110 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Airo. 39, 1S89. 



TWO DAYS ON KOSHEE LAKE, 



RAVENHXJRST, Ont., Aug. 5.— From nlany reports 

 T and from a recent personal experience, I find the 

 fishing in our Muskoka lakes excellent at present. In all 

 the lakes surrounding us large catches are daily made. 

 A few days since a party of six as jolly anglers as ever 

 made a trip went to Kxnhee Lake for a two-days' outing. 

 The party consisted of Mac, the dude of the party and a 

 right royal fellow; Harry K., the champion yaraer on 

 duck shooting in the crowd? Joe W. , a "dawn good fel~ 

 How;" Emery C, Sile, and, last but not least (in size), the 

 writer. We were also accompanied by three ladies, 

 wives of three of the party. An early start and a delight- 

 ful drive of seven miles brought us to the lake, where we 

 embarked on one of the two small steamers already at 

 the landing. After a few minutes' sail among the islands 

 we landed on Wawayanda's Point. This point received 

 its name in memory of the visit and camp of two months 1 

 duration of the author of ''Camp Flotsam," one of the 

 most delightful and interesting writers on cauip life and 

 fishing that it has ever been my good fortune to react. 1 

 cannot attempt to describe this beautiful lake, Only the 

 pen of '•Wawayanda" can do it justice. The unabridg' d 

 name of the lake is Koshee-she-bog-a-mog, and when pro- 

 nounced by an Indian it sounds really musical, "Wa- 

 wayanda" and myself tried diligently to get an authentic 

 definition of the name. '-The lake of the (or a) hundred 

 islands" is, I believe, the accepted, translation. It is 

 about five miles in length; the breadth is hard to deter- 

 mine, owing to the numerous deep bays and islands, but 

 about one and one-half miles would, I think, be the 

 average. There are certainly a hundred or more islands 

 of every conceivable shape and size. Daring the Visit of 

 ''Wawayanda" the shores of the lake and very many of 

 the islands suffered the scourge of all pine countries, 

 fire, due in the majority of instances to the carelessness 

 of campers and lumbermen. I am pleased to say, how- 

 ever, that a clean new growth is rapidly springing Up, 

 which will in a short time restore in a measure the pris- 

 tine beauty. 



After unloading the calamities ( u Kingfisher") and en- 

 gaging the steamer to call for us again in the evening, 

 we got our tackle in order and struck out. The ladies 

 elected to remain on the shore to look after the plunder 

 and to loaf. We had two large roomy boats, three of us 

 in a boat, and each party struck out for some favored 

 locality. Your Correspondent being probably the best 

 acquainted with the lake, selected an old well-tried nook, 

 A few fine fish rewarded our efforts. The bass did not 

 bite freely, as the day was well advanced ami clear, with 

 the water perfectly calm. At noon the melodious echoes 

 of a tiu horn, operated by the enfant terrible of the party 

 ( t a future sportsman), recalled the parties to the point, 

 where a bounteous lunch a waited us. 



Afi er lunch a start was again made with a change of 

 location. The sky had clouded over and a nice fishing- 

 breeze was rippling the water. We chose a channel be- 

 tween two small islands. After anchoring the boat the 

 fun began. For a couple of hours I never saw the bass 

 bite better. Frequently the three of us would be fighting 

 a regular trio of old mossbacks at one time, leaving one 

 of the party to handle his fish and the landing net at the 

 same time. Frogs and worms were the baits used. 

 Flies and spoons seemed to have no attractions for them 

 on this particular clay, although on former oecis'ons I 

 have taken many a good string with the artificial fly; a 

 large fly made with turkey wings and a large yellow 

 body being the best. Nearly every fish that we secured 

 seemed to be literally gorged with winged ants, show- 

 ing that a migration of these insects must have taken 

 place during the previous night. Seventeen bass of an 

 average weight of ^lbs. were taken without moving the 

 boat. The largest one, a 4-pounder, yielded to the ex- 

 cellent play and faithful Washabo rod handled by Joe, 

 who. of course, began at once to throw out unlimited in- 

 structions. After a few hours' sport we all met at the 

 appointed hour on the point. The other crowd showed 

 up wiih about thirty measly catfish as the result of their 

 efforts. The efficacy of light tackle as placed against 

 the bean pole had been fully discussed before our start, 

 and each was bound to demonstrate the supremacy of 

 his favorite. Each of the three in our boat was using a 

 valuable rod and light tackle, while the others to a man 

 were armed with small trees, and yanked their helpless 

 victims in by main force and akwardness. After con- 

 siderable chaffing they reluctantly confessed that there 

 was something loose somewhere. The steamer putting 

 in an appearance we gathered up the fragments and 

 steamed back to the landing. 



