Feb. 5, 1891.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



49 



Sportsmen's Association of Cheat Mountain.— Pitts- 

 burgb, Jan. 20. — At the annual meeoing of the Sports- 

 men's Association of Cheat Mountain, held Monday even- 

 ing, Jan. 19, the following persons were elected officers of 

 this Association: President, W. M. Kemaedy; Yice- Presi- 

 dents, W. E. Shiras, D. M'K. Lloyd, W. S. Edwards, 

 Ufcilles B«rd, Nathsniel Ewing; Secretary, Theophilus 

 Sproiill; Treasnrer, D. P. Corwin; Naturalist and Surgeon, 

 Dr. W. J. Riggs; Board of Dirpctors, Hilary S. Bmnot, 

 W. G. Brown, A. P. Tallman, C. C. Scaife, Dr. Joe. jST. 

 Dickson, J. B. D whurst, S. B. Elkins. The Association 

 has control of 157,000 acres of land in Randolph and Po- 

 cahontas countiep. West Va. The tract has over 150 miles 

 of well stocked trout streams, being the headwaters of 

 the Cheat River and its branches. Deer and other wild 

 game are quite plentiful with the exception of game 

 birds, for which the country is not well adapted. The 

 club house is built of logs and contains twelve bedrooms, 

 dining hall and other necessary apartments. Pure moun- 

 tain water is supplied through pipes. Numerous perma- 

 nent camps are located at favorable situations in differ- 

 ent parts of the preserve. The Association may claim to 

 be ranked among the largest and best equipped sports- 

 man's clubs in the country. — Deacon. 



"That reminds me." 



GLAD It IS SETTLED. 



Editor Forest and Strea?n: 



1 notice of late that you have devoted a few lines to 

 t]\e woodcock question, and I am glad the matter is so 

 satisfactorily settled. When a thing is settled it ought 

 to be well settled, and the more ways of settling it the 

 better your readers should be satisfied. 



From a careful perusal of the letters and comments in 

 Forest and Stream I am perfectly satisfied that the 

 woodcock, poor bird, makes the noiee wholly with its 

 wings. I am also completely convinced that he makes 

 the noise wholly with its mouth. I am certainly sure 

 that lie makes the noise by the combination of wings and 

 mouth. It is also pretty well demonstrated that the noise 

 is made with the tail as it flirts the bird from "zig to 

 zag." 



The theory that the bird makes no noise, but hypno- 

 tizes the hunter is not sustained by the evidence offered. 

 The evidence is also lacking to show that the noise comes 

 from the worms in the bird's throat, which have not yet 

 been swallowed, but this lead promises good results. 



Take it all in all, I am perfectly contented with the 

 settlement of woodcock vs. noise. I am just as well con- 

 tented as the boy who spelled a word six ways in one 

 letter, and on being criticised, I'eplied that he was a 

 mighty poor speller who only had one way to spell a 

 word. S*b it is a mighty poor bird who only has one way 

 of making a noise. 



Bird of the wild ernes?, 



Blithesome aud cumberleES, 



Please, Mr. Woodcock, 



Tell ''em how you do it. 



IZAAK, Jr. 



St. Louis, Mo. 



m mid ^iv^T ^iuhing. 



The full texts of the game fish laws of all the States, 

 Territories and British Provinces are given in the BooU of 

 the Game Laws. 



BLACK BASS IN DEEP WATER. 



Editor Forest and 8trearii: 



