8 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



pr-ANv iS2j 1861. 



ANGLING NOTES. 



IT is a well known fact that fisli are not half as particu- 

 lar about tackle as fishermen themselves. A trout 

 will sometimes rise to a bit of red flannel or white rag as 

 quickly as to the most careful imitation of a natural in- 

 sect. While it would no doubt be better to have our flies 

 more correctly named, particularly those which are copies 

 of insects, we all know it would not add one particle to 

 their killing qualities. 



A correspondent in one of the weekly papers asks why 

 the imitations of natural fli^s are not scientificially 

 named, and mentions the General-Hooker as an example. 

 This fl.y, wrongly called Seth-Green, was first tied by 

 John McBride, of Caledonia, N. Y. , who died many years 

 ago and therefore cannot give us an explanation ; but the 

 probabilities are he did not know the proper name, and 

 we take it there are few, if any, of our anglers sufficiently 

 posted in natural history to give the correct appellation 

 of the many flies to be found along a trout stream. If 

 there are such we should be glad to have a list, and will 

 do all we can to bring it into use. 



"With the exception of the t\ hite-miller, gray and green 

 drakes, blaok-gnat, stone-fly, cowdung and a few others, 

 the correct scientific names are unknown to most of us. 



Then again the names of these flies have been known 

 and accepted by anglers and dealers all over the country 

 for many years, and a change would naturally create 

 much confusion. 



Unfortunately for the "school of exact imitation," the 

 majority of flies that the trout prefer are what are called 

 fancy flies and have received fancy names from the in- 

 dividual who first lied them. Take for instance the 

 scarlet-ibis, grizzly-king, queen-of-the-lake, Jenny-Lind, 

 blue-jay, silver- doctor, Montreal, Abbey, and a host of 

 others which are known everywhere as the most taking 

 flies in use, what do thej represent and why do trout 

 prefer them nine times out of ten to the closest imitations? 



And with bass and salmon it is still worse. With these 

 fishes it seems to be more a question of color than any- 

 thing else and the flies they prefer are made up of the 

 most startling combinations of all the hues of the rain- 

 bow, and pages have been written trying in vain to ex- 

 plain why they take them and what they take them for. 



There are now several anglers trying to obtain natural 

 flies for the jjurpose of having them imitated and we 

 may be able later on to give the result of the experiment. 

 One of the greatest difficulties will be the fact that each 

 section of the country will be found to have its own 

 variety of flies, to say nothing of the variation in size on 

 different sized waters. 



In the meantime trout and bass will go on taking the 

 old favorites notwithstanding the absence of the big 

 Latin and Greek names. One step in the right direction 

 would be to educate people to mention fishes by their 

 right names and thus correct the confusion that now 

 exists. In own part of the country a big-mouth black 

 bass is called a trout, while a few mQes from there the 

 same fish is called a chub. In Florida a spotted weakfish 

 goes under tbe name of sea trout, and in some sections 

 wall-eyed pike are known as salmon, and so on. Writers 

 to the various papers and magazines are to blame for this, 

 if they would call "rabbits" by the correct name of hares, 

 aiid not speak of "partridges" when talking of ruffed 

 grouse, efc, people would soon adopt the correct nomen- 

 clature of fish and game, Scaklet-Ibis. 



ANGLING RETREATS OF MAINE. -L 



GENERALLY those who have written about the Maine 

 forests, streams, lakes, ponds and softly-running 

 brooks have been visitors from abroad and not residents 

 of our own Pine Tree State. 



In attempting to inform the readers of Forest and 

 Stream of the certain retreats in the woods of Maine, 

 where large numbers have and many more may enjoy 

 the pleasures of camp life, trout and landlocked salmon 

 fishing, and the shooting of large and small game, I have 

 no apology to offer. Being a near resident to the places 

 and scenes which I shall attempt to describe "I know 

 whereof I affirm," and I hope these lines may lead others 

 to these green and sylvan woods, grand old mountains 

 and charming j)onds, lakes and rivers, there to enjoy the 

 delights which I have myself experienced. 



