June 5, 1890.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



391 



"Done want see you fifth. 1 " 



Immediately after this explanation she darted f orward , 

 and before I could wink she had the trout in hand and 

 off the hook and its neck completely broken, after which 

 feat she said: "Dafc's de way to fix the trout.'' 



This sudden revelation so upset my gravity that I had 

 to indulge in hearty laughter that must have astonished 

 the lispi- buds in leafy haunts. I concluded, seeing 

 that e i\ed to know something about trouting. to 



indulge. frwny elf. Throwing my creel to her I told 

 her to caixy that, make no nnise, and keep well away 

 from the stream. She was pleased at my indulgent man- 

 ifestations and implicitly obeyed my instructions, walk- 

 ing along in tnv Tear with soft and stealthy steps. As I 

 was on no pre Raphaelite trip, I again baited, and cast- 

 ing in the same place, another trout left the brook to 

 join his departed companion in the creel. Once more I 

 sought a victim at the same spot, but it yielded nothing, 

 and so I tramped along till I reached a large and inviting 

 pool, in which I found some debris of brush that bad 

 lodged against the exposed roots of a spacious elm that 

 was fast being undermined by the flawing current. 

 Evidently this was the home of trout, and when my bait 

 went in search of them they responded most savagely, 

 for out of this tangled collection I took four, which ran 

 from 6 to Sin. My assistant proved an industrious helper, 

 for every trout I captured she promptly released from 

 the hook, and breaking its neck had it in the basket in a 

 twinkle. She had assuredly picked up much informa- 

 tion as to trouting fi*om the anglers that came here to 

 sport, as she displayed a keen knowledge of it whenever 

 the occasion required. She was rapidly growing in favor 

 and would yet prove herself a jewel of no inconsiderable 

 value. 



Once more on the move, and this time we halt at an 

 old log wh'^re the gentle cadence of a willow wren and 

 the symphony of the white-throat are heard. It was an 

 inviting place, and I was positive a golden fin or two was 

 harbored under that prostrate trunk which nearly spanned 

 the stream. Here I had the good luck to basket a ten- 

 incher and an eight-incher, and was unfortunate enough 

 to lose one that I was sure was well on to a pound. Of 

 course the big fish are the ones that are always lost. 

 Again I take my "joy-inspiring way" along this lovely 

 brook, picking them out here an/l there until the count 

 showed a total of twenty. As the sun was sinking fast 

 and the shadows lengthening, I concluded to return to 

 the road and hasten back to the lodge for supper. 



As I was about to start on the tramp the little blaek- 

 f amoor came forward and earnestly asked if I would let 

 ' her catch a trout. I readily assented, and giving her the 

 I rod she approached the brook and carefully walked along 

 looking for a pool to her liking, and when such was 

 found she dropped the hook carefully in, and soon a trout 

 glittering in the sun as it circled in air sought the grassy 

 i lawn in her rear. Not content with tbis the Cimmerian 

 little angler must have another, and so perforce I was 

 compelled to await her movements. She quickly brought 

 one, and a good one at that, it being a half-pounder, to 

 mother earth, and then she was content, and on return- 

 ing me my rod said, "Dat's de way to ketch 'em." 



And then snatching up my creel she was off through 

 the bushes on the home stretch like a flash. She was 

 evidently sui generis and as surprising and amusing in 

 her pranks as a Merry Andrew. I had but a brief walk 

 in which, to reach the house, and this through a beauti- 

 ful woods, the freshness of which was infinitely delicious. 

 Anon as I proceeded, a blackbird's whistle is heard, while 

 a bu.l finch with a black head and red waistcoat is trill- 

 ing his notes from the top of a swaying maple. Now 

 and then a squirrel, immovable on a branch, with his tail 

 raised like a plume, looked at me with his little black 

 eyes, or a terrified rabbit, his ears erect and stiff, scamp- 

 ered away at my approach. Such were my roadway ac- 

 quaintances, and to me they were 



A presence that disturbs me with joy 

 Of elevated thoughts. 



My walk, alas! was only too brief, as I regretted part- 

 ing with the sweet warblers and the wood-born violets 

 that edged the path. 



On approaching the house I saw Albert and Tom and 

 Mike, as I supposed them to be, and the good old hostess 

 on the spacious porch, while the freakish little angler 

 was bending over a board on the ground industriously 

 cleaning the trout, which I opine were to form part of 

 our supper. I well knew that Albert was drawing a 

 fund of hunting adventures from the boys, and doubtless 

 was on bis favorite theme, the bounding deer. It so 

 proved, for as I stepped on the porch and was made ac- 

 quainted with Tom and Mike, who were stalwart in frame 

 and frah k in feature, he had been listening to the recital 

 of a famous shot that one of the boys had made last sea- 

 son, that brought down a deer with antlers of extraordin- 

 ary size. I was fully satisfied that my friend was now 

 lost to all the charms of trouting. 



