fSB. 6, 1890,1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



4 9 



purple, gold and crimson, wbile the fleree waves,, which, 

 were beating against its rocky shore, were sending 

 columns of silver ppray up and over the stunted and 

 foliaged trees that seemed to spring from the flint rocks 

 that inclosed them, Along the main line of the shore the 

 tumultuous waters could plainly be seen battling with 

 spiteful fury the jutting rocks, deep depressions and 

 debris Of shattered stone, while in the distance a vessel 

 with reefed sail was scudding before the wind, and anon, 

 a steamer headed for the deep water beyond came in 

 sight perfectly indifferent to the angry waves. The 

 scene was truly picturesque, reminding one of the well 

 known lines of the poet— 



"Ob, who that has an eye to see, 

 A heart to feel, a tongue to bless, 



Can ever undelicjhted be 

 With Nature's magic loveliness?" 



In a couple of hours our boatmen arrived with a string 

 of three trout, one of which weighed about a pound and 

 a half. A discussion now ensued relative to making 

 Gros Cap Island at once. Our men contended that it was 

 entirely too rough for the trip, but on our insisting on 

 going they reluctantly got the boat ready and we started. 

 As soon as we had gone beyond the lee in which we had 

 been sheltered we realized that it was quite "lumpy," 

 and if we could with safety have turned the boat around 

 would have returned. The half-breeds stuck nobly to 

 the oars and in about an hour we arrived safely at our 

 destination, glad that we had got through without taking 

 much water. It was a hard pull against a dead ahead 

 wind and a very rough sea, and so slow at times was our 

 progress that it seemed we made no headway. Ned didn't 

 sing much on this little trip, as he was too interested in 

 watching the big waves that threatened to give us a good 

 soaking. He was jolly though after he had reached 

 terra firma and made the welkin ring with his musical 

 notes." Here was a lovely camping ground, in fact, one 

 of the very best on the lake. It is frequently resorted to 

 by the officers of the fort at the "Soo. It was formerly 

 excellent trouting waters, but its close proximity to 

 civilization has resulted in its being fished to death. We, 

 however, determined to give it a trial in the morning, 

 weather permitting. We were gratified in this respect, 

 for the day opened auspiciously, a bright sun and a very 

 gentle breeze prevailing when we got aboard the boat. 

 Ned affixed a brown hackle for his point fly and a 

 silver-fairy as his dropper, or rather hand fly. I was 

 tempted to try a silver-doctor for my point and a scarlet- 

 ibis for a hand. fly. 



We did some careful casting around a small cluster of 

 rocks just ahead of the island, and after a few casts Ned 

 had a splendid rise and I think had the "buck fever," so 

 to speak, when it came to striking. He was evidently too 

 slow, and the agile trout, which was a good sized one, 

 slapped its tail in his face with an impertinence tha,t con- 

 fused the angler. 



"Did you see that?" he queried. 



"Of course." 



"He was a beauty, you bet." 

 "Why didn't you strike?" 

 "I did."' 



"Too slow," says Joe. 



This was an unkind reflection and Ned tried hard to 

 convince us that he was on time with Mr. Trout, but we 

 were credulous and therefore he obtained no converts to 

 his striking ideas. 



He tried a long time to lure him to the top again, but 

 the wary trout had the anatomy of that fly down to a 

 fine point. He saw its counterfeit presentment and 

 shook his golden sides with laughter, as he observed 

 from his fissured lair the constant drop and quiver of 

 the artifice. It was useless and so we started for the rock- 

 bound shore which had everything to recommend it as 

 the haunt of this lovely fish. A short pull brought us to 

 capital-looking grounds, where was constantly develop- 

 ing darkened water, indicative of deep fissures, and 

 where the glittering trout, if any there be, were sure to 

 abide. I whipped faithfully for a long time and finally 

 got a rise and hung the inquisitive trout. He started 

 like the lightning's flash when he felt the prick of the 

 hook, with a quivering bound for the shattered rocks 

 near the shore, but I soon guided him from that danger- 

 ous locality and made him fight in deeper water: 



"Mark the gleam of his side 



As he shoots through the tide- 

 Are the dyes of the dolphin more fair'; 1 



Fatigue now begins 



For his quivering fins 

 On the shallows are spread in despair." 



The battle was soon over and his enameled form en- 

 shrouded in the net and then deftly boated. He was 

 only a two-pounder, but he made a tiger-like fight while 

 his strength lasted. 