Having read so many of your letters from correspond- 

 ents of happy days passed' with the rod and reel, I feel 

 satisfied that perhaps a chapter of my own experience 

 may be .just a little interesting to others of your many 

 readers who love to handle the elastic bamboo," and I will 

 relate the occuj'rence of a day some two years since in the 

 month of August. I don't tell this stoiy with any pride 

 as a fisherman, but to show- that there are some black 

 bass yet in our small lakes in New England, and good 

 ones, too. My friends George B. and John S., with their 

 wivev, and my wife and myself, passed a few days at a 

 small hotel beside a lake in the eastern part of Massachu- 

 setts. A fine healthy air, nice scenery and a chance to 

 catch fi^sh were the inducement'=i that tempted us to that 

 place. The lake is one of a chain of four, and is quite a 

 large one, nearly nine miles long by three wide, and is 

 known as Sampson's Pond. The proprietor of the hotel 

 has a number of boats for the use of his guests, and the 

 ladies of the party had plenty of time to row to their 

 bean's content. I was the only one of the party who had 

 ever been there before, so I was obliged to do duty as a 

 guide, which I did with a great deal of diffidence. We 

 had beea there two or three days, fished the pond in all 

 the likely places, and some of the unlikely ones, visited 

 the otber lakes near by, and we had skittered, trolled and 

 used spoons, mummies, shiners, toads, frogs, and, in fact, 

 almost everything we thought a bass Avould take: but all 

 with no I'esult. Several good-s^zed pickerel and more 

 small ones, roaches, red and yellow perch, and bullheads, 

 of course, and now and then an pel: but as yet not a bass 

 had snapped. One evening John said to me, "Suppose 

 to-morrow morning we go out early and try and find the 

 'Big Hole?' " We had been told that there was a deep 

 hole somewhere in the pond, and if we could find it we 

 cotfld catch a bass sure. That was what the "eld resi- 

 dent'' said. I agreed with John to go, but it seemed a 

 foolish task to find a deep hole in a lake nine miles long 

 and three wide, with an average depth of nine to twelve 

 feet. Well, the next morning we were up at 4 o'clock; 

 the weather was dull and foggy. The thick film hung 

 close down on the water and was as wet as rain; the shore 

 could hardly be seen at a boat's length. We have all es- 

 p rienced jnst such mornings and know them to turn out 

 hot, dry and eultry days. So we were not at all alarmed 

 about the kind of day we were going to have. 



After our morning wash we went to the shore, put a 

 lunch in the boat that had been prepared over night, and 

 getting in oui'selves started off on the search for the 

 place where," if we could find it, we expected to capture- 

 a black bass. John rigged a sounding line and I took 

 the oars. I would row a while and, then hold the boat 



while he sounded the bottom. We had a little idea 

 where the hole was, for we had heard a man say "the 

 hole" was off a point down at the end of the pond. So 

 we went on; sometimes John rowed and I sounded. I 

 should judge we rowed around for about three times, 

 when I suddenly found— and it almost frightened me— 

 that my sinker didn't toirch bottom at ten or twelve feet. 

 I lowered away on the hue, and down, down it went 

 until about 40ft. was paid out and bottom was reached 

 at last. Eureka ! We had found it. Our anchor was made 

 ready and a long line attached; then it was gently swung 

 over the side, lowered carefully and found a resting 

 place at the bottom of that well, for it appeared more 

 like a well than a part of the pond. John had his 1 ine 

 ready first, and he held his rod for a few minutes, but 

 not a nibble; then he laid it down, put a handline into 

 gear with two hooks on it, baited it with a small piece of 

 dead fish and dropped it to the bottom; pulled it up about 

 a foot, when suddenly he felt a twitch. He drew it up 

 hand over hand and landed two beautiful white perch in 

 the boat, three-quarters of a pound each, sure. This roused 

 me. I had been fixing the anchor and "taking a bite" 

 for breakfast. The sim had by this time cut the fog, and 

 it was rolling away in big clouds, and the shore came 

 into view by piecemeal. His catch of the two fish had 

 started me at once from my lunch. I rigged my hand- 

 line, and for a few minutes'we had all the fun we wanted. 

 We filled a large water pail in a short time, but had felt 

 no bass a,s yet. At last I was possessed with an "inspira- 

 tion." Putting my rod together, a 16ft. bamboo, I fixed 

 the reel and line all right, put on the hook a live shiner, 

 fastened a small sinker just above the leader, put on 

 a float about 10ft. from the hook, hung the pole on the 

 side of the boat with the butt fixed under the opposite 

 gimwale: then I resumed the perch business and "awaited 

 developments." I guess the rod had lain there half an 

 hour, when I saw the butt give. I di'opped the handline, 

 seized the pole and held it in a horizontal position and 

 let the line run. How it did sing! The reel buzzed and 

 the line ran through the leaders with a merry hum, I can 

 tell you. I can hear it now, and no doubt many who 

 read this can tell what music it is to them; our finest or- 

 chestra cannot produce its equal. I didn't dare to check 

 the line for fear of not hooking the fish; so I let him have 

 it, and when he slowed up to take a fresh hold on the 

 bait I made up my mind to hook him. 



Now a great many fishermen hook a fish by "striking" 

 him with the tip of the rod, but I am not an adept at 

 that, so I use the more homely but, to me, surer way of 

 using the forefinger and a qm'ck short snap on the line. 

 I hardly ever knew it to fail. Away the fish ran. John 

 stopped his fishing and said, "Be careful, don't lose him." 

 I told him that I was as eager as he was not to allow him 

 to escape. After he had run on his first rush a good 

 hundred and fifty feet I pulled him up, gave a short snap 

 on the line and stopped him. As he felt the hook prick 

 him he turned and broke water, I never saw such a sight 

 in my life. At that distance even he looked Hke a big 

 codfish, and it made my nerves tingle I can assure you, 

 for I wasn't sure of him yet. I commenced to reel him 

 in, and would get fifteen or twenty feet on him, when he 

 would make a dash and away he would go again. John 

 pulled up the anchor, got his rod in, and, landine net in 

 hand, waited for me to get himnear enough to "net" him. 

