300 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 2, 1889. 



MAINE ANGLING PROSPECTS. 



THE promises for an early trout season at the Maine 

 lakes are more favorable. The season is unusually 

 early, and though at the present writing the ice is not 

 yet out of the Androscoggin Lakes [the Rangeleys], yet 

 the indications are that they will be cleared earlier than 

 usual. The ice can hold in Umbagog but a few days 

 longer, so the reports say, and this lake is the first one of 

 the Androscoggins to clear. Capt. Farrar has gone down 

 to his place at Cambridge, N. H., in order to be there as 

 soon as the lakes are clear. He told me last evening that 

 he expected to hear that the ice had gone out of Umba- 

 gog. This is at least two weeks earlier than for many 

 years, this lake not usually clearing before the 12th of 

 May. He will start his steamers on their regular trips 

 up the lake to Sunday Cove, and the team will be put on 

 to the Middle Dam" at once. Thus those desirous of 

 reaching the Narrows, Richardson Lake, for the early 

 fishing can do so. The Narrows are doubtless already 

 clear, as the ice is always very thin there, and goes out a 

 week or two before it does in the lake, either above or 

 below. The fishing at the Narrows, before the ice is out 

 of the rest of the lakes, is something about which big 

 stories are told. 



A report last evening said that the ice was out of Moose- 

 head, but I am not able to confirm the statement, though 

 doubtless the lake will be clear in a few days. There will 

 be a grand rusli for the early fishing at the outlet as soon 

 as the ice is out. Weld Pond is clear of ice, but at last 

 accounts the landlocked salmon fishing had not been up 

 to expectations. It is evident that the smelts have not 

 I egun to run. as this event always ruarks the season of 

 greatest success with the landlockers. Thei-e has 

 been considerable fishing in the streams of Maine, and 

 some full creels have been made, but after ail the water 

 has been unusually low in the southern part of the State 

 and trout fishing not much of a success. It is this season 

 that a curious feature of the Maine fish laws comes into 

 play. The .statute provides for an annual close time be- 

 tween the first day of October and the first day of May, 

 but provides that inhabitants of the State may take trout 

 and landlocked salmon during February, March and 

 April and convey to their own homes. Usually this law 

 is operative only as to fishing tlrrough the ice, which 

 fishing has been pushed to a shameful excess this year, 

 for the streams are rarely open before the first of May. 

 But this year there has been a good deal of opportunity 

 for fishing through April, and the practical working of 

 the law is the same as it would be if the open season 

 begun on the first day of February, except that fishermen 

 from out of the State are debarred from fishing till the 

 first of May. There is a good deal of dissatisfaction con- 

 cerning this clause of the law, expressed by sportsmen 

 who have annually visited Maine for a number of years. 

 The feeling is that the lakes and streams are being 

 thoroughly stripped by this winter and spring fishing, and 

 the danger to Maine is that the attention of these sportsmen 

 will be turned to other waters. Indeed, the Ingle wood 

 Club, with waters and leases in New Bruuswick, is prom- 

 ising to be very popular with many Boston sportsmen 

 who have been in the habit of visiting Maine on former 

 seasons. A gentleman was saying to me the other day 

 that he was tired of hearing of* ice fishing in Maine, and 

 now that streams were being stripped before the first day 

 of May, he had made up his mind to desert Maine alto- 

 gether and become a member of some New Brunswick 

 club. But the latest report from the Maiue trout fisher- 

 men, those who dwell in the State, indicate that they are 

 waiting anxiously for the ice to clear from the Andros- 

 coggin Lakes. At Lewiston, Paris and Norway the trout 

 fishermen have their tackle all ready for an early start 

 for Richardson Lake as soon as the ice gets out. But their 

 enthusiasm is not generally shared in by Boston sports- 

 men. Even among those who are usually waiting and 

 waiting for the ice to start from the great trout lakes, I 

 have scarcely heard the subject mentioned yet. It is too 

 early, and busy merchants, who annually expect to go 

 afishing the last days of May and early in June, can 

 hardly get ready to start the first of May. 



Salmon fishing at Bangor has not proved to be much of 

 a success this year, though the opening was very early 

 and a few are being taken. Mr. Fred Ayer is keeping 

 some Boston sportsmen posted, and as soon as he tele- 

 graphs them that the salmon are rising rapidly, they will 

 take the next train for Bangor. Special. 



