48 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[ Aug, 8, 1839. 



VANCOUVER ISLAND FISH AND FISHING 



DURING these hot days of the middle of July the 

 markets of Victoria, apparantly as destitute of ice 

 as the Clay street fish market of San Francisco, are sup- 

 plied with' about the same kinds of fishes as one finds in 

 California — several species of flounders, including the 

 halibut, whiting (Microgadns pro.rimns), cultus cod 

 (sometimes incorrectly styled black cod), rock trout 

 (species of Hexagrammus), rock cod (several species of 

 Sebastichfhys), perch (various genera of the viviparous 

 Embiotueoids), salmon, salted eulachon and fresh stur- 

 geon. 



In the dry dock at Esquimalt many of the harbor fishes 

 enter while the water is running in, and sometimes fail 

 to escape When the pumping is done. At one time a sup- 

 ply of black bass (Sebastichthys melanops) more than 

 sufficient for all the town, was captured, and the removal 

 of the surplus caused a good deal of trouble. Anchovies, 

 locally known as sardines, are swimming about the 

 wharves, continually expanding and closing their capa- 

 cious gills, wandering gregariously in undulating lines or 

 imperfect circles, frequently breaching out of water in 

 silvery dashes to escape the attacks of concealed enemies, 

 and gradually showing a state of decimation which fore- 

 shadows their approaching end. Lazily loafing in the 

 sbadcw of a landing may be seen the despised raffish, or 

 rabbit fish {Cliimmm colliei), whose only functions seem 

 to be to look grotesque and annoy the expectant angler. 

 The diligent small boy is here, but he is not catching sun- 

 fish and catfish, nor cunners and eels; his string, when he 

 carries one, contains sculpins (Arte-dvus), viviparous perch 

 (Embiotocoida) and rock trout (Hexagram mux). His older 

 brother is out in a boat, fishing with annelides and tube 

 worms for what he calls whiting, but we would name it 

 tomcod, for it is the Microgadns proximus in California 

 and northward to Alaska. Or he may be trolling for 

 silver salmon, which means any of the large-scaled spe- 

 cies in the sea-run condition; we bought a fine chinnook, 

 or quinnat, from a fisherman who supposed he had a 

 genuine silver salmon. We were assured that salmon 

 will not take the fly about Esquimalt, and that smelt will 

 not accept bait. 



Nanaimo River at this time is lined with dead salmon. 

 Speckled trout are said to be very scarce in the river, but 

 the chain of lakes through which its headwaters flow is 

 well supplied with trout. Anglers who drive out about 

 nine miles f rom Nanaimo report excellent fishing. Some 

 of the fishermen use grasshoppers or fresh beef or mut< on 

 for bait; others fie their own flies, using grouse feathers. 

 It is said that almost any kind of artificial fly will prove 

 successful. The Nanaimo is a rapid stream/with many 

 rocks intermingled with sand. 



AN OFF DAY ON THE BOARDMAN. 



DURING the latter part of May last I shouldered rod 

 and creel and started down the North Branch of 

 the Boarduian River. I had not been down the stream 

 and knew nothing of its fishing grounds. I started in 

 just below the village of Kalkaska. My first dip in the 

 stream rewarded me with a 15in. trout. "Well, now," 

 thought I to myself, "why have I not come down here 

 before to-day?" I went on down the stream through the 

 thick growth of willows: so dense were they that I 

 could get to the stream only at intervals of ten to twenty 

 rod3 apart. The water was high from the recent rains, 

 and I found it a difficult task to fish along the stream 

 through this patch of willows, so I walked on down to 

 the cedars. Here I struck in again, taking out a nice 

 trout here and there; but I found it very hard work to 

 get through those cedars that had blown down or washed 

 into the stream, and at some places completely damming 

 the stream by a jam of driftwood and cedar trees, form- 

 ing a mass so dense one could wade the stream only here 

 and there. But I wanted to explore this fishing ground 

 further down. 



I came to one of these places filled with driftwood and 

 attempted to climb over it. I had got near the top, 

 which was about twelve feet high, when a limb I was 

 standing on broke, letting me drop some four feet be- 

 tween the logs. I was climbing over when a stub of a 

 limb caught hold of the seat of my pants, and there I 

 was suspended in mid-air; and yet I was firmly wedged 

 in between the logs, my feet within three or four feet of 

 the water, but touched, nothing, and when I attempted 

 to draw myself up by my hands there was a snag that 

 caught my back and prevented me from raising my 

 body. Here I was, all alone except for my dog; he 

 walked out to where I was imjjrisoned and seemed to 

 want to aid me if possible. The mosquitoes seemed to 

 know 1 was in a trap, and accompanied by a dozen or 

 more sand flies they just pecked in to me as though that 

 was their only and last chance. But what could I do? I 

 laughed as I struggled to free myself from the prison I 

 was in. At last the limb that held me by the seat of my 

 pants gave way, and down I went into the water up to 

 my arms, besides nearly losing one of my eyes by a limb 

 gouging me as I dropped between the logs. 