The ladies occupied for the night a vacant house kindly 

 placed at their disposal by Mr. Clark, the proprietor. 

 Right here a dilemma presented itself. Who ever heard 

 of ladies occupying a strange house without a stalwart 

 defender during the dark shades of the night:-' So one 

 of the party was duly installed to guard over the fab- 

 ones, which he immediately did by bravely swinging a 

 hammock over the stove in the kitchen, tumbling in and 

 never opening an eye until called the next morning. 

 The rest of the party adjourned to the barn, each rolled 

 himself up in his blanket, and on the fresh, new mown 

 hay slept the sleep of the just. Shortly after daylight 

 the ubiquitous mosquito got in his fine work, and we 

 concluded to try an early morning fish, so taking to the 

 boats in the same order as the clay before we proceeded 

 to the hVhing grounds. A stern 'resolve seemed settled 

 over the bean-pole crowd, and that with whisperings and 

 mutterings warned us that our work was cut out for us. 

 A oatch of five splendid old bronze backs rewarded us, 

 while the other boat only showed up one. All of our 

 ancient j- ikes and wit fell stale and unprofitable at the 

 breakfast round up. Not a smile could we provoke, but 

 a grim, silent party soon wended their way to the boat 

 again, followed by such encouragement as we, out of our 

 generosity, bestowed upon them. 



The steamer again landed us at our old rendezvous. 

 The day seemed just ordered for us. It was one to delight 

 any bass fisher; a clouded sky with breeze enough to 

 cause a splendid ripple on the water. We started out 

 jubilant in anticipation of a splendid day's sport. We 

 tried one likely spot after another wdhput a single strike; 

 we grew anxious and adopted the "move on" system; 

 changed our bait, but it was all useless. 



Observing that the bean-pole crew lingered in the same 

 locality, with a pertinacity out of all keeping with their 

 conduct of the day befove, we concluded to sneak up and 

 investigate. We found that they were occupying the 



same spot that we did when we made our big. string. 

 I've "bad lots of fun in my short life-, but it paled intd 

 insignificance when couiparrd with the hilarity that was 

 spread over that Crowd. "Whoop! I've got him," was 

 about the only intell gihle expression we heard. They 

 seemed all to lie fighting old mossbacks at one time. One 

 would yank this way, and another that) their pole-, would 

 get tangled up, they yelled and cheered, and the antics 

 of that beggarly set made lis sick. Nineteen splendid 

 bass fell to that jeering Crowd. Co n pari sons were odious, 

 and we voted we had fun enough for that trip. 



tn ali nearly sixty fish were taken, every oiie gamy to 

 the last degree and all of good size. The fish were all kept 

 alive until we started for home, by means of the stringer 

 I described in FoBEsl and Stream some time ago. It is 

 the most complete stringer that I have, seen yet. I de- 

 scribe it again: Get about two dossen Lindsay's safety 

 blanket pins No. 8; knot them on a good, strong, hard- 

 twisted Cotton cord about iin. apart. About 1.2 to loin, 

 above last pin tie on a large brass swivel, and to this tie 

 On 'another cord about 2ft. long; fasten this to the gun- 

 wale of the boat. In stringing the fish pass the pin up 

 through thin part of Under lip and lock it, and throw the 

 fish ovei board. Never pissaeord through the gills, as 

 it interferes with the respiration and drowns the fish. 



Packing up we started back to town. The dive in the 

 evening was enjoyable in the extreme, We .arrived 

 home tired but happy. The iish were d i <Ui bitted to/»ilr 

 friends who were not fortunate enough to 'enjoy the 

 sport of the trip. JUat as I am closing a report comes to 

 me that some grand catches have been made in the vicin- 

 ity of J)ala. Kosijee. 



MAINE TROUT. 



THE cold weather and high water are bringing the 

 trout back to the fishing grounds in the lakes and 

 streams of New England earlier than usual this season-. 

