June 27, 1889.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



4 71 



Mr. George Williams wrote under the same date as that 

 of Mr. Massie's letter: 



"The fly sent, down hy you, marked "?" is the best killer 

 I ever saw. They have begun to bite in earnest now, and 

 the sport is great. Massie yesterday took one bass of 

 2Jlbs,, aud one of 1 J, besides G4 of the large-sized bream. 

 Spotswood took one olbs. bass and one 2*lbs. and also 

 tins morning took a 1341b. catfish on his fly-rod.'' 



There would seem to be a conspiracy about that cat- 

 fish. The similarity of accounts rendered is too start- 

 ling. But move about the bass! Under date of May 29 

 Mr. Massie writes again and says: 



"We went out to the lake again Monday, and I landed 

 a bass 13-Vin. long, weighing ailbs. lie had a new light 

 9iu. long in his mouth when caught. He took the brown 

 fly with green body, which we thought would be a good 

 one, when you were here. This is my best black bass 

 this seasou." 



I am glad to make these little excerpts from the let- 

 ters, as ti ey serve to show something more of the quality 

 of the fishing and of the sort of tackle best snited for 

 it. 1 think the fly referred to last above is the same as 

 the one marked "?". 1 did not know the name of it, but 

 my recollection is that it was not very dissimilar to the 

 Cocka-Bonddhu pattern. Doubtless most Western fly- 

 fishers for bass have found a soft brown wing and pea- 

 cock body usually good. From what I know of the 

 tackle used by the" gentlemen referred to, it is evident 

 that the bass mentioned were taken on very light fly- 

 rod^, on single leaders, and hooks cot larger than No. 8. 

 This is pretty fine fishing. On account of the bream, 

 which clo not have so large a mouth as the croppies, a 

 No. 10 hook is really preferred to the No. 8 by the Lake 

 Elterslie anglers. 



It is the bream, after all, which makes the fishing of 

 Lake Ellerslie Club what it is. This fish, I presume, is 

 not known iu the North., and more's the pity. It is 

 abundant throughout the South , and I have taken it in 

 numbers in the Osage Nation of the Indian Territory. It 

 is a stout, sturdy little fish, and ounce for ounce is gamier 

 than the bass, and out of sight a better riser to the fly. 

 The Lake Ellerslie bream rarely reach half a pound, 

 speaking of the catch of this year, but a fish of that 

 weight will strike a fly so fiercely and make so strong and 

 stubborn a run. that the angler who strikes one is almost 

 forced to think he has hung a pound bass at least. Bream 

 fishing is next to trout fishing when the fly only is used, 

 ami It must be a prelty good trout that makes as hard a 

 struggle as these little fellows. Like all of the perch 

 family, these fish seem to lie in schools, and when they 

 begin to bite the fun is fast and furious. The best time 

 for them is .just before sundown, and there is usually half 

 or three-quarters of an hour each day when they rise 

 beautifully. Almost the only difficulty about the Lake 

 Ellerslie fishing is due to the heavy banks of moss and 

 water vegetation which accumulates along the edges in 

 the shallower water. A heavy rain is said to beat this 

 down and cause it to disappear. The bream lie at the 

 edge of this moss, working in toward evening. They are 

 very shy, and the angler must wade very carefully or he 

 will frighten them all away. It takes a long cast to reach 

 them from the. shore, yet Sir. Spotswood, who may once 

 more be referred to as" one of the most persistent and suc- 

 cessful anglers of the club, said that it was better to fish 

 from the shore, as wading out was almost sure to tcare 

 out the largest fish. His creel always seemed to support 

 his theory. 



The favorite flies for the bream seemed to be No 10, 

 professor, Setb-Green, grizzly-king, brown-hackle, black- 

 gnat and 'coachman; and doubtless some of the later flies 

 the buys have got on, of which the prevailing pattern is 

 peacock body and brown wings, and green and silver 

 body to brown wings have been found equally good. 

 White-miller is readily taken at dusk, but should not be 

 much better than coachman, or, indeed, than professor, 

 grizzly-king or any of the models with white or mallard 

 wings. 