Ned had grown tired of casting by this time and handed 

 his rod to Joe, who soon hung a goodly trout. He imme- 

 diately returned the rod to Ned and let him do the artis- 

 tic work in bringing him to the net. It was a beautiful 

 play for ten minutes or less and then the stricken fish 

 gave up in despair, a willing captive to the duplicity of 

 man. His weight was over three pounds. The gentle 

 wind as well as the gentle ripple was fast dying out and 

 we concluded as the sun was coming down quite fiercely 

 and a rise hard to obtain, to return and enjoy the 

 pleasures of the camp. 



We had established a rule not to catch any more fish 

 than we desired and endeavored to live up to it, though 

 there are times when the sport is fo fast and furious that 

 a sense of forgetf ulness ensues. Ned was a great stickler 

 for flies in season, and like Sir Izaak, believed that every 

 change of weather necessitated a change of flies. He 

 spoke very learnedly of all kinds of feathery lures, much 

 of which information hebrought from the "ould country." 

 His talk to me was like pouring water on a duck's back, 

 for it was not long before I made him a convert through 

 practice to many of my ideas on the subject. The success 

 m taking trout is evidently not due so much to the season- 

 ableness of color and perfection of the imitation fly as to 

 a subtle manipulation of the rod, the delivery of the fly. 

 and peculiar delicacy of drawing across the surface of 

 the waters. This cannot be learned but is a gift, and its 

 possessor can emancipate himself from the fetich which 

 hangs to many of the marvelous compositions which are 

 pronounced to be most killing. We remained in camp 

 till about four o'clock and then took another turn for the 

 golden beauties over the same grounds we had fished in 

 th© morning, We caught three more, running i n weight 



from 21 to a^lbs., and were fully satisfied with the day's 

 sport. When returning to camp 1 noticed that the boat 

 leaked badly and that it was getting too full for comfort, 

 and as I was near the bailing place I went into active ser- 

 vice with the tin can that we had brought along for this 

 purpose. I found the water rapidly gaining, and soon it 

 came into the boat in a large stream. I mentioned the 

 circumstance, when Joe at once declared the plug must 

 be out. It so proved, but the plug could not be found, as 

 I had doubtless bailed it out. A few handkerchiefs were 

 rammed into the hole and the leak partially stopped. It 

 was a trifling incident, but it was exciting while it lasted, 

 and created much merriment. Gros Cap Island was in- 

 deed such a lovely camping place that we concluded to re- 

 main there another day. 



Our tents were embowered in a forest of balsam, fir, 

 pdplar, birch and pine, with clustering gooseberry bushes 

 and an abundance of the beautiful dark spur flowers 

 which seem to dominate in this region. Here we idled 

 the spare hours away in viewing the endless lines of re- 

 ceding shore until they were lost in bright sunlight; in 

 listening to the rhythm of the glittering waves; in watch- 

 ing the gulls "all white in the sun,;indolently wheel 

 through the sky:" in observing the soft clouds as they 

 quietly floated across the arched dome; in drinking the 

 soughing air that came laden with the perfume of the 

 invigorating balsam and fir, until we are thinking of 

 what mariners tell of the far away spice islands in the 

 resplendent tropics. It was indeed an ideal spot, and all 

 chat a lover of nature and solitude could require. N^d 

 would occasionally break in cn the reverie with his 

 cheery songs, and one which he gave with the air of a 

 professional was so odd and amusing in its measured 

 rhyme that I reproduce it. He calls it "The Loves of 

 the Shell Fishes," and it runs thus: 



" A crah there was, a dashing young blade. 

 And he was in love with a lohster maid ; 

 But the lobster maid was a terrible prude, 

 And she told her mamma that the crab was rude. 



" Said her dear mamma, ' Pray, what did h» do ? 

 Did he give you a kiss or a Mltet-clVUX ? 1 

 ' Oh, no,' says she, with a toss of her head, 

 ' But he .joggles me so; 'tis so shocking ill bred. 



" 1 1 vow if he still persists in his suit. 

 I'll box the ears of the impudent brute;' 

 But an oyster dandy saw the maid, 

 1 Oh, split me ! ' says he, ' if: I'm afraid." 



t4o t ight he braced his corset shell, 

 And strutted away with a Broadway swell, 

 And he told the maid as he twirl'd his seal, 

 He'd die at her feet if a dandy could kneel. 



" ' Oh, sir,' said she, 1 since that can't be, 



You know you can haug yourself on a tree ; ' 

 And the oyster raved, ' But no,' said she, 

 ' You never shall die of scorn for me.' 



" So she gave him her ruby red hand to kiss. 

 And he felt like a fish in a sea of bliss: 

 But the crah he cocked his hat in their faces. 

 And challenged the oyster to fight at two paces. 



"The ground was mark'd and they took their stand. 

 And a barnacle gave the word of command; 

 They took their aim and the oyster fell. 

 But alas ! the worst of the tale's to tell. 



