Feb. 14, 1889.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



67 



suggested the advisability of trying our hand at pickerel 

 fishing through the ice, and it was agreed that we should 

 go to Sterling Lake. By taking an early train to Sterling 

 Junction we were on the lake soon after sunrise. We 

 had hardly got to -work when we became the victims of 

 a most atrocious sleet and wind storm and were speedily 

 'routed. We, however, caught several fish, and among 

 them a trout of over Jib. , and the most beautiful one I 

 ever saw; head like a Beaverkill trout, tail slightly 

 forked (the other one's tail was indented almost as deeply 

 as a mackerel's), the back and upper port of the sides 

 thickly dotted with orange and vermilion spots, while 

 the belly and lower sides were free from spots, but pre- 

 sented a sheen of gold and vermilion, which was inde- 

 scribably beautiful. It certaiuly could not have belonged 

 to the same species as the fish of I860, unless it may be 

 that increasing age entirely changed their characteristics. 

 I had intended having this fish identified, but an accident 

 prevented its getting to the city till too late. I feel as- 

 sured, however, that the first fish belonged to a family 

 whose habitat has been in those waters for many a gen- 

 eration. A Veteran Reader, 

 Brookxyx, Jan. 28. 



[There is some difficulty in determining the black and 

 red spotted trout caught by "A Veteran Reader." Was 

 not this a landlocked salmon rather than a trout? The 

 coloration, and still more the size, would seem to indicate 

 that; but nothing is so difficult as to identify the Sal- 

 mmiidai without'specimens of the fish— The trout caught 

 in the winter of 187S-79 should not have been a saibling 

 unless this species was introduced earlier than we sup- 

 pose. If the back and tail fin wexe spotted and banded 

 with black, we should say this Avas one of the many color 

 varieties of brook trout. If, on the contrary, these fins 

 wi re uniform dusky, it should have been one of the many 

 species like the Sunapee, blueback and Greenland trout.] 



A BOYHOOD REMINISCENCE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have read some very pleasant tales where persons 

 have joyously related their unbounded pleasure and be- 

 wildering sensations on capturing their first salmon, 

 trout or big bass. My first experience with these fish is 

 kin to Samivel's wision, "Limited", me lud, limited," but 

 I never can, never will forget my first trouble with an 

 eel. 



At that time— forty-five years ago — I was a lad of 

 eleven, and was living in the little village of Pine 

 Meadow. New Hartford, Conn. There was nothing 

 peculiar nor phenomenal in my make-up, inwai-dly nor 

 outwardly, to distinguish me from the average factory 

 boy, if the one point of size be left out of the considera- 

 tion. The regular tattered, one-sided, crushed palmleaf 

 hat was at times on my head: it was used to corral 'hop- 

 pers and catch butterflies, just the same as other boys 

 did. The historic list suspender and sub-post office could 

 also have been inventoried among my assets. Yes, I 

 was small, little— that disagreeable littleness between a 

 speck and a blotch— too small to notice, but old enough 

 to hanker for attention. 



I was fishing in the river just below Avha,t was then 

 known as the "Kellogg mill, where the stream in one 

 of its angry moods had dug a deep hole in the high bank, 

 then changed its mind and turned sharp off to the left, 

 leaving plenty of water and a very strong eddy. My pole 

 had been cut for garden purposes, but was diverted from 

 its manifest destiny by a little boy's strategy applied after 

 sundown. The line was a piece of wrapping twine de- 

 coyed from the "finishing room." The tackle's first, 

 last and only merit was strength. 



