476 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 5, 1888, 



GAME IN THE WATER. 



OUR Fredericton (N. B.) correspondent, Mr. Edward 

 Jack, writes: "About the 16tb of June a moose 

 crossed the Tobique River 54 miles from its junction with 

 the St. John at Riley Brook settlement. One of the 

 settlers named Gaunce, seeing the animal coming clown 

 the river bank, met him as he was coming up out of the 

 water and shot him. The animal was not a large one." 



The New York Herald of June 24 published a dispatch 

 from Lake George, New York, dated June 23. which said: 

 "A curious incident, which came near being attended 

 by serious results, occurred on the lake a few days ago. 

 While out in a rowboat Mr. Thomas 0. Adams, a guest of 

 the Mohican, and a conrpanion named Franks noticed a 

 fine buck deer swimming in the water. Mr. Adams, who 

 happened to have a gun in the boat, fired on the animal, 

 wounding it. The moment the shot had been fired the 

 buck, which probably found itself unable to reach shore, 

 turned and made straight for the boat, which it upset, 

 throwing the two men into the water. Fortunately 

 another boat was close at hand and they were promptly 

 rescued. The deer, after a few convulsive struggles, 

 turned over on its side, dead. It was towed to the shore 

 and found to be a remarkably line animal." If this is 

 true Mr. Thomas C. Adams ought to be chased around by 

 the constable until he is caught and punished for his 

 misdemeanor by fine or by imprisonment in jail or by 

 both, as the law directs. 



According to the Bangor Commercial of June 22, James 

 W. Ham, who lives on the shore of Moosehead Lake, Me., 

 and his hired man pursued a doe swimming in the lake; 

 one caught it by the tail while the other made fast the 

 painter, and the deer was taken alive and incarcerated 

 m a pen along with a buck which had been caught in the 

 winter, 



m mi Jjfuw fishing. 



Angling Talks. By George Dawson. Price 50 cents. Fly- 

 Bods and Fly-Tackle. By H. P. Wells. Pice $2.50. Fly- 

 Fishing and Fly-Making for Trout. By J. H. Keene. 

 Price $1.50. American Angler's Book. By Thad. Norris. 

 Price $5.50. 



MAINE'S TROUT SUPPLY. 



WHEN reading the reports of Maine lake fishing one 

 cannot help wondering where so many trout come 

 from, or rather how the supply is kept good. Meeting 

 Fish Commissioner Henry O. Stanley the other day, this 

 question of the wonderful supply in the best Maine waters 

 came up. Mr. Stanley agreed with me that the number 

 of pounds of trout and landlocked salmon taken from 

 Maine waters this year is greater than ever, especially of 

 the latter. Mr. Stanley is of the opinion that if the trout 

 and salmon can be properly protected while on their 

 spawning beds in autumn, and freed from fishing through 

 the ice it would be next to impossible to generally clear 

 out any well stocked waters of these valuable game and 

 food fish. One condition he is very earnest about and 

 that is that some of the small streams running into the 

 larger lakes and rivers shall be closed from all fishing; 

 for the good reason that these streams are the nurseries 

 of the trout. There they come into existence, and feed 

 upon insects, etc. , till they reach sufficient size to take 

 care of themselves in the waters of the lake below, when 

 they descend and commence to feed upon the minnows 

 found in such abundance in all the best trout waters of 

 Maine. Soon the monster trout and salmon are de- 

 veloped, which we hear so much about. These giant 

 trout return regularly to the waters of the stream to 

 breed, and it is here that they should absolutely be pro- 

 tected. It is a lamentable fact t hat the poaching element 

 is not yet all extinct, and that in many sections of that 

 State annual resort is had to these streams for a supply 

 of trout, taken from off the spawning beds. But this 

 class of fishing is less practiced than formerly, for the 

 good reason that the law frowns upon it, and hence the 

 wonderful increase in the supply of trout mentioned 

 above. It is a fact that a good deal of wealth lies hi 

 these trout nurseries, and the next Legislature of Maine 

 should see to it that they are yet more thoroughly pro- 

 tected. 