Besides the fishes already mentioned there are said to 

 be suckers and redhorse of large size in this wonderfully 

 populous sheet of water. While we were fishing at the 

 rocky bend of the lake near the gate a'fish nearly 3ft. 

 long broke water. It was thought to be either a redhorse 

 or a carp. There are also a few pike in the lake, which 

 fact is much to be regretted. 



It inay easily be seen that Lake Ellerslie Club is by no 

 means playing at fishing, but actually enjoying sport 

 such as is met but rarely under the most favorable natu- 

 ral conditions. Lexington is certainly a town blessed of 

 the gods, and in nothing more than in this quiet and 

 lovely sheet of water, lying fairly at the edge of town, 

 and assuring so large a number of its people a breath of 

 good fresh air and a touch of genuine nature. Often as 

 the drive is made out, between the oak-sown fields of 

 green, and over a road which edges some of the grand 

 old Kentucky places whose homes seem, in their dignified 

 simplicity, to be almost a part of the wide earth and of 

 the spreading trees, the prospect grows in charm, and 

 finds no anti-climax in the easy-lying lake, and in the 

 gentle dropping down of the soft southern twilight; and 

 when night has quite tucked in the landscape with her 

 dusky curtains, and pinned all neatly with her diamond 

 stars'; or when the great luminous southern moon has 

 swam calmly up and smiled beneficently on the earth, 

 what pure delight to ride slowly home, under the great 

 .elms and oaks ."which by this time are whispering to each 

 other as trees only do at night. Why, bliss — I don't know 

 .where it lives if it isn't in Lexington. 



The courtesy and hospitality of the Lake Ellerslie Club 

 are something not to be discussed, but to be accepted 

 silently and as a matter of course. The club is in Ken- 

 tucky. The gentlemen who own the preserve make a 

 great pretense of rigidly reserving its privileges; but, 

 bless you, if a fairly plausible tramp, the raggedest and 

 most pitiable fellow on earth, were to go down there and 

 say, "Here, I haven't had any fishing for so long I forget 

 how it goes," they would say, "My dear sir, go right- 

 ahead: the lake belongs to you, and may you catch every 

 fish that swims in it!" They know how to live in Ken- 

 tucky: because they know what fife means, and recog- 

 nize that it holds some motives and some factors besides 

 those most prominent in the commercial world. They 

 hold somewhat of which we lack in the North. I can- 

 not say one word In disparagement of Northern sports- 

 ;men, as noble men as any; but I must say that any 

 Northern sportsman has not finished his education of the 

 forest and the stream until he has visited this land of 

 Kentucky; for every true Kentuckian is both a gentle- 



man and a sportsman, and Kentucky is full of true Ken- 

 tuckians. 



The following is the list of Lake Ellerslie Club, for 

 which this paper is indebted to the courtesy of Mr. W. 

 S. Cramer, the obliging and efficient superintendent of 

 the club: Pres., Dr. J. W. Whitnev; Vice-Pres., Major 

 II. B. McClellan; Treas., Mr. C. H. Voorhies; Sec, Mr. 

 Theo. Lewis; Directors, Dr. J. W. Whitney, Col. John 

 E. Allen, Mr.' Theo. Lewis. Mr. C. H. Voorhies, Mr. J. II. 

 Norton, Mr. W. S. McChesney, Jr., Gen. Jas. F. Robinson, 

 Major J. II. McClellan, Mr. D. D. Bell. Members, Messrs. 

 Johu Anderson. John P. Anderson, R. F. Anderson, J. E. 

 Anderson, D. D. Bell, W. O. Bullock, C. J. Bronston, W. 

 II. Boswell, O. Lee Bradley. W. D. Bryant, J. L. Barkley, 

 J. M. Bell. J. H. Bryan, T. E. Baird, Win. Bruce, John S. 

 Clark, B. F. Carpenter, T. J. Cassell, T. H. Cassell, J. H. 

