232 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 10, 1890. 



RANDOM CASTS. 



THE rod belt recently patented by ¥m, Mills & Son is 

 a novelty of value, as it makes bait fishing from a 

 boat much pleasanter. By the simple device of.a leather 

 thimble placed in the side of the belt in such a manner 

 that the butt of the rod when under the forearm can be 

 readily rested in it, the strain caused by the weight of 

 rod and reel is, to a great extent, overcome. 



A dog once said to a cat: "Pussy, how do you manage 

 to catch your fish? Here have I been rushing up and 

 down this stream day in and day out, getting footsore, 

 tired out and often nearly drowned, in my vain endeavor 

 to get that fine large trout you now see just under that 

 log." "Oh," replied the cat, "it is easy enough if you 

 will do as I do. Move along cautiously until you get 

 within reach, then not having been frightened the fish 

 becomes an easy prey." So it is with many who com- 

 plain that the large fish axe not to be caught; failing to 

 apply the proper methods they are of course unsuccessful. 



A perfect day and the other conditions to all appear- 

 ances just in keeping with what one would expect to find 

 favorable for the rising of trout, but still you reach home 

 after a day on the stream having had but poor success. 

 Don't grumble; you have been with nature, and to the 

 ardent angler this is always a satisfaction that serves to 

 militate against the bad luck of a comparatively empty 

 creel. Big Reel. 



NEW ENGLAND TROUTING. 



f"T^HE trout season in Massachusetts seems to have 

 JL opened with more than the usual interest this year. 

 Probably one reason is that the weather has been unusu- 

 ally pleasant for the first of April, and the streams are 

 free from snow water, with the chances for trout good. 

 The streams in some parts of the State have been pretty 

 well done, if not to say overdone. In one case a Boston 

 gentleman had a particular stream in his mind, which he 

 designed to visit as early in the season as the weather 

 and his business would permit. He thought that he was 

 about master of the situation, for it was an out-of-the- 

 way stream, and the gentleman was not aware that any- 

 body suspected the stream of having trout in it to the 

 extent of being worth trying for. Fast Day, April 3, 

 gave him the much-desired opportunity to visit the 

 stream with rod and reel. Carefully he prepared to fish, 

 but a few rods down the stream showed him numerous 

 footprints, and a little further on he overtook a party of 

 four, and the four had caught a single fingerling. The 

 luck of the Boston gentleman was no better, and he 

 learned at a farmhouse that the stream had been fished 

 by about a dozen men and boys on the first day of the 

 open season. Not quite as poor was the luck of a gentle- 

 man who fished a stream in Southboro. The first day of 

 the season he was present with rod and line, but he soon 

 found that he was not first at the stream. Others were 

 ahead of him. They all reached the end of the stream at 

 about the same time.. There were three farmers ahead 

 of our friend. To let them tell the rest of the Btory, they 

 compared notes. The united catch of the three was just 

 four trout, but our friend had twenty as fine brook trout 

 as one would wish to see, and the editor of a leading 

 newspaper had a voucher of the gentleman's success in 

 the shape of a half dozen. 



The show of trout in Appletou's window is attracting 

 unusual attention this year. Crowds throng the side- 

 walk to the extent that policemen are obliged to require 

 those who have looked the longest to move on. One pe- 

 culiar feature of the show is the number and size of the 

 trout displayed. It is also a feature with some of the 

 many sportsmen who call at the store, and are friends of 

 the firm, to be allowed, to cast a fly over the tank. The 

 fly is attached to the tip of a rod, and to get a rise is only 

 the work of a moment. It is curious to watch the motions 

 of the trout, and the positions they take. They dart at 

 the fly frequently, only to stop when very near it, as 

 though afraid of being hooked. Again a trout from 

 the very bottom of the tank, one that has apparently 

 taken no notice of the fly, will make a rush, seize the 

 fly, quicker than the hand of the would-be angler can be 

 turned to save the fish from being hooked. It has been 

 a feat of some of these sportsmen who have been allowed 

 to angle in the tank to "watch the fly from below." 

