IBS 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[MAEca IS, 1891. 



KusT IN Gun Barrels.— My recipe for preyenting it 

 may not be orifrinal, but I recommend it to gunners. I 

 have tried all the zinc arrangements mentioned in the 

 Forest and Stream, but always find that there will be 

 more or less r^^Bt. I use a round stick one inch longer 

 than the barrels and a quarter-inch smaller: cut a strip of 

 soft, thick cloth as wide as the circumference of stick, 

 sew the edges together from end to end. soak in sweet oil 

 and place in gun. There will be an even pressure on all 

 parts. I have examined my gun several times tliis winter 

 and there is not the slightest sign of rust. — Irvino 

 (Montreal), 



Memphis, Tenn.— The Commercial of March 4 says: "It 

 is very rarely that the canvasback duck ventures to the 

 Southland, but there are lots of them within a radius of 

 fifty miles of Memphis at the present writing, and the 

 grounds of tliR Oakdornick Club are fairly alive with 

 them. Several good bags have been made, and the 

 slaughtered ones are as fat as butter. The presence of 

 the 'backs' in this locality is accounted for bv the recent 

 storms, which have driven them from their usual haunts.'' 



New ENGLiVSD Game and Fish Clubs are requested to 

 communicate with Mr, Richard 0. Harding, secretary of 

 the Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association, 

 30i Washington street, Boston. The association hopes to 

 havp representatives from many sections and States of 

 the Ne-w England district at an April meeting, to discuss 

 the feasibility and desirability of uniform or consistent 

 game and fish laws. 



"Tea?; SPORT ATION of Gajie,"— In this paper by Mr. 

 Collins, last issue, concluding paragraph, for "poultry'' 

 read property. ^ 



dtfd ^iv^r fishing. 



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

 Territories and British Provinces are given in the BooU of 

 the Oame Laws. 



THE UNKOWN RIVER. 



HERE we are again on the banks of the Unknown. 

 The very scenes lie before us which we bad thought 

 of so many times during the past year, and wished with 

 all our heart tha,t we would be permitted to see again. 

 We did not care a straw that we were eighteen miles 

 from a post office and probably would not hear from the 

 outside world for some time. The road to our camping 

 place led along the river bank for about a mile, and we 

 watched the river all along, noting the changes the 

 water had made since the year before. We found the 

 river perfectly clear of logs, trees and brush, and we 

 knew that if the trout were on the rise we should have 

 some pplendid sport. 



Riding over corduroy roads and through pine woods for 

 eighteen miles had given us appetites that could only be 

 excelled bv larger capacity than we possessed, and when 

 we arrived at the farm house at the mouth af the river 

 we were ready to make a clean sweep of anything Mrs. 

 R. might set before us. The dinner was excellent and we 

 ate long and heaxty. After this we made several Kve-boxes 

 and got our fishing tackle ready for use, and at 3 o'clock 

 we all started up the river, eacli with a live-box, intend- 

 ing to place them along the river at convenient places.- 

 We found the river in splendid condition and full of 

 trout. Mr. W., who is from England and had never 

 before fished in American trout waters, was stationed at 

 one of the best pools, where in three hours he took ten 

 trout: seven of them averaged l^lbs. each. This he said 

 was the finest trout fishing he ever had, and beat England 

 all to pieces. We all had good success and returned to 

 the house in high sph'its. The man with our tent and 

 blankets did not come that night, so we had to sleeii at 

 the house. 



The next morning we made a fish pond just below the 

 old mill, where we could lead the water from the spring 

 and the river through it. We found it quite a big un- 

 dertaking, as it was hard digging and the mosquitoes 

 bothered us a good deal, but we finished it in about two 

 hours, and we felt proud of having a place to keep our 

 trout ahve. George said this was really building a dam 

 by a mill site, and we all voted that we would rather 

 have it this way than the other way at present. The 

 next thing was to float the live-boxes down the river and 

 put the fish we had caught the day before into the pond. 

 We found some of them nearly dead, but they soon re- 

 vived when placed in the pond, and swain around enjoy- 

 ing themselves as if nothing was wrong. 



That afternoon was favorable for casting, and we had 

 glorious sport, taking about twenty trout altogether. The 

 trout run quite as large as the year before, and it was 

 rare to hook one smaller than ilh. 



The next morning it was raining when we got up, and 

 we had to stay indoors. For amusement we tried whist, 

 but Mr. W. did not play American whist, so we aban- 

 doned that and tried cribbage, and Schlapper Hannes. Just 

 before noon the rain stopped, and we all went down to 

 the mouth of the river, where a dock reaches out into 

 the bay aI>out 400ft. Getting to the end of this we sat 

 down and enjoyed an hour of cool delight. 