Mr. Stanley's idea of a rapid growth on trout in these 

 remarkably well fed waters of Maine is very pleasing 

 talk for the lovers of the line and rod to listen to, and he 

 has within a few years come naturally across incontest- 

 able evidence of the truth of his position. It comes in 

 the case of a small pond not far from the celebrated 

 Weld Pond, stocked with landlocked salmon only eight 

 or ten years ago. It is not possible that salmon could 

 ever have got into that pond by any other way than those 

 put in by the Commission, and nobody ever heard of such 

 a thing as a salmon there till after they were put there 

 by the Commission. Now the wonder is that salmon 

 have been taken there this spring weighing five and six 

 pounds. Mr. Stanley is of the opinion that a growth of 

 four or five pounds is reached in five or six years, either 

 on the brook trout or the landlocked salmon, provided 

 the feed is abundant. This food is minnows, and min- 

 nows there must be in abundance, either of the smelt or 

 the dace or chub varieties. The old idea that it takes a 

 great many years to grow a large trout or salmon is ex- 

 ploded. Mr. Stanley is hopeful of good legislation in his 

 State this winter. The Republican candidate for gover- 

 nor is very friendly to the cause of fish and game pro- 

 tection, and it is hoped and believed that a Legislature 

 will be chosen that will grant what Maine needs so much; 

 viz., sufficient appropriations, and some slight changes 

 in the fish and game protective laws. The Commission is 

 a good deal encouraged at this from the fact of a whole- 

 some growth of public sentiment in the right direction. 



The vacationist is about to take the field, and we are 

 soon to see his effusions concerning " speckled beauties,'' 

 and "good hotel accommodations" in the daily and weekly 

 papers, Indeed he has already begun his writings. He 

 describes everything with sufficient minuteness to satisfy 

 even a criminal trial. One of them, in a two-column 

 article in a Sunday paper the other day, even told his 

 readers — if he had any — just how he proceeded to put 

 rod and line together; how he ran the line along through 

 every ring on the rod; how he soaked his old wooden rod 

 in the water, to make it pliable and to keep it from com- 

 ing apart at the joints. Alas for the nicely varnished, 

 split bamboo! He told us all this with the confidence of 



an instructor in the art of angling. Even the method of 

 impaling the worm on the hook was given to exactness, 

 and then he tells how he made a cast on the waters of 

 the stream, "up in New Hampshire," the gates of the 

 mill having been closed the day before, for the especial 

 benefit of this wise fisherman. Wouldn't some of the 

 sportsmen who read the Forest and Stream have given 

 more to have had those gates opened just before? All 

 the same to the man who thinks he knows it all. But 

 when he professes to get up very early on the morning of 

 June 10; to take a lantern and look over the contents of 

 the wagon that is to convey him to his favorite pool: 

 and for the driver to look over the last straps of tbe har- 

 ness with the lantern, he makes it appear that it was yet 

 dark. But the start is quickly made, and the watch is 

 consulted and it is just quarter past five. What does 

 this writer ask of the credulity of the man who has 

 really been a-fisliing this spring and crawled out of his 

 blankets at 3:80, many a morning early in June, because 

 it was already daylight? Perhaps the mornings are late 

 and dark up in New Hampshire. Special, 



JOCK'S LAKE. 