FISHING ON THE WEST COAST. 



WE have had three winter trips of fishing and hunt- 

 ing on the west coast of Florida. The first, from 

 Cedar Keys to Sarasota Bay, was a failure, being too far 

 north for winter fishing, and there are so many inhabit- 

 ants along the coast that there is but very little game to 

 be got. The second trip we went south as far as Cape 

 Romano, and were quite successful in fishing. An ac- 

 count of this excursion was printed in your paper last 

 June. Last winter we extended our trip further south, to 

 Rogers Kiver, the most southern part of the Ten Thou- 

 sand Islands, which was the place we had fixed upon to 

 begin our winter Bports, and to cruise northward among 

 those islands, as would suit our convenience. 



Rogers River empties into the Gulf through a cove or 

 bay of quite shoal water, interspersed with numerous 

 oyster reefs and with plenty of feeding ground for the 

 vast number of fish that inhabit these waters. Mangrove 

 snappers, groupers, cavallia, jew, redfish and catfish 

 fairly swarm along the coast, and sharks soon make 

 known their pretence. There we found numerous tarpon, 

 which readily took the bait, as did the other fish. We 

 then worked our way by a very narrow, crooked and 

 shoal channel, through the oyster reefs that extend 

 entirely across the mouth, until we reached the river 

 proper. There we found water from ten to fifteen feet 

 dee]). In some places we could not reach bottom with 

 our setting poles. We went inland some fifteen miles in 

 the hope of reaching the mainland, where we could find 

 game, but we were disappointed in this, as the river 

 heads in the open everglades, where we saw no signs of 

 either ducks or deer. Successful hunting is done on the 

 mainland. 



On the flats at the mouth of the river there were a 

 great many small blackhead ducks, of which the people 

 of the United States Coast Survey, who were located 

 there surveying, shot a great many; but there are no 

 large ducks or geese. The surveyors had also killed a 

 number of deer on the islands. This river seems to be 

 but a long, deep, narrow gink, and is fresh water, bor- 

 dered cm hotli sides with, raaiigrove, There are some. 



hammocks of fertile land, which, we found to our sur- 

 prise, in that out-of-the-way place, are farmed. Toma- 

 toes and other truck crops are cultivated, shippped to 

 Key West, thence to New York in the winter. The river 

 abounds in fresh-water fish, but I did not see one tarpon 

 in it, nor did I ever see one in fresh water. 



From Rogers River we cruised among the islands, be- 

 ginning at Pavilion Keys. They are mostly low man- 

 grove islands, which are overflowed by the tide. Some 

 of them are larger and higher, and some have hammocks, 

 where deer may be found. It was too hot for us to do 

 much hunting, 75° to 90° in the 3hade, in the sun as 

 high as 116°. Hot as it was, strange to say, we kept some 

 venison for two weeks without any sign of being spoiled, 

 nor were we troubled much with mosquitoes or insects. 



I saw but little apparent difference between these and 

 other clusters of islands and inner bays along the south- 

 ern coast. I have been informed that, some vears ago, 

 these islands were the home of the plume birds of South 

 Florida, but the plume bird hunters have nearly destroyed 

 them. The flamingo is no longer seen there. There are 

 a very few game birds, and most of them are willet. In 

 all channels smail fish are abundant and readily take bait. 

 I call all fish small except tarpon. In the shoal bays that 

 have a lead of deep water from the main channels, tar- 

 pon are numerous at favorable tides, and can be caught 

 with hook and line. The same may be said of the islands, 

 bays and fishing from Gordon's Pass to Rogers River. 



Gordon's Pass bounds a point of mainland on the 

 south which extends to the Gulf, where the city of 

 Naples is being built, and where the Ten Thousand 

 Islands are said to begin, and ends at Rogers River, (lie 

 whole of which appears to be the winter home of the 

 tarpon. There are tarpon in the waters of Oyster and 

 Carlos bays. Quite a number were caught there last 

 winter, but I did not see one here to a hundred that I 

 saw south of G ordon's P ass. P. 



