March 29, 1888. J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



189 



I The farmer at whose houso we slept had a map of that 

 Eegion on a large scale, showing several counties, the bay 

 l &nd interior lakes. I thought I could get a copy of this 

 laaap at Deseront© or Kingston, and be able to give more 

 [■specific information about the fishing points: but I neg- 

 IKbted to do so. With "Piseco's" Hay Bay paper in 

 [Forest and Stream there was published a sketch map, 

 | and I hoped he had such a map as I have referred to; but 

 [ lie made his drawings from a steamer's chart, and I am a 

 [ little at sea about supplying information about fishing 

 1>etween stations. A. N. Cheney. 



Glens Falls, N. Y. 



SUNAPEE LAKE AGAIN. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



1 I have been a visitor at Sunapee Lake since 1877, when 

 I first camped upon its shores. Its beauties are well 

 known to me, and in my opinion compare favorably with 

 4*bose of foreign lakes. The aspect of the New Hamp- 

 shire Lake is pleasant, not grand as in the case of the 

 Lake of the Four Cantons; nor refined like the scenery 

 | about Como, nor impressive as the shaggy mountains that 

 gfrown upon the Lochs of my Scottish fatherland. Pleas- 

 ant, content-inducing, soul-satisfying are the qualifying 

 [Words that my experience leads me to apply to this charm- 

 ing sheet of water. I have found but one spot that I was so 

 reluctant to leave, so willing to return to— the lovely Isle 

 iof Wight in the English Channel. But I cannot agree 

 hvith your correspondent "C. F. G.," of South Sudbury, 

 in regard to the desirability of Blodgett's Grove as a tarry- 

 ung-place for the angler. This point is the seat of a noisy 

 ^Spiritualist camp meeting, in session during the whole 

 month of August, and on Sundays is the resort of evil 

 actharaoters from all parts of the adjoining country. A 

 'prolonged stay amid the din of the stores and cheap 

 cottages would certainly fit one of delicate nervous con- 

 stitution for temporary residence in the Brattleboro 

 Etnsane Asylum, not very far off. There are two well 

 ^equipped and well conducted houses on the Sunapee or 

 Rvest side of the lake — the Lakeview, and Runals House — 

 at one of which the stranger would be wise to put up, 

 -^specially if he has ladies in his company, Verbum sap. 

 2}ut, good brother of the angle, if you like white canvas 

 as much as I, you will find the choicest spots in the world 

 'for camping. 



I ^orth of Blodgett's a half mile brings you to the begin- 

 ning of an extensive park owned jointly by Prof. Camp- 

 bell of Elizabeth, N. J., and Dr. Quackenbos of Columbia 

 College. I have always understood that a select party 

 "Would be welcome to their grounds, which afford the 

 finest camping sites on the whole fine of the shore. 



Prof. Campbell's property rises to a height of about 

 400ft, above the lake, the crest of the hill commanding- 

 one of the grandest views in all New Hampshire, not ex- 

 cepting the famous sight from Squaw Mountain. 



As to the fish, your various correspondents are all right, 

 but to my taste bass fishing in midsummer with the fly or 

 'trolling with fly-rod is the choice. The trout are there, 

 and those who fish with shiners in deep water are sure of 

 success. I was told last season at the lake that two tons 

 of the new trout had been taken with hook and line. I 

 emphasize new, for in 1877 there were no such fish in 

 Sunapee Lake; the only trout there known was the com- 

 mon spotted trout of our brooks. 



The cheapest, quickest and most comfortable route 

 from New York to Sunapee is via the Connecticut Valley 

 If. E. to Claremont Junction. Train leaves Grand Cen- 

 tral depot at 4:30 P. M. and arrives at Claremont at 

 11:20. Stay over night at the Junction House, and take 

 the morning train to Newbury. Steamers meet the train 

 at 8:30 A. M. and connect with all points on the lake. 



RAHVf AT, N. J. COLQUHOUN. 



THE MASSACHUSETTS TROUT SEASON. 



