480 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 2, 1891. 



A JULY OUTING. 



WE started on July 8, 1890. "We," in the present in- 

 stance meant a party, some fishermen, and others 

 not, but all bent on enjoying the hills, lakes and streams 

 of Canada to the utmost, and consisting of Ur. W., a 

 leading dentist of R. ;Miss P., of Catskill, jST, Y. ; Miss 

 Emma, a cousin, and Sam and Jess, brother and sister 

 respectively of the writer, and last, but not least, the 

 writer and his better half, all of R. Our destination 

 was Burleigh Falls, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, 

 and we had decided to try and survive the discomforts 

 of hotel life, as some of the ladies were averse to camp- 

 ing. We found the difcomforts were agreeably absent, 

 Mr., our landlord, and Mrs. Holmes doing their best to 

 make everthing agreeable and succeeding m so doing. 



Starting from the Port of Charlotte we crossed Lake 

 Ontario in about the worst storm I ever experienced; 

 during the night the rain poured in ton-ents, and what 

 with the thunder, lightning and the rolling of the boat 

 we got but little rest, Miss P. getting the full benefit of a 

 bad leak in the deck above her berth. Morning with a 

 clear sky and a warm sunshine dispelled the gloom from 

 the ladies' faces, and a pleasant ride of a couple of hotirs 

 more brought us to the sleepy old town of Port Hope, 

 where we spent several hours waiting for a train to take 

 us northward. We enjoyed a pleasant ride from Port 

 Hope to Peterboro through a country that is better to 

 visit than to dwell in, and made another stop, finally 

 reaching Lakefield, a small village at the terminus of the 

 railroad at about 7 o'clock in the evening. Here we were 

 informed that we must wait until morning before going 

 up the lakes, and not liking the idea we skirmislied 

 around a bit and found Capt. Reynolds, of the steamer 

 Cruiser, willing to make an evening trip to Burleigh. 

 G-etting our outfit on board the steamer we were soon 

 making our way up the Otonabee River. As we left the 

 river and entered Clear Lake, the moon made its appear- 

 ance, and what with the watching the shining waters 

 and listening to Capt. Reynolds's description of points 

 of interest on land and water, we had one of the most 

 enjoyable rides imaginable through Clear and Stony 

 lakes to Burleigh Falls, where we found supper and 

 rooms in readiness for us. 



The following morning found the whole party up at 

 sunrise eager to try the bass, and being of the order of 

 fishermen who sometimes fish with biit, we supplied 

 ourselves with the legendary '" wum" and a small quan- 

 tity of helgramltes or dobions, and all went to the dam, 

 about fifty rods from the hotel, where the bass (small- 

 inouth) bit voraciously; and we made a good catch, the 

 ladies getting considerable experience in bass fishing, but 

 few bass. 



The next few days we spent in finding the place where 

 the "big ones" held forth, and foimd their headquarters 

 at the mouth of a small creek at the head of Burleigh 

 Bay. 



The second day after our aiTival a couple of the 

 Queen's subjects arrived from Toronto, and showing evi- 

 dence of a willingness to adopt Mr. Blaine's scheme of 

 reciprocity we joined forces, and between us made life 

 miserable for the fish during the day and for the inmates 

 of the hotel at night, for we tried to sing. 



The muskalonge fishing was poor, we catching but four 

 or five during our stay, bixt the bass fishing was the best 

 I ever found. Toward the last of our stay, when Ave had 

 given up killing any large muskalonge, t-vo gentlemen, 

 Mr. L, and Mr. K,,from R., came to the hotel eager 

 for battle, and engaging a guide, started out in spite of 

 our assurance of no "lunge" to try for a big one. They 

 retm-ned late in the evening, and on hearing our "I told 

 you so," escorted us to the icehouse and exhibited to our 

 surprised gaz3 a splendid catch, the largpst weighing 

 nearly 201bs. We wilted, but decided after a consulta- 

 tion to start next morning and not return until we had 

 wiped away the disgrace of being defeated by the new- 

 comers. Oar Canadian friends joined with us, and we 

 determined to do or die, and made up our minds that if 

 one boat could (-atch six muskalonge four boats could 

 catch four times six or twenty-four, as per Robinson's 

 practical arithmetic. Well, we fished and we fished, but 

 not a "lunge" did we strike; and in succession, as our 

 strength and patience became exhausted, we returned to 

 the boat house, leaving our English friends, who were 

 bound to stick it out; but they too soon followed us, and 

 their faces already well scorched by the hot sun, grew 

 more luminous as they told the story of our wrongs. 