I can recollect the exact hour, the direction of the 

 wind up stream, and how the clouds were dark and 

 lowering. The second that cork went under there was an 

 instantaneous yank at each end of that pole, and for 

 some time it was an even toss-up whether the thing came 

 up or the fisher went in. I pulled and tugged, and 

 strained as hard as possible; but the best that could be 

 done was to get the cork about one foot out of water, as 

 the pesky thing went gyrating round and round that 

 whirling eddy. I hollered for help, the only result was 

 a loss of wind. I tried to stick the end of the pole in the 

 bank and roll a stone on it, but one hand was not equal 

 to the emergency, the other was very seriously engaged 

 hanging on to the butt end. I pulled up straight, one 

 side, then the other, it was no go; that pole was hung on 

 a pivot in the exact center, my end went down, the other 

 up, then reversed to a dot; my strength was failing, wind 

 was getting low, mad rising fast. The butt end came 

 over my shoulder somehow; leaning my weight on it I 

 felt a faint yielding; I stuck my toes in the earth and 

 started up the bank; desperation and temper gave me 

 strength, I scratched, clawed and crawled my way to 

 the top, then looked back. Hokey pokey! jewsharps and 

 jumping jacks! what was that hideous, twisting, writh- 

 ing black monster I beheld? Its mouth was wide open, 

 and if not as big as a barn door it certainly did look deep 

 as a well, and it was squirming toward me up the bank. 

 I knew no more about eels than I did of the Concord 

 School of Philosophy or the Keely motor; but I did think 

 it was some dreadful hobgoblin of the river after me for 

 daring to fish in his hole. I grabbed the pole and yelled 

 " 'Twan't me, s"m'other boy," and started for home on as 

 hard a run as possible. My hat flew off, it w r as left; had 

 it been filled with fish hooks, toy pistols and pennies, the 

 result would have been the same, nothing but a superior 

 brute force could have delayed me an instant. I ran for 

 every bit there was in me, and hollered equal to a second 

 mate in a reefing gale. 



Two men who were taking cloth from the tenter bars 

 came to my assistance. I dropped the pole, gained the top 

 rail of the nearest fence and howled louder that ever, "I 

 didn't do it, I ain't done nuthing, I ain't." "Shut up, you 

 little wretch," shouted one of my rescuers, "or I will 

 ojioke you; it's nothing but a big eel." As he quickly 

 drew his knife across the creature's back close to its 

 head, the writhing, twisting, horrid thing was as lirnp 

 and docile as a piece of rope. 



I have caught various kinds of fish since then, have 

 had numerous close shaves on land and sea, none have 

 made so deep and lasting impression on my memory as 

 that black, writhing, twisting mass of contortion, nothing 

 short of a total eclipse of my mental faculties will ever 

 wipe it out. 



How large was it? Well, according to my impressions 

 at the time it was about 25ft. long, as black and big as a 

 locomotive boiler. A, W. 



CtRAstd E apids, Mich. 



THE STEEL ROD. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



When I gave my views about the steel rod I hardly 

 expeoted to say anything more on the subject; but the 

 remarks of "Biack Bass" in your issue, of Jan. 81 induce 

 me to add that I am glad to learn the rod has already been 

 improved, and that such improvements as are desirable 

 will continue to be made. In my opinion the rod as hereto- 

 fore constructed would meet the approval of a very large 



Eroportion of those who fish, and possibly also for certain 

 inds of angling it is well adapted; but as thero are 

 wooden rods of all descriptions, so should there be various 

 kinds of steel rods. The strength and durability of the 

 metal rod was next questioned; these are the qualities 

 which, combiued with other essentials, are finally to 

 establish its superiority, but there are other properties 

 without which the strongest rod would be worthless 

 Elasticity, pliability, balance, weight, strength and dura- 

 bility are the considerations. I wrote more from the 

 standpoint of one who requires such flexibility in a rod 

 as enables them to use the most delicate tackle, make the 

 longest cast of fly or bait, and handle with the greatest 

 promise of success the very slightly hooked fish. More 

 especially j however, I had in view such qualities as are 

 required in a first-class fly-rod; and wdien the steel rod is 

 so made as to equal the cost of the best split-bamboo and 

 compare favorably in weight and balance with first-class 

 rods of other material, it will have attained the highest 

 success. That it can eventually accomplish all these 

 things, if in recent improvements it has not already done 

 so, I firmly believe and desire. 