The bay here is five miles wide, and on the opposite 

 shore several Indian villages are located. The people 

 farm a little and fish and hunt a good deal, but some of 

 them make good hands getting out logs in the winter 

 seas-on. The fish they catch are principally whitefish, 

 which are cleaned and packed with pounded ice in large 

 boxes on stationary trucks, and taken by small steamers 

 to the nearest point, where large boats land, and shipped 

 south. 



Just outside the bay we could see a steam barge towing 

 a schooner, and beyond that a large sailing vessel almost 

 hull down. In several places where the sky and water 

 met only smoke could be seen, and some one suggested 

 that these vessels " were out of sight." While we were 

 taking in the eachanticg scene around us the dinner bell 

 rang, and before the second tap every man was on his 

 feet and moving toward the house, Romance and dreams 

 were forgotten, castles came tumbling down, and how- 

 ever different om- thoughts had been a few moments be- 

 fore, they were unanimous now, and there \vt)'8 no divj- 

 «pn \inU] 'wp got i?,p fyom the dinner table, 



The afternoon was fine for casting and all took about 

 as many trout as they wanted. All that we could possi- 

 bly save alive were put into the live-boxes and the re- 

 mainder were bled and put in the ice house for present 

 use. 



Bright and early next morning I started with Jim, one 

 of the teamsters, to a point up the river six miles, called 

 Two-mile Rapids. The road is along the river for the 

 last two miles and I could see that the river was a suc- 

 cession of rapids and pools the entire distance. About 

 two-thirds of the way up the rapids I left the wagon 

 and started in to fish. The only regret I have for this 

 day's fishing was that I was alone, I wished forty times 

 that the others had come, for it was the finest sport I 

 ever had and I wanted some one to enjoy it with me. 

 Where I started in there is a deep pool with a big rock 

 on one side, and just above and below this pool the water 

 rushes like mad. In three hours I took 43 trout, the lot 

 weighing SOlbs., from this one pool, I first filled my 

 creel, and then taking the hoop from my landing net I 

 filled that as full as I could carry it. I am sure I could 

 have taken as many more, as the trout w^ere risinar just 

 the same when I left as when I started in. When I 

 reached the wagon Jim had returned from his errand up 

 the river and was feeding the horses, end while he built 

 smudges around the horses I got out the lunch. It was 

 a pretty wild looking place where we were, a dense 

 forest of pine and hemlock would not permit of seeing 

 very far in any direction. There was a fresh bear track 

 in the road 3ft. from us and deer tracks were thick along 

 the river bank. After dinner we took a short rest and 

 talk over our pipes. Jim stated that eight miles north of 

 this point there was quite a large lake which an old bear 

 Imnter had told him was full of big trout, I lost interest 

 in the lake full of bia: trout when Jim told me there was 

 no road to it, for I did not fancy a walk of eight miles 

 through those woods, 



I began to get uneasy about my fishing rod; was afraid 

 some porcupine might come ficross it and take a notion to 

 climb, so telling Jim 1 would be at the bridge at five 

 o'clock I hastened back to the river. 



I walked along the bank and in the edge of the river 

 for half a mile, for I felt sure I could get all the trout I 

 wanted close to the bridge and I would not have to carry 

 them so far. Nor was I mistaken, for lona* before I got 

 in sight of the bridge I had my creel as full as it would 

 hold. I passed a number of fine-looking pools, and at the 

 last one above the bridge I took off my creel and began 

 filling my landing net, and by the time Jim came with 

 the wagon I had both creel and net full. No time was 

 lost in transferring the fish and myself in the wagon and 

 we were soon on the road. The remainder of the noon 

 lunch was disposed of and then pipes and tobacco until 

 we reached the farm. I should not have taken but one 

 creel full of trout that day, but there was a party at the 

 farm who intended to start for the southern part of the 

 State the next morning and wanted to take some ti'out 

 with them. I gave them all that I caught that day and 

 cleaned and packed them in ice, and we learned "after- 

 ward that they got them home in good shape. 



The following day we did not do much of anything but 

 lay around and read and smoke. We put in part of the 

 day out on the dock as, on account of the mosquitoes, it 

 was the only place we could loaf in peace. Monday was 

 a big day with all of us. Mr. W. caught the largest trout 

 on the trip to-day, weight S^rlbs.. but we were all after 

 him with several weighing from 2i to Slbs. each. 



For the next three or four days we gave the lower 

 rapids a rest, and visitpd several points up the river. At 

 a place called Short Rapids, three miles up, we had ex- 

 cellent sport. The first day we were there George, 

 Charlie and I all hooked at the same time and in the same 

 pool, Charlie with two on and George and I with one. 