 That is, to look upward at the fly by placing the head 

 down beside the tank and looking upward through the 

 glass and water. I am not aware that any useful con- 

 clusions have yet been reached as to how the fly looks 

 from the trout's standpoint. It is a fact, however, that 

 the scarlet ibis proves about as attractive to these tank 

 trout as any fly that has yet been offered them. 



The trout season is certainly early in Massachusetts, 

 but the chances that it will be early in Maine are not 

 quite as sure. The lakes in the northern part of that 

 State are still bound in ice, and ice of great thickness. 

 Open as the past winter has been, people acquainted with 

 that region are inclined to think that the ice in the 

 Rangeley Lakes is as thick as ever at this season. A 

 guide writes me that the ice on Richardson Lake is 1-tft. 

 thick of true blue ice, and that this is covered with an- 

 other foot of snow ice. His idea is that the lakes will be 

 slow about clearing this year. Last year it will be re- 

 membered that these lakes cleared very early, starting 

 on April 29 and being all clear on the 30 th. But after 

 all fishing was not so much earlier than usual, the first of 

 May being cold and winterish. From the best records 

 that I have ever had the privilege of noting, I am con- 

 vinced that the big trout taken from these lakes are sel- 

 dom heard from previous to the last days of May, while 

 about that time a great many have been taken. Last 

 year was no exception to this rule, and there is doubtless 

 a good deal in the theory that the temperature of the 

 water has much to do with the taking of the trolling bait 

 by these great trout, as well as more to do with their 

 rising to the fly. I understand from pretty good sources 

 that the fishing through the ice by "the inhabitants of 

 the State," which the law permits after the first day of 

 March, has not been indulged in to the usual extent this 

 year. The guides are tiring of it themselves and they 

 discourage others, for the good reason that they are be- 

 ginning to be more and more convinced that such fishing 

 is detrimental to their business in the summer. 



The ice is out of the Penobscot up as far as Bangor, and 

 an early run of salmon is looked for. One or two salmon 

 have already been taken in the traps further down the 

 river, which indicates that the fish have already begun 

 their journey up the Tivej to jfche spawning beds. 



The fishing season promises to be a prosperous one, and 

 the correspondent of the daily papers is going to reap his 

 annual harvest out of it. In fact, he has already begun 

 to "write up" this or that resort. He is as replete with 

 adjectives and lies as ever. He heads his articles with 

 "Waters Alive with Trout," and then goes on to describe 

 the location. It is easy of access, or fairly so, and he 

 dares to say that on "no day in the year" can the sports- 

 man possibly fail of getting all the trout he wants. 

 "They always rise there, and hundreds are taken every 

 day in the year." Well, such stuff will do for chose for 

 whom it is written, but there is not one sensible reader 

 of the Forest and Stream but what knows that such 

 waters do not exist, and that the chaff is written to 

 catch those who have no real knowledge of the laws that 

 govern the supply of trout. One at all conversant with 

 the trout waters of the country has been out many and 

 many a day when not a trout has been lured to the creel. 

 Indeed, in the case of a lake or stream never before vis- 

 ited by white men, and seldom by Indians, it is found 

 that trout, though abundant, will not always come to 

 either the fly or bait. Even on the lakes and streams of 

 Alaska, where trout and salmon are abundant, there are 

 many days in the season when trout will not take bait of 

 any kind. It is well that such is the law; for after all, 

 where would be the sport if one had only to reach the 

 lake or stream, cast the fly, take a dozen or a hundred, 

 as the case might be, and retire? It strikes one that the 

 good things of this life hardly come that way. 



Special. 



