May 1, 1890.1 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



293 



ANGLING NOTES. 



HPHE following conversation was overheard lately, and 

 JL as the statements made are unique and especially in- 

 teresting to fishermen, we think them worth putting in 

 print. The speaker was a mahogany-faced, white-bearded 

 specimen of the old-fashioned bayrnan, a man who has 

 fished and shot in the vicinity of New York for at least 

 fifty years. Said he "Talk about kitciien bass at Bob- 

 bin's Reef ! Why the folks that go down there don't know 

 nothing about fishing. Now I know a man that goes 

 fishing there, that could give me points, and I think I'm 

 no slouch. He trolls with two lines, one awfully long 

 and one a little shorter, and he rows very slow, hardly 

 moves along. He uses a long leader, but I'll be dog 

 goned if I know what bait he uses or how he rigs it, ex- 

 cepting I know he uses mighty little lead. But I'll get 

 onto it this season, you bet! He just creeps along in 

 about 6ft. of water, round the reef and round the coves 

 on the Jersey shore and my! don't he ketch 'em! It is 

 nothing for him to bring in 80 or 90lbs. of bass, a load for 

 two men. Now, I had great sport last summer on the 

 mussel beds ketch en weakfish. I've took as many as 250 

 on a tide, and some of 'em big ones! One day last July I 

 ketched nine shad with shrimp bait. When I went 

 ashore, my chum asked me whose fyke I'd been into, but 

 I told him he ought to know better than to think any one 

 would put out fykes in July; besides, I showed him the 

 marks of the hook. Next day me and my chum went out 

 there and ketched eleven more shad — one of 'em weighed 

 71bs. ! But what astonished me most was that I ketched 

 one day last summer four muskallonge that weighed 

 601bs.; one weighed 211bs. Some folks said tbey were 

 big weakfish, but I knowed better. They had got over 

 some dam Up the river I reckon." 



So there are evidently plenty of fish in the harbor yet, 

 that is, if the old chap has not caught them all. The 

 probabilities are the aforesaid big fish were channel bass 

 or spot, of which several have been caught the past two 

 seasons, some weighing over 301bs. Several years ago we 

 heard of an angler killing nineteen shad one day in the 

 Hudson with small shrimp for bait. 



A fine salmon was caught in the Hudson off Sing Sing 

 in a drift net last week, and presented to a gentleman 

 there. A leather-back carp, weighing 91bs., was also 

 taken in one of the shad nets. 



We understand there is some talk of stocking the Hud- 

 son River with wall-eyed pike. We should think the 

 young salmon would find them undesirable neighbors. 



A great many people who are about takingup the noble 

 art of trout fishing are bothered about a proper rig for 

 wading. Of course it is possible to get along with a pair 

 of rubber boots reaching to the thigh, but they are hot, 

 difficult to dry inside, and they are dangerously slippery. 

 The best arrangement by all odds, though a bit clumsy, is 

 as follows: Over a pair of ordinary light socks wear a 

 pair of wading stockings (English preferred) that reach 

 to the crotch, over these a pair of old-fashioned woolen 

 socks, and last of all, a pair of canvas wading shoes with 

 soft hob nails in the soles. At night turn the wading 

 stockings inside out to dry off the perspiration, and they 

 will last for several seasons. In warm weather most peo- 

 ple can do without the rubber stockings; then the same 

 shoes will do, only put on an extra pair of socks. 



Word was received last Friday from Bangor, Me., that 

 some 20 salmon have been taken on rod this past week. 



The ice went out of Saranac Lake the latter part of 

 last week. 



NEW ENGLAND TROUTING. 



BEFORE these lines are scanned by the readers of 

 FOREST AND Stream, the open season on trout and 

 landlocked salmon in Maine and New Hampshire will 

 have begun, May 1 being the opening day. But after all 

 the sportsmen will have to hold on to their enthusiasm 

 a while longer, for winter still lingers in the Pine Tree 

 State. The reports from the lumber people still speak of 

 winter and a good deal of it. Tbe shingle manufactur- 

 ers at Aroostook and on the St. John, write Boriton par- 

 ties that their logs are so badly frozen in the ice that 

 they will not be able to commence sawing for a couple 

 of weeks. Now this does not sound much like t-plit bam- 

 boo rods and trout rising to the fly, but the change from 

 ice to balmy winds and green leaves is very sudden in 

 the northern region. Moosehead and Rangeley are yet full 

 of ice, and indeed I wish that the ice was out of Moosehead 

 if reports are true. Tbe papers say that the Kineo House 

 and other hotels at that lake have been doing very well in- 

 deed during themonthsof March and April, for the reason 

 that they have been pretty well filkd with fishermen. 