The immense throng of city denizens v/ho are vaca- 

 tionists for weeks and months, and who are devoted fol- 

 lowers in their annual pilgrimages of Peter the Apostle 

 and the sainted Walton, are assuredly multiplying in the 

 American nation. Many seek the seashore and yet num- 

 berless others the mountains and quiet nooks of the hill 

 country. Others are charmed by green fields, clear skies 

 and fine scenery, but all of them are fascinated by the 

 alluring trout and gamy salmon in the remote forest 

 lakes, around which dwell the fleet deer and where the 

 moose h.as his own abiding place. 



Owing to the fact that more than one-half of the area 

 of the State of Maine is yet covered with a verdant for- 

 estry, that one-tenth of its broad domain is inland water- 

 ways; that its vast forests are inhabited by the game of 

 primitive times, and its waters by the fish of the aborig- 

 inals, and that natm-e has fashioned within our realm 

 some of the grandest scenery in the world, we are 

 rapidly becoming the summer' home for countless dwel- 

 lers in the great marts of the republic. 



In all of northern Maine there is no portion that is 

 more entirely a beautiful lake country than is the north- 

 western part of Piscataquis county. Within a radius of 

 ten miles of Munson are some thirty or more lakes and 

 ponds where spotted and lake trout are abundant. 



Here the tourist can select just such an onting as his 

 health will permit or his tastes and inclinations may dic- 

 tate. He can tarry at a modern and well appointed hotel 

 and drive over pleasant country roads, feasting his eyes 

 upon delightful landscapes, to a different trout pond each 

 day for weeks, or he can penetrate the lone wilderness 

 and camp beside the still waters in nature's own loflges 

 and repose upon cedar "twigs" and spruce branches 

 under aged forest trees, amid the 



Music of birds and rustling of young boughs. 

 And sound of svsraying branches and the voice 

 Of distant watex'f alls. 



It is occasionally suggested by visitors and strangers 

 that we who are domiciled amid all this wealth of 

 grandeur and wild beauty, among these lakes of trout 

 and near the stealthy retreats of the moose, deer and 

 bear, do not entertain a just appreciation of what has 

 been bo lavishly bestowed upon us, But this is. I beHeve, 



an imputation without foundation. From the rough old 

 hunter and weather-beaten trapper, whose homes are 

 among the spruce trees, to the more favored sons and 

 daughters who are "to the manner born" all have an 

 abiding love for the mountains, lakes and forests. As 

 evidence of this I cite the following lines from the pen of 

 a Piscataquis writer of some note, Anna Boynton Averill: 



My native wilds! For years nntold 

 The morning touched your hills with gold. 

 The north wind swept your fragrant glooms, 

 And bore the larch and pine perfumf s 

 Across youT lakes of lily blooms. 



The flr, the hemlock and the pine 

 Sang on the heights— 8.nd mos- and vine 

 Made many a far, dim valley sweet 

 And shadowy, for the shy fawn's feet. 



In silvery solitudes, the loon 

 Laughed with the echoes, and the moon 

 Made splendor on the mountaina, when 

 The Storm King slept, unseen vi men. 



0 woods, and lakes, and wandering streams! 

 Ye have awakened from your dreams. 

 Your sweet breath blew abroad. Beware! 

 The gay world comes and finds you fair. 



Will all wild things take wing away? 



1 ween I would an' I were they. 

 Up these deep waterways I'd fare. 

 If I were wolf, or moose, or bear, 

 Or bird, or fawn, or fox, or hare! 



O Northern wildf I you surely hold 

 In your great heart some refuge old. 

 Safe hid and far and deep and dumb. 

 Where the gay world will never come. 



J. F. S. 



MuNSON, Me. 



OTSEGO BASS TAKE THE HOOK. 



OTSEGO Lake has lately closed. Upon the ice, about 

 six inches thick, and within fifty or one hundred 

 rods of the vilage may be seen alread'y a solid clump of 

 fishermen's huts, twenty- five or thirty in number, each 

 having one or two occupants. All are busy from morning- 

 till night, though the sport is very unequally, and, as the 

 "shorts" aver, very inequitably divided. About half a 

 dozen "experts" seem to get the bulk of the dainty spoil. 