Late School of Spawning Cod!— Capt. J. W. Col- 

 lins has just received a letter from Capt. Stephen J. Mar- 

 tin, of Gloucester, Mass., announcing the arrival off Cape 

 Ann about April 20, of a very extensive school of large 

 gravid cod, the two sexes being about equally divided, 

 and most of the females being ready to spawn. The 

 bulk of the catch has been made about five miles to the 

 southeast of Norman's Woe, at the entrance to Gloucester 

 Harbor. On Saturday, April 21, fifteen small open boats 

 with two men each and a trawl of 1,000 hooks took a 

 total of 27,0001bs. of cod; one boat caught 3,0001bs., the 

 fish averaging 24lbs. each as they came from the water. 

 Some of the little vessels, of ten "to fifteen tons, with six 

 or eight men in the crew, took as much as S,0001bs. in a 

 single day. Il is the opinion of the fishermen that this 

 school of cod has followed in a school of herring which 

 has recently appeared around Cape Ann and yielded 

 large catches in the trap at Kettle Island, near the mouth 

 of Gloucester Harbor. Two years ago a similar school 

 of cod came in off Gloucester about this time of the year 

 and remained until after the middle of May. some of the 

 boats making their best catches about May 10. 



Safety-pin Fish Stringer.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: Before reading Mr, Lilly's article on the "fish 

 stringer," I had been experimenting with numerous de- 

 vices to secure a good stringer, and came to the conclu- 

 sion that the large safety -pin, usually used for fastening 

 shawls or blankets, would do; so procuring a couple of 

 dozen of the largest that I could find I knotted them on 

 a good strong cord a couple of inches apart and believe 

 that it will make a good stringer. They are easily pro- 

 cured, easily used and perfectly secure, as after the fish 

 is strung it serves to lock the pin. The pins I use are 

 3^in. long. Let the brethren try and report. — Koshee 

 (Gravenhurst, Ont., April 16). 



Seines, Nsts of every description. American Net & Twine Co., 

 Mfra., 34 Commercial st., Boston, or 199 Fulton st„ N. Y.—Adv. 



Mxficnlinre, 



VIRGINIA FISH COMMISSION. 



THE annual report of the Superintendent of Fisheries 

 for the year ending Dec. 31, 1888, announces the com- 

 pletion and partial equipment of a new hatching station 

 for salt-water fishes on the eastern shore of Virginia. Tne 

 State now has two permanent hatcheries, one of them de- 

 voted to rearing salmon, trout, grayling, redeye, black bass 

 and other fresh-water fishes. This establishment is leased 

 to the U. S. Fish Commission, which pays a yearly rental 

 and furnishes a certain supply of young 'fishes' for Virginia 

 streams. The superintendent, Mr. John T. Wilkins, Jr., 

 has begun to investigate the fisheries in the tidal waters of 

 the commonwealth, fie finds a perceptible decrease in the 

 average yield of traps and seines, and a falling off in the 

 size and weight of the fish caught. The aggregate yield of 

 the fisheries in 1888 slightly exceeded the product of preced- 

 ing years, but this was secured by a greatly increased num- 

 ber "of traps, with a corresponding increase, in the number 

 of men and the amount of capital employed. Pound-nets, 

 which were not used before 1875, now occupy most of the 

 available locations on both sides of Chesapeake Bay. In 

 1880 the number of pound-nets in Virginia waters was 162. 

 The value of the fish caught, including menhaden, was 

 §900,0(38. In 1883 the number of pound-nets had increased 

 to 412, and the catch, including menhaden, was valued at 

 $1,258,576. The number of pound-nets operated in 1888 was 

 about 550, and their product, including menhaden, was 

 worth about §1,265,000. This shows conclusively that the 

 Virginia fisheries are on the decline, and the superintendent 

 carefully studied the means of arresting this decline. He 

 would not restrict the number of fishermen, nor establish a 

 close season covering the spawning period, but recommends 

 that the State encourage the artificial propagation of Sal- 

 monicke and Cyprintdcc in streams and ponds, and make 

 liberal appropriations for hatching aud protecting the 

 marine and anadromous fishes which constitute the chief 

 objects of the fishery in the tide water section, 

 ^_ The menhaden industry, though of comparatively recent 

 origin, has grown rapidly in the last decade. In 1880 the 

 business was carried on by 102 sailing vessels, and the total 

 yield was 88,213,800 pounds of fish which sold for §320,589. 