 We had no gaff in the boat, so that there was all the more 

 danger of losing him. Three times I led him around the 

 boat, and finally when John lifted him from the water 

 we were both amazed. My nerves, which had been 

 wrought to a high pitch of excitement, relaxed and I sat 

 down on one of the thwarts almost exhausted. Fully 

 twenty-five minutes I had x^layed that fish with an intense 

 desire to secure him, for I knew he was a "whopper," and 

 when I saw him lying in the bottom of the boat I could 

 scarcely stand up. At last I found my bi'eath and said 

 to John, "Now I'll open that last bottle of Bass' ale and 

 we'll drink to the successful capture of 'a dandy,'" and 

 together we drank the contents of the only bottle of ale 

 we had, and it was a royal drink at that. 



After having fished most of the day and catching other 

 bass, but none as large as this one, we returned home, 

 and the large one was put on the scales nine hours after 

 it was taken from the water, and balanced them at 51bs. 

 and 13oz., and it was a small-mouthed one at that. The 

 next morning we came home, and I placed on exhibition 

 in a fishmarket what I claim was one of the best catches 

 of the season in New England — seven fine black bass, the 

 smallest weighing Bibs, and the largest, as I have said, 

 almost six. This is the best day's fishing I ever did and I 

 don't think many can say more, do you? Natatt, 



Providence, B^J^ 



A True Fish Stort.— A huge salmon, shipped to Sen- 

 ator Mitchell from Oregon some six days ago by Col, 

 James B. Montgomery, of Portland, formed the piece de 

 resistance at a lunch in the Senate restaurant yesterday 

 afternoon. Among Senator Mitchell's guests 'were the 

 Vice-President, Speaker Reed, nearly the entire Senate, 

 sevei'al Representatives, the Senate officials and a num- 

 ber of correspondents. The salmon had preserved its de- 

 licious flavor, despite its long journey overland, and was 

 discussed to the accompaniment of many bottles of cham- 

 pagne. Of course it was a great occasion for fish stories. 

 Many wild and weird tales of battles with giant salmon 

 were related to the great enjoyment of those whose cred- 

 ulity was equal to the task of believing everything that 

 was said. When, however, Representative Hermann, of 

 Oregon, asserted that when he went to the State, thirty 

 years ago, he foimd the salmon so thick in the smaller 

 streams that his horse had to carefully pick his way from 

 shore to shore, lest he step upon them, his listeners 

 thought that nothing was left to be said. Mr. Hermann 

 acknowledged that his statement was hard to believe, 

 but added that he had the evidence of his own eyes for 

 the fact, — Washington Post, Jan. 



Fish Fale With Snow.— During the snow storm at 

 Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday morning, countless small 

 fish were seen to fall. They were about an inch long and 

 resembled the carp. The greatest number fell on Broad 

 street. Some were found on Union street several blocks 

 away.— r/ie Evening Star, Washington, Jan. ^6. Fish 

 are often transported by cyclones and other storms, A 

 few years ago a lot of small fishes fell in the streets of a 

 Nebraska town; these proved to be the common fathead 

 minnow of the-region. In the vicinity of Nashville the 

 commonest fishes of the carp family are minnows of the 

 genus Notropis, 



SPAWNING OF RAINBOW TROUT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In a note attached to my communication on trout fish- 

 ing in the South I notice your remark to the effect that 

 the rainbow trout spawns only in May. The spawning 

 season lasts from January to May, and in the Repoi-t of 

 the U. S. Fish Commission Mr." Livingston Stone, the 

 agent in California, says the sea son lasted from Jan. 12 to 

 May 3. When I saw them on the spawning beds here in 

 Janua,ry, 1889, along with female brook trout, the fish 

 was certainly attending on the female brook trout, rub- 

 bing himself on the gravel and stones, as is the habit of 

 these fish when depositing the spawn. I took a 3 Jib. rain- 

 bow trout in September last, a female full of eggs, and 

 unfortunately hooked it so deeply that to my chagrin I 

 had to kill the fish, So that I feel convinced that my be- 

 lief that this species interbreeds with the brook trout is 

 justified. Moreover, I have taken small fish which had 

 all the appearance of being cross bred. The spawning 

 season of the brook trout here lasts until January, begin- 

 ning late and continuing all through January, 



Henrt Stewart. 



HlGHT-AND, N. c. 