THE open season on trout begins on April first in 

 Massachusetts, and yet again the season is behind 

 •the law. Indeed terrible snow storms and the season of 

 ice is scarcely over, and one is struck with the fact that 

 the first of April is altogether too early for the season 

 to open. At last the Massachusetts Legislature, now in 

 session, has hit upon the idea that the season opens to 

 early, and I believe that a bill has advanced so far as to 

 pass the House, changing the opening of the season to 

 May 1. Still how much legislation ever happened to 

 progress even thus far, without encountering opposition 

 from the marketmen, is almost beyond comprehension. 

 One thing is certain, and that is, if opposition of any par- 

 ticular force had come from that quarter, the bill would 

 have met an early death. The Solons who annually win 

 a place under the Gilded Dome on Beacon Hill — win it 

 by political intrigue, and catering to the powers that be 

 — are noted for the amount of wisdom they exercise in 

 trying to please the marketmen, and the people who 

 get a living by trade. These legislators have just re- 

 fused a bill making a much-needed close time on lob- 

 sters a passage. This bill only asked for a close time 

 during what are known to be breeding months with 

 this valuable shellfish, but the opposition said that at 

 that time the lobster is of great value at the seashore 

 hotel, because the guest who has got the money is there, 

 and consequently the Wise Men of Beacon Hill have de- 

 feated the bill. The destruction of the lobster is to go 

 on mdiscriminately in Massachusetts waters. Why ? 

 Because there is a trade in lobsters, and trade is not to 

 be interfered with. The Boston Chamber of Commerce 

 jhas a standing committee, the duty of which it is to see 

 that no changes in the game laws are sprung upon the 

 marketman. The quiet marketman, ever about his busi- 

 ness, selling game that is out of season in most other 

 States, and ought to be out of season in Massachusetts. 



But matters are not quite as smooth toward this market- 

 man's purse as he would like to have them after all. The 

 •trouble is that he is not getting the amount of illegal 

 game to handle that he would like. His refrigerators are 

 not full this year. Why? Because public sentiment in 

 favor of fish and game protection is growing. The States 

 from which the game is shipped are waking up to the 

 fact that the game is worth far inore on the foot than it 

 is shipped to Boston, for these marketmen to buy for 

 almost nothing and sell again at a profit to themselves 

 that averages nearly 300 per cent. The idea that summer 

 travel on railroads, summer guests at hotels, summer 

 jobs gvriding and transporting are largely dependent upon 

 the fish and game attractions a State has to offer, is 

 spreading rapidly, and the eyes of those the most inter- 



ested are opening. Hence it is that game laws are being 

 better enforced in many of the States, and the amount of 

 game finding its way into the Boston market is yearly 

 growing beautifully less. 



But I started out to tell about the trouting prospects 

 that are likely to dawn on April 1, and was only turned 

 from the subject because that so wholesome legislation 

 as changing the ©pen season to May 1 had been allowed 

 to make some headway in the Legislature of this State. 

 Even now the bill may be defeated in the Upper Branch, 

 and it surely will be, if those who desire to trade in early 

 trout but put their heads together. But there are only a 

 few trout to catch in April in this State, or in any other 

 month, for that matter. This year more than ever thj 

 prospects are unfavorable. Snow is still abundant on the 

 ground in the major portion of the State, and is likely to 

 be till long after the first of April. One gentleman, a 

 lover of the rod and line, suggested to-day that it would 

 be a novel experience to try the trout on snowshpes. 

 But after all it would be necessary to cut the ice out 

 of the stream, in the western part of the State espe- 

 cially. 



But the enterprising tackle dealers are not to be baffled 

 by the lateness of the season. They are to make good 

 displays on April 2 — the first comes on Sunday. It is 

 pleasing to be able to state that these Boston tackle 

 dealers are in favor of the open season on trout being put 

 back to May 1, though it is of course a matter of trade 

 with them. Mr. Geo. B. Appleton, at the old stand of 

 Appleton & Litchfield, will make the same showing of 

 live trout in the window as last year, though with several 

 improvements. Among the other attractions, he is 

 promised a 71b. trout, the only question being as to 

 whether it will bear transportation from New Hamp- 

 shire. But Commissioner Hodge, of that State, is to 

 come, with the fish personally. Mr. Henry C. Litchfield, 

 formerly a partner with Mr. Appleton, will make no 

 window display, for the simple reason that he has no 

 ground floor window in which to make a display, though 

 he is nicely fitted up for the sale of tackle in the store 

 directly over Mr. Appleton and his former place of busi- 

 ness. Messrs. Dame, Stoddard & Kendall, I understand, 

 have decided to show a good-sized yacht in their window, 

 a little further up Washington street, the sails of this 

 craft to be made entirely of artificial flies. In the fish 

 market there promises to be the usual first of April show 

 of live trout. Special. 