 These fishermen have been fishing through the ice. That 

 mistaken statute of Maine permits the citizens of the 

 State to take trout and landlocked salmon through the 

 ice, for their own use, after the first day of March each 

 year. The result is that almost anybody fishes that is 

 disposed to do so. They employ guides who are citizens 

 of th# State, and a great number of trout are destroyed 

 in a very unsportsmanlike way, and in a way that must 

 afford about as much real enjoyment to the square inch 

 as would be derived from picking strawberries with three 

 inches of snow on the ground, But the ice is getting 

 rotten, and this miserable ice fishing will have to stop. 

 Late reports say that the ice is out of Lake Auburn, 

 and that the Sebago waters are fast breaking up. The 

 clearing of these lakes is an indication of about the 

 time that Moosehead and the Rangeleys will be free 

 from ice. It is usually about ten days from the 

 clearing of Sebago Lake to the breaking up of Moose- 

 head, and the Rangeley Lakes generally clear from two 

 to four days later. Hence the fishing on the Maine lakes 

 may be expected to open about the 10th of May. Indeed, 

 there are several sportsmen who will make it a point to 

 start for Rangeley and Mooselucmaguntic lakes so as to 

 be there about the 10 di, with the full expectation that 

 the ice will then be out. There seems to be an unusual 

 amount of enthusiasm this spring in the direction of trout 

 fishing in Maine. There are probably fifty Boston mer- 

 chants and professional men who intend to get a brief 

 outing in that direction this spring, and th« Rangeley 

 camps and hotels are being pretty well advertised. Capfc. 

 Fred C. Barker has been here in the interest of his camp3 

 on Mooselucmaguntic, and Billy Soule has also paid Bos- 



ton a visit, leaving some fine photographs of his camps 

 afc- Cupsuptic. The tackle stores report a good trade, 

 starting with the opening of the trout season in this State. 

 By tbe way, the trout season in Massachusetts has been 

 an uncommonly good one. Larger trout have been taken 

 than for many years previous, and more of them. Such 

 a feature was noticed, indeed, last year; but this year is 

 still better. 



One Boston merchant is not very well pleased with the 

 way he was cheated out of his Fast Day fishing. I would 

 give his name to the readers of Forest and STream only 

 the gentleman wants the privilege of being mad in 

 silence. There is a guide and cook down on tbe Cape 

 that has cooked and guided for our friend many a time, 

 and he is a good guide and a good cook. He knows the 

 fishing on the Cape about as well as any of them, but as 

 for his integrity, our Boston merchant does not have a 

 very lofty opinion of it. He engaged by letter to meet 

 the merchant at the depot in his town on Fast Day morn- 

 ing, and with his team to take the merchant to where 

 the big trout do hide. The merchant was there in sea- 

 son, but no team and no guide. He took quite a long 

 tramp to the domicile of the guide. That personage 

 met him with downcast look and uncertain tread. 

 "You have come to go a-fishing," he said, "but I 

 can't go with you. I can't go at all to-day." Our mer- 

 chant was surprised and displeased. But the guide 

 seemed so crestfallen that he was bound to think some- 

 thing was the matter which did not appear on the sur- 

 face, so he excused the guide and decided to return to 

 Boston by the next train, as he knew very little of the 

 location of the trout fishing, and did not care to go alone. 

 He thought but little further of the matter till a few 

 days after, when he happened to meet a gentleman who 

 was cognizant of the circumstances and the disappoint- 

 ment of the merchant. After some questioning and ex- 

 planations he volunteered the information that the 

 honest (?) guide did go a-fishing on that very day, and 

 that he did catch a string of thirty as handsome trout as 

 have been taken in that vicinity for a 'very long time. 

 Some other fellow had tempted "the guide with a bigger 

 fee. So great is the struggle for trout in the waters of 

 this State that it will hardly do to expect honesty and 

 fairness even on Fast Day. 



The promises for brook fishing in Maine were seldom 

 better than this year, and this part of the sport will open 

 promptly on the first day of May. The snow has gener- 

 ally departed, at least in the southerly part of the State, 

 and the streams promise to be in good condition for fish- 

 ing. Several togue have already been taken at New 

 Found Lake in New Hampshire. 



B. F. Nichols, ^vell known as the manufacturer of the 

 Nichols ► plit-bamboo rod, and later in the tackle business 

 with H. C. Litchfield, has left the trade and gone to 

 traveling as a salesman for a wholesale house selling 

 wines and spirits. Special. 