[Our statement as to the spawning season of the rain- 

 bow trout was based upon the experience in Eastern 

 hatching houses (see Bulletin U. S. Fish Commission for 

 1882, page 11), when March, April and May were the usual 

 spawning months. Since then the rainbow has bee:^ ap- 

 proaching more and more nearly to its habits in California 

 until at present it is a common "occurrence to collect ripe 

 eggs from it early in January. It would be interesting 

 to know whether the eggs of the female caught in Sep- 

 tember were free in the abdominal cavity or some months 

 from maturing. We have never seen a natural hybrid in 

 the salmon family and hope Mr. Stewart will send us 

 anything of the kind coming under his notice. Accord- 

 ing to all observations so far recorded a cross between 

 the rainbow and brook trouts would differ widely from 

 both parents in markings, notably in having the body 

 profusely covered with pale reticulations. We were led to 

 suppose that the male trout was eating the brook trout 

 eggs because we have frequently seen them eat salmon 

 eggs.] 



VIRGINIA FISH AND GAME. 



ON the line of New River we have trout in the streams 

 of Big and Little Stony Creek, in Giles cormty; 

 nearest point to Norfolk & Western Railroad, Pembroke 

 and Ripplemead. Big Walker's Greek, between Pem- 

 broke and Ripplemead, is a very good bass stream. 



At Narrows we have Wolf Creek, which is a very good 

 stream for bass, and its tribiitaries. Mill Creek and' Clear 

 Fork, both have trout. East River has some bass in it 

 near the mouth. Ciynch River, on the C. V., is a very 

 good bass stream. Salt Pond Jslountain, fifteen to twenty 

 miles from Pembroke, has quite a niunber of deer, a few 

 bear, and some turkeys and grouse or pheasants. 



East River Mountain has some turkeys. Nearest point 

 is Narrows, on the Norfolk & Western Railroad. The N. 

 C. Division has but little game outside of partridges and 

 quail. New River above Ivanhoe has excellent catfish 

 and some bass. Chestnut Creek is reported as having 

 some trout near its headwaters. The Pulaski Division 

 has but little game other than partridges. Near Saltville 

 the Holston River has a good'many bass, and one of its 

 tributaries. Tumbling Creek, has "quite a lot of trout. 

 Twenty miles from Glade Spring, on White Mountain, 

 N. C, there is an excellent stream for trout. I have for- 

 gotten its name, but it is well known at Glade Spring, 



The greatest number of deer in A^irginia you will find 

 in the piny woods of eastern Virginia, bordering on the 

 North Carolina State line, at which point they are quite 

 abundant. D. H. B, 



Pulaski, Va. ' 



Trout in an Artesian Well. —At San Buenaventura, 

 Cal., an artesian well was sunk some years ago on the 

 beach a few feet from high water mark. A strong flow 

 of water spouted thirty feet above the mouth of the well 

 when a depth of 143ft.' had been reached. The overflow 

 was found to contain thousands of young trout, and ex- 

 amination of the well showed the presence of numberless 

 trout measuring about 2in. in length, and normally de- 

 veloped. The temperature of the water was 64° Fahr. 

 The fish were supposed to come a distance of several 

 miles from the head waters of the Santa Clara River 

 through a subterranean outlet. It is not uncommon to 

 find fish in artesian wells in California. Mrs. Rosa Smith 

 Eigenmann several years ago published an account, in 

 the Proceedings of the National Museum, if we remember 

 aright, of the finding of sticklebacks {Gasterosteus ivil- 

 liamsoni) in such a locality. In Missouri recently a small 

 blind fish was found in a well and forwarded to the Fish 

 Commissioner at Washington; the species is a common 

 inhabitant of cave streams. 



Onondaga Club.— Syracuse, N. Y.— At the last meet- 

 ing of the Onondaga Anglers' Clubthir^en new members 

 were admitted. A view of the work done by the club 

 during the last season was made and it was decided to go 

 ahead with renewed vigor this year, redoubling theu- 

 efforts in protecting the game a^nd fish in Onondaga 

 county. The appointment of Harrison Hawn as State 

 Game and Fish Protector was discussed, and members of 

 the club congratulated each other on his advancement. 

 A committee was appointed to decide on a man to take 

 Mr. Hawn's place as a direct employee of the club. Another 

 committee was named to present a list of eligible officers 

 for the club to be chosen at the annual meeting in 

 March. A resolution was adopted thanking the editor of 

 the Forest and Stream and the State Game and Fish 

 Commissioners for aid in securing Mr. Hawn's appoint- 

 ment. The club now has more than 300 members, and 

 the officers hope to see the membership doubled within a 

 few months. 



Pickerel and Bass in Winter.- It is reported that 

 500 barrels of pickerel and bass have recently been caiight 

 and shipped from Damariscotta Pond, in Lincoln county, 

 Maine. This confirms our statement as to the probability 

 of taking bass in winter by pickerel fishermen. We 

 assume that these bass were captured by "fair angling" 

 and not bv' one of the numerous illegal devices mentioned 

 on page 52 of the Book of the Game Laws, and yet it is 

 difficult to see how such a quantity of fish could be taken 

 in a short time without the use of forbidden appliances. 



