^18 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



[Jtn.Y 16, 1891. 



the anglers at the Discharge not to recrossLake St. John, 

 but to shoot all the passable rapids of the Saguenay to 

 Chicoutinii and return to Quebec by steamer. No less 

 than nine canoes made this trip to Chicoutimi last week. 

 There is another canoe route to Chicoutimi that ought to 

 become exceedingly popular on account of the excellent 

 fishing to be had ea route. This is through Lake Keno- 

 ganii, which abounds in splendid trout. The trip would 

 occupy two days. It was by this route that Father Da 

 Quen, the discoTerer of Lake St. John, reached the great 

 inland sea that the Indians then called Pibonagami. 



The principal topics of discussion between the new ar- 

 riTals at Roberval or Quebec and the anglers just returned 

 from the fishiiig grounds is naturally the nature of the 

 sport and the description and names of the most killing 

 flies. The relative merits of the Jock-Scot and silver- 

 doctor — both favorite flies for ouananiche — are perhaps 

 eagerly compared, while one angler enthusiastically dilates 

 upon his success with the Lord-Baltimore or the 

 Montreal, and another votes his favorite to be what was 

 originally a coachman, but the white wings of which 

 were entirely cut away by his guide, Johnny Morel. The 

 clipped "coachman" is undoubtedly a good killer, its 

 bronze fuzzy body shining with splendid effect tlii-ough 

 the brown-hackle covering. The picturesque character of 

 these gi-oups of anglers lounging at night about the en- 

 trance of the Roberval Hotel is usually heightened by the 

 presence of a number of Indian and half-breed guides — 

 some of them parhaps perfecting an engagement for a 

 trip of a fortnight, or perhaps a montli, by cazioe and 

 portage through the country lying between Miatassini 

 and Lake St. John, giving information respecting the re- 

 lative attractions of the routes up the Ashouapmouchouan, 

 the Peribonca, or the Mistassini respectively, and relating 

 a variety of bear stories, never forgetting that of the 

 English gentleman who presented his guide with a 

 hundred dollars as soon as he had killed his first bear. 



Quebec, July 10. E- T. D. CHAMBERS. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



A FEW weeks ago my friend Harryman and my- 

 self slipped out of town for a day of sylvan lakeside 

 life under canvas, we being determined to try the old 

 time joys of camping out. AVe went up the Cliicago & 

 Northwestern R. R. to Powers' Lake, one of the most 

 beautiful of the lower Wisconsin lakes, perhaps the most 

 so for it has bluff -wooded banks, sand and pebble bottom 

 and a pretty beach in places. We were looking after new 

 water for bass fishing near Cliic.?,go and felt very well 

 satisfied with om- "discovery." 



It was raining hard when we left Chicago in the even- 

 ing, and had been doing so all day, so that it looked 

 rather blue for a camping out trip. Before om- two hours" 

 run to Genoa Junction was over, however, the rain had 

 stopped, and before the hackman had finished the four 

 miles drive over to the lake the sky was showing signs of 

 clearing, although the gi-ound was soaking and the trees 

 dripj)ing. We chose not to stop at the Cedar Glen House 

 or at Benedict's place, but went into camp in Mr. Ballast's 

 woods, on ai lovely blnff just to the right of the Union 

 Club, As we were out on a sort of experimental trip, and 

 as we did camp dry that night and live well, there may 

 be some who would be interested in laiowing how we did 

 it, in the absence of hay, straw, or otiier ameliorating cir- 

 cumstances. In the first place, we had one of A. S. Com- 

 stock's "Protean" tents, the sort he haspatented, with one 

 pole on the side and a tlu-ee-cornered fly with which you 

 can double the area or the thickness of your tent at will. 

 We had our fly made extra large, so that it came clear 

 down to the ground in front of the tent, fastening to the 

 sides and thus practically making two tents, end to end. 

 The front one of these, or that under the fly, we used as 

 a store room, and the back one, or tent proper, 7ft. square, 

 we used for drawing room and boudoir. By untying one 

 side of the fly and throwing it back, we could break the 

 wind, sit mider cover and have a good reflector for our 

 camp-fire. The same arrangement, thanks to our im- 

 provement on Ml". Comstock's fly, gave us plenty of shade 

 and perfect ventilation in the heat of the day. We found 

 we could have a whole lot of fun making new tents out 

 of our tent and the fly, and the visitoi's who (;ame were 

 delighted with the elegance and convenience of our liouse. 



The driver who brought us over was drunk, and when 

 we asked for our h)ill all we could get out of him was 

 that he "guessed he'd sharge four, four, four dol-dorls 

 now, or two dorls next mornin' when he took us back." 

