Sept. 12, 1889.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



14 9 



TAKING IN A BIG ONE. 



AWAY back in 1863, then a sixteen-year-old boy, 

 I first visited the Androscoggin Lake system, so 

 generally miscalled the Range leys. While the visitors 

 were by no means as numerous as to-day, they made up 

 in lawless wastefulness of the trout for the less number 

 as compared with to-day. The bulk of the fishing was 

 done on the spawn beds in autumn, and tons upon tons of 

 those huge trout, for which the region is noted, were 

 snatched off the beds by all sorts of barbarous means, and 

 in many cases left to rot in piles upon the banks of. the 

 streams. The party, of which I was one, found their 

 way to the "big" lake, as the Mooselucmaguntio is locally 

 known, by way of the town of Byron, going with teams 

 to the borders of civilization to the Romantic House, 

 then owned and kept by old Mr. Houghton, father of the 

 present proprietor. This Mr. Houghton, the elder, was a 

 large owner of timber lands in the region east of the big 

 lake and south of Rangeley Lake. He early saw the sport- 

 ing advantages of the region, and was among the first to 

 endeavor to attract travel. At large expense he cut a 

 path through the primeval Avoods twelve miles to the 

 mouth of the Bemis stream, where the New York camps 

 aud Capt. Barker's establishment are now located. Some 

 carrying of supplies over the rough path had been clone 

 with ox teams, using sleds, as it was impossible for a 

 wheeled vehicle to get over the road. Our party, how- 

 ever, hired several of the backwoodsmen to carry huge 

 loads of provisions and camp supplies, while each of the 

 party made up a load for himself of blankets and camu 

 impedimenta of such weight as he thought himself able 

 to carry. And how those packs did grow in weight and 

 unwieldiness before that twelve miles was tramped over! 

 Arrived at the mouth of the Bemis, camp was quickly 

 arranged, and a couple of boats belonging to Houghton 

 hunted up, and the campaign against the trout com- 

 menced. It was early September and but few trout were 

 in the stream, hence most of the fishing was done in the 

 lake off the mouth of the stream. Sufficient trout of 

 good size were caught to supply the party, but none of 

 the big ones we had heard so much of. 



Up the lake shore, a short distance above the mouth of 

 the stream, a tree had either fallen into the lake or had 

 lodged there at some time of high water, and the roots 

 lay on the shore, the top extending out into the lake. I 

 had noticed large fish rising just beyond the outer 

 branches a number of times, and had fished from the 

 tree once or twice each day, but with little success, as the 

 big fellow which I had seen rise there would not take the ' 

 lure. One day had been so windy as to preclude any fish- 

 ing in the lake, until about sundown, when the wind 

 went down. Taking my rough outfit I proceeded to the 

 tree and worked my way out to a fairly secure footing 

 among the outer limbs of the tree. The action of the 

 water had broken off most of the limbs at or near the 

 body of the tree, leaving only one or two of the biggest 

 limbs of any length. The trunk of the tree being slightly 

 crooked, there were several feet of the trunk iinder 

 water, and these were very slippery. Beyond, the trunk 

 again reached the top of the water, and the springing 

 out of limbs near the end made a fairly secure standing- 

 place. I saw my big fish roll up near the top of the 

 water, and his huge dimensions revealed in the glimpse 

 made me determined to catch him if I stayed on that old 

 tree during the rest of my time at the lake. I fished 

 with good courage until nearly dark, and had turned to 

 pick my way over the submerged portion of the log, still 

 leaving my baited hook in the water, when just as I had 

 placed both feet on the slippery under-water section of 

 the tree I got a tremendous strike at the hook behind 

 me. I struck as well as I was able, and tried to turn and 

 face the music, when my feet slid off the greasy log and 

 I gently proceeded to compare my height with the depth 

 of the very cool water. I went in up to my breast, but 

 had instinctively kept my rod upright, and my fish was 

 still hooked. I bawled for help at my loudest, but do my 

 utmost, I could make no one hear. Then I tried to get 

 back upon the log. but it was impossible to do that and 

 at the same time keep my rod sufficiently upright to 

 control the fish. 



Between where I stood and the shore there was but one 

 limb projecting out from the tree far enough to interfere 

 with wading ashore. That limb, however, was 8 or 10ft. 

 long, and projecting from the tree at an obtuse angle of 

 course led out into somewhat deeper water, and 1 was 

 fearful that it might be over my head. Deciding to try 

 it I worked my way to the limb, and putting °my left 

 arm around it began working my way along toward the 

 end, hoping to be able to get around the end of the 

 branch, when it would be easy to get ashore. But this 

 was not easy by any means, with a big trout pulling like 

 a mule at the end of the line, and, mind you, no reel. 