KENTUCKY FISHING. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The angling season is just opening. Wirt Turner has 

 his tackle ready, and he is the guide for this neighbor- 

 hood. What Wirt don't know about it wouldn't make 

 much of a book. The winter has been mild and waters 

 high, fo excellent fishing is anticipated. The veteran 

 Dave Claxon has already taken some fine strings. Black 

 bass and calico perch are the kinds sought by the angler. 

 The Kentucky River borders this county for a great dis- 

 tance, and furnishes good sport at any point where a 

 ledge of rocks, an old stump or tree top can be found. 

 Occasionally I hear of a big one being caught with book 

 and minnows. Several men have taken "blue tail" or 

 channel cat weighing as high as 40 or 501bs. To those 

 who have not the patience to angle, the river affords 

 ample and profitable sport with trot lines. A "trot" laid 

 across at any deep pLce, and baited with minnows or 

 beef liver at night, will often yield 10 or 20 channel cats, 

 from 12 to 18in. long, and when properly dressed this is no 

 b.-id pan fish, Any angler can find at Lockport, Port- 

 royal and many other points boats and minnows at very 

 reasonable rates, and can find good board and lodging at 

 the hospitable home of almost any of the clever farmers 

 along tbe river 



There are a few ponds along the river, some connected 

 therewith by sloughs and some not, in which good 

 angling can be had. Notable among them is Fusser's 

 pond, near the mouth of Flat Creek; there is a good one 

 in Ciemons's bottom, and one near Portroyal. All are 

 easily reached by boat from Frankfort or Louisvflle. 

 These are stocked with the calico perch. If the sports- 

 man is not too choice about variety he can almost any 

 day, when the wind is northeast, count on a good catch, 

 if he is provided with good tackle and good bait. The 

 universal bait is live minnows. I don't remember to have 

 ever seen a black bass or calico caught with dead bait of 

 any kind. The best anglers are of course provided with 

 a good bass rod and reel. This is the home of the "Frank- 

 fort" reel, known here as the "Meek" reel, from the name 

 of the originator, B. F. Meek, who lives in an adjoining 

 county. They are by odds the best I have seen, but 

 could be improved perhaps if combined with the "auto- 

 matic"' principle advertised in Forest and Stream. By 

 the way, what is the correct name of the "calico perch"? 



Newcastle, Ky., April 21, J. S. M. 



[The calico perch, or bass, is described by ichthyolo- 

 gists under the name Ponwxys sparoides. Other names 

 for it are grass bass, sand perch, barfish, tinmouth, bitter 

 head and sac-a-lai. A fish nearly like it is the crappie, 

 nevvlight, Campbellite, strawberry perch, etc., etc.] 



Ohio Fish Notes.— Dayton, Ohio, April 22.— Pound 

 net fishermen at the lake are having a fine catch of 

 pickerel. The pickerel and perch are full of roe. A 

 party just returned from Lewiston reservoir reports 

 more perch in tbe water than he has ever known for 

 fifty years, and that although the perch feed upon bass 

 spawn, there seem to be as many bass in the reservoir as 

 ever. Water is running nicely over the dams in the 

 Maine rivers and their tributaries, and the fish easdy as- 

 cend the streams to spawn. Rod fishermen have not been 

 out much yet, and nothing but goggle-eyes and carp have 

 been brought in. Several of the clubs are caulking boats 

 and overhauling tackle for early sport, and will be on 

 the water if this good weather continues. — Buckeye. 



To Salmox Anglers.— T. J. Conroy, 65 Fulton street, N. Y., 

 has a lot of fine salmon rods, assorted kinds, which he will sell at 

 a sacrifice until stock is reduced. Don't mi6s the opportunity.— 



RANDOM CASTS. 

 170R the devotee, to whom of course number is not 

 i- the sole object in angling, I would recommend the 

 more frequent use of drawn gut leaders and midge flies. 

 The sport to be enjoyed with a pound trout will be a 

 full recompense for any ill fortune that may occasionally 

 befall him in the loss of one, after a good and fair fight 

 for the mastery. 



I have heard of a man fishing for salmon with a chunk 

 of codfish. The step from that to jigging is not a long 

 one and did the occasion present, it would no doubt 

 quickly be made use of. But apart from the utter de- 

 pravity of the fellow who would do such a thing, can any 

 angler conceive what the feelings of this lord of fishes 

 must be, when invited to partake of the flesh of this main- 

 stay of the washtub aristocracy! Horrible. 



To straighten a leader, rub quickly between a piece of 

 chamois, leather or rubber; this when you have not the 

 time to soak it. 



Loops in leaders, to which the droppers are to be at- 

 tached, are a disadvantage. They form spaces in which 

 the air remains when on the water, and as they thus be- 

 come very conspicuous, the principal object of the leader 

 is defeated. This applies especially to those of drawn 

 gut. 