It seems that on starting around the head of the lake 

 just after we left them, they were hailed by a native, 

 who exhibited a fine string of muskalonge, and offered 

 them for sale, which offer was indignantly refused, upon 

 which said native, thinking they were trying to beat him 

 down on the price, informed them that if they did not 

 take them "he could easily sell them to a couple of 

 gentlemen to whom he had sold some the day before," 

 and on questioning him our friends found how L. and K. 

 had caught their fish and tlie kind of bait they had used. 

 The native had the "lunge" strung on a piece of willow, 

 and all had marks of the gillnet on them; on hearing 

 these facts our friends speedily followed us, and inform- 

 ing us of the "sell," we agreed to meet the two champion 

 fishermen in a body, and give them a rousing reception. 



We had not long to wait, for L, and K, soon came in 

 and laid before us another nice lot of fish, and looked to 

 us for more compliments. We examined the fish, and 

 found the net marks on all, as our English friends had 

 said, and at an agreed signal stepped back and listened 

 to an address from M. of our party, on the success of the 

 "silver bait" as illustrated in the case before us, which, 

 while not as scholarly as one of Cicero's, was at least 

 effective. L. and K, at first denied our charges, but 

 finding the proof overwhelming, beat a retreat and 

 sought the friendly shelter of the bar-room, leaving M, 

 and the rest of us masters of the field. After that we 

 fished for muskalonge no more, nor did we see L. and K, 

 bring in any during the rest of our stay. 



Burleigh Falls is, I think, one of the pleasant spots in 

 Canada for the fisherman and lover of woods and waters. 

 It is located between Stony and Lovesick lakes, a short, 

 rapid stream connecting them. The chief beauty of the 

 place, the falls, has been destroyed by the ruthless hand, 

 of civilization and the Italian laborer, the Canadian 

 Government having made a passageway for steamboat 

 travel through the entire chain of lakes, and where the 

 falls once roared and tumbled there stand two substantial 

 locks, to let passing boats from LDvesick Lake into Stony 

 Lake below. 



The time for our outing had expired, the largest fish 

 taken had succumbed to the superior skill (or perhaps it 

 was the strength of the trolling line) of Miss P. The 

 "big one" had been lost by H, My wife had eclipsed the 

 rest in the use of rod and reel, and we rather sadly bid 

 good-by to our host and Enghsh friends and turned our 

 faces homeward, spending our return journey in recount- 

 ing to each other experiences with fish whose weight and 

 fighting jjowers increased with every mile placed between 

 us and the scene of conflict. Not long after our return to 

 R. we were notified of the impending union of H. and 

 Miss Emma, which only goes to prove that fish is not the 

 only game at Lovesick Lake, 



In spite of the above, the single members of our party 

 may decide to risk another outing at Burleigh, T, 



GREENWOOD LAKE. 



A WEEK ago Friday afternoon I visited this beautiful 

 sheet of water for the first time, and I had a pleasant 

 and successful day's fishing, making the Brandon House, 

 which is charmingly situated, my headquarters. My 

 valise failed to materialize, but a reel and other reces- 

 saries were generously loaned me by mine host, and Sat- 

 urday morning found me in a boat with a lively cargo of 

 minnows and frogs. I had never cast with a frog before, 

 and it took some time to get my arm, an 8oz. fiy-rod and 

 a big frog, to work as they should. My boatman quickly 

 pulled up into an arm of the lake where the water was 

 shallow, and I began heaving. The morning's catch was 

 8 bass and 2 pickerel. Two of the bass were 2-pounders 

 and the others fish of a trifle more than a pound in 

 weight. Two or three small ones were thrown back. One 

 bass in particular gave me a great deal of sport. He lay 

 under a pile of brush quite near the shore, and the way 

 he snapped off a frog was artistic in the extreme. Four 

 times, at intervals of ten minutes each, he rose, but I 

 failed to hook him each time. The boatman said I did 

 not strike hard enough. I said if I could get his nose out 

 of water again I would strike sufficiently hard, and I did, 

 for I broke my butt. I hooked the bass though, and 

 pulled him in hand over hand. There may have been 

 more than one bass under that brush, but I think not, as 

 his method was unmistakable. 



In the afternoon we drove back over the hills five miles 

 to a trout brook, which is leased by the proprietor of the 

 Brandon House. It is a small brook at best, and there 

 had been so little rain that the greater part of it was un- 

 fishable, as the water was almost stagnant, not enough 

 current to carry the bait down stream. The trout though 

 were there in thousands, and it was worth my while to 

 drive there just to see the fish. Out of two holes 20ft. 

 square, perhaps, and 3ft. deep I "yanked" 16 trout, aU 

 above Tin. long, and some half-dozen nice fish, including 

 my first rainbow trout. Further down the brook and 

 quite near the road was a small dam, and from the 

 shallow pool above I ca,ught 2 fish on flies, and then we 

 drove home. It was an interesting trip altogether, and I 

 hope to repeat it F'lin. 