In attaching guides to his rod, "Black Bass" recognized 

 one of the requirements for bait-casting to which I re- 

 U'vv (I. As he wound the guides on, I infer that he let 

 the rod remain in position for use, and consequently did 

 not give the surface coating the amount of wear that it 

 would have received from frequent extension and closing 

 of the several parts. In that case, the coating being in- 

 tact, no rust would occur. I do not, however, think that 

 to prevent the outside of this rod from rusting need be 

 regarded as a serious thing; for, should the coating wear 

 off, it can easily be replaced. 



Should "Black Bass" ever succeed, as he suggests, in 

 casting a frog and landing it on Fuller's door step, I hope 

 he will not fasten to anything that will try his skill and 

 tackle, as a very lively setter dog once did mine. 



Splasher. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



The comments of "Splasher" on the Horton steel rod 

 are to the point, and show some of the bad features in 

 this rod, and some of them, I think, might be partially, 

 if not wholly, remedied. 



I should like to see the rod made of aluminum bronze. 

 I understand that this metal is made with all the 

 elasticity and strength of steel, much lighter, and does 

 not rust and corrode as steel or brass will. If the butt- 

 end, of each section of this rod was fitted with a porcelain 

 ring the friction on the line would be greatly lessened. 

 The butt or hand-piece should be reversible, with a cap- 

 ped plug to put in the ferrule not in use; the reel could 

 then be used below or above the hand. I think that a 

 porcelain eye where the line enters the rod from the reel 

 would tend greatly to lessen the friction. Rito, 



TARPON FISHING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It seems rather like a pleasing revenge on some of the 

 angling fraternity to note the interest now taken in tar- 

 pon angling; for when I modestly suggested, in 1879, that 

 angling for the tarpon would be proven to be one of the 

 finest of sports, if the lovers of striped bass fishing would 

 only try them, the idea was pooh-poohed at. Some of 

 the Southern anglers tried to make tun of it; and a Phila- 

 delphia gentleman, evidently anxious to get at the facts 

 regarding necessary tackle, etc. , offered to defray the ex- 

 pense of a three months' trip to Florida of any one who 

 should send him a tarpon caught with rod and reel. 

 Now the anglers seem to vie with each other to see who 

 shall get there first and take a hand. 



I have seen more than 100 of these fish in a day when 

 in Florida, previous to 1879. Unfortunately for me (as 

 far as sport is concerned), I have had to stay at home 

 since that time, otherwise I should have tried my hand at 

 a few of the "silver kings." 



Time changes many things, and in the reports from 

 tarpon fishing grounds of to-day we hear that it often 

 takes all day to strike a fish, whereas ten years ago the 

 cry of the anglers who knew it all was, that there was no 

 use trying for them, as such a thing as saving a tarpon 

 on rod and reel would be impossible, although they were 

 thought to be quite readily hooked. None could be 

 saved, they said, except with hand line, and rarely then. 



I shall hope on for the winter when I can have a leis- 

 ure month, then I shall look over my old haunts and see 

 if there are not a few tarpon left for me to try for. There 

 were x>lenty there when I last saw the clear spring waters 

 of those rivers, and I have not heard of any angling being- 

 done at that place; so I shall rest content that there will 

 be some left for a long time yet. A. B. Dodge. 



Florida Fishing. — The Hon. A. M. Spangler, editor of 

 the Philadelphia Evening Star, formerly one of the Fish 

 Commissioners of Pennsylvania, is now writiug very inte- 

 resting letters from Florida for his paper. The series prom- 

 ises to be as entertaining as the widely read and highly ap- 

 preciated articles on similar subjects written by him from 

 Nova Scotia during the summer of 1886. Mr, Spangler 

 tried the fishing at New Smyrna under unfavorable 

 circumstances, the weather being cold and stormy, 

 yet on the first day's fishing he caught a channel bass, 

 eight very large sheepshead, besides a number of king- 

 fish, pigfish, sea bass and spots. On the second day, in 

 Halifax and Hillsborough rivers, he took 24 sheepshead, 

 several drum and a lot of kingfish or whiting (Menticir- 

 rus). The sheepshead averaged about 441bs. The third 

 day's sport yielded 13 large sheepshead and a 301b. drum, 

 the sheepshead having been caught with a Henshall bass 

 rod and light tackle. For bait the anglers used clams, mul- 

 let, crabs and fiddlers, the first two preferred. Surf fish- 

 ing for channel bass will soon be in its prime. Bluefish 

 and cavalla have not yet made their appearance. 