 The fleet in 1S8S numbered 180 sailing vessels and 17 steam- 

 ers; the industry gave employment to over 6.000 persons, and 

 its product is estimated at a value of §450,000. ' 'There seems 

 to be no limit to the supply of these ubiquitous fish, the 

 annual catch varying year after year with conditions not 

 well understood." 



The oyster industry in Virginia is still very important, 

 but is diminishing in value owing to illegal tongmg and 

 dredging. In 1886 the business employed 18,064 persons, and 

 the capital invested was §1,361,106; the* number of bushels of 

 oysters caught and sold was 6,837,320. The earnings and 

 wages amounted to §8.135,923, In lt87 the capital invested! 



was SI ,400,000; the earnings and wages amounted to $2,968,- 

 840; the number of bushels obtained and sold was 5,400,000, 

 and 15,700 persons were employed. In a short time the Vir- 

 ginia people will be forced to cultivate the oyster according 

 to the system adopted and successfully applied by Connecti- 

 cut. Rhode Island and New York. At present the uncertain 

 tenure of planting grounds prevents the development of the 

 industry. 



The shipping of crabs and crab meat has become a valu- 

 able enterprise, in many localities assuming ereater propor- 

 tions than the oyster trade. The products of the canneries 

 find their way now to markets beyond the Mississippi. 



The new hatchery, known as the Glebe Hatchery, is on 

 the eastern shore, between Hungar's and Nassawadux 

 creeks. This location is convenient to the pounds and traps 

 taking the largest lifts of Spanish mackerel, which is the 

 species principally sought after for purposes of artificial 

 propagation. The spawning season of the Spanish mackerel 

 usually opens in Virginia, waters about June 21 and lasts 

 until the end of August, or rarely as late as Sept. 10, the 

 greatest number of ripe fish arriving from July 1 to Aug. 15. 

 In 1888 the best run of fish passed up the bay from June 10 

 to 25 and as this was close season forpoundnets the hatchery 

 could not secure the eggs until a later run of smaller fish 

 came along; 4,000,000 eggs were secured, but the percentage 

 of fertilized ova was smaller than was expected. 



"It was observed that during the prevalence of east, north- 

 east and north winds the run of Spanish mackerel, bluefish, 

 pompa.no and trout (weak fish) materially decreased below 

 the average, while on the other hand, during west and south- 

 west winds, the catch was above the average. The largest 

 lifts were taken, however, immediately after a west or 

 northwest gale. Menhaden or alewives are observed by the 

 lookout vessels to be more abundant, in moderately calm 

 weather, with southwest or westerly winds. Easterly 

 winds do not seem to injuriously affect the in-shore catch of 

 menhaden." 



Mr. Wilkins recommends that the prohibition of pound 

 net aud fyke net fishing duriug the month of June be dis- 

 continued, as it entails a loss to the fishermen of §50,000 

 annually. 



THE MENHADEN INDUSTRY. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I have noticed the communication by Mr. L. Maddocks in 

 your issue of the 11th instant, and particularly the unwar- 

 ranted criticism therein of my aim with reference to the 

 menhaden question. Surely no word of mine is open to 

 such stricture. I have censured no one for defeudiug the 

 nieuhaden fisheries. I have, however, deemed it in place to 

 publicly refer to certain contradictions and inconsistencies 

 in the statements of some writers on the subject, to the eud 

 that a fair understanding of the matter might prevail. For 

 example, if I should contrast the statements in Mr. Mad- 

 docks's present articlethat "neitheris menhaden the depend- 

 ence of the coast fisherman as a bait supply," and ''Herring 

 * * * are now considered a better bait and are used in 

 preference to menhaden," with that attributed to him at 

 Augusta the past winter, and deemed reliable, that ''as a 

 bait supply these menhaden are invaluable," I certainly 

 ought not to be charged with censuring him. 