 Crutchfield, A. B. Chinn, J. H. Davidson, G. A. DeLong, 

 E. S. De Long, H. F. Duncan, G. W. Diddelock, Pat Far- 

 rell, W. C. Goodloe, E. C. Headly, J. D. Hunt, F. A. Har- 

 rison, R. T. Hollo way, C. H. Harney, J. R. Howard, D. 

 V. Johnson, Alex. Jeffrey, Sr., C. A. Johns, T. D. Kelley, 

 Shelby Kinkead, J. E. Keller, J. M. Kimbaugh, Theo. 

 Lewis, W. J. Loughbridge, Jos. Le Compt, W. H. Lan- 

 deman, Fred Lazarus, H. C. McDowell, W. S. McChesney, 

 Sr., W. S. McChesney, Jr.,T. L. Martin, J. R. Morton, R. 

 C. Morgan, H. B. McClellan, Harry Milward, James Mc- 

 Allister, A. L. Marshal, Robt. McMiohaeL Wm. K. Mas- 

 sie, J. C. Mav, Wm. Mcllhinney, B. McGoffin, John Mc- 

 Fadden, E. M. Norwood, M. G. O'Neil, B. F. Pettit, J. E. 

 Pepper, W. S. Payne, Sr. , C. G. Peck, J. F. Robinson, J. 

 C. Rogers, S. G. Sharp, J. B. Simeall, J. Percy Scott, M. 

 T. Scott, C. F. Simonds, D. T. Safferraus, H. M. Skillman, 

 G. R. Snyder, J. Will Sayre. A. M. Spotswood, J. B. Sel- 

 lers. Wallace Searles, F. P. Scearce, E. P. Shelby, J. F. 

 Slade, L. E. Simmons, H. Shaw, Geo. Shanldin, J. T. 

 Tunis, C. H. Voorhies, J. W. Whitney, Jos. H. Woolf ork, 

 John Woolfork, S. 0. Williams, B. F. Williams, Mat. Wal- 

 ton, Win. P. Welsh, R. L. Willis, J. B. Wallace, M. C. 

 Olford, Wm. Preston. E. Hough. 



rrr> Monroe Street, Chicago, June 3. 



WORSE THAN THE HEATHEN. 



MACON, Ga.— Editor Forest and Stream: Your cor- 

 respondent asks why bass do not take the fly here. 

 It must be because he has not made the proper advances. 

 They take the fly for others from April to November, 

 October being the best month. 



We have only the large-mouthed bass, and my experi- 

 ence with them is that more can be caught anywhere on 

 live bait and trolls than with the fly. Besides the bass 

 the bream, white perch and red-breasted perch will take 

 the fly, but only in the spring and fall. The small- 

 mouttied bass is abundant in north Georgia, and his 

 habits are the same as elsewhere. Brook trout will also 

 take the fly in north Georgia if 125 to a rod in one day is 

 any indication. 



The great mistake that our local anglers make in their 

 efforts at fly-fishing are the following: First, there is an 

 abiding belief that if the water is too clear fish will not 

 bite. The truth is that our waters are seldom clear 

 enough to afford good fly-fishing. Second, that if the 

 windis blowing at all it is a misfortune; the reverse being 

 the fact. Third, the selection of flies and tackle is usually 

 poor, and very few can handle what they have. The use 

 of rod and reel is a new departure here, and five years 

 ago this tackle could not be had in the city. Fishing is 

 not good enough to draw Adsiting anglers. Consequently 

 our local meu are only just emerging from the rut that 

 they have been in for generations. 



The above is simply an introduction to what is of more 

 importance to our anglers than whether bass will take 

 the fly or not. If things go on as they are at present, in 

 a few years there will be not a fish here to rise to Gabriel's 

 horn, much less to a fly. 



If there is a law of any description in this State to pro- 

 tect fish I plead ignorance of it. Ninety-five per cent, of 

 the fish are taken from their beds. I do not now refer 

 to the market-fishers, but to all of our anglers. No Ash- 

 ing party thinks of starting out except in the bedding 

 season, and usually then after having located a bed. 

 What cannot be taken by book and line are (hen seined 

 or shot, if the water is lo w enough, and if not dynamite 

 is freely used. 