"Sam LoveP $ Camps," By R. E. Robinson. Note ready. 



The Paradise Fin and Feather Club enjoyed an 

 elegant dinner on Feb. 5, at the Union League Club, New 

 York, at the invitation of the club's president, Hon. Henry 

 A. Gildersleeve. The courses extended through six 

 hours, and the jolly anglers revelled in terrapin and can- 

 vashack duck served in the consummate manner for 

 which the most aristocratic of America's club chefs is 

 famous. The members present were Dr. W. F. Duncan, 

 J. Chas. Davis, E. R. Lewis, John Wood, H. C. Miner, 

 J. K. Emmet, Jr.. H. S. Taylor, Chas.B. Jefferson, Chas. 

 A. Thomas, Kit Clarke, James T. Davis, Leander Rich- 

 ardson, J. F. Graham, Allan Foreman. President Cleve- 

 land, who is a member of the club, was unavoidably 

 absent, but sent a letter of regret, and stated that he 

 would devote some time during June at the club's sum- 

 mer house worrying the trout, The evening's festivities 

 were greatly enhanced by the presence of the Blossom 

 Banjo Quartett, who discoursed sweet music during the 

 courses and between the speeches. Nearly every mem- 

 ber "spoke a piece," but the gem of the evening was the 

 address by Judge Gilclersleeve, which not only delighted 

 the anglers, but filled the banquet room with eager listen- 

 ers of the Union League Club, who joined heartily in 

 "three cheers for the Judge" at his finish. Among the 

 emphatic "hits" of the banquet was a charming song, 

 beautifully rendered in a sweet tenor voice by Mr. J. F. 

 Graham, city editor of the N. Y. World, and an original 

 humorous poem by J. Chas. Davis, entitled, "That Little 

 Flat Bottle, so Dear." The regular annual banquet of the 

 club, commemorating the opening of the trout season, 

 will occur on April 1, and will probably be given in the 

 blue room at Delmonico's. 



COLORADO FISH COMMISSION. 



I^HE report of Mr. G. F. Whitehead, Commissioner, for 

 1888 recapitulates the distribution of Eastern brook 

 trout fry to public waters, showing the disposition of 326,500 

 young, besides the sale of 17,000 to citizens; 20,000 fry of the 

 rainbow trout were placed in Platte Caflon. In 1888 Platte 

 Canon received 20,000 fry ot the same species and the number 

 of brook trout deposited in waters of the State was 394,000. 

 Besides these 10,000 fry of fonttnalis were sold to residents. 

 The first lot of eggs of native black-spotted trout were ob- 

 tained bv exchange for rainbow trout fry from Dr. John 

 Law, of Leadville. These were hatched and the young are 

 thriving. Previous efforts to furnish the hatchery with 

 natives from public waters were unsuccessful. About 13,000 

 trout, including brook, rainbow and native, were kept in the 

 hatchery for breeding purposes. 



Carp cultui-e proved a failure, and the Commissioner con- 

 gratulates the people on this result, which be attributes to 

 the low temperature of the water in the pond, preventing 

 their breeding. 



For the lakes Mr. Whitehead recommends black bass, 

 pickerel, channel, or blue catfish, and yellow catfish. The 

 blue catfish he considers nearly equal to trout and it reaches 

 10 or 121bs. in weight. The yellow catfish grows to 3X1 bs. 

 in three years in the prairie lakes. In some of the high 

 mountain lakes like Echo Lake, which has no apparent in- 

 let or outlet and contains myriads of fresh-water shrimp, 

 the Eastern brook trout flormshes wonderfully. This lake 

 was stocked for the first time in July, 1886, and in October, 

 1887, a trout 21 months old weighing 3lbs. 6oz., was taken 

 from it and sent, to the Commissioner. Two other lakes in 

 that vicinity have been stocked since. Rainbowtrout planted 

 in Platte Canon, near Denver, have grown rapidly and are 

 becoming great favorites with anglers on account of their 

 game qualities. 