 The rod was a four-joint bamboo, sixteen or more feet 

 long, and its spring made it possible to control the fish, 

 with the stout line and large hook, which completed the 

 rig. I worked my way slowly along the limb, the water 

 deepening with every step and my heart sinking much 

 more rapidly. I had caught sight of a broad tail, Avhich 

 astonished and delighted me at the same time, also in- 

 creasing my misery to the point of despair. But perse- 

 verance had its reward, and I finally succeeded in round- 

 ing the end of that branch, though I could barely keep my 

 mouth out of the water. Once around the limb, a few 

 steps gave me good foothold, and I quickly pulled in mv 

 big beauty, who was pretty well exhausted, and I was 

 not much better. Halting thigh-deep in the water I 

 drew the fish to me, secured a solid grip in Ms gills and 

 waded ashore triumphant. Laying my prize down on 

 the beach I viewed him over, and every angler will un- 

 derstand my exhilaration. I felt fully* rewarded for my 

 tremendous ducking and was not at all affected bv the 

 cold. 



Taking up my fish I made my wav to the camp. On 

 arrival there, and holding up my prize in the light of 

 the camp-fire, for it was then nearly dark, such a shout 

 as went up was a further lift to my feelings, and I felt 

 like a hero of old. A gun known to weigh 91bs. was hung 

 by the guard on a stick, my fish on the other end, and 

 balancing the stick in its center, the fish was decided by 

 all to weigh nearly as much as the gun. The next morn- 

 ing we were visited by a New York man and his guide, 

 who had been windbound on the way from Trout Cove, 

 at the outlet, to the Bemis, and had camped on the beach 

 over night. In his kit (which, by the way, was the first 

 fly-fishing outfit I had ever seen) was a pair of spring 

 balances. My fish weighed 8£lbs, I have since eaughi 



another which weighed the same, though weighed within 

 thirty minutes after being taken from the water, instead 

 of fifteen hours after, as in the case of the first; but I 

 shall never accomplish anything in the sporting line 

 which can so completely satisfy my ambition as did this 

 first big trout. All the circumstances attending that cap- 

 ture are perfect in my memory, and the picture of that 

 tree lying out in the lake, with its surroundings, and the 

 picture of the group of astonished faces at the camp, Jit 

 up by the glow of the camp-fire, will never fade. 



Nor'east. 



ABOUT LAND SHARKS. 



NEW YORK, Aug. 4.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 Does salt-water fishing "pay?"' is a quettion I have 

 been revolving in my mind; and the conclusion I have 

 come to is, that it don't if one is dependent on hiring 

 boats at the various points along the coast where there is 

 supposed to be any possibility of successful fishing. 



I have just returned from a coastwise cruise (on°shore), 

 during Avhich I visited Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard] 

 New Bedford, New London, Newport, Block Island and 

 Fire Island; but I found that unless one was prepared to 

 enjoy the sport at a cost to render it a question' of how 

 much money one could afford to squander in the uncer- 

 tain pursuit, and unless he was prepared to be victimized 

 to the tune of $10 or $12 a day, he had better not under- 

 take to gratify his fishing proclivity. At all the places 

 named, I found plenty of boats on hire, but the owners 

 or sailing masters demanded universally $10 a day for the 

 use of the boat, with perquisites in the shape of "treats," 

 lunch, and the fish caught. Add to the hire of the 

 boat the cost of bait, lunch, sundry bottles of beer, ice, 

 etc., and what it leaves of $13 is represented by 0. 



The time was when $5 a day was considered quite 

 enough to pay for a boat, but this summer the price has 

 been advanced to $10 universally, and it seems as if every 

 man having one to hire tried to see just how much of a 

 swindle the public would stand. Of course where there 

 is a party of 8 or 10 the tax is lightened, but it does not 

 mitigate the swindle, and moreover who wants to go out 

 with a party of that size? Some get sick and want to go 

 home early in the action, some get tired or discouraged, 

 and it is anything but pleasant. 



In the height of the season, for a month, perhaps, 

 there are parties enough to give business to boats even at 

 such a price, but I saw boats lying at the landing at Nan- 

 tucket and Martha's Vineyard the entire day without a 

 job, because sensible people would not pay the price, 

 while at moderate rates they would have been constantly 

 employed, netting much more money in the end. But it 

 has got so that every man having a boat or a horse to 

 rent considers it his special privilege to gouge and rob to 

 the fullest extent, until it has become a question whether 

 it is not better to abandon the attempt altogether to 

 indulge in salt-water fishing, as uncertain as it is at best; 

 for it is a remarkable fact that one finds that he is always 

 a day too late, or the wind or tide or something is wrong. 

 It is either too late or too early. You are told that you 

 should have been here last week, and then follow the 

 usual yarns of the number of fish old John Brown caught, 

 or the hundreds of pounds a gentleman from New York 

 (name given being a mythical one) raked in. You are 

 encouraged to try it again to-morrow, and expend an- 

 other $12 for the benefit of the boat owner. 