THE COMING TOURNAMENT. 



THE committee on rules have met and reported the 

 rules which will govern the contests of 1888. Some 

 important changes have been made which we note. Rule 

 2 only prohibits those who manufacture fishing tackle for 

 sale from entering amateur contests. Rule a allows but 

 •Joz. for metal reel seats, instead of 1± oz. Rule 7 allows 

 each, contestant ten, instead of fifteen minutes. Rule 10 

 leaves delicacy out of the score of points and more strictly 

 defines accuracy. In salmon casting accuracy shall be 

 contested at 60, instead of 70ft., and changes are made in 

 minnow and heavy bass casting. We give the entire 

 rules as revised: 



Rule 1. AH persons competing for prizes shall pay an entrance 

 fee in each contest, as follows: Members, $:2; non-members, f,5. 

 Memberships may be obtained on the grounds from the secretary. 



Rule 2. No one shall be permitted to enter an amateur contest 

 who has ever fished for a living, who has ever been a guide, or has 

 been engaged in the manufacture of fishing tackle for sale. 



The judges in the different classes shall appoint a member to 

 see that the tackle i3 at all times during the contests in accord- 

 ance with the rules and requirements of the association. The 

 judges in any particular class, on appeal, shall have power to de- 

 cide on all matters relating thereto, and their decision shall be 

 filial. 



Rule 8. No single-handed fly-rod shall exceed lift. 6in. in length, 

 and it shall be used with a single hand. 



Rule 4. In single-handed fly-easting any style of reel or line 

 may be used. A leader or casting-line of single gut not less than 

 8ft, in length will be required, to which three flies, one stretcher 

 and two droppers, shall be attached. 



Rule 5. No allowance of distance shall be made for difference in 

 length of rods; but in the contests with light rods of 5oz. and 

 under, an allowance of J£oz. will be made in favor of such rods as 

 have solid reel seats. 



Rule 6. Persons entering these contests shall draw lots to de- 

 termine the order in which they will cast, and must be ready to 

 cast when called upon by the judges. 



Rule 7. Each contestant will be allowed ten miuutesin which to 

 cast for distance, and will stand aside until called in his turn to 

 cast for delicacy and accuracy. In casting for distance each con- 

 testant shall inform the judges of the contest when he intends to 

 begin to compete. His time allowance of ten minutes shall then 

 begin to run, and shall continue to rim without interruption until 

 its expiration, or until the contestant voluntarily withdraws from 

 the stand. Should, however, the contestant's rod break, time to 

 replace the broken joint shall be given him. No allowance of 

 time shall be made to any contestant for any other reason what- 

 ever, it being the intent and purpose of this rule that each con- 

 testant shaUabide by his own accidents, except as herein speci- 

 fied. 



Rule 8. The distance shall be measured by a line with marked 

 buoys stretched on the water, said line to be measured and veri- 

 fied at least once each day of the tournament by two or more offi- 

 cers to be designated by the president or secretary. A mark shall 

 be made on the stand from which the buoy line shall be measured, 

 and the caster may stand with his toes touching this mark, but 

 may not advance beyond it. Should he step back of it, unless 

 directed to do so by the judges, the loss in distance shall be his. 



Rule 9. The. stretcher fly must remain at the end of the casting 

 line in all costs. The others are not deemed so important. 



Rule 10. In casting for accuracy each contestant shall be al- 

 lowed twenty casts at an objoct in or on the water, 40ft. distant 

 from him. The distance at which the stretcher fly shall fall from 

 the mark shall be noted for each cast. These distances shall be 

 added together and divided by twenty. Forty points shall be 

 allowed to him whose averaged aggregate is the lowest. The 

 other contestants shall be awarded lower scores in accordance 

 with their comparative excellence. 