Kentucky Fish Notes.— Shelby ville, Ky. , March 19.— 

 Editor Forest and Stream: There is no river within the 

 limits of Shelby county, but it abounds in creeks which 

 are large enough to furnish fine angling, but for the ob- 

 struction of dams. As it is, there is some sport in the 

 proper season. The species found in these waters are 

 common perch, silver perch, catfish, suckers and a few 

 black bass of small size. It is rare taking one of any 

 kind weighing 21bs. None are game except the black 

 bass and silver perch. Some six or eight years ago the 

 Fish Commission of the State caused large numbers of 

 fry of California salmon to be put in these waters. It 

 was said that though these fish, when grown, would 

 make their way to the sea, yet that they would always 

 return to the same stream whence they came to breed and 

 spawn. I have examined some of the waters and inquired 

 as to the others, and have never seen or heard of a salmon 

 after they attained 4in. in length. It may be their ab- 

 sence is due to the obstructions I have spoken of; but I 

 have always been skeptical as to their returning. There 

 are many fine private ponds in the county, many of which 

 were well stocked with silver perch a few years ago, but 

 they were badly managed. The fish were suffered to be- 

 come too numerous, and grew less in size and died out. 

 Another cause of their decline is the unfortunate intro- 

 duction of German carp. These were introduced by the 

 Fish Commission. Are they a success? Yes and no! They 

 will live and grow in any water, even in mud; they attain 

 a large size; but the general verdict is that they are not 

 fit to eat. I have not tested them. Some epicures pro- 

 nounce them excellent food, and some, who admit their 

 bad taste, attribute it to their being tested at the wrong 

 season. They do not say, however, what is the proper 

 season.— J. S. M. 



Wall-eyed Pike in Kentucky. — Somerset, Ky., March 

 24 — Editor Forest and Stream: I would have answered 

 your inquiry sooner in regard to what we call salmon 

 being the wall-eyed pike, but had to wait until we could 

 get the river in good condition for another fish. We got 

 one day between rains last week and caught about fifty 

 pounds, one weighing fifteen pounds. I send a photo- 

 graph of one; it^ certainly looks like the wall-eyed pike, 

 although the snout and teeth are not exactly like the last- 

 named fish. If the weather had not been too hot would 

 have shipped you one, and you could have judged upon 

 its table qualities. We have the true pike here, and he 

 is a dandy; will send you a picture of the first one we 

 catch. As soon as the water falls we expect to have both 

 pike and bass fishing.— J. M. R. [The photograph re- 

 ferred to by "J. M. R." enables us to determine that the 

 fish is a wall-eyed pike, as we supposed. Judging from 

 the size of one of the examples captured this must be the 

 larger one of the two varieties into which the species is 

 divided, and rejoices in a multitude of names, among 

 which are: Wall-eyed pike, green pike, grass pike, 

 yellow pike, pike-perch, hornfish, grass-eye, okow, dory, 

 jack, jack salmon, salmon and pickerel. If this is not 

 confusion worse confounded, pray what is it ? Kentucky 

 River claims the palm for wall-eyed pike, for it is recorded 

 that Dr. Buel took one in that stream weighing nearly 

 fifty pounds.] 



Ballston Lake Fish and Game Club.— South Balls- 

 ton, N. Y., March SI.— Editor Forest and Stream: For 

 several months past Dr. J. C. Spiegel and Maj. Geo. W. 

 Marlette, of Schenectady, have been working earnestly to 

 form a fish and game club, the object of which shall be 

 the propagation, protection and preservation of fish and 

 game in and about Ballston Lake, Saratoga county, N.Y. 

 As a result of these gentlemen's efforts a number of 

 sportsmen, residents of Schenectady and Saratoga coun- 

 ties, assembled at Caldwell's Hotel, South Ballston, on 

 Monday, March 24, and organized the club by the elec- 

 tion of the following officers: President, Dr. J. C. Spiegel; 

 Vice-President, Maj. Geo. W. Marlette, Schenectady; 

 Secretary, Geo. D. Bull, South Ballston; Treasurer, E. E. 