Fyke-nets are put in alL streams that are small enough; 

 gill-nets in all ponds; trot-lines, gourds and tin cans are 

 available at all times. I know of 1,700 brook trout being 

 taken from one stream in a day last October by one party 

 of seiners. A friend just returned from a fishing trip 

 informs me that they located the red-breasted perch bed 

 in such shallow water that the fish would not bite, but 

 that bushels of them were killed with shotguns. Our 

 fishing streams and ponds are all small. The fish cannot 

 "stand the racket", Were it not for an occasional inac- 

 cessible sw^amp they would would have been extermin- 

 ated by this time. 



What I say of fish is true in regard to game. I have 

 seen quail on a hotel table in May of this year. Most of 

 the deer are killed in May and June. A friend of mine, 

 who probably kills more deer than any man in the State, 

 told me in conversation not long since that in dressing 

 does he had often seen the fawn sufficiently developed to 

 stand up after the doe was opened — propagation of deer 

 by Caasarian section. Most turkeys are killed in April 

 and May. The same holds true of squirrels. This is not 

 half. I could give page after page of the same descrip- 

 tion. 



In rather a rambling life I have never seen even 

 among savages the utter disregard for natural laws and 

 animal life that exists in middle Georgia. The conse- 

 quence is that in a thinly settled country that should 

 abound in game hunting is comparatively poor. 



I hope that your circulation is large enough in this 

 State to help u-> out a little. There have been several 

 spasmodic efforts at protection, but thus far with no 

 result. We have a f ew men who are ready and anxious 

 to change the existing condition of affairs, so give us 

 what help you can. Bream. 



The Amphion Fishing Club, at Goose Creek, men- 

 tioned in last week's paper on "Fishing Near New York," 

 is made up of Brooklyn business men, not of New 

 Yorkers. 



Elmira, N. Y., June 23. — The Anglers' Club will make 

 an excursion about July 20 to Bala, Simcoe county, On- 

 tario, which reports say is an excellent point for black 

 bass and muscalonge fishing. — Fin. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



CHICAGO, June 18.— Everybody who goes out brings 

 back fish. Messrs. Burton 'and Gillespie caught 

 seventy odd black bass, wall-eyed pike and silver bass at 

 Lake Winnebago last Saturday. They report the fishing 

 all that could be asked, and the accommodations good, at 

 $2 50 per day. 



Fox Lake is affording good sport. The inexhaustible 

 breeding grounds of Grass Lake keep the whole chain 

 supplied. There have been numbers of 3 and 4-pound 

 bass taken at Fox Lake and the lakes adjoining this 

 spring. 



Mr. Fred'C. Donald is trying to get a friend or so to go 

 with him down to Cedar Lake on the C. & A. road. He 

 is the general passenger agent of that road, and the boys 

 won't believe his fish stories. 



I have as yet heard nothing from the Gammon, party 

 who went up after mascallonge, but they should bo back 

 soon. 



Mr. John Soderberg, of Blomgren Bros., is at Si 1 vet- 

 Lake for a week or so, and is having all the sport in the 

 world. The Wisconsin lakes have a great many happy 

 visitors right now. 



In a late Cincinnati trip I went across the river into 

 Kentucky, and in the course of a five-mile drive saw 

 several artificial ponds said to be abundantly stocked with 

 game fish. This is very common in Kentucky. There is 

 hardly a pond of any size, in some parts of the State, 

 which has not been well planted, and some of these ponds, 

 being of natural beauty of surroundings, offer very pleas- 

 ant and successful sport. The fish most planted in the 

 farm ponds are carp and "new-fights" (croppies). It 

 doesn't take a very large pond for the fish in that country 

 of springs and living water. 



June 19. — Mr. Robert S. Day, a prominent attorney of 

 Pittsburgh, Pa., is in the city to-day and is outfitting 

 heavily for the Lake Superior country, where he will fish 

 for some time. The Lake Superior waters are attracting 

 a great many anglers now. An English party numbering 

 several gentlemen and led by Mr. M. C. Inglis, have been 

 stopping at the Palmer House here for several days pur- 

 chasing outfit for a trip to Superior. They start to-day 

 on the steamer Taylor, which they have chartered for the 

 cruise. A part of their outfit was 1,500 heavy rifle car- 

 tridges. It is not plain what they wish of these at this 

 season of the year, unless they deliberately aud English ly 

 intend to break the game laws. 