Rule 11. The ultimate scores of the various contestants shall be 

 determined as follows: To the distance in feet each has been ad- 

 judged to have cast, shall bo added the score assigued for accu- 

 racy, and prizes shall be awarded in accordance with this aggre- 

 gate. 



Kule 12. To prevent fouling the measuring line and accidents 

 to spectators, in the fly-casting contests the points of all fly-hooks 

 shall be broken off below the barb. 



Rule 13. In the absence of an appointed judge, the president or 

 secretary shall fill the vacancy. 



Rule 14, Salmon Fly-Casting.— The foregoing rules shall govern 

 where applicable. Rods may be used with both hands, and only 

 one fly shall be required. Accuracy shall be contested for at a 

 mark 60ft. distant from the caster. 



Kule 15. Black Bass Minnow Casting. — All general rules which 

 do not conflict with the following special rules, shall govern: No 

 rod shall be more than 10ft. in length; any reel may be used, but 

 all easts must be made from the reel. Lines shall not be of less 

 caliber than No. 6 (letter H) braided silk, nor No. 1 seagrass, or 

 corresponding sizes of other materials, and be of uniform size 

 throughout. The weight of the sinker snail not exceed 5^oz., to 

 be furnished by the contestants. In casting, but a single hand 

 shall be used. Each contestant shall be allowed five casts for 

 d istance, the average of them to count, and five casts for accuracy. 

 The distance at which the sinker shall fall from the mark shall 

 be noted at each cast. These distances shall be added together 

 and divided by five. Forty points shall be allowed to him whose 

 averaged aggregate is the lowest. The other contestants shall be 

 awarded lower scores in accordance with their comparative ex- 

 cellence. 



Rule 16. Heavy Bass Casting.— Rods shall not exceed Oft. in 

 length and may he. used with both hands. Any reel may be used, 

 but the line shall be of linen, not of less caliber than 'the trade 

 No. 0, with twelve threads throughout its entire length. The 

 casts shall be made from the reel with sinkers not to exceed 

 SJ^oz., to be furnished by the contestant. Each contestant will be 

 allowed five casts. His casts shall be measured, added and divided 

 by five, and the result shall constitute his score. No allowance 

 will be made to any contestant for the overrunning or breaking 

 of bis line, but the line may be doubled next to the sinker. 



Rule 17. Light Bass Casting.— Same rules as in heavy bass cast- 

 ing to apply, except that the weight, of the sinker is not to exceed 

 VAo/.., to bo furnished by the contestant, and any line of uniform 

 caliber may be used. 



AN ODD FISH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I am a little in doubt whether or not I have opened the 

 fishing season ; and if I have I am still more in doubt 

 whether or no I opened it in a legal manner, not to men- 

 tion the question of its being sportsmanlike. The game 

 laws do not forbid fishing on Sunday, but if 1 did fish there 

 is a section of the penal code which might make it un- 

 pleasant for me. Webster says fishing is "the art or 

 practice of catching fish." Is catching birds with a 

 fish rod, fishing ? If one does, with a fish rpd, catch on 

 Sunday a bird that is specially exempted from the opera- 

 tion of the game laws protecting birds, is it hunting or 

 fishing, legal or illegal? I belong to several organiza- 

 tions whose object is fish and game protection, and lam 

 a law-abiding citizen. I am also a member of the Audu- 

 bon Society and altogether I am a little mixed regarding 

 an occurrence which took place to-day, Sunday, March 

 18th. Soon after breakfast my little daughter told me 

 that there was an owl in a tree near one of the dining 

 room windows, and the little girl's heari was at once en- 

 listed in sympathy for an English sparrow upon which 

 the owl was performing a post-mortem examination. 

 "Couldn't Papa drive that horrid bird away and make it 

 stop eating the poor little sparrow?" I thought I could 

 kiU the owl if it were not Sunday, but I had no use for it 

 dead, and there was the Audubon Society pledge looking 

 me in the face. "Can't you poke it away with a fish rod?" 