 It is not commonly the case that there is much fly-fishing 

 in the Maine lakes in AugUst* but such wAs the base lA^t 

 year, for the season Was wet and cold like the present. 

 Trout are a great d^al under th'e influence of the tem- 

 perature of the water, and a few frosty nights will bring 

 them back from their hot-weather haunts in the deep 

 pools into the shoal waters, when they quickly' begin to 

 rise to the fly freely. Those who read the Forest and 

 Stream will remember that the fly-riHhing in Maine and 

 New Hampshire waters was earlier last year than usual", 

 and they will also remember that the. weather was colder". 

 There was a frost in Maine, Ute in August, that entirety 

 destroyed the sweet com, and this frost was followed by 

 a number of days and nights verv cold for the season. 

 Soon after came news of good fly-fishing. Dr. James, of 

 Boston, came back from Moosehead Lake last week. He 

 came back because business called him. Hut he is off 

 again this week for the same region, The trout are rising 

 to the fly freely in Moosehead, nearly two Weeks earlier 

 than usual. The Doctor ciught oyer fifty last week-, the 

 largest weighing 3lbs, About the same reports come 

 from the other Maine lakes. Considerable ennipany is 

 summering at different stations on t lie Rangeley Lakes, 

 and the sportsmen arc having good luck with the fly-rod. 

 One gentleman reports excel. ent sport at the Cfotjeti 

 Rangeley Lake, last week. Tne mercury was down to 

 42' one morning, while there was a touch of frost in the 

 valleys. The mercury at Moosehead registered W one 

 or two mornings last week. 



Black bass fishing is not proving very satisfactory m 

 New England waters this season, There was coii-idef- 

 able sport early in the season, but later there has been- 

 considerable fishing, with but few bass, as the result. In 

 Maine lakes and ponds the black bass is fast becoming an 

 unpopular fish, and besides the pickerel the question is 

 frequently asked, "What is the stickleback here for?" 

 He is not popular as a food fish, and as to his gaminess, 

 the Maine spoi tsmen, with a plenty of trout within reach- 

 ing distance, have never taken kindly to the foreigner. 



The latest idea in the fish line (no intentional pun) is a 

 pliable form of a trout. Mr. E. J/Shattuek, one of the 

 Vive Vele Camp owners at the Narrows 5 Richardson 

 Lake, had the good fortune to secure a nkn>p>.und trout 

 on his spring fishing trip this year, and he has had made 

 a pliable modei of this fish. The form is perfect, as it is 

 shown in Appleton's window, on Washington street, but 

 the coloring is not up to the standard. In the first place 

 there is too much yellow or orange, and again the mottl- 

 ing or wavy blending of the darker colors on the back is 

 not as it should be. But Mr. Shattuek will not thank me 

 for this criticism, though I hope that he may some time 

 be so fortunate as to put his pliable model beside of a 

 real trout, ju-t out of the waters of the Narrows, and 

 then I am sure that somebody will immediately hxve an 

 order to paint that model over. 



Mr. Nat Manson, of the firm of Bellows tic Manson, iron 

 merchants, with his friend Mr> B inner of Cambridge will 

 depart for Camp Stewart, Richardson Lake, on Friday. 

 They are going for the double purpose of a vacation, 

 which they both very much need, and for a good time 

 in the woods. Besides Mr. Manson has had an earlv call 

 of the hay fever This hay fever leaves him as soon as 

 he sti ikes the mountain air. A bear is to be added to 

 their catch this year. Last year it was a deer. Oscar 

 W. Cuttings is to be guide and cook. O-oar has been up 

 at the camp nearly all summer. He came out the other 

 day over the mountain, and in S-iwyer Notch he saw this 

 very bear that Manson and Binner are after. He has 

 written them, and they are corning prepared. If that 

 bear is CHught by those hunters, the Forest and Stream 

 shall hear of it. Special. 



Safety Appliances.— Cceur d'AIene, Idaho.— Appre- 

 ciating suggestions to increase safety of boating and 

 canoeing parties, embodied in article "Chicago and the 

 West," Vol. XXXIII. , No. 3, 1 beg leave to state that I 

 consider a cork jacket, as adopted by the U. S. Govern- 

 ment, and a lai>e ring "buoy essential parts of boat equip- 

 ment. The merits of these articles are well known, they 

 are easily procured and cheap.— Muse. 