 The huts are huddled together, not because the bass are 

 confined to any particular locality, for the lake is full of 

 them, but because they are lured to this spot by immense 

 numbers of the tiny lake-shiners, which are set free in 

 each hut under the ice, and upon which, contrary to all 

 former theories, they seem ohiefiy to subsist. 



The fish, some of which reach a weight of three or f our 

 pounds, but average less than a pound, are taken partly 

 on the bottom, but mostly near the surface, and in plain 

 sight, which fact, as they are hard pullers and lightning- 

 like in their movements, adds greatly to the fascinating 

 sport. 



As they are now biting freely, the daily capture 

 amounts to about one hundred and fifty fish. Although 

 at times hundreds may be seen at once, not one will touch 

 the bait. The very next instant, perhaps, or if moved by 

 a common impulse, they will dart after it, almost en 

 masse, like a school of perch. 



To watch their strange gymnastics during their wanton 

 moods produces an excitement as agreeable in itself as it 

 is impossible to describe. 



The fish all find a ready market at fifteen to twenty 

 cents per pound. 



Only yesterday afternoon I purchased five, weighing 

 together six pounds, from a young man who had twenty- 

 four in his basket, all of them taken within a few hours 

 previous. 



In reply to the question, "Did you see many more than 

 you caught?" he said promptly, "About a million." To 

 save my reputation, as well as that of Forest and 

 Stream, I have, on careful reflection, decided to make a 

 deduction of one hundred and ten, which would leave the 

 number that he actually saw nine hundred and ninety- 

 nine thousand eight hundred and ninety! This is the 

 exact truth — but let it not be forgotten that even "truth 

 lies in the bottom of the well!" Elihu Piiinney. 



Ante Bellum Oysters. — In a book entitled "Our Twin 

 Cities," published at Norfolk, Va., we find the following 

 characteristic reminder of the superior size of Lynnhaven 

 oysters in the "good ole times befo' de wah," A visitor 

 has been commenting upon the excellence of some oysters 

 placed before him by a sable cook in a Norfolk restau- 

 rant, and to him the cook replies: "But, Mas' Boss, you 

 had orter seen them Lynnhavens befo' de wah. I use ter 

 cook fer Mas' Bray Walters — him dat died in de great 

 pestilence. 'Jerry,' he said to me one day, Mas' Bray did, 

 'dere's a Baltimo' man done bet me a basket ob champagne 

 he could eat a dozen Lynnhavens fer lunch any day. 

 Now, I want you to fix him. Then he whispered in my 

 ear, Mas' Bray did. So I sent him up a nice dish fried 

 in crumbs, and by'm bye Mas' Bray called me up in de 

 dining-room, and dere sot de Baltimo' gentleman stalled 

 at eleven, and one piece still left, and acknowledging de 

 corn. Mas' Bray said, 'Jerry, tell the gentleman what he 

 has eaten; he says he has only eaten eleven oysters, and 

 is ready to pay the bet.' 'Mas' Boss,' says I, 'you ain't 

 eaten no oysters!' He jumped up with a big 'dam!' and 

 say, 'You black rascal, what in the botheration you been 

 feeding me on?' 'Sot down, Mas' Boss,' I said, 'tot down. 

 Nothing gwine ter hurt ye. You only done eat eleven 

 pieces ob one ob dem big Lynnhavens.' " 



Potomac River Fishes.— Yellow perch are moderately 

 common in the Potomac, but there is a scarcity of eels 

 and catfish. The Evening Star reports the capture of 

 more than thirty barrels of white perch near Lower Cedar 

 Point under peculiar circumstances. The fish appeared 

 to have come to the surface to bask in the sun and were 

 chilled and blown ashore by a sudden change of wind to 

 a gale with low temperature. Schools of white perch are 

 benumbed in this way not infrequently, but in regions 

 further to the southward, as, for example, in the G ulf of 

 Mexico and the West Indies, the baleful influence of 

 cold winds is a common and fruitful cause of mortality 

 among fishes. 