I met a gentleman at Nantucket who assured me he 

 had expended three days' time and a matter of $36 in 

 pursuit of bluefish and other kinds, and the result was 

 one fish each day, one bluefish, one flounder and one 

 ' cunner," costing $12 each day, and he gained a nose so 

 red as to jeopardize his character as a prohibitionist. 

 Newport is as bad or worse. A boatman charged me a 

 dollar to take me over to Fort Adams (he at first wanted 

 $2), the usual price in past times has been 25 cents. It 

 don't seem to make much difference where you go. It 

 is swindle and gouge— robbery is a more appropriate 

 word for it, and, unless a man is a millionaire, it is sheer 

 folly to undertake to go to the sea coast to fish. If one 

 contemplates remaining in one place anv length of 

 time it is cheaper to purchase a small boat and be his 

 own boatman, and at the end of the season sell at the 

 best price he can, or store it away for another year. 



I for one am disgusted, and henceforth shall give all 

 these places a wide berth and turn my face inland or to 

 the western rivers and lakes, where summer seaside 

 fashions have not yet penetrated. No more Martha's 

 Vineyard or Nantucket for me. Podgers. 



ST. LAWRENCE FISH PROTECTION. 



IN taking the presidency of the Anglers' Association of 

 the St. Lawrence River, Mr. H. H. Warner, of Roches- 

 ter, announced Iris determination to head off illegal net- 

 ting. He said: 



"Sixteen years ago I built my cottage on what is now 

 known as Warner's Island. During the first year or two 

 of my sojourn I became wonderfully attached to the 

 spot and spent several seasons there, enjoying the mag- 

 nificent fishing: which was then without equal in America. 

 The quantity and quality of the fish were superior to 

 any other locality. I continued my visits annually for 

 several years, but I could gradually see that the fishing- 

 was becoming less and less. About ten years ago I came 

 to the conclusion that unless the people became aroused— 

 the sporting men of the country— fishing at the Thousand 

 Islands would soon be among the things that were. Dur- 

 ing that time I protested against the warton slaughter of 

 game and fish, in and out of season, but Was looked upon 

 as an interloper and intruder, from the fact that I was 

 continually agitating the question of protecting the fish- 

 ing grounds. In my journeying among the islands I 

 could see dotted here and there, nets of all kinds, set for 

 the purpose of securing what it was claimed was a liveli- 

 hood for a few. Perhaps half a dozen may have earned 

 a pittance, to the injury of the many. This practice has 

 been more or less continued up to the present time, 

 although since the organization of the Angler's Associa- 

 tion much has been done for the purpose of protecting 

 the fish for the benefit of masses. In the immediate 

 locality of Alexandria Bay the laws are now ample, 

 but it is very important that the distance for protecting 

 these fish be extended, and I give you my positive assur- 

 ance that 1, as president of the association and as a pri- 

 vate citizen, will use my best endeavors to see that 

 a proper law is drafted and presented to our next Legisla- 

 ture, and I have every reason to believe that the entire 

 Thousand Islands will be properly protected in the near 



future. I am very glad to know that the Anglers' Asso- 

 ciation has the hearty co operation of the largest and best 

 part in and about the Thousand Islands, and of the State 

 and entire country. This famous fishing resort can no 

 longer be claimed as belonging to Jefferson county of 

 New York Sl ate, but it is one of the favorite resorts of the 

 people of the whole country. I believe it is now gener- 

 ally conceded that the Thousand Islands and the river 

 St. Lawrence form the most beautiful and attractive 

 summer resort in the world, and with reasonably good 

 fishing, such as we had in former days and before the 

 conveniences of railroads and distribution of fish by the 

 netters, which has in a measure almost reached a point 

 of what you might term extermination, it will long con- 

 tinue so to be. As to the remark that I have often heard 

 made, that it would be impossible to exterminate the 

 black bass of the St. Lawrence, I desire to say that from 

 the best information possible this wonderful game fish 

 would undoubtedly have been exterminated by this time 

 if it had not been for the zealous efforts of the Anglers' 

 Association to protect them as far as possible. In con- 

 clusion, allow me to say that dining the term of my office 

 11 1 ere will be very little netting and violation of the law 

 by people along the river, be they Americans or Cana- 

 dians, and I will give the Association my positive assur- 

 ance that during the coming winter they will find it very 

 unprofitable to attempt to fish through the ice. Neither 

 will they be allowed to make any pretense of notifying 

 the game officials to witness the raising of nets for the 

 purpose of assorting and pretending to return to the 

 waters what are considered game fish. I will say em- 

 phatically that all such courtesies as allowing nets to be 

 set for any sort of fish will not be permitted." 