MINNESOTA NOTES. 



THE last Legislature passed a very good game bill, 

 with the exception of allowing spring shooting of 

 ducks and geese — otherwise it gives general satisfaction. 



The bass fishing opened up in tine shape in this vicinity, 

 but for some reason the past week or so has been very 

 poor. The first time Stephens and I went out we caught 

 14 in two hours in Muskrat Lake. Others did equally as 

 well, while some strings ran into the half-hundred and 

 over. 



Becker county has passed a stringent fish law, in- 

 tending to break up the netting and seining, which are 

 doing so much damage — but probably the law will be a 

 dead letter, as so many special laws are. Yet, unless 

 something is done to enforce a law of this kind our boasted 

 fishing will be only a tradition. 



Otter Tail county has a very strict law, expressly for- 

 bidding the netting of fish and the shipping of any out of 

 the county. Bat I saw in the daily papers this tnorning 

 this item: "During the past three' months thousands of 

 pounds of black bass have been netted and seined and 

 shipped away. Some of the best lakes are full of nets, 

 and were even so through the spawning season." 



At Preston Lake, in this State, such things became un- 

 bearable this spring, so the farmers organized a patrol, 

 caught six of the lawbreakers and had them fined. So 

 hope is not entirely dead. 



Two or three parties are ready to start Monday morning 

 after bass, to be gone three or four days. 



Mrs, Stephens has beaten Stephens and me so far, as she 

 has made one double catch of two bass that weighed Slbs. 

 each, and the other evening while we were out on Detroit 

 Lake she caught and landed a fine small-mouth, where 

 none have been caught in two years. 



When Stephens and I returned from the North Shore 

 we found Charlie Dix looking very blue. At first I 

 thought it was envy — but no, "I've been down to Frank- 

 lin with three other fellows for three days, and it rained 

 all the time and the wind blew and we only caught 25 

 bass," Plis voice trembled and the tears stood in his eyes 

 as he told the tale. Myron Cooley. 



Detroit City, Minn., June 13. 



NEW HAMPSHIRE WATERS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Trout fishing in Milisfield ponds has been very good the 

 past few days. Large catches have also been made in 

 Success and other ponds in Dammer and vicinity. 



Hon. Edward Spaulding, of Nashua, has just returned 

 from Parmachene Lake and reports excellent sport there 

 and onthe Magalloway. Coos. 



Milan, N, H., June 16^_ 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I must thank the Forest and Stream for its notes on 

 the Sunapee fishing. Being in this region on a visit, and 

 inspired by the articles in the "Stream" I came out here 

 to-day for a short outing for the landlocked salmon, and 

 have had excellent luck. My success, however, did not 

 compare with that of Mr. J. P. AUdb', of Norwich, N. Y., 

 the president of the Chenango Fish and Game Association 

 in that town. Mr. Allds succeeded in capturing a noble 

 salmon, which when first caught weighed 15ibs., and 

 three-quarters of an hour later showed 14^ lbs., the equal, 

 if not ahead of the Stmapee record. It was caught on a 

 7ioz. Abbey & Imbrie trout rod. Logan, i 



A NEW RANGELEY RAILROAD. 



Editor Forest a.nd Stream: 



The Phillips & Rangeley R. R is now completed and 

 trains will run regular trips by July 1. This railroad is 

 to be a wonderful convenience to tom'ists and anglers 

 visiting the Rangeley Likes, as well as to sportsmen who 

 penetrate the deep resources of the great forests of Maine 

 to hunt the bear, moose, caribou and deer which abound 

 in these regions. 



We find here the largest brook trout in the known 

 world, up to 121bs. and over, also the Salmo oquassa, or 

 landlocked salmon, in abundance, and this season especi- 

 ally large catches have been made all through the lake 

 reerion. 



Hotels are established in convenient places on all the 

 lakes, and steamboat lines run on every la ke, making such 

 connections that parties may pass through all the lakes 

 in a day. Thus a person may leave Boston in the morn- 

 ing, Ptrike Rangeley at night, pass through all the lakes 

 the next day and the third day go back to Boston via 

 Bethel and the Grand Trunk R. R,; or vice versa, first 

 take the G, T. R. R. at Portland, arriving in Bethel at 

 9:33 A.M., reaching LTmbagog — the most southprly lake 

 of the Rangeley group— 26 miles, in the early afternoon 

 by Lane's daily stage or by private team. 



But the tourist will be prone to linger on the way from 

 Bethel to the lakes to explore the many wonderful 

 curiosities of nature in this wonderland of Maine. 