Protector H awn. —Syracuse, N. Y., Jan. lA— Editor 

 Forest and Stream: The Anglers' Association of Syracuse 

 have had three victories in one day. One, the appoint- 

 ment of Harrison Hawn as State Game Protector ; and 

 the others convictions of two of the worst illegal fisher- 

 men on Oneida Lake who run from ten to eighteen trap 

 nets; they were fined SlOO each. We have another im- 

 portant case this week which is a test case and every 

 means will be taken to defeat us. The members are wild 

 with joy to-day. Should not think Mr. Blackford would 

 appoint such a man as Mr. Hawn if Mr, Collins's words 

 were correct. The Commissioners know what they are 

 doing; they mean protection. You will see clearer waters 

 than ever in Central New York. The fact is, a certain 

 few have not wanted to give the Association credit for 

 what they have done. We claim we have accomplished 

 more than any other association for the short time we 

 have been engaged in this work. Three cheers for the 

 Commissioners, also for Pres. Blackford and J. Warren 

 Pond. — Onondaga Anglers' Association, 



Pennsylvania Notes.— Sullivan County, Pa.— Only a 

 few deer have been taken during this winter. They are 

 like the shadows of the past, here to-day, gone to-morrow. 

 I celebrated my 66th birthday in that region trout fishing. 

 Three of us caught about 200 small ones and they gave us 

 rare enjoyment notwithstanding their small size. I have 

 not yet been able to sati.'sfy myself as to whether the wall- 

 eyed pike and our yellow bass are identical. The resem- 

 blance between them is very great, Mr. T. F. Brown 

 caught a yellow bass, which measured 31in. in length and 

 weighed 13i-lbs., at Browntown, in October last. I did 

 not have time to fish for black bass, but went out twice 

 with a spoon hook for pickerel, I caught 13, and one of 

 them was 24jin. long. He gave me exquisite pleasure in 

 landing him. Altogether the spoon fishing is exhilarating, 

 for success depends upon vigilance and activity. — Geo. 

 W. Lung. 



Washington Angling Association, — At a recent 

 meeting of this association the election of oflicers for the 

 ensuing year resulted in the choice of Dr. Smith Town- 

 shend as president; W. K Mendenhall, . vice-president; 

 Tbeo. Friebus, secretary; W. P. Fearson, treasurer, and 

 Samuel Einstein as manager. Steps were inaugurated 

 for stocking the Potomac River below the Great Falls 

 with small-mouth black bass. Resolutions were adopted 

 expressing regret at the untimely death of Surgeon-Gen- 

 eral Baxter, one of the best known and beloved among 

 Washington anglers,— T. (Washington, D. C ). 



QUEBEC FISH AND GAME PROTECTION CLUB. 



MONTREAL, .fan, 13.— The annual meeting of the Fish and Game 

 Protection Club was held in the club's rooms on St. Franrois 

 Xavier street on Saturday afternoon last. The prKsident, Mr. 

 George W. Stephens, occupied the chair. The following report 

 was read by Iho secretary, Mr. A. N. Shewan, and the impni-cant 

 recommendations therein contained were unanimously indorsed 

 by the meeting: 



Your committee have much pleasure in presenting: the annual 

 report of the club for the year IgPO, which i.s the thirty-second 

 year of its existence, lii many ways it has been a memorable 

 year in the life of the club, and it is necessary Cor those who have 

 an interest in the pre.servation of game and game tiBh to rally to ^ 

 its support, for altnough we have good laws they are scarcely en- 

 forced, atleast in thia Province, except through the action taken 

 by this chib. The unrortuna''e failure ot the Fish and Game Club 

 caused a very large number of the members of that club to ^v^tll- 

 d raw their names from iheF. and G. P. C , forgettin;< thstthe 

 two clubs, thoueh very similar in name, had torally distinct nb- 

 jecta in view; that of this club bemg exclusively the carrsing out 

 of the laws for the protection of fish and game and the watching 

 of new legislation affecting these subjects, while the Fish and 

 Game Club is an organization, having for its cliief obieet tlie 

 drawing together in a social way of the genuine sportsmen of this 

 province, and its only connection with this elnb is that every 

 member of the Fish and Gauiic Clnh must be a member of the - 

 Fish and Game Protoction Club. It wonld certainly be a pity to 

 see the Fish and Game CI ab Slop, but we are happy to say there 

 is little fear of this, as thanks to the energy of some of the old 

 members, there is every reason to believe the Fish and G-ame 

 Club will soon be in a better position than ever before, and be, as 

 it has been for years, the chief support of this club. 