Forest and Stream, Box 2,833, N. Y. city, lias descriptive illus- 

 trated circulars of VV. B. LefnuiweU's book, "Wild Fowl Shoot- 

 mg," which will be ma'led free ou request. The hook is pro- 

 uauueed by "Kauit," "(iloau," "Dick Swiveller," "Pvbilleue" and 

 other competent authorities to be the best treatise on the subject 

 extant. 



Namjes and Portraits £uf Biuos. by Umdou Trumbull, a 

 bonk particularly interesting to gunners, for oy its use they can 

 identify without question all the American tjame birds which 

 tney may kill. Cloth, 320 pages, price $3.50. For sale he Fobhsx 



AND STRKAM. 



— 



Fl^HcOLTtiRE IN THE NATlbNAL PARK; 



\.Fram a Special Correspondent.] 



V'ELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PAl?K, Aug. . bi -ThV 

 X trip made by Col. McDonald, United States i'ish Com 

 missioner, and Captain Bot) telle; for the purpose of examin- 

 ing those waters, of the Yellowstone P rt rk which are at 

 V'/.Vseut without fish", was in all respects satisfactory; The 

 Gardiner, Gibbon and Shoshone waters were visited, and 

 ft. was foiiud that, food and spawning places Were abundant 

 in the lakes or streams of each system, and that there is no 

 apparent reason why trout should not do well. In the Fire- 

 lioie River, where the water is warmed by the heated out- 

 flow from the geysers, it is thought that coarser fish, such 

 as the rock bass and the pike-perch, would do well. 



It seems quite probable that each one of the ri^er basini-i 

 named may be. stocked with ISh of a different species, and 

 if. this should he done, it would make the National Park the 

 grandest fishing ground on this continent, and would add 

 enormously to its attractiveness to all classes of visitors. 

 Col. McDonald has indicated his intention of making these 

 experiments, and has expressed the opinion that landlocked 

 salmon, Loch Leven trout and lake, trout might be introv 

 dUced into the waters of Shoshone .and Lewis Lakes! These 

 could be planted eitbef as fry or as yearlings', since there 

 f.-slst' 30: fai' as known, no enemies which could prey on 

 these young fish. Into the waters of the Gibbon the brown 

 trout of Europe may be introduced, while the headwaters 

 of the Gardiner seems well adapted to the Eastern brook- 

 trout. 



Just boVv the Waters. Of the Yellowstone Lake shall be 

 treated is a somewhat intricate problem. At present, the 

 only fish known to inhabit this lake is the black-spotted 

 Salmd t>t)rpiirati!x, which mav very. possibly hare reached 

 this bn.rly of Water from the Other side of the range; crossing 

 frpm Pacific to Atlantic waters in times of melting snow; 

 Vratyi; as is sometimes the case, Waters flow from, one ifnbi 

 or lake iutb either ocean. A well, known example of tl(i^ 

 occurs at .Two-Oee^n Pneft, where the streams which to! ni 

 th'n .fteftd^ Of Atlantic and Pacific Creeks, flow side by side 

 oil almost the same level, but in opposite directions, through 

 a low meadow, and in times of high water are no doubt 

 connected. Across this, or some similar pass, the Pacific 

 slope trout may have passed into the Yellowstone waters. 



The trout of the Yellowstone Lake, as is well known, are 

 affected with a parasite, which lives in their ftesh. It is a 

 long, fiat, jointed worm, which occurs knotted tip-, sohi.e- 1 

 times close. under the skin and sdmetimfes pfi'netratidft WW 

 the abdominal cavity This worm, which is probably the 

 larval stage of some free insect, was described by Prof. 

 Leidy many years ago, under the name JJiboUi riirm vurdi- 

 Ceps, but its life history has never been studied, and noth- 

 ing is known about it. Although by no means all of these 

 Yellowstone Lake trout are thus afflicted, and though the 

 proportion of diseased fish varies from year to year, yet the 

 presence of this parasite causes all fish taken from the lake 

 to be regarded with suspicion) and It Is to be hoped that a 

 Study of this worm and a knowledge of the causes to which 

 Its presence is due may result in finding a rerriedy for the 

 affection. . 