 Kreiesmann, Schenectady; Executive Committee, Dr. J. 

 C. Spiegel, Schenectady; Samuel Smith, Ballston; S. W. 

 Buell, South Ballston; Maj. Geo. W. Marlette, Schenec- 

 tady, and Silas Briggs, South Ballston, — Lopis. 



St. Louis Fly-Fishing.— St. Louis, Mo., April 4,— Fly 

 fishing has grown wonderfully in popularity among 

 fishermen here of late years. Two years ago fly-fishing 

 for bass was almost totally unpracticed. List season 

 quite a little of it was done with satisfactory results. The 

 John C. Meyers Sporting Goods Co. is agitating the ques- 

 tion of holding a fly-casting contest in the near future, 

 and the project is meeting with much enthusiasm from 

 the lovers of the sport, and quite a number of valuable 

 prizes will be awarded the winners. — Unser Fritz. 



To SALMOS AnglebS.— Thos. J. Conroy, 65 Fulton streoet, New 

 York, has an overstock of fine salmon rods, assorted kinds, which 

 he will sell at a sacrifice until stock is reduced. Don't miss the 

 opportunity,— Adv. 



Adirondack Jottings. — D. J. Gilligan, of Ticonder- 

 oga, has leased the valuable hotel property owned by 

 Milo B. Miller, at Saranac Lake, for a term of five years 

 for $20,000. Mr. H. Tousley has been secured as clerk. 

 John Harding has purchased the Alexander House, 

 located on the southeast shore of Lower Saranac Lake, 

 about one and a, half miles from the Saranac Lake station. 

 Mr. Harding will begin the work of refitting at once and 

 will open the house about May 15, the time when the 

 spring fishing is the best. The name of the hotel has 

 been changed, and it will in the future be known as The 

 Algonquin, a very appropriate Indian name. Wabeek 

 Lodge, Upper Saranac Lake, on the Sweeny Portage, 

 will be open for early fishing in May. Mr, T. E. Krum- 

 holtz, proprietor. The house is an admirable one, and 

 with its great advantages for fishing and commanding 

 an extensive water and mountain view, must have a 

 large patronage. — S. N. 



It Served Them Right.— The Commercial Gazette 

 prints under date of March 27 the following despatch: 

 "St. George, W. Va. — J. W. Ramsey and State Senator 

 A. C. Minear had narrow escapes from death a few days 

 ago. They were descending Cheate River in a boat, and 

 had a package of dynamite along, intending to use it to 

 kill fish with. Selecting a good point in the river, the 

 senator ignited a stick of the explosive, but accidentally 

 dropped it in the bottom of the boat. The result was an 

 explosion which wrecked their bark. Minear was blown 

 into the air about 20ft., alighting in the branches of a 

 tree on the bank, while Ramsey was thrown into the 

 river." Dynamiting fish is fine business for a State Senator 

 to be engaged in. 



Good Work on the Mohawk.— Schenectady, N. Y., 

 April 6 — Several days ago Game Constable Potts was 

 along the river bank at Crescent, and suddenly came 

 upon four men floating down the river in a large fishing 

 boat. Potts suspected something wrong and stepped be- 

 hind a large tree to watch them. Presently the boat 

 drew near shore where they had a net set. On raising it 

 they found a good supply of bass, perch and pike. Potts 

 took in the situation from his hiding place. The men 

 proved to be Roger Van Curen, Chas. Caswell, Isaac De- 

 voe and Samuel Stockton. On Monday last they were 

 arraigned before Justice Smith and held to appear before 

 him on April 19, when Constable Potts promises to make 

 it very interesting for them. — Lopis. 