LITTLE FALLS, N. Y., June 10.— I have just returned 

 from a few days' outing in apart of the Adirondacks 

 never before visited by me; and in spite of a very large 

 proportion of bad weather, including two rainy days, 

 several thunder storms with hail of the proverbial lien's 

 egg dimensions, two nights of freezing weather, much 

 high wind, making a sea which prevented fishing, with 

 intervals of perfect calm, with bright sunshine, during 

 which the surface of the lake was like a vast mirror, and 

 the water so clear and transparent that no respectable 

 trout could be induced to come within flyshot of the boat, 

 I had a very good time, enjoying myself very much, 

 and appreciated to the utmost the many resources which, 

 through the enterprise of Mr. A. D. Barber, Jr., proprie- 

 tor of the Forest Lodge at Jock's Lake, are furnished to 

 enable fishermen and hunters to enjoy to the utmost the 

 pleasures of camping-out life, at the least possible outlay 

 of trouble, work and cash. A week in the woods, if one 

 had to build camps and pack luggage and the necessary 

 heavy load of provisions, cooking gear and bedding, 

 requires fair fishing at the least to be enjoyed. I and 

 those with me were saved all of this trouble and enjoyed 

 more, from then- variety, the few hours which witli any 

 prospect of success, could be credited to fishing. 



Jock's Lake is the largest of a group of seven or eight, 

 which lie within a radius of five or six miles from the 

 Forest Lodge as a center, and all are in the southeast part 

 of Herkimer county; these are, beginning with the west- 

 ernmost and proceeding nearly east. North, South, Jock's, 

 Jones, Deer, Otter and Goose, with Little Salmon and 

 Trout lakes about two miles south of the line. From the 

 western side of North to the eastern side of Goose the dis- 

 tance is 21 miles, made in six carries of 2, 1|, 8, 4, 1$ and 

 1 mile each, the remainder by water. There are "well- 

 chopped trails between each pair of lakes. All the lakes 

 are well stocked with speckled trout, and several of them 

 with salmon trout. All of them are well provided by Mr. 

 Barber with comfortable camps, outfitted with rubber 

 and woollen blankets, cooking utensils, etc. , and on eveiy 

 lake there are good boats, some of the comfortable flat- 

 bottomed description, from which the most inexperienced 

 angler can fish with safety, shift around and stand up in, 

 as he will: others are neat little 60-pound Rushtons, a 

 pleasure to row in, not a hard task to carry. 



Within a day's distance are the Bisby, Woodhull, West 

 Canada and Wilmurt lakes, and two days' tramp will 

 reach the Fulton Chain or Piseco group: three the 

 Raquette, Blue Mountain and Moose Lake system. 



On Jock's Lake there has developed a very comfortable 

 well-kept hotel, the Forest Lodge. Mr. Barber, a true 

 lover of the woods, selected, some six years ago, a charm- 

 ing point on this lake, and built himself a bark shanty, 

 and his wife, equally if not more than he in love with 

 woods life, joined him, and the next year they occupied 

 a rough log cabin, using the shanty for an outhouse; the 

 next a small frame building and turned the cabin into an 

 annex; the next a dozen or more rooms were added and 

 the little frame house became the dining-room of the 

 Lodge, and this year a great building of hewn logs, with 

 quarters for perhaps fifty or sixty, it is hoped will be 

 ready July 1 to receive guests. So great was the need of 

 a public house in this vicinity that before entering into 

 the business the Barbers were, except for the important 

 element of receiving compensation, to all intents inn- 

 keepers, as in one year they gave shelter and entertain- 

 ment to over eight hundred people. 



There are three routes into the lakes, two of which are 

 via the West Canada Creek, into which the outlets of 

 Jock's and lakes to the eastward empty, the other via the 

 Black River into North Lake, which, as well as South, 

 is a feeder to the Black River Canal, their outlets gov- 

 erned by dams with gates. Coming from any point on 

 the New York Central R. R. the way is by railroad from 

 Herkimer to Poland, thence sixteen miles by wagon to 

 Griffin Evans's, on West Canada Creek, thence thirteen 

 miles of hard buckboarding or tramping, as one may pre- 

 fer. I believe the general vote of those who go in that 

 way is divided; those who ride wish they had walked, 

 and vice versa. This tramp or ride lands you on the north 

 shore of the lake, and there will be found a boat with 

 which you can cross, two miles, to Barber's. 