 How we did yell as the rods bent and the lines sailed 

 through the water. I can see the boys now — George bit- 

 ing his under lip feeling sure that he would save his trout 

 (but he didn't), Charlie with bent form trying to steady 

 himself in the swift water, and with a pleased look on 

 his face as he slipped the landing net under the two 

 beauties. George's fish was a big one, and after two or 

 three leaps in the air he sailed down through the tail of 

 the rapids and did not stop when he came to the end of 

 the line. These rapids extend about half a mile and was 

 the prettiest place to fish we had struck. We had only 

 come half way down the rapids and our creels were 

 already as heavy as we wanted to carry back to camp. 

 We came back here several times and always with good 

 success. 



Some of the best flies we used were royal-coachman, 

 chippie, Montreal, professor, governor, bee, Martin, queen- 

 of-the-water, Proctor, gray and brown hackles. 



One morning three weeks after our arrival we pulled up 

 stakes and started for home. We had over a hundred 

 trout in the pond and these were killed and packed in ice 

 and taken with us. Arriving home in due time the trout 

 were distributed among friends, who seemed to think it a 

 great treat to have fresh brook trout. 



Our trip had been a grand success in every way and 

 one long to be remembered by us. Jack. 



CoLCMBtrs, Ohio. 



THE PICKEREL FISHERMEN. 



BOSTON, Mass. — The pickerel fishermen are out; that 

 is, if the weather is not too cold and the ice is not 

 too thick. One gentleman, he does not wish his name 

 mentioned, fished the Charles River above the dam, with 

 plenty of live bait, all. day Satm-day of last week, and the 

 day following, and not a pickerel. Another fisherman, 

 with permit, fished the Cambridge reservoir on the same 

 day, following Saturday, and he got no pickerel. His ill 

 success he gives as his reason why his name is not to 

 appear in the Forest and Stream. But in both of the 

 above cases it is possible that the day following Saturday 

 may have something to do with the matter. Others have 

 been fishing, however, and they did not fish the day fol- 

 lowing Saturday. Mr. R. S. Foster, of the commission 

 firm of Foster & Weeks, was born in the Pine Tree State, 

 and he dearly loves the rod and line, and what son of 

 that State does not? He, with Mr, John H, Farnham, in 

 the fruit trade in Boston, took the train a week ago on 

 Saturday morning for a pickerel pond in Connecticut. 

 They went down to Hampton station, several miles from 

 Wiliimantic. There a team was waiting for them, by 

 previous engagement. It was a light Concord wagon. 

 Would it carry them, the driver and all their traps? The 

 driver declared it woidd. It wsis dark aod tlie road wa^ 



rough and muddy. They started with some misgivings 

 on the part of the fishermen, but the driver was sure. 

 '■Three miles of darkness, wheels in ruts to the hubs, and 

 the worst road," Mr. Foster says, "I ever passed over, 

 brought us to the house," The house is the dwelling of 

 the owner of the farm and the pond. This pond is arti- 

 ficial. It was dammed for a sawmill, and the stumps of 

 overflowed trees are sticking through the ice. The morn- 

 ing came. The pond was covered with several inches of 

 snow^ and several more of water on top of the ice. It did 

 not look like pickerel fishing, and the sportsmen were 

 minded to take the train home. But consultation of time 

 tables proved that no Boston train was reachable till 

 well toward night. They concluded to try the pond. 

 They wet their feet, through overshoes, in getting on to 

 the pond. Again they were minded to start for home. 

 No pickerel would bite with a dark ooze of surface water 

 rtmning down through every hole in the ice. But the 

 lines were set. Pickerel enough were taken to fry for 

 breakfast on Smiday morning, the day they were not to 

 fish. Sunday, they did not start back to Boston, the 

 weather looked better. The water had nearly disap- 

 peared from the ice. Monday they fished till it was time 

 to start for Wiliimantic, twelve mUes, where an express 

 could be touched that would take the happy fishermen 

 home to Boston that night. They were happy with their 

 catch of pickerel — over seventy, with several monsters 

 weighing Slbs. and up to 4lb3. Mr. Foster is in favor of 

 an artificial pond for gamy and handsome pickei'el of 

 large s'ze, and one of the desires nearest his heart is to 

 troll that pond in summer time. The local fishermen 

 claim that there is a monster pickerel in that pond that 

 has broken every sort of a rigging — silk lines and linen 

 lines. Mr. i'oster would like to try that same pickerel 

 with pliant rod in summer time. Special. 



TARPON AT FORT MYERS. 