Bethel is in the midst of the White Mountain range, 

 almost surrounded by high mountains, with hundreds of 

 trout streams in every direction and marvelous views on 

 every hand. 



The Bethel House, kept by W. F, Lovejoy & Son, is 

 one of the best hotels in the State, and is generallv 

 crowded in the heated season. The Grand Trunk Rail- 

 road is very popular, employing as it does the most oblig- 

 ing and agreeable of agents and conductors. Eight pas- 

 senger trains leave Bethel daily— fotu- going south and 

 four north. 



Not far from the village bears are very numerous, and 

 deer come even into the very village. 



The round trip to and through the lakes from Bethel 

 and return by the Phillips & Ringeley, Sandy River, 

 Maine Central and Grand Trunk railroads would be as 

 interesting and comfortable a trip through a lake wilder- 

 ness as can be found in any civilized country on earth. 



When it becomes known to the sporting and tourist 

 world that a round trip through all the lakes can be 

 made, with Bethel as a southern outlet, on the Grand 

 Trunk and Rangeley on the northern end out through 

 the Phillips & Rangeley Railroad, we believe the trip 

 will be very popular, and no one would think of going 

 back the same route they went in on, but make the voy- 

 age through the lakes. J. G. Rich. 



Bethel, Me. 



"QUEEN OF THE ROD." 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I was particularly interested in the achievement of Mrs. 

 Geo, F, Stagg, of Louisville, Ky,, with the large tarpon, 

 and none the less so in the account of her la ter exploit 

 with the 2531b. shark as recounted by W. H. Case in cur- 

 rent issue. Well does she deserve the title, "Queen of 

 the Rod." And if be added to this "The Expert Oars- 

 man," ''The Crack Shot," "The Perfect Caujper," the 

 list will be nearly complete, from the sportc^man's 

 standpoint. I have in mind a trip made up the Mackinac 

 country several summers ago, and of a camping trip 

 made by a party of us from the Les Cheneaux Islands to 

 Spider island, Prentis Bay, where some tall bass fishing 

 was done. Mr. and Mr?. Stagg were of the party, and I 

 shall never forget her untu-ing energy with the oars and 

 rod, as well as of her thought of the inner man at camp. 

 I am with Mr. Case in being anxious to hear from Mrs. 

 Stagg through these columns of her sport with those 

 Southern monsters, and I am sm'e the readers of dear old 

 Forest and Stream would not be slow of appreciation. 

 Wdl not Mrs. Stagg give us the benefit of all this sport 

 with her description? 



Here is an example worthy of emulation surely by oui- 

 feminine friends. Fearless on land or water, and ss ready 

 and apt with rod, gun. rifle and oars as the next of us. 



W. W. Blake. 



Baltimohe, .T une £7. 



RED SPOTS OF BROOK TROUT. 



HOW many red spots does a Salmo foiitinalis have? 

 On April 29, in Big Northwest Pond, on the Megan- 

 tic Fish and Game Club's preserve in Maine, I took a 

 brook trout weighing about seven ounces. As he lay in 

 the landing net I was struck by the number of bright red 

 spots on his sides, and although he was smaller than I 

 would under ordinary ch'cum stances have kept when 

 fishing in those waters, I killed him and carefully counted 

 the red spots which I found ran in five rows. Not con- 

 tent with my figures, which were a great surprise to me, 

 I gave the said fish to my guide when I returned to camp 

 and requested him to count the red spots. His figures 

 agreed with mine and were 55 on one side and GO on the 

 other. The next fish I took was of the same size, but had 

 5 red spots on one side and 6 on the other, and was like 

 the average fish. The trout in this same Big Northwest 

 Pond have very red flesh and are delicious eating, but do 

 not run to any great size. Have any of your readers ever 

 noticed a larger number of bright red spots than this 

 record? 



Had I been asked the qtiestion, "How many bright red 

 spots does a brook trout ever have?' I should have unhesi- 

 tatingly said, "Never more than 20 or 30 on a side, and 

 more frequently less than 20," Robt, B, Lawreis-oe. 



New York, J ane 34. 



The Grand Trunk Railway publishes a new edition 

 of its "Guide to Fishing: and Hunting Resorts" reached 

 via its lines. The information has been compiled specially 

 for the j)urpose from notes furnished by the company's 

 agents, and the localities described are Ontario, Quebec, 

 Micliigan, Maine and New Hampshire. 



The Greenbrier Clttb, consisting of Capt, Jas. Bum- 

 gardner, Messrs, R. P, Bell, Geo, Bpall, C. L. Cooke,Wm. 

 H. Weller and F. R, Webb, with 0 ey Dunning in charge 

 of the commissaay department, have been on their annual 

 pilgrimage to the upper Greenbrier, in Pocahontas, W. 

 Va., for trout. 