Starting from Utica at 7:40 A. M. by the Black River 

 Railroad you reach Prospect at 8:30. You can leave there 

 at once, if previous arrangements have been made with 

 the livery man, who takes parties in, Mr. Congdon, or 

 you can go by stage, according to the route you may 

 select. If by stage you start immediately and reach Griff 

 Evans's about 2 P. M.; thence in. the route is that already 

 described. The stage fare is $1.50 to Evans's; I believe he 

 charges $8 for a buckboard and team, whether one or 

 four are in the party. 



The route which I selected was via North Lake. From 

 Prospect to the Gate House is twenty-four miles, of 

 which two-thirds are on a good trotting road, the re- 

 mainder wood road, rough in places. The time taken is 

 five to six hours, the cost to one person with buggy, $4. 

 for a team §7 to $8. The Gate House is at the head of 

 North Lake, and from there the distance into Barber's is 

 ten miles, viz. : 2m. trail to South Lake, 2m. row to foot, 

 Urn. over to Jock's, 4£m. to foot at Barber's. If you can 

 row and pack your own traps the gate keeper will furnish 

 you with the keys to get Barber's boats, you may be able 

 to pick up a man to go with you, or you can send over to 



Barber's for a guide, or you can go over light and send 

 back for your luggage, or you can wait for a guide bring- 

 ing up an outward bound party, for as long as detained 

 you can get board and lodging at the Gate House, terms 

 $2 per day. A guide sent especially for you costs $2; if 

 you take a return tripper, but $1. By thus connecting, 

 the cost of getting in and out is reduced to a minimum. 

 I had seats each way in wagons and boats, which had 

 been used by other parties at total cost of $4.50 from and 

 to Prospect. 



A brief abstract from my diary will finish the itinerary: 



June 1.— Left Prospect 9 A. M., hired team, reached 

 State House at 3 P. M. Key of boat on South Lake not 

 to be found; staid all night. 



June 2.— Up early, caught a half-pounder under the 

 flume on bait, having tried flies without success. Worked 

 half a mile of W. Canada Creek; caught half a dozen 

 small trout. 11 A. M., guide Giles Beecraft reported with 

 party from Barber's, for whom my team was sent in. 

 Started for Barber's 1 P. M. Strong wind, making rough 

 sea; fortunately, for it was very cold, wind dead aft; 

 and under backs, packs and our blades ran the two miles 

 of South Lake in eighteen minutes, and four and a half 

 of Jock's in thirty-two; the little 601b. Rushton ran like a 

 deer. Arrived chilled through, a hot stove and good sup- 

 per, and early to a good bed in a cosy bedroom, brought 

 me up. Thermometer on arrival 40°. Both trails easy and 

 in good order. 



June 3.— About 10 A. M. with two others started for 

 Otter Lake; reached Jones's by good trail in lh. 10m.; 

 from Jones's to Deer in 12m., and from Deer to Otter 

 two miles, in 48m. , all good trails. Before w e had finished 

 dinner rain began, fished in it a couple of hours, taking 

 about twenty, averaging ^lb., on fly. 



June 4.— Cold morning and foggy on lake, trout rising 

 splendidly to the fly, took eleven in one horn, when the 

 breakfast summon came, largest 41b. The other rods 

 with bait during evening and morning did rather better 

 thanl. After breakfast, impatient to try Jones's Lake, 

 which had great repute for large fish, returned to it; 

 rest of my party went out. I found a party of three 

 from Herkimer and with them fished Jones's Lake several 

 times thoroughly during the day. Result three trout, 

 one of 4lb., two of about 8oz. each. Weather grew very 

 cold with strong north wind: the guides went to Deer 

 Lake, and returned in three or four hours with about 

 lOlbs. of nice trout. 