Henderson Bay Fishing.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 While casting about for a short vacation it was my good 

 luck to decide upon Henderson Bay, Jefferson county, N. 

 Y., and my further good luck to secure quarters with 

 Mr. E. Tyler, probably well-known to many readers of 

 the Forest and Stream as having taken an active part in 

 securing good protective laws for the fish which abound 

 at the bay. During my stay of two weeks, I did not 

 como in contact with a* single "fish hog" nor a single 

 gentleman who was not perfectly willing to put back — 

 after having landed— all black bass of less than lilbs. 

 and all pickerel of less than 2^1bs., according to the re- 

 quest of Mr. Tyler and his guides. There is a fully 

 equipped work shop provided here where broken gear, 

 or unsuited tackle can be made good on the grounds. 

 Many thanks are due Mr. Tyler for his earful watch over 

 the interest of sportsmen. It is my earnest desire to see 

 this moral law more generally enforced with respect to 

 fish and game, as I earnestly believe that from it come all 

 good statute laws, and in it lies the greatest protection to 

 the game and fish of the future.— Sid Bromley. 



Lockport, N. Y.— The Lockport Express has this on 

 three local anglers: "Lockport has many of the best 

 anglers in western New York, and among the most suc- 

 cessful of the number are District Attorney D. E. Brong, 

 ex-County Clerk John A. Merrit, ex-Supervisor C. W. 

 Hatch and Master Mechanic Frank N. Trevor. As pisca- 

 torial artists they have often surprised the most success- 

 ful disciples of Izaak Walton and created envy among 

 the professional anglers of the town. They studied the 

 almanac carefidly, watched the weather reports, gauged 

 the thermometer and barometer and most everything 

 else, including the phonograph, and came to the conclu- 

 sion that Tuesday, Aug. 27, was the identical day for un- 

 precedented success, and Oak Orchard Harbor the place 

 of destination. The story of yesterday is soon told. They 

 left town on the early train for the east some time before 

 daylight, and returned on the 12 o'clock train last night. 

 They fished all day vigorously and vivaciously and did 

 not get a bite. To-day they are posting up then expense 

 accounts, but no estimate can be made of their wounded 

 feelings." 



Susquehanna Bass.— Athens. Pa., Sept. 5.— Mr. Tom 

 Stonier and F. M. Frost returned last night from a day's 

 fishing on the Susquehanna at Mehoopany, Pa., and 

 brought back as trophies of their skill nearly 751bs. of 

 fine bass. The largest black bass weighed O^los., while 

 several Susquehanna salmon, "yellow bass," were taken 

 which were nearly as heavy, small bullheads being the 

 principal bait. — P. 



The Niagara River Bass Fishing is Capital.— On 

 Aug. 28, off Fort Niagara, these scores were made bv 

 trolling: P. H. Buckley of Niagara Falls, Ont., took 2.1; 

 H. R. Buckley of Philadelphia, 30; H. L. Coryell, Phila- 

 delphia, 27; Joe Gresy, Forest Avenue. Black Rock, 55; 

 Fred Smeading. Buffalo, 30; George Keller, Buffalo, 32; 

 J. L. Alberger, Buffalo, 35; Calvin Phelps, Buffalo, 50. 



FISH BREEDING IN CANADA.* 

 V\7"E gather the following interesting facts concerning 

 V 7 fish breeding in Canada during- 1888 from Mr. S. Wil- 

 mot's report, as Superintendent of Fishculture. Mr. Wil- 

 mot finds that owing to the increase of population and 

 improvements going on it is found that the food-fishes of 

 Canada are decreasing, and that it has become necessary to 

 protect them by proper legislation and the introduction of 

 improved methods for the restoration of this important- food. 

 He states that "This desideratum has in a large degree been 

 reached by the greater portion, of the civilized governments of 

 the world, by adopting the science of artificial fishculture, 

 an industry which thus far, wherever introduced and exten- 

 sively carried on, has produced most satisfactory results by 

 restoring many waters to their -original standard of fish 

 wealth; and replenishing others with the higher orders of 

 fishes by the acclimatisation of young fish reared in public 

 fish-breeding institutions. " There are twelve fish hatcheries 

 in Canada. The output of fish fry during 1888 exceeded that 

 of any previous year. The kiuds and numbers of fish 

 planted were as follows: 



Atlantic salmon (Salmn salar) 8,156,000 



Pacific salmon (Quin)iat a,nd saw-quai) 5,807,000 



Salmon trout (Sa.lvelm.us nama-ycmti) 7,320,000 



Brook trout (8. fnntivaUs) 176,000 



Pickerel (clord, Siizostcdium) 25,000^000 



Black bas3 (M, dolornici) _ 1,000,000 



Whitefish (Coregouus alhus) 40,650^000 



Grand total S8,109,000 



* .Report on Fish Breeding in the Dominion of Canada, 1888. 