Of course I did not attempt to get any trout there, as I 

 had frightened them so badly they would not show them- 

 selves for some time. But just below this place was 

 another mass of driftwood and brash, and here I got ten 

 beautiful trout. I followed on down and came to a jam 

 of cedars and driftwood some fifteen or eighteen fe#. 

 high, and just below it was a grand place to catch some 

 nice trout, but there was no way to get to it, only to get 

 up on top of the huge pile and fish off from it. I suc- 

 ceeded, in climbing up to the top. My boots were full of 

 water, which makes any one so clumsy hi climbing over 

 a mass like this. Standing on the very top of this pile 

 and letting out a long line, I dropped my hook in bet ween 

 some logs and succeeded in fastening to a pound trout. 

 I got him out of the water and nearly up to where I stood 

 when the snell broke and down went my prize into the 

 stream again. Putting on another hook 1 drop in and get 

 another trout equally as large and beautiful as the first; 

 but he was not so 'securely hooked and he got away. 

 Again I dropped into the same place and felt a wriggling 

 at the hook. I struck, and I flunk had a very large trout 

 from the way he pulled, but just then I lost my balance 

 and had to jump right into the very place I was fishing 

 in. I could only shut my eyes and not try to save 

 myself, as there was nothing to grasp hold of. I landed 

 in this mess of logs, sticks and leaves, barking shins, 

 bruising my knees and legs, scratching my hands and 

 face and breaking my rod. T thanked my stars that I < 



was not killed. I crawled out of this jungle, and after 

 fixing my rod started on. 



I came to a marshy place where there were no logs 

 in the stream, but a dense growth of willows on either 

 side of the river; and as the river was out of its banks on 

 both sides there was only one way to get to a deep dark 

 looking hole a few rods below and that was to get into 

 the stream and wade down to it. This I did, and at the 

 first cast a big fish took my hook, which caused the tip 

 of my rod to bend almost double. I could not fetch him 

 to the top of the water for a long time, and when he did 

 come it was with a fearful rush, springing about two feet 

 out of water. Then he dashed back and forth, to one 

 side of the stream, and then down, then up. I played 

 him for fully ten minutes,when he seeming] v gave up and 

 I stretched forth my hand to take him in. With a 

 mighty rush he started up stream, then whirled and 

 went down like a streak of lightning. I checked him 

 and he dove down and succeeded in winding the line 

 around a projecting root out of my sight about two feet 

 under water and snapped my line "in two. Oh, what luck 

 I was having. I put on a fresh hook and dropped in 

 again, and I either hooked eight different large trout and 

 lost all but two or else I caught the same one more than 

 once. However, two of those I lost were 18 or 20in. long, 

 and the two I got were 15in. long and 8in. around. 



I was disgusted with the luck I had all day, and 

 started for home determined to try them big fellows 

 again, of which I will tell you some future time. On 

 arriving home my wife was surprised to see such a nice 

 basket of trout; the 40 weighed I2lbs. What would she 

 have thought had I saved all those big fellows I lost? The 

 next day 1 was so lame I could hardly move; my legs 

 were black and blue where the skin was not knocked off; 

 and yet all this is sport to me or to any lover of trout 

 fishing. 



I have been fishing about 25 times this spring and have 

 had extremely good luck in getting large trout. We 

 fish here in the Boardman River and Rapid River 

 and its several branches; Rapid River has more trout in 

 its cold waters than any other stream in this section. I 

 am going to Manistee River soon to try my luck catching 

 grayling: if I have any luck I may write you about it. 



Kalkaska, Mich.. June 26. Brook TROUT. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



pHICAGO, July 22, -Mr. Alex. T. Loyd, retiring pres- 

 ( ident of the Grand Calumet Heights Club, mentions 

 in his report one thing of especial interest to sportsmen 

 in general. This is in connection with a sad accident 

 which occurred three weeks ago on the river near the club 

 house. I quote from the report: 



"On last Sunday, I regret to say, we had the first seri- 

 ous accident on our grounds. An invited guest and a 

 young friend were in some way, probably through chang- 

 ing positions in their boat, upset. The gentleman suc- 

 ceeded in clinging to the boat until rescued by Drs. 

 Harlan and Reed, who fortunately heard his cries for 

 help. The young man, unable to reach the boat, was 

 drowned. The body was recovered some six hours later, 

 but the efforts of Drs. Harlan and Reed to restore anima- 

 tion were unsuccessful. 



