel if l^opt from heat and extreme cold. Tlie minnow 

 is caught in the brooks Avith scoop net or more commonly 

 (here whei'e bricks are made) in the brickyards. In some 

 of the brickyards large shalloAv basins have been made in 

 excavating the clay. In these basius, Avhich are usually 

 three feet or more deep in the center the minnows are 

 found, and may be caught through the ice on a sunny 

 day by cutting a hole large enough to admit the drop net, 

 wiuch is easiest made of a barrel hoop and mosquito net- 

 ting and baited with sprinkled cracker or bread, crumbs; 

 the miimoAvs Avill SAvim into and over the net after the 

 crumbs, and I have caught as many as a pint or more at 

 one haul. As we have to ride six miles to the best ponds 

 a pail w6uld be unliandy and would kill a good many 

 fish, so we put them in a wet blanket or other thick piece 

 of cloth, and after getting to the pond carry them in the 

 pocket, or often in the hat to keep them from freezing. 

 We have quit'^ good fishing here and strings of from 

 twenty to fifty ti di (pickerel and perch) are not uncommon 

 from the large ponds. Occasionally a pickerel of from 

 four to six pounds is caught and usually finds its way to 

 the market window for exhibition. — Cohannet. 



A Man-Eating Shark. — A very rare shark was cap- 

 tured on the south shore of Long Island, near Quoge, 

 last week, and has been lying at Mx. Blackford's for sev- 

 eral days. Its length was 7fft,, and it weighed 2801bs. 

 Prof. S. E. Meek identified it as Lamna cornuJyica, Gme- 

 lin, and it is the first specimen of this formidable mon- 

 ster taken about Long Island, although tlie U. S. Fish 

 Commission has collected a few at Woods HoU. This 

 shark is probably entitled to be classed with the "man- 

 eaters," and from' the dentition of the beast the crowd at 

 Fulton Market drew the conclusion that he was an unde- 

 sirable bathing companion. 



A Torpedo Caught at Sandy Hook.— Last Mondaj 

 a cod fisherman at Sandy Hook hauled up a large toi-pedo 

 or cramp fish on his traAvl, and was jjartly stunned while 

 landing it. The fish is an unusual one about Ncav York 

 Harbor, and is on exhibition at Mr. Blackford's. Its 

 weight is ISOlbs. and it is the second one that has come to 

 Fidton Market in tAventy years. In a few days it will bo 

 dissected and the elecfcric batteries in its head exposed to 

 view. 



THE AMERICAN SALMON FISHERMAN. 



THE LoTidoji Fishing Oazctte has tliis to say of Mr. Henry P- 

 Wells's "The American Salmon Fisherman" (Harper & Bros., 

 KcAv York; price. ^LriO). Tlae Gazette's notes are interestinff as 

 showing how the axithor's views are received in England : 



Mr. Wells, in his introdnction to the present volume, "desires no 

 more grateful reward than ihe same kindly reception which has 

 been the good fortune of its predccsssor." vVe think there can ha 

 little doubt tliat he Avill get his reward. Althor.gh written for the 

 guidance of the novice, there are so many subjects connected with 

 salmon fishing touched upon in this work, and Mr. "Wells knoAva 

 so well how to explain his vieAvs, and is withal so suggestive and 

 pvactical, that we venture to say that the most experienced sal- 

 mon fishermen Avill read it Avith interest, and glean some useful 

 ideas. 



Of course, on many points, British and Irish salmon-fishermeu 

 will not agree with Mr. Wells. It Avould be too much to expect 

 that they'' should; indeed, in all probability, their first impression 

 wiW be, '"AVhat can an American tell us about salmon fisliing 

 Avortli knowing that we do not knovr?" If they are interested in 

 Canadian salmon rivers, the very first chapter will settle ibis 

 question, for it contains information as to how and where fishing 

 is to be obtained, together with a map and list of the rivers, mth 

 brief notes on them. . ., ^ ^, , 



At one of those interesting '-Discussions" of the Fly-Fishers' 

 Club laf-t winter. Dr. Hamilton iniroduced the subject of the re- 

 markable difference in the average size of salmon frequenting dif- 

 ferent gtreams, and gave, as did other anglers present, insiances 

 fi'om his own experience. Mr. Wells has the following note with 

 reference to this fact in the life history of salmon: 



"A Salmon Problem.— Since salmon obtain their cTowth in the 

 sea, anci lose rather than gain in fresh watei-, it \\ ould seem as If 

 all rivers otight to furnish tish of approximatciy the same size. 

 Such is not the fact. In some rivers, exclijditig extremes as it 

 seems to me should always be dene in sucla casf s, the fcsh will run 

 about lOlbs. or 121bs. in Aveight, and a tlsh of 181bs. will be a rare 

 prise, in other rivers no h' Igor, and in the immediate neighbor- 

 hood of the others, the fish may average r-Olbs. and over, and Unix 

 of -JGlbs. be as ccmmon as flsh of 181bs. in tl ie ri-f ers lirst alluded to. 

 This dillerence is not a casual afl'uir of v i'.i'C u s*-,- - -n, but a per- 

 manent characteristic of each river. A ; ; r reasrn for 

 this, wMch will act conflict Avith yvhui to be settled 



facts, I liave yet t6 hear. Is it becautL n .lu is clans of fish 

 WludbeenvergOtetheif uativei'iyeiB wkeii ieaviag tlie seat-divei£« 