Notwithstanding what has been said about the loss of mem- 

 bership, this has been, perhaps, the busiest year the club has had 

 since its foundation in 1858. Under its auspices fort.v-Iive actions 

 have been taken in the Police Court tor infractions of the fish and 

 game laws, and il has failed to get a verdict in its favor in but 

 two. We think this tJie largest number in one year since tiie or- 

 ganization of the chxb. As these actions have not nil been taken 

 m the district of Montreal, courts have been held for the trial of 

 cases at L'Assomption, Cbateauguay and Beanharnoie. The club 

 has had to take Judge Desnoyers to these places, entailing a large 

 amount of extra expense. Could the local jusrices of the peace 

 be trusted, it wonld not bd an expensivf mat ter to li:ive those 

 tried in the district where they occur. Of cases tried ouisidi' the 

 city six were at Cbateauguay fornnlawfulnetUng, in tive of Avhieh 

 a verdict was had for the club; in rhe three trie J at L'Assomp'don 

 the club was successful in all; there were four cases at Beauhar- 

 nois for slaooting duck out of season, and three convictions were 

 had, sentence in one case being suspended. The success that has 

 attended the club in these cases is due in a large measnre to the 

 elforts of Mr.W. S. Walker, who has acted as attorney for the 

 club during the past year. All these precautions have entailed a 

 considerably increased expenditure, and the smaller membership 

 of the club has caused the funds to be at a lower ebb than they 

 have been for a good many years. It is to be hoped that t he mem- 

 bers who take an interest in our fish and game will endeavor d nr- 

 ing the next year to see that the membership is largely increased, 

 so that our sticcessors may not be hampered for thesinews of War. 



While your committee has been doing its best to prevent actual 

 InfriDgement of the law, it has also tried to stop what it con- 

 sidered bad legislation. At the annual meeting last year tUten- 

 t ion was drawn to the fact that a bill was before the Quebec 

 Legislature lengthening the open season for duck shooting during- 

 the spring to the Ist of May. As the club had, after years of 

 effort, got the close season for duck changed to the 15th of April 

 —a small concession, and certainly not enough in the opinion of 

 any one conversant with the subject, to save the breeilin<; dncks, 

 it was determined to oppose the bill, and for the purpose a depu- 

 tation was named to go to Quebec, but the bill was rushed tprough 

 so auickly that it became law before they got away. However, 

 petitions against the proposed change were forwarded to Mr. 

 John S. Hall, M.L.A.. who acknowledged their receipt on Jan. 30, 

 but as they came too late he could only present them so that they 

 might be on record. Another step in backward legislation was 

 tried in the session of the Quebec Parliaraen t just closed, when a 

 member introduced a bill allowing the bounding of deer at certain 

 seasons of the year. The bill, however, was defeated in conse- 

 quence of the opposition of Messrs. Mercier, Boyer, Taillon, Mc- 

 Shane and others. The thanks of the club are due to these gen- 

 tleman in this matter. 



On March 18 a general meeting of the club was called to see if 

 any steps could be taken to put a stop to the unlawful slaughter 

 of ducks on Lake St. Francis— chiefly by Americans. Several 

 plans were suggested and the secretary wrote to Rem. Mr. Hardy, 

 Commissioner of Crown Lands of Ontario, stating the facts, la 

 acknowledging the receipt of this letter Mr. Haidy stated that 

 the Government intended looking into this matter, and through 

 the newspapers we see that the Ontario Government has appointed 

 a Game Commission anJ that the Lake St. Francis matter has 

 been before them. It is to be bupcd that the iccoming committee 

 will be able to come to such an undcrataTdmg with the Ontario 

 Government so that all parts of Lakr.' St. Fr^nr-is r- m be eflectn- 

 ally guurdf^d from j.oaclier- and pot-hunters. It ;s rhe cits'om of 

 tnese grutlemeu to slioot withour license in the part of Lake St. 

 Francis w^lilch is Qatbcc, and when they see anv d^mger of 

 MV^est betel'L t ' m rel\'e-P to t-pe Ontario part of the lake and 

 laugh at our game wardens. On June 14 Messrs. Atwater, Boult- 