On the other hand, when he remarks, with reference to 

 menhaden, that "we become fully convinced that the opera- 

 tions of man with all his appliances has not, cannot and 

 will not ever perceptibly diminish their numbers," and then 

 states that "in support of the assertion we have the testi- 

 mony of the highest scientific authority," I take issue with 

 him. Ichthyologists have contrasted the enormous quanti- 

 ties of menhaden consumed by predaceous fishes, etc., with 

 the comparatively limited number taken by man; but I ven- 

 ture to assert that they are not on record as stated by Mr. 

 Maddocks. 



For ray views as to the departure of the menhaden from 

 the region beyond Cape Cod ten years since, and their return 

 in 188S, I refer Mr. Maddocks to your issue of Nov. 29 last. 

 Furthermore, I will put this prediction on record on this 

 point: If the menhaden steamers defer their operations this 

 year to the same date they did in 1S88, the Maine coast will 

 abound with menhaden the coming June. I go further. It 

 is my belief that a conjoined time and distance limit applit d 

 by law to seining menhaden, will be of inestimable benefit 

 to the fisheries of the Atlantic coast. 



As to the sentiment expressed by your correspondent, that 

 there should be no restrictive fish laws, the view is utterly 

 repugnant to the enlightened tendencies of the day. 



I refer with hesitancy to two statements made by Mr. 

 Maddocks which I quote in full: No. 1. "Another delusion 

 Mr. Martin is laboring under (which is common to many 

 writers) is that menhaden as they swim are food for any 

 food fish on our coast." No. 2. "Investigation has proved 

 conclusively that few food fish have the ability to prey upon 

 the menhaden or subsist upon it as a daily food." If Mr. 

 Maddocks will allow me I will make a correct application 

 of "scientific authority," and quote from Prof. Goode, with 

 whose statements I leave him to square his own. Says the 

 Professor: "All the large carnivorous fishes feed' upon 

 them, namely: The pollock, the whiting, the striped bass, 

 the cod, the squeteague and the garfish are savage foes. The 

 swordfish and the bayonet fish destroy many. The bluefish 

 and bonito are, however the most destructive enemies." 

 Are the above enumerated fleet-finned fishes without ability 

 to prey on the defenseless menhaden ? 



Mr. Maddocks closes thus: "In view of all the facts the 

 unprejudiced mind must conclude that the only proper use 

 for the menhaden is to be converted into oil and guano." 



Let me state that high authority, in alluding to the char- 

 acteristics of the menhaden, states that its legitimate mis- 

 sion is to he eaten. 



In conclusion let me assure Capt. D. T. Church, apropos 

 of his article in your issue of the 18th inst., that writers 

 favorable to the food fish interests do not argue that men- 

 haden are in process of extermination, but that the men- 

 haden steamers do either catch up almost entirely the in 

 shore schools, or drive them out to sea. Capt. Church's re- 

 ference to the large run of menhaden in 1888 and the 

 profitable season of the menhaden men resulting therefrom, 

 and his bold offer to prove the facts, were wholly anticipated 

 in my article in Forest and Stream Nov. 29' last. In his 

 last article he states that "since 1880 the striped bass * * * 

 have given direct testimony that they can look out for them- 

 selves by coming back in great numbers after long periods 

 of scarcity." In an article of February, 1888, he states: 

 "Striped bass have been absent several years." 



To the menhaden men in general it may not be out of 

 place to remark that the fishermen and anglers aspire to no 

 dominion, they seek no supremacy. They believe that in the 

 interest of food fishes and of the whole people themenhadm 

 must be protected by man against man. Arthur Martin. 

 Washington, April 20. 



FISH PROTECTION IN CALIFORNIA. — By an act of 

 the California Legislature approved March 4, 1889, section 

 635 of the Penal Code was amended to read as follows: 635. 

 Every person who places or allows to pass into any of the 

 waters of this State any lime, gas, tar, cocculus indicus, saw- 

 dust or any substance deleterious to fish, is guilty of a mis- 

 demeanor. Any person who shall catch, take or carry away 

 any trout or other fish from any stream, pond or reservoir, 

 belonging to any person or corporation, without the consent 

 of the owner thereof, which stream, pond or reservoir has 

 been stocked with fish by hatching therein eggs or spawn, 

 or by placing the same therein, is guilty of a misdemeanor. 

 Sec. 2. This act shall take effect on and after the first, day of 

 September, 18§g, ' mi ... 