June 5.— Although ice made in our bucket outside of 

 camp, we had not known that it was so cold, for we had 

 found a remarkably comfortable camp, with lots of 

 blankets. All of us went to Deer Lake and had a good 

 days' fishing, although the wind was so strong and gustv 

 that our boats unprovided with stern anchors circled 

 constantly and scared the fish. 



The flies of all descriptions were faithfully tried, but 

 not a single rise did we get to them. We took about 80 

 trout, averaging a good |lb., and returned early to Jones's 

 Lake, the wind having gone down and apparently the 

 chance of fishing it better. Our evening's fishing on it 

 was blank. 



June 6. — Another cold night, with ice (the tempera- 

 ture at Barber's we afterward learned was 2(5°), but we 

 passed it very comfortably. As it bade fair to be a good 

 day, two of the party remained to fish the lake. I with 

 a guide and companion started across the mountain for 

 some rift fishing in the West Canada Creek, the distance 

 is said to be two miles; it seemed much longer, for there 

 is no trail, and our route led straight away up a very 

 steep lull and down into a quagmire filled with windfalls. 

 We were one hour and forty minutes reaching the creek, 

 on which w^e spent the day, moving about four miles on 

 the still water, and fishing a mile of rifts with indifferent 

 success. I took six or eight with fly on the rifts, none in 

 the still water, then I went over the same ground with 

 bait and took twice as many and larger, 



The three miles trail back to Barber's is easy, and we 

 made it in seventy minutes; found a very high wind on 

 the lake and no boats out. About sunset it moderated a 

 bit and I pulled to a rocky point; after trying artificial 

 bait unsuccessfully put on a big dew worm, and it was 

 hardly in tbe water before I had hold of a trout, which 

 gave me business for quarter of an hour; he scaled a 

 little over two pounds. 



Passing the shanty of a camping party from Herkimer 

 I was shown by one of them a much larger trout than 

 mine, taken the day before. It was a good three-pounder, 

 and it with about sixty pounds of smaller ones was 

 snugly stowed with moss and filled a butter tub. Con- 

 gratulating the old fellow on his extraordinarily good luck 

 for five days' fishing, he in a significant way said, "Yes, 

 and this is not the half of them." 



June 7. — A calm, bright, warm day; lay around, resting 

 up, reading up and getting posted up. Amused myself 

 playing with the hounds, of which a fine pack of four- 

 teen, friendly fellows, are chained to their commodious 

 kennels in rear of house, each and all eager for a little 

 petting. Among them are several with records and several 

 of mixed breed. One which is largely bloodhound is 

 among the best tempered until a deer is killed, then 

 handle with care is the motto. Another, judging by 

 appearance, has far more shephred than hound blood, yet 

 through his superior intelligence is considered one of the 

 best. 



The pet bear also furnished his share of amuaement; 

 but best of all were the fishing cats: the pair are large, 

 handsome and spotted. I don't know their sex, but they 

 always go in couples. One watches closely at the edge 

 of a pool till a dace or shiner comes within reach, when 

 with a quick grab it catches it, and permits its mate to 

 eat first. 



During the day several parties fished unsuccessfully, 

 and toward sunset I made a good try, but failed to get a 

 strike. 



June 8. — Learning that a party of ten were expected to 

 arrive at State House, by noon six of us started for 

 liome — to take advantage of return teams — and reached 

 Prospect by 7 P. M., without incident. 



A summary of my trip: In ten days I traveled about 

 80 miles by rail, 40 miles on foot, 30 miles in boats, camped 

 out four nights, fished 18 hours and caught 121bs. of 

 trout, the largest of 21bs. Of my 18 hours spent in fishing, 

 over half was wasted. I caught one trout in Jock's, two 

 in Jones's Lake, about a dozen in West Canada Creek; the 

 two little lakes Otter and Deer fmnishing the majority. 

 Bad weather was the principal cause of failure, that 

 could not be helped, but there was one very strongly 

 operating cause which could and should be. 