Brook Trout in Massachusetts.— We are indebted 

 to Mr. Willard Nye for information as to the present out- 

 look for trout fishing on Cape Cod and the adjacent re- 

 gion. The New Bedford anglers have made their prepar- 

 ations to fish the little brooks flowing into salt water, 

 distant from two or three to twenty miles. Some go to 

 the famous Marshpee, where Daniel Webster loved to 

 follow his favorite pastime of trout fishing. Others visit 

 the streams of Martha's Vineyard. Trout are to be found, 

 says Mr, Nye, almost anywhere. The anglers generally 

 use worms and small fish for bait, because the brush is so 

 thick that flies cannot be handled successfully. 



Smelt and White Perch. — Winterport, on the Pen- 

 obscot, is said to be the greatest smelt-fishing town in 

 Maine. The fishing is done with bag nets, which are set 

 at the beginning of the flood tide and drawn at high 

 water. The best catches are made at night. Eighty 

 pounds is considered a fair catch, but this amount is 

 generally exceeded. Old fishermen say that smelts have 

 not been so abundant in the Kennebec River for twenty- 

 five years as they have been this winter. The Bangor 

 market has been bountifully supplied of late with white 

 perch from near-by ponds— Gloucester Daily Times. 



We have received from Mr. Heidell a letter expressing very 

 strongly the opinion that the automatic reel manufactured hy 

 Messrs.* i r awman & Etbe is the "grandest invention of the age for 

 lovers of piscatorial sport."— Adv, 



tgjiglfculturq. 



BULLETIN OF THE U. S. FISH COM MISSION.* 



THE articles forming this volume relate chiefly to fish- 

 culture and acclimatization, natural history of fishes 

 and other aquatic animals, and to the apparatus, methods 

 and products of the fisheries. Among them are the follow- 

 ing; 



Report on the fisheries observed in Great Egg Harbor 

 Bay, New Jersey, during the summer of 1887, by Tarleton H. 

 Bean, illustrated by 19 figures of young forms. 



Results of investigations by the schooner Grampus on the 

 southern mackerel' grounds in the spring of 1887, by D. E. 

 Collins, T. H. Bean and Richard Rathbun, the last author 

 having prepared the report on the surface organisms taken 

 in the townets and the contents of mackerel stomachs. 



The beam-trawl fishery of Great Britain, with notes on 

 beam-trawling in other European countries, by Capt. J. W. 

 Collins, with, many good illustrations. 



A review of the mackerels (Scomhrincr) of America and 

 Europe, by Fletcher B. Dresslar and Bert B'esler, with 11 

 plates. 



The American sardine industry in 1886, by R. E. Earll and 

 Hugh M. Smith. 



The aquarium. A brief exposition of its principles and 

 management, by Wm. P. Seal: also by the same author, An 

 inquiry as to the proper methods for the care of living 

 things beld for popular amusement and instruction or for 

 purposes of biological research. 



Notes on the hatcheries and fresh-water fisheries of Ice- 

 land, by B. S. Thorarinsson. 



The fisheries of Gloucester, Mass., and other localities, by 

 W. A. Wilcox. 



W. Oldham Chambers is quoted on American fish culti- 

 vated by the National Fishculture Association of England, 

 the species referred to being whitefish, brook trout, rainbow 

 trout and landlocked salmon. Gilbert Duclos's observa- 

 tions on the calico bass in France have been translated. 

 Mr. Fred Mather has contributed papers on brown trout in 

 America and the results of planting salmon in the Hudson. 

 Mr. H. J. Maynard mentions the success with rainbow 

 trout in Missouri. Prof. Mcintosh's account of the eggs of 

 fishes is given in abstract. Consul Frank H. Mason de- 

 scribes the method of obtaining self-reproducing food for 

 young fish. 



We notice with pleasure the great improvement m the 

 quality of the paper used for the plates of this volume and 

 congratulate the Commission on the variety and value of 

 its contents. 



♦Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission, Vol. VIJ., for 

 1887. Washington: Goverment Printing Office, 1889, Pages yiii, 

 475; plates 39: figures in text 35. 