FORT MYERS, Fla., Feb. 2Q.— Editor Forest and- 

 Stream: I have noticed in sailing on the Caloosa- 

 hatchie numbers of tarpon; and have wondered at our 

 Northern anglers stopping at points of so little attraction 

 simply to fish for tarpon, when Fort IVlyers not only offers 

 the finest tarpon fishing, but also gratifies the eye with 

 her beautiful homes sunounded by purely tropical ver- 

 dure equaled by no other point in Florida. The river is 

 here l-l miles wide, the banks covered with guavas, sap- 

 podilloa, grape fruit, shaddock, oranges, cocoanuts, 

 bananas, date palms, rosf s and a myriad of other flowers, 

 rendering it most beautiful. 



On the 15th inst. Mr, H, N, Brooks, of Meriden, Conn., 

 landed a tarpon weighing bOlbs,; length, 4ft. 9in. He 

 wired his brother anglers and the next steamer brought 

 them with rod and reel. On the 20th Mr. R, B. Duykinck 

 brought to galf one that weighed llOlbs., oft. 4in. in 

 length. On the 24th Mr, H. N, Brooks lauded two that 

 tipped the scales at ISOlbs., 6ft, in length each. Mr. 

 Brooks is a thorough master of the rod and reel. On the 

 same day Mr, J. N. Stevenson, of Chicago, safely landed 

 a tarpon weighing llO-bs,, after a hai'd fight lasting 3| 

 hours, Mr, Stevenson caught another on the 3.jlh, weigh- 

 ing 1251b3,, 6ft. Tin. in length, Mr, Prindell was unfor- 

 tunate, having several strikes, and after playing one 

 noble fellow over two hours his tackle parted. 



Besides the tarpon, black bass are plentiful, weighing 

 up to lulbs, Redfish, snappers, sand perch, sheepshead, 

 rovallie, jackfish and other fish abound; in fact, the 

 waters are filled with them. 



The gunner can find ample pastime in quail, deer and 

 turkey shooting. Quail are so plenty that numbers are 

 seen in the yards of our town. 



The Planl Steamship Line have established a line of 

 steamers from Port Tampa, and the sportsman tourist 

 can be assured of transportation that is very satisfactory. 

 Should any of the readers of Forest and Stream wish 

 sporting information we will cheerfully reply to any in- 

 quiries. MiCKLE & Roe (Lock Box 29). 



TROUT AND MOUSE. 



WE have recently learned some interesting facts con- 

 cerning Colorado trout and trout streams from 

 Mr. Thomas Withers, Civil Engineer and Deputy U. S. 

 Lind Surveyor for the State of Colorado. Mr, Withers 

 has been in Washington and while there collected some 

 useful information preparatory to establishing a ti-out 

 hatchery on a beatttiful stream owned by him near Den- 

 ver. He will probably make a special effort to get the 

 nativfi red bellied troitt (Salmo purjmratus), and devote 

 considerable attention to its propagation. Mr. Withers is 

 an enthusiastic fisherman and well posted as to the habits 

 of the trout. He states that the helgramite is extremely 

 common in the north fork of the Platte and its fiy form, 

 which is there known as the willow fly, is one of the best 

 natural foods for trout and, also, one of the most excellent 

 baits of the region. 



Mr. Witherri gives a very amusing account of the 

 capture of large trout at Buft'alo, near Denver, on the 

 South Fork Railroad, There is in that vicinity a so- 

 called mouse which has the habit of going into the 

 water very freely, and on this account we suppose the 

 animal to' be one of the shrews, probably the" common 

 water shrew (Neosorex jjalnslria), which is the largest of 

 the shrews aquatic in their habits. It grows to a length 

 of 6in. including the tail, which is 2^io. long. It is found 

 from Massachusetts to the Rocky Mountains and north- 

 ward. The muzzle of this shrew is very long and abun- 

 dently supplied with whiskers. Its feet are very long 

 and have a fringe of hair. The ears are valvular and 

 adapted for life in the water. It feeds upon insects 

 and also upon other larvte, as we may gather from the 

 description of a kind of stick bait mentioned by Mr. 

 Withers. But to take up Mr. Withers's description of the 

 capture of a big trout with a live moufe. He says: "We 

 were led to try the mouse from the fact that on cutting 

 open a large ti'out we were very much astonished by 

 finding a mouse in its stomach. A hook was passed 

 through the skin of the neck and the leader was attached 

 to a large chip in such a manner that the mouse c-^uld 

 not get away from its float. Then the chip with its live 

 freight was liberated in the creek at some distance above 

 the bridgeunder which the big trout was known to secrete 

 himself. Tne chip went merrily dancing down the stream, 

 the mouse meanwhile running backward and forward as 

 far as the limits of his raft would allow, and things went 

 swimmingly until the bridge was reached, H^-re we saw 

 a euddi?n comniotiton, whicJj we knew wa^ eauged by the 