"In t his connection, I would iuqiress upon every mem- 

 ber the absolute necessity: 



"First— Of rendering liis boat not only unsinkable, but 

 buoyant, by fastening within it a number of sealed tin 

 cans." 



"Second— To provide a rubber boat seat, or a tin box 

 for a boat seat, with cords attached, so it can be quickly 

 and easily secured to one's person. This is especially 

 valuable when on the lake, permitting one to reach the 

 shore at times when he could not do so if he were unable 

 to quit the overturned boat. 



"Third — Never to suffer the anchor rope to be fastened 

 to the boat except when in actual use. A neglect of this 

 precaution contributed in a marked degree to the fatal 

 results attending the late accident." 



Mr. Loyd has his own boat provided with ten air com- 

 partments, which buoy it perfectly when the boat is filled 

 with water. Such an arrangement is simple and inex- 

 pensive, and adds so largely to fancied and actual safety 

 that it would be well if all shooters and fishers followed 

 it. It alone would not perhaps have saved this poor boy's 

 life, for he fell away from the boat and drowned within 

 ten feet of shallow water, but his companion could have 

 thrown him a rope had he himself been secure upon a 

 strongly floating boat. The blame here rested in that 

 fatuous ignorance and carelessness by which an unskilled 

 and ignorant man took an equally unskilled and ignor- 

 ant boy out in a boat with him. The boy's parents blame 

 the man for this, although he meant it only in kindness 

 to the boy. whom he loved as his own son, and took on 

 this little vacation trip because he was the brightest of 

 his young clerks. The blame lies deeper yet. Any grown 

 man should know enough of outdoor sports to be able to 

 handle a boat safely on a tranquil stream, and it had 

 been better kindness had this boy's parents taught him 

 the use of boat and water instead of keeping him away 

 from them in timid fear, as they always did. There was 

 no perfect rounded manhood in that boat, nor the begin- 

 ning of any such, when so trivial an accident resulted in 

 death. In justice, however, it should be added that the 

 gentleman who escaped had one artificial leg, which pre- 

 vented his swimming even the few feet necessary to be 

 passed to reach the drowning boy. 



Grand Calumet has put an addition of 22 x 24ft. at the 

 east end of the club house, and fitted it up with twenty- 

 two lockers. These will be sold at $8 to $4 each to mem- 

 bers, and will be a source of slight revenue. A boat- 

 house for fourteen boats is also building on the lake shore, 

 tiers in which will be sold at $2 to $57 An attempt will 

 be made to put the sandy flat in front of the house down 

 in grass, although this may be difficult. The purchase of 

 twenty acres of surrounding ground is under considera- 

 tion still, bonds having been issued in $2,000, but remain- 

 ing partly unsold. It is to be hoped the wealthier mem- 

 bers will take hold of this. This young club shows steady 

 increase in membership. It is one of the very pieasantest 

 clubs for summer, being right upon the lake and in 

 delightful surroundings, easily accessible from the city. 



E. Hough. 



The revised and abriged edition of the A. O. U. Check List of 

 North American Birds, including the additions and changes made 

 in the supplement, will be sent post free on receipt of SOcts.— Ado. 



FLY-FISHING FOR STEELHEAD SALMON! 



DURING the spring of 1889 for the first time in tribu- 

 taries of the Columbia River the steelhead salmon or 

 Gairdner's trout have been taken in large numbers with 

 artificial flies. These trout spawn in the small branches 

 of the Clackamas, whose waters reach the Columbia 

 through the Willamette. They ascend to their spawning 

 grounds early in the spring and begin running down ini 

 May, increasing in numbers during June. In April a 

 rack is placed in the Clackamas to stop the ascent of the 

 chinnook or quinnat salmon for the purpose of securing; 

 females to furnish eggs for the salmon-breeding station 

 of the U. S. Fish Commission, This rack prevents the, 

 descent of the steelheads and becomes a center of abund- ! 

 ance for the spent trout as well as for the gravid salmon. 

 The enterprising anglers of Vancouver and Portland 

 were quick to utilize this opportunity for their favorite 

 pastime. There was almost no limit to the number of trout 

 which were thin, but clean, silvery and perfectly raven- 

 ous after their arduous journey and protracted fast. The. 

 majority of those who had eaten the fish spoke favorably 

 of their edible qualities. Nearly all the flies seemed to 

 be killing. The fish averaged fully 30in. in length and 

 were sufficiently gamy to suit the most exacting angler. 

 An expert could be fully occupied the whole day long 

 and every day in the week, landing perhaps twenty trout 

 daily. Major Canby and Major Lee, of Vancouver Post, 

 on the Columbia; Mr. John (.'ran, of Portland, and Mr. 

 Reed, owner of the Bunker Hill mine, are among the 

 enthusiasts whose skill was rewarded with almost a sur- 

 feit of success. Gradually, but surely, the salmon and 

 trout of the West are becoming fascinated by the attrac- 

 tive devices of the fly-fisherman, and new sources of en- 

 joyment are continually being discovered, where at first 

 the disciples of Walton met with many discouragements. 