Mr. J. M. Clark, of the Wilkinson Company, last Mon- 

 day brought in six black bass whose aggregate weight 

 was 23^1bs. The fish were caught in one clay's fishing at 

 Loon Lake, a few miles above Lake Villa, on the Wiscon- 

 sin Central. The entire catch was eleven bass, all taken 

 by bait-casting, of course; but following the growing cus- 

 tom of a few of our crack anglers, Mr. Clark returned to 

 the water all the bass weighing less than 3!bs. When I 

 think of such fishing as we are having out here right 

 along, and thinking nothing of it, and then reflect on the 

 poor people who live anywhere else but here, I just feel 

 sorry for them. Chicago is the greatest single sporting 

 city in America. 



I think Mr. Hearth is wrong when he claims his lOlbs. 

 3oz. bass is the largest bass ever authentically recorded. 

 He offers a fine Meek reel for anybody who wdl bring in 

 a larger one, and some day he will just about lose his 

 reel. Mr. Hearth insists that his bass is a smali-inouth. 



E. Hough. 



KEEPING LIVE BAIT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



We in New England have but a short season in which 

 to use the artificial fly in taking the noble black bass. 

 The time is near at hand when we must use the minnow 

 in casting or for live bait in still-fishing. I have particular 

 reference to northern New England. 



In past years I have been much troubled to keep the 

 delicate minnow alive during the day. To learn the 

 trade, I obtained two small thermometers. With one I 

 took the temperature of the water from which the min- 

 nows were taken. I took into the bucket some of the 

 same water with the minnows, and put in new mown 

 grass to prevent the swash and injury of the fish. Then 

 placing the bucket having the minnows and grass in my 

 carriage, and also a few small pieces of ice rolled in a 

 thick cloth, I started on a drive of three miles to Long 

 Pond for black bass. If the second thermometer told me 

 the atmosphere was cooler than the water where I had 

 taken the minnows I had no further care of them till the 

 end of the drive. There I took out the grass, put into the 

 bucket fresh water, and with all the requisites in the boat 

 started on my excursion for black bass. If the atmos- 

 phere grew wanner I put into the bucket a small piece of 

 the ice to keep the temperature of the water the same as 

 it was in the morning. Occasionally I took from the 

 bucket some of the water and poured in some fresh from 

 the pond which Avas of the right temperature, and aerated 

 the water. 



The first tiling in this whole business is temperature, 

 the second is aeration, perhaps the thud is to prevent 

 swash and injury to the little fry. 



When one has become accustomed to the thing, ther- 

 mometers are not needed, the hand is sufficient. But a 

 change of 5° or 10° of temperature is sure death to the bait. 



I do not use a bucket with an inner wire one. I mnch 

 prefer, when I wish for a bait to take him out with a 

 miniature dip net about as large as the hand, and not to 

 harm all the minnows in the tank by pulling them out of 

 water. By practicing the method I have described I did 

 not lose one minnow in thirty in nine hours' use. 



If the temperature is observed minnows can be kept in 

 an air-t%ht can for a week or longer. It is useless to 

 deny it. I have assisted in the experiment and watched 

 them from day to day, and know it is so. But tempera- 

 ture must be kept uniform as in the method I have spoken 

 of in an open can. 



Last August I explored in Kennebec county, Maine, for 

 crawfish, and am certain they may be found in localities 

 not before reported. They are another good bait for 

 black bass. The greed of anglers is fast extinguishing 

 the beautiful trout of Maine, but in the water sheds of 

 the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers the brave black 

 bass and the toothsome white perch will fully fi 11 their 

 place. J. W. T. 



Boston. 



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

 Mfrs., Si Commercial st., Boston, or 199 Fulton st., N. Y.— Adv. 