Keep a record of the number, size and species of fish 

 that you take on your outings. If to this is added the 

 conditions of weather and water, and any other notable 

 circumstance, you will, as the occasion offers, find plea- 

 ure and profit in glancing over your memoranda. 



Big Reel, 



ANGLING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. 



C^IOLEBROOK, N. H., April 26.— Editor Forest and 

 J Stream: Again the open season for fishing is with 

 us, or will be next week, and doubtless a good number 

 will celebrate May Day by a fishing trip to some of the 

 brooks near the village, for as yet the ponds are covered 

 with ice, though present indications point to an early 

 season. 



"Mart" Noyer, the genial proprietor of "Camp Dia- 

 mond" at the Diamond Ponds, is full of business, making 

 preparations to move from here to the ponds, which he 

 proposes to do the first of next week. He reports more 

 sportsmen "on the docket" than ever before, and will add 

 more room to camps at once. 



Fred Flint, from Wilson's Mills, Me., on the Magallo- 

 way River, who is well known to many readers of the 

 Forest and Stream, is in town. He reports the snow 

 in that section as nearly gone in the open, but quite a 

 depth still remains in the woods. Ice in the river is out 

 up as far as the lower falls, but he says it will be "about 

 three weeks before much sport can be had." 



Amasa Ward, at Hell Gate Camp, Diamond Creek, re- 

 ports plenty of snow yet, but thinks an early season prob- 

 able. He has spent the winter in his camp, only coming 

 out ©nee during that time to Berlin to buy his season's 

 supplies and get them hauled in to the settlement by the 

 "tote teams." 



O. C. Bum ford, who for the past four years has man- 

 aged the Lake House at First Connecticut Lake, is to open 

 a restaurant at this place the 1st of May. TJnder Mr. 

 Bumford's management the house was put in first class 

 condition, the best of bedding and furnishing being none 

 to good, and more comfortable quarters are not to be 

 found in northern New Hamoshire. I have not learned 

 who is to be Mr. Bumford's successor, but doubtless the 

 house will be opened in time for the fishing season. 



Uncle Tom Chester still "holds the fort" at Second 

 Lake, and is looking forward to the annual return of his 

 "sportsman's family." Rob. 



THE COLOR OF TROUT. 



'INHERE is a wide diversity of opinion among pisca- 

 1 torial experts regarding the reason why the flesh 

 of some brook tiout is red and of others white, or rather 

 cream color. I notion in the communication of M. Lee 

 Menninger (April 17), in addition to some other pardon- 

 able errors for a novice Lnd a lady, that the difference of 

 color is due to tbe condition of the water, the red-fleshed 

 trout being caught in swift-running water, while the fish 

 in still water has white flesh. This I know is a common 

 opinion, and another equally common is that the differ- 

 ence of food is the cause of the variation in color. Neither 

 of these beliefs is warranted by the facts. The water 

 no doubt has some difference in the outward appear- 

 ance of the fi-h in the varying depth and brilliance 

 of the colors, the clear, pure water and the bright light 

 seeming to develop the greatest depth of color, while the 

 darker water whicli flows from swamps deadens it. But 

 the color of the water and the food has no effect upon the 

 color of the flesh. Whatever this may be due to is a 

 matter of uncertainty, unless it may be supposed to be a 

 matter of specific difference or variation. 



I have had abundant experience in this respect during 

 forty years in many localities. In Loch Leven in Scot- 

 land I have taken trout of 3 to 61 bs. weight, some of 

 which had red and others white flesh; in the "Westmore- 

 land lakes, particularly Windermere, I have noticed the 

 same difference; the same in trout in the waters of Lake 

 Superior, and of the rivers which flow into Lake Mich- 

 igan. Here it is the same. I have now a dozen trout 

 taken this afternoon, of which precisely half have red 

 flesh and the other six have white flesh. One, a fish 

 12in. long and weighing a little over a pound, has the 

 true salmon color — a deep red — and ail of them came 

 from not more than a space of twenty square rods in my 

 pond. The very same applies to the fish all down my 

 streams, which vary in color of flesh, and necessarily the 

 water and food must be the same for all of them. 



As to the other mistake referred to, the weight of the 

 14in. trout could not be 3 lbs. I am a fisherman, but 

 I never overrate my fish. The 31b. trout taken in my 

 pond measured 22in, from nose to tip of the tail. I have 

 taken many trout from 14 to 19in. Our fish here are no 

 stouter in build than the common trout of the north, 

 and while a I4in. trout of a lively disposition may feel to 

 weigh Slbs. or even more at the end of a light rod, it 

 never reaches anything like that weight on the spring 

 scales. H. Stewart. 



Highlands Park, N. C. 