Livingston Stone. 



RHODE ISLAND BASS. 



"VTEWPORT, R. I.. July 27. — I inclose you list of striped 

 J_>i bass taken with rod and reel by me for the week 

 ending July 27. Flounders are biting very freelv: I am 

 taking from 15 to 40 a day. The outlook is very good for 

 a good catch of bass. This season they liave been late in 

 showing up, but I have as good a show of fish at my place 

 as I have had for a number of years. There have been 

 but few bass taken as yet. Graves Point Club reported 

 one last Monday morning, the first of the season. The 

 West Island Club two for the season. Pasque Island 

 Club the last time heard from had taken one. Fasten s 

 Point fished by H. A. Robbins two. 



Blueflsh are quite plenty and are biting both at buoy 

 and chum bait, but not as freely at chum as they will 

 later on. Bass taken week ending Julv 27 : Monday 22d. 

 four weighing U-Jlbg., 8£lbs., Gibs, and iHlbs. Tuesday 

 23d, three weighing 14|lbs., lO^-lbs. and (iilbs. Thursday 

 24th, four of Ulbs., 81bs., dibs, and 5£lbs. Friday one of 

 oilbs. w. M. Hughes. 



Black. Bass Fishing in the Potomac— Washington. 

 D. C, Aug. 5. — Anglers met with very good success dur- 

 ing the ten days ending July 29, in the Potomac between 

 Cabin John's Bridge and the Great Falls. Messrs. Godey, 

 Daw, Carroll, Jackson and Coburn made fine catches!, 

 Mr. Godey caught seventy-six in one day, with eighty- 

 four minnows, casting from rocks into eddies near the 

 falls. This was the second string of fish caught this sea^ 

 son that was too much for one man to lift. Mr. Godey 

 says his largest bass weighed Olbs. Mr. Daw also fished 

 with minnows, Mr. Jackson with shiners, Mr. Coburn 

 with mill roaches, and Mr. Carroll with worms caught 

 from ten to thirty bass in one day's fishing. These gentle- 

 men claim that the Potomac is the finest river for black 

 bass fishing in the world, and their scores seem proof of 

 the assertion. Fishing here has been unusually good this 

 season. There has been so much rain, flood and muddy 

 water that when the angler casts his hook the fish seem 

 to like the novelty and immediately catch on. Experi- 

 enced fishermen say that the river is alive with bass. 

 This is accounted for in various ways: some think the 

 floods have brought the fish down from up river, and 

 others say they come from the canal, which has been 

 completely wrecked and emptied. I think the latter ex- 

 planation largely correct, as 1 have been informed by 

 parties living along the canal that many bass were found 

 in its bed after the waters of the Potomac had receded. 

 If the water become clear and^stay in that condition 

 we may expect some grand sport In the Potomac during 

 August, September and October. The two last months 

 are the best for bass when the conditions are favorable, — 

 Bab. 



A. Newseaeer Thiee Brought to Book. — When the 

 Republic-JHmes boasts, as it delights of all things to do, 

 of its superior news facilities, its meaning is now easily 

 understood. The principal article in last night's issue 

 appeared under the heading, "'A Fishing Experience: 

 An Every-Day Romance of a Clark County-Stream," pur- 

 porting to be the work ''of a member of the Republic- 

 Times staff who has returned from a two-days' outing on 

 Mad River." The article, excepting the introductory 

 paragraph, was faked bodily and verbatim from Forest 

 and Stream, the issue of July 11, 1889, beginning about 

 one-third from top of the last column of page 506, the 

 article being under the title "Trouting on the South 

 Boardman," the name of the river being changed to 

 •'Mad" to suit circumstances, and the word "trout" to 

 "bass," as anybody can see by glancing at the page. 

 That's one way of gathering local news. Getting out on 

 the turf and hustling is another. Plagiarism in the pul- 

 pit or oratorical contest is attended by severe penalties. 

 In some newspaper offices it passes for enterprise and 

 ability, and is something to be boasted of in print.— 

 Springfield Gazette, [The fellow who perpetrated that 

 fraud wouldn't be bashful about stealing another man's 

 fish and then bragging that he caught them himself.] 



Pennsylvania High Water.— Clearfield, Pa., August 

 5. — Born in the mountains and having spent many years 

 of my life in the woods, I appreciate your weekly visits, 

 and only wish you were in the hands of every true lover 

 of nature, The heavy rains and floods of June and July 

 have interfered materially with the trout and bass fish- 

 ing in central Pennsylvania, and even now in mid-sum- 

 mer the river is so muddy that bass fishing is out of the 

 question. — H. 