The popular belief that the eggs of fonttnalis are destroyed 

 by ice in the mountain streams is shown to be erroneous be- 

 cause the trout are increasing in those streams. "In the 

 Republican River, on the plains, at an altitude of 5,000 feet 

 above sea level, a stream made from springs, the brook 

 trout is breeding rapidiy." This would correspond pretty 

 closely with the greatest elevation of this species iu western 

 North Carolina. It is claimed that this trout grows in 

 Colorado to double its size in Eastern streams. 



Colorado has 5063 miles of water adapted to trout, besides 

 innumerable mountain lakes suited for breeding and rear- 

 ing ground. All of these waters at one time teemed with 

 black-spotted trout, but dynamite and giant powder in the 

 hands of unscrupulous men have nearly depopulated the 

 waters. . 



The appropriation for 1888 was only $2,000 and the cost of 

 distributing the fish was met by interested parties and by 

 the railroads. The Commissioner calls attention to the 

 urgent need of laws to protect the fry placed in the streams. 

 At present many of them are caught and appropriated by 

 boys and even adults. The law prohibiting the marketing 

 of trout has served a useful purpose. Suckers are very de- 

 structive to trout eggs in the lakes and streams and their ex- 

 termination by netting at certain seasons is strongly re com- 

 mended. In the agricultural regions the irrigating ditches 

 destroy millions of trout annually. Sometimes, when the 

 water is turned off suddenly, the fish die or are left to be 

 captured in the dry ditches. The appointment of fish 

 wardens by the Boards of Commissioners of the several 

 counties has not produced very good results, owing to the 

 fact that most of the men dislike to inform on their neigh- 

 bors. The Commissioner praises the ability as a fishcul- 

 turistofthe superintendent of the State hatchery, Mr. E. 

 V. Bogart, aud it is wonderful how with the small sum of 

 81,500 for all expenses, including salaries of two men, the 

 superintendent succeeded in producing about 400,000 trout. 



FLORIDA AND CUBAN FISHERMEN.— Capt. D. E. 

 Collins, of the United States Fish Commission, completed 

 his statistics of the fisheries at Key West Jan. 31, and sailed 

 for Punta Gorda in Charlotte Harbor, Florida. He is now at 

 Tampa. In alluding to his investigations at Key West a 

 prominent newspaper referred to the dissatisfaction of the 

 fishermen with the present fishery relations with Cuba. The 

 duty on fresh fish carried under the American flag to 

 Havana is prohibitory, but Cuban fishermen often fish 

 within the three-mile limit in Florida waters and land 

 them in Havana free of duty. 



INCREASE OF SHAD. — The U. S. Fish Commission has 

 continued the artificial propagation of this species regularly 

 from 1880 to 188S. and the supply has nearly doubled. In 

 1880 the catch from Connecticut to North Carolina was 

 found to be declining; the total number taken was 4,140.986. 

 In 1885 there was an increase of 25 per cent, over 1880; in 

 1886 the gain was 34 per cent.; iu 1887, 62 per cent., and in 

 1S88 it advanced to 85 per cent.; the money value ot the in- 

 creased catch of 1888 compared with that of 1S80 being $704,- 

 500. The number of shad taken in 1888 was 7,000,474. 



CARP FOR MEXICO. — Senior Estevan Chiizari, Fish 

 Commissioner of Mexico, came to Washington recently for 

 the express purpose of obtaining carp and other fishes for 

 acclimatization in his country. Jan. 3 a U. S. Fish Com- 

 mission car took him as far as El Paso with 5,000 carp; from 

 thence he transported them to Mexico, arriving there on the 

 12th with very small loss of fish. The olimate of Mexico 

 promises to he admirably adapted to carp culture. 