The hostess now set about preparing the evening meal, 

 and it was but a brief time before she called us to the 

 repast. Everything on the table looked so inviting and 

 scrupulously clean, and the cooking was so delicious, 

 especially the trout, that our appetites were thereby 

 much increased. The tormenting Topsy, who rejoiced 

 in the name of Henrietta, stood at our backs with some 

 leafy branches, and busied herself keeping the flies from 

 the table, as well as occasionally disarranging my thin 

 locks, much to my annoyance and discomfort. I finally 

 turned to her and said, "There are no flies on me." 



"One on the shiny place," she responded. 



At this sly illusion to the bald area on my caput the 

 old lady gave her a rebuking look, saying at the same 

 time, "You Henrietta, behave yourself." 



After supper a smudge was started in the front yard to 

 keep away the mosquitoes, while we sat around it and 

 endeavored to entertain one another. My friend and the 

 two boys again got down to hunting narratives, while I 

 had a good chat with the old lady, when I coidd keep 

 the smoke from blinding me. It had a perverse way of 

 circling around, and when you felt safe from its en- 

 croachments it was almost sure to destroy your fancied 

 security by storming you from an unexpected quarter. 

 I stood this condition of affairs until my eyes were 

 turned to fountains, and then sought my couch, where 

 ensconced behind a bar I was sure of undisturbed sleep. 

 Long before Albert retired I was in the land of Nod, for 

 he could not tear himself away from the two boys, who 

 were I presume constantly regaling him with the sports 

 of field and forest. "What time he sought his bed I never 

 .knew, but I do know that about midnight I heard one of 



the boys call him to get up, stating at the same time that 

 the hounds were running a deer. At this cheerful news 

 he bounded out of bed, and soon as dressed went rupidly 

 down stairs to join them on the hunt, which they at once 

 organized. Two hours later he returned, but without 

 the quarry. Again I went to sleep and soundly slum- 

 bered till time to arise. Albert got up at the same mo- 

 ment T did, and told me while dressing what a fine time 

 they had last night working with the hounds. It evi- 

 dently takes considerable enthusiasm to tumble out of a 

 comfortable bed at midnight and go tramping through 

 the tangled woods in the dark at the heels of baying 

 hounds. I never got educated, to that condition of sport- 

 ing, though I have at times undergone much weariness 

 and discomfort when there was no avoidance of it. 



Alex. Starbock. 



[TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.] 



BLACK BASS FLY-FISHING. 



SOME thirty-five years ago, while the writer was attend- 

 ing school at the v illage of Canandaigua, situated on 

 the beautiful lake of that name, he happened to see one 

 evening a gentlemm standing on the little bridge that 

 spans the outlet, casting a fly for black bass. The angler 

 was the late Senator Lapham, and we believe he was one 

 of the first to kill bass on the artificial fly. Later on that 

 well-known sportsman, Andrew L. Williams, once a great 

 chum of Frank Fores. er, initiated the writer in the mys- 

 teries of casting a fly, and together we killed many big 

 bass on Canandaigua Like and outlet. About fiften years 

 ago the sporting papers were full of arguments as to 

 whether bass could be killed on the fly or not, but now 

 fly-fishing for black bass is a recognized brand of angling; 

 and stands high in the estimation of fishermen, as well 

 it may. for a small-mouth bass when fast to a fly is a very 

 lively customer and not to be despised even by the vet- 

 ern angler. He is quick as a flash, jumping about in a 

 manner well calculated to try the nerves of a beginner. 

 If near the boat he will endeavor to dive under it, or if a 

 sunken log or treetop is convenient, he will do his best 

 to get fast to it. It takes a cool and experienced hand to 

 kill a bass of over 21bs. on an 8oz. fly-rod. 



Black bass are far more suspicious and sly than trout, 

 and the angler should be able to make a long clear cast 

 and keep it up all day, if he wishes to be successful. 

 They are a very capricious fish and likely to rise when 

 least expected. One may cast for hours without the 

 slightest encouragement, and then kill half a dozen in 

 quick succession. 



It is very important when fishing for black bass, that 

 the fly should be allowed to sink well under water, for 

 they do not like to take it on the surface; and it is far 

 better to fish with two flips than three, and if the angler 

 is ambitious to kill big fish he will do better yet with only 

 one. Bass, as a rule, prefer large flies, but the size should 

 be in proportion to the depth of the water. In small 

 ponds and streams flies on No. 5 or 6 sproat hooks are 

 large enough, but on lakes or rivers like the St. Lawrence, 

 for instance, No. 3 or 4 would be better, and some even 

 use them dressed on No. 3 sproat. 