 Bright thought I of course I can, and if it will sit still I 

 can improve on "poking'' it. I got a rod, and with a 

 piece of linen cord made a slip-noose and tied it to the 

 end of the rod; from a second story window I stepped to 

 the roof of a porch and dropped the noose over the owl's 

 head, when it "rose." I "struck" and had the bird 

 around the neck with the cord. I "played"' it and 

 "brought it to basket." It was Wilson's "little owl," and 

 when night came I turned it loose to find more sparrows. 

 Glens Falls, N. Y. A. N. C. 



Penobscot Salmon. — At the meeting of the Governor 

 and Council in Augusta, March 14, the following peti- 

 tion, numerously signed by residents of Belfast, Searsport, 

 Stockton, Islesboro, Northport and Lincolnville, was pre- 

 sented: "The undersigned, citizens of Waldo county, re- 

 spectfully petition your honorable body to allow the sal- 

 mon fishermen on the Penobscot waters to pursue their 

 vocation unmolested, between the first day of April and 

 the fifteenth day of July, as they have for the past fifteen 

 years; till the decision of the Law Court in the case of 

 Thompson vs. Dow shall have been made; and as in duty 

 bound will ever pray." Section 43 of the fish and game 

 laws of Maine, which pertains to weekly close time, has 

 under it several exceptions, the Penobscot river being one. 

 Recently the fish and game wardens have prosecuted fish- 

 ermen in Searsport and Stockton, and a case has gone to 

 the Law Court to determine where is the mouth of the 

 Penobscot river. The Council could not well grant ths 

 privilege asked, and the petition was dismissed, but Com- 

 missioner of Sea Fisheries Counce was instructed not to 

 prosecute any of the fishermen on Brigadier's Island at 

 the mouth of the Penobscot river for illegal fishing: until 

 a decision from the courts has been obtained. — Belfast 

 (Me.) Republican Journal. 



Fly-fishing for Shad. — Baltimore, March 23. — 

 Editor Foi'est and Stream: I would like to have some 

 information in reference to taking shad with the fly. I 

 remember having seen, some years ago, in Forest and 

 Stream articles on this subject. It was stated that shad 

 had been taken with the fly at Holyoke on the Connecti- 

 cut river. I would like to know with what color fly 

 they are taken? Whether on ripple or in still water ? 

 Whether with drowned (sunken) fly, or fly on the sur- 

 face of the water? If any of the readers of Forest 

 and Stream will kindly give the information I would 

 like to make trial in the waters of the Susquehanna 

 river in Maryland. — E. S. Y. [Shad are most commonly 

 taken in quick water with, a " drowned" fly, and a red- 

 ibis, wMte-miller, or other light-colored flies are the ones 

 with which best results are obtained.] 



Pickerel Through the Ice.— -Lockport, N. Y., March 

 21. — As no one has come to the front with a larger true 

 fish story than mine in Forest and Stream of Feb. 23, 

 I shall have to do the enlarging myself, with a fish taken 

 from the same waters. As Mr. Wm. Sharp, of Theresa, 

 N. Y., was fishing through the ice on Crystal Lake a few- 

 days since, one of his lines disappeared, the stick to which 

 it was attached having been broken. A few minutes 

 after a fish was hooked on another line, and after a severe 

 struggle a pickerel weighing 271bs. was secured, as well as 

 the missing line, the hook of which was in the mouth of 

 the presumable father of all the pickerel in the lake, which 

 was first stocked with this species of pike about ten years 

 ago.— J. L. Davison. 



From the Connecticut Lakes.— Colebrook, N, H., 

 March 20, 1888. — Editor Forest and Stream: In chasing a 

 live minnow attached to a large fish hook, an old otter 

 was recently hooked in its side and captured under the 

 ice at Second Connecticut Lake. The lumbermen are 

 not disturbing the forests up the large inlets this winter. 

 Here one must look at the sun to get any evidence of the 

 approach of spring. The old "gee-lang" coach is laid 

 away, and the Upper Coos Railroad is in active service. 

 They have not failed to made daily trips this winter to 

 connect with the Grand Trunk and Boston & Maine Rail- 

 roads. Game is wintering well. Crust-hunting without 

 a crust is more work than the lawless care to indulge in, 

 —Ned Norton, 