The fbbd of these Yellowstone Lake trout appears to con- 

 sist mainly of insects, though no doubt they devour a certain 

 proportion of the young 01 their own sdei les, tor Col: Mi:' 

 Donald recently found a Sttiafl troltt in One of them. '1'beV 

 are very even lb size, rarely exceeding a pound and a half in 

 Weight. The largest that I have ever seen was caught here' 

 by Professor E. S Dana in the year 1875, and measured :l"An. 

 iii length. It has been suggested by Contain Boutelle that 

 the small size of these fish may be due tb the fact that tlie.V 

 ate underfed, and ttus seems plausible, since we know tka( 

 'h the Yellowstone River, where fish food is abundant, trout 

 of this same species attain a weight of live, six and eVeii 

 nine pounds. It is possible that were these trout in the lake 

 better fed, they might be better able to resist the attacks of 

 the parasitic worm which now preys upon them. 



The waters of Yellowstone Lake'are clear, cold and very 

 deep. No systematic series of souudings has as jet been 

 made, but the Geological Survey have found 2o0ft. of water, 

 and between Stevenson Island and the main shore there is 

 over 200ft. It is more than probable that the wkitefisb 

 either of the Great Lakes or of the Northern Rocky Mouti 

 tain would do well iu Yellowstone Lake, and their yoUng 

 would furnish au aduiii-able food fbr the trout. So far ap 

 our limited observations go ; the trout are, at present found 

 for the most part iu the streams tributary to the lake? in the" 

 river, aud along the lake shorn They do not seem to ocelli- 

 in any numbers in the very deepest water, and there is thiis 

 a very large portion of this great body of water which is 

 practically uninhabited by fish. The introduction of the 

 whitefish would people this barren area, would afford an 

 unfailing food supply to the trout, and might wholly ehange 

 the character of these latter. The experiment certainly 

 would seem worth trying. 



It is generally believed that the whu.eli.sk can betaken 

 ouly by means of nets, but this impression Is erroneous. 

 To say nothing of the numerous records of the casual cap- 

 ture of large whitefish by meansof the fiy,and the well-known 

 fact that the river whitefish rise freely to this lure, we have 

 it on unquestionable authority that the lake whitefish rise 

 freely to a small brown fly. They have, however, a small 

 and very tender mouth, and must be handled with the 

 greatest skill and delicacy if they are to be saved. The time 

 may come when this species will be regarded as a valuable 

 game fish as well as one of our most delicious food fishes. 

 The whitefish is native to many of the mountain lakes in 

 the northern Rocky Mountains, and there is little reason 

 to doubt that it would flourish in the Yellowstone Lake, 

 providing the fry first introduced could be cared for until 

 they have attained sufficient size to be safe from the attacks 

 of the trout. They would probably thrive in many of the 

 mountain lakes of the Yellowstone region. If, as now seems 

 probable, there is to be a general stocking here of such 

 waters as are now without fish, it will probably be necessary 

 to furnish the introduced species with fish food, and such 

 food the whitefish will supply. The hatching and rearing 

 of the whitefish has been conducted on so extensive a scale 

 that this side of the cpuestiou presents no difficulties what- 

 ever. 



Col. McDonald's visit to the National Park promises to 

 result in a great benefit to the Yellowstone region, and to 

 the country watered by streams which take their rise in that 

 region. The U. S. Commissioner of Fisheries takes a broad 

 view of the question of stocking the waters of the National 

 Park, and sees in this project much more than the mere 

 present advantage to the tourists who visit the region. The 

 stocking of these waters will result in a large addition to 

 the supply of food fish to the inhabitants of those sections 

 watered by the Missouri and the Snake rivers. A fish 

 hatchery in the Park will serve as an admirable point from 

 which to distribute fresh-water fish to all points in the 

 northern Rocky Mountains, and will fitly supplement the 

 work now being done in Colorado by the U. S. fish hatchery 

 there. 



Col. McDonald's appreciation of the Park and his interest 

 in its many features, aesthetic and economic, give assurance 

 that he Wili do all that lies in his power to develop the re- 

 sources of this wonderful region, and, if he can carry out the 

 plans which have suggested themselves to him, he will earn 

 for himself the thanks of the whole public. It must not be 

 forgotten that Col. McDonald's visit was suggested by Cant. 