" A giddy young muscle just passed that way, 

 And saw the end of the fatal fray; 

 He declared the lobster's love was sham, 

 Foj? he'd just, seen her married that night to a clam." 



Our few hours fishing in the morning and afternoon 

 resulted in the capture of five trout ranging from one to 

 three pounds. We had not yet arrived at good fishing 

 grounds, as I have heretofore stated that this place was 

 spoiled for the angler by its being too close to the "Soo" 

 and too frequently visited. 



The next morning we were greeted with a sky of the 

 most delicate blue, with little crumpled clouds of 

 pale-colored satin, a scene bright and warm, and a lake 

 almost as smooth as a mirror, We broke camp immedi- 

 ately after breakfast, and the heat was such as to induce 

 our boatmen to strip to the waist that they might make 

 the pleasing music with the dipping oar. It was a rough 

 and rugged wood-crowned shore we passed. Nature's 

 stern agony has assuredly written itself on the furrowed 

 brows of these gloomy stones, while the reft and splin- 

 tered cliffs which frown down upon you and which are 

 covered with snow and ice the greater part of the year, 

 stand the dreamy images of patient sorrow. The delicate 

 mosses creep o'er their grim faces as if to hide their aged 

 deformity, while a tiny wild flower at rare intervals 

 creeps through a rugged crevice glittering in the most 

 delicate hues. 



Our boatmen wondered at our admiration of this grand 

 coast, for to them it was only a reminder of the many 

 dangers they had here passed when closely driven by 

 stormy weather in their frail boats. It was now a prac- 

 tical demonstration of hard work, and so the grandeur and 

 solemn beauty which so enraptured us was a thing un- 

 known to them. We were fast getting into nature's 

 haunts and solitude. Here and for hundreds of miles 

 the woods are silent and as if deserted, and one may 

 walk for hours without hearing a sound, and when he 

 does it is of a wild and lonely character. You are some- 

 times greeted with the plaintive cry of a loon, or the 

 Canada jay, the startling rattle of the Arctic woodpecker, 

 or the sweet, solemn note of the white-throated sparrow. 

 Occasionally you come upon a silent, solitary pigeon sit- 

 ting upon a dead bow, or a little troop of gold crests and 

 chickadees with their cousins of Hudson's Bay, who come 

 duf ting through the treetops. It is like being transported 

 to the early ages of the earth, when the mosses and ferns 

 had just begun to cover the primeval' rock, and the 

 animals as yet ventured timidly forth into the new world. 



About 1 1 o'clock we reached Goulais Bay Point. It was, 

 I believe, nine miles across, and had then to be made 

 with the oars, as there was not a breath of air stirring. 

 We concluded to cross over and make camp on the oppos- 

 ite side, having been deceitfully persuaded to this arrange- 

 ment by the crafty Joe, which, as the sequel shows, was 

 a bad one for us. As the bay was great for lake trout, 

 Ned suggested that a troll, as we went along, might 

 afford some fport. I put one over, and had not gone far 

 before I found it a drag on the boat, and asked Joe if it 

 would not aid Mm if I took it out. He insolently replied 



that I could do as I d— d pleased. This insulting answer 

 made me exceedingly indignant, and before I had time 

 to reply to it Ned suggested that if that was a sample of 

 his good faith to us, it would be best to return, as he 

 didn't feel like tolerating such conduct. On explanation 

 being made, the churlish savage stated that I had called 

 him a liai - , because I diff>red from him as to the distance 

 across the bay. Exceedingly sensitive, indeed, was this 

 copper-colored boatman. This from one who did all he 

 could to deceive us in regard to the trouting in Goulais 

 Bay, and simply because he desired to visit his family, 

 who resided there at the Catholic Mission, and probably 

 to take advantage of the location in order to make a foray 

 upon our provisions. This is too common a practice, as 

 others to their sorrow can attest. After the affront had 

 been condoned, the oars were again taken up and we 

 once more started to cross the bay. 



Precisely at meridian Joe felt a gnawing at his vitals, 

 as he always did at that time, and asked for some lunch. 

 Pete, who was his helper, never had anything to say on 

 these occasions, leaving everything for his insolent 

 tawny boss tto arrange. What designs he conveyed in 

 the Indian dialect, which was the language they always 

 conversed in with one another, we never knew, as our 

 education had been somewhat neglected in this respect. 

 The lunch, which was simply composed of boiled eggs, 

 crackers and sardines, was hastily devoured and we again 

 started, arriving at our camping place for the night about 

 two hours after lunch. Here we were met on the beach 

 by a few half-breeds and Indians who lived, here, and a 

 lot of half-starved mangy curs, ever ready to make a 

 stealthy raid when chances ©ffered upon our provisions. 