The following list of flies has been carefully selected 

 and thoroughly tried by good anglers on many waters: 

 Dark-montreal, silver-doctor, Lottie, Holberton, silver- 

 fairy, Dunning, post, Martin, grizzly-king, professor, 

 scarlet-ibis, royal coachman, orange-miller, Lord Bilti- 

 more, Governor-Alvord. Seth-Green, Rube- Wood, Bran- 

 dreth, black-prince, Imbrie, Ferguson, bass-miller, orange- 

 doctor and soldier, sometimes wrongly called Lake- 

 George. In some localities the hackles or palmers are 

 good and on the Delaware River the bumble-bee is 

 excellent. 



Anelers are inclined to use rods too light for this style 

 of fishing. It is Very pleasant, no doubt, to be able to 

 fish with 6 or 7oz. rods, and there is no doubt that they 

 will kill bass; but it is not fair to expect these little trout 

 rods, however carefully made, to stand the strain of cast- 

 ing 50 or 60ft. of heavy line and big flies', to say nothing 

 of killing large fish, without getting out of shape. 



A rather stiff rod, 10ft. Sin. long to lift, and weighing 

 8 to 9oz., is the proper tool. In some waters bass will 

 only take the fly early in the morning or late in the evening, 

 while on others they take best in the middle of the day. 

 This the angler must find out by experiment. The best 

 rule is to keep the line wet. 



The cheap flies usually sold as bass flies are of no 

 account, particularly where bas3 are much fished for, 

 being generally clumsy, coarse things, very gaudy in 

 color and only* fit for trolling in new waters where the 

 bass are not educated; and they are dressed on hooks that 

 will not penetrate a fish's mouth. If the angler wishes 

 to kill bass on a fly -rod, he must use sproat hooks and 

 see to it that the points are as sharp as a good file will 

 make them. Nothing is more trying than to have a big 

 bass at the first jump throw the hook from his moutn 

 and wdth a flirt of his big tail disappear in the cool depths 

 of the water, while your line comes back as limp as your 

 feelings. The small keen barb of a well-made sproat 

 pierces the tough mouth of a bass better than any other 

 hook made. 



Names op the Menhaden.— Dr. Hugh M. Smith, while 

 engaged in collecting fishery statistics for the TJ. S. Fish 

 Commission, has heard some names applied to the men- 

 haden which are not to be found in Dr. Goode's mono- 

 graph of this species in the "Fishery Industries of the 

 United States." In Casco Bay, Me., the name blueback is 

 shared by menhaden and one of the species of alewife. 

 At Newburyport, Mass., Mr. Stevenson heard the terms 

 pohagen and pauhaugen used, while in Greenport, L. I., 

 school-fish is commonly employed. Long Island furnishes 

 the term bunker, which extends into Chesapeake Bay, 

 being varied sometimes with banker in the latter locality. 

 About New York, New Jersey and the Chesapeake region 

 we hear the name marsh bunker. At Beaufort and More- 

 head City, N. C, Dr. Smith heard the menhaden called 

 shad. When we are advised to use the common English 

 name of this fragrant fish we will ask: Which one of the 

 36 or more shall we adopt? The invention of man has 

 been fertile in framing names for the menhadpn and the 

 menhaden has become fertilizer through a different ap- 

 plication of man's invention. 



To Salmon Anglebs.— 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 miss the opportunity.— 

 Adv. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



DETROIT, Mich., May 32.— A recent talk with Mr. F. 

 H. Wherry, who is assistant State warden for 

 Michigan, discloses the fact that there are a few violators 

 of the game laws left yet in this big and tempting State. 

 Mr. Wherry says, that one night last week he counted 

 sixteen jack lights on one lake. That meant sixteen 

 boats and about four men to each boat. The men were 

 spearing bass. This water, Devil's Lake, is protected by 

 a special law, but not much attention has been paid to it 

 — not so much as will be when Mr. Wherry gets through 

 with the season, perhaps. The following newspaper 

 clippings were prepared by Mr. Wherry for submission 

 to the State warden, but I begged them for publication 



in FOKEST AND STREAM. 



The Addison Courier, , May 17, says, "Prohibition does 

 not prohibit— fish spearing in Devil's Lake." In another 

 paragraph of the same date, "H, S. Van E;,ten and party 

 captured 19 eels in Round Lake, Monday night, the aver- 

 age weight of which was about 51 bs. (These eels were 

 illegally speared.) 



The Hudson Post, of May 16, contains the following 

 card, which we may hope is not merely an empty warn- 

 ing: "Fishermen, and especially spearers on the south 

 arm of Devil's Lake, take due warning! Having in years 

 past been to the expense of planting both fish and eels in 

 the waters of the lake covering land owned by me, and 

 being within the following limits, i. e., from Manitou 

 Beach running north to the north shore, and also from 

 Manitou Beach and running thence east to the highway 

 between Devil's and Round lakes. Any one found spear- 

 ing within said limits will be prosecuted by me as the owner 

 of said described land covered by water, as a trespasser. — 

 George R. Beardsell." 



A Hillsdale paper, about the same date, has the follow- 

 ing straight and sensible talk. What a lesson it teaches: 



"The time is rapidly approaching, says an honest fish- 

 erman, when the law-abiding sportsman who visits the 

 many resorts around Adrian will find little to compensate 

 him for the outlay of time and money. There are many 

 residents about Devil's, Round, Sand, Wampler's, Evans 

 and a host of smaller lakes, who look forward to a more 

 certain harvest from city visitors, who spend money 

 freely, than they do from any crops they can raise on 

 their lands. If they expect summer campers to be satis- 

 fied for what they get in return, they must make some 

 effort to preserve their game and fish. I know of some 

 men who make a pretension to run summer boarding 

 houses, at some of these 'fishing beds,' who are taking 

 fish and killing game in and out of season, illegally. 

 Some of them spear fish when honest men are abed; and 

 in many ways they are destroying the very means of their 

 support, by exterminating the game and fish that after 

 all is the principal ai traction of their patrons. It has 

 nearly reached a point where more fish can be taken 

 right on the banks of our River Raisin, in the city limits, 

 in a given time, than from the waters of some of the 

 boasted fishing resorts north, east and west of us. Do 

 they expect us to be satisfied with cheap grub and fresh * 

 'wind' when we go afishing? They are slaughtering the 

 goose that lays the golden egg, but they can't see their 

 mistake until too late. Let them stock'up their waters 

 and call off the 'uncanny lights' that tell the presence of 

 spearing parties, and there will be no need of going to 

 the Upper Peninsula for fish. 



"And speaking of spearing fish, reminds me of a party 

 of well-known Adrian young fellows, who went to Mon- 

 roe a season or two ago, and after plying the spear to 

 good advantage until late in the night, stopped at old 

 Joe's, the Frenchman, to get lodgings. The genial mine 

 host was everything that could be desired in the line of 

 smiles until he saw" the jacks and spears. Then sheol 

 was turned loose, and the boys were driven out of the 

 house, and spent the night on the wet ground, under 

 their upturned boats." 



Mr. Wherry reports good work done during the past 

 year in enforcing respect for the game laws, and it is 

 very probable that something will be heard to drop over 

 in the section above referred to. And now follows some- 

 thing interesting. Mr. Wheiry is here at Detroit and has 

 joined forces with Mr. John Parker, the bristling warden 

 tot Wayne county. Next week there is going to be a 

 little expedition in the warden line, which Forest and 

 Stream is invited to join. Just where this is to be it is 

 more discreet not to mention at present, but it is probable 

 there will be some news in due time. E. Hough. 



SOME ENEMIES OF TROUT. 



WHILE engaged in studying the salmon rivers of 

 Kadiak, Alaska, last summer we frequently saw 

 flocks of gulls catching young trout at the edge of shoals. 

 Some birds that we killed were gorged with trout so that 

 when held head downward the fish would drop out of 

 their mouths. A note in a recent number of the Fishing 

 Gazette, of London, relates the killing of thirty-eight 

 yearling trout by a heron for one meal. Fishes are very 

 destructive to the eggs of trout, and among them is one 

 called the miller's thumb or blob, that is found almost 

 universally in trout waters, and is, perhaps, the worst 

 depredator of all. This is a fresh-water sculpin of wide- 

 spread distribution and unenviable notoriety. Exces- 

 sively abundant and inconspicuous in appearance, it car- 

 ries on its destructive work stealthily, but with sad effect, 

 Mr. E. L. Marks reminds us, also, of another robber of 

 the spawning beds in the 1S90 report of the New York 

 Fish Commission: "Nearly all the waters in the Adiron- 

 dack region are filled with a fish familiar to every one, 

 known as suckers. They are considered harmless to all 

 other fish. I have watched these robbers for the last two 

 falls, and find they make their appearance on the spawn- 

 ing beds soon after the trout arrive and remain there 

 long after the trout have left. They will pick or suck 

 up spawn from among the gravel successfully where it 

 would be impossible for other fish to get at the spawn. 

 I have caught them and examined them, and found them 

 as full as they could hold of salmon and brook trout eggs. 

 The bullheads are nearly as bad, and some way must be 

 contrived to clean them out during the coming spring. 

 I am sure this woi k would add greatly to the increase of 

 trout in the lake." 



Waban Lak^:, Mass., Fishing.— We have learned from 

 a gentleman of Wellesly, Mass., that he is taking yellow 

 perch in Waban Lake in great numbers, and the weight 

 frequently reaches lib. and over. The fish are in prime 

 condition. 