Ned was completely discouraged on landing, and de- 

 clared that that insolent half-breed had badly fooled us, 

 and that some of our provisions would assuredly be 

 spirited away in the night. I endeavored to console him 

 with the idea that we were here for only one night, a,nd 

 would be off early in the morning. This did not satisfy 

 bim, for he was fearful of a high wind arising during 

 the night that might keep us weather-bound for several 

 days. He was completely demoralized and would not 

 be consoled, and stated that it was always bad policy to 

 camp near Indians. 



Our tents were pitched amid a bower of wild snowball 

 bushes, which were profusely loaded with the simple and 

 lovely flower. It was a splendid place, and the bay with 

 its gravelly beach exceedingly beautiful, but there were 

 no speckled beauties here to delight the angler. I soon 

 got Ned down to our favorite game, and*we merrily rat- 

 tled off the fifteen two's and runs with unexampled 

 facility. He was still depressed, and finally declared in 

 one of his agonizing moods that the only good Indian was 

 a dead one. I said amen to that with vigorous emphasis. 

 There were so many mangy curs here that looked more 

 like half-starved wolves than aught else, that we thought 

 it prudent to keep our boat with the provisions anchored 

 in the bay. This was accordingly done. After supper 

 we strayed a short distance from camp, and on returning 

 found that the sneaking curs had really bitten off the tin 

 lid of the lard bucket, and were lapping up the greasy 

 substance in a rapid manner. They were furiously routed 

 and the pail hung on a birchen limb well out of their 

 reach. Alex. Starb(jCK. 

 Cincinnati. 



PENNSLYLVANIA BLACK BASS FISHING 



WE have been most successful in catching black bass 

 a few days after a heavy rain, when the water is 

 falling and far from being clear from the muddiness of 

 showers. The wind must be from the south or south- 

 west, the sky very clear and the sun very hot. With 

 such a state of the weather bass can be taken all day long. 

 They are then found feeding along grass patches or 

 around rocks where there is a strong current, or a good 

 fall of water over a lot of rocks. When we wish to catch 

 a large number we use a 9oz. rod, a very light line with 

 a 3ft; gut leader and a No. 2 0 Sproat hook. Then, put- 

 ting on a 2|in. shiner or minnow, we make a cast just 

 over the current and let our minnow swing around below 

 and gently and slowly draw the line backward, generally 

 finding our efforts rewarded with a tug. 



Such fishing brings us bass running from 10 to 14in. 

 all day long unless the weather should change. When 

 larger bass are wanted we use a larger minnow, and put 

 a split buckshot on the leader about 2ft. from the hook. 

 The same cast is made, but in deeper water. The min- 

 now is allowed to sink to the bottom from the weight of 

 the sinker. Here it is kept a few seconds, when the line 

 is drawn backward about a yard and left to sink again: 

 and so on- until another cast is made in the same or some 

 other direction. By this method bass from 12 to 20in. 

 are taken. 



Our largest strings of black bass are caught in Swatara 

 Creek, which empties into the Susquehanna River at 

 Middletown, and at sueh favorite places as Fisher's 

 Bridge, Fry's Dam, Big Spring and the Saddle Rock on 

 this stream. These points can be reached by a railroad 

 which runs along the creek for at least seven miles. 



For great numbers of small bass, better known as "fly- 

 ers," we generally fish at Bainbridge, in the riffles below 

 the town, or opposite the island in the grass patches. At 

 Collins's Station, up the Susquehanna, below, in or at the 

 head of Conewago Falls, when the water is still a little 

 high and not yet free from muddiness, we have been suc- 

 cessful in catching them with the helgramite, fished in 

 the same style as the minnow. On cloudy days flies are 

 generally used. They must be gaudy and not of a large 

 pattern. By skimming or whipping them over the top of 

 the water goodly numbers of bass are taken. 



When the fish cannot be captured any other way and 

 it is desirable to take a few of the larger ones, it is cus- 

 tomary to use larger flies, enter a boat and troll over their 

 favorite feeding grounds. If the water is deep, and not 

 too cloudy, we troll deeper clown and more slowly, and 

 are usually rewarded for our trouble. 



When the water is very low and very clear, so clear 

 that you can see the bottom of the stream, it is very dif- 

 ficult to take bass; they seem to move out into the middle 

 of the stream and lie under grass or logs or rocks, and 

 are really hard to catch. Outlining is a favorite way of 

 taking bass in the river, and it secures them in large 

 numbers; but I have never approved of catching them in 

 any wav except with the rod and line. 



Geo. H. Keller. 



EUZABETHTOWN^Pa. 



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

 Mfrs., 3+ Commercial st. Boston, or 199 Fulton st„ N. Y-— Adv. 