 We accepted the latter alternative, and as he turned to 

 leave us a light of great pity fell upon his face. "Most 

 folks't comes up yer," said he, "kin 'ford to sleep in th' 

 hotels." 



All the driver could see was that it was wet, ^and that 

 we had two canvas bags and a bundle of rods. We 

 jerked one of the bags open and took out from its very 

 top a light but waterpi-oof tarpaulin 7ft. square. Below 

 this we found a camp axe and the tent pins. We spread 

 the tarpaulin on the wet grass and drove a pin at each 

 corner of it. These were for the corners of the tent, 

 which were at once attaciicd. We then pulled from the 

 bag the jointed pole, set it up, stretched the guys a little, 

 and to perfect our imitation of two men going into camp 

 in a rain then pulled the other waterproof bag tinder the 

 shelter of the tent. Thus we would have had everything 

 under cover very quickly. We now put down the re- 

 maining pins and stretched the fly. Thus we had a good 

 roof and a good floor, but no bed. 



I often read about the downy balsam bed and the pine 

 feathers of the East, and they figure largely in most East- 

 em camping stories. Plain hay is good enough for me, 

 and I don't feel good when I can't get it. We couldn't 

 get any hay, so started out in the newly laundried woods 

 to get some of the blooming balsam boughs you read 

 about. We amputated two little cedars, and that ended 

 the balsam racket. We concltided that basswood feath- 

 ers would do us. A little later we discovered that you 

 can make a basswood bed quicker if you're not too blame 

 particular about the size of the boughs. We had a good 

 many boughs about as thick as an axe handle, and a great 

 deal harder, I am sure. We carried these feathers into 

 the tent and draped them over the tarpaulin. Then we 

 open the other bag, the waterjjroof carryall, and found 

 right on top in it the floor cloth, just 7ft. square, of 8oz. 

 brown duck, with an eye and a rope at each corner. 

 The tent had a regtdar sod cloth running around it. This 

 we pulled in, and tying oui- floor fast at two corners, we 

 strained it hard and tight over the "bed," and tied it fast, 

 tlius leaving a smooth, clean and unquestionably dry 



bed, a foot above the ground. Rightly made, a bed of 

 balsam or plain hay can thus, by the use of the two floor 

 cloths, be made very neat, clean and comfortable. This 

 was an idea which we evolved after studying Mr. J. M. 

 Clark's camping outfit. 



We now dived again into the wonderful carry-bag and 

 got our blankets, one double pair, one heavy single, and 

 a Mexican serape, sewed together on the edges sleeping- 

 bag fashion. Below the blankets were the provisions and 

 the tackle boxes, and below that a lantern, and below 

 that one of Mr. Clark's compact cooking outfits, all in a 

 little canvas bag. H. and I had gone through a regu- 

 lar drill in packing our outfit, and we had it down fine. 

 It was not very many moments before we were all ship- 

 shape, under cover, dry and comfortable, and with a 

 ripping old fire blazing, all before the sun had set. 

 Presently the bacon in the frying pan began to sizzle, and 

 after awhile a most delicious aroma floated up from the 

 coffeepot. Each laid ten years from off his shoulders and 

 sat tip to a stipijer in which all the zest of youth seemed 

 come back again. And so we sat and babbled, reckless, 

 and wondered if we had ever really put up at a hotel 

 when we went a fishing. After all, the tent and the fire 

 help out an outing amazingly. The city man is too apt 

 to nurry off to a hotel, or to a boarding house kept by 

 some resorter who fishes through the ice all winter. It 

 was to avoid the latter man that H, and I took our 

 notion of camping. 1 should think that with a light com- 

 pact outfit like ours one could make these brief fishing 

 trips around Chicago as cheaplj' and as comfortably, 

 thouglt in a little more troublesome way, as if he went to 

 a hotel. We certainly enjoyed our night and day in camp 

 very much, and will try it again whenever we can. 



That was about all there was to our trip. We cooked 

 and ate most of the time, we w^ere so hungry; but we got 

 some bass, as we have done on every trip we ever made 

 for them around liere. We only got seven bass, btit that 

 was enough. The day was very cold and the lake was 

 rotxgh. In good weather I think a bass fisher could get a 

 good string there. Mr. Brodie, whose cottage is a bit 

 ftu'ther down the road, caught twenty-eight one morn- 

 ing the week before we were there. The water is very 

 clear, and one needs to cast long and clean with bait. 

 The bass are both large-mouth and small-mouth, and this 

 is one of the few bass lakes about here where I should 

 think it better to cast the minnow than the frog. By 

 trolling or still-fishing some bass, also pickerel, wall-eyed 

 pike and rock bass are caught in this lake, though we 

 never fifih in that way. The bait-caster will here, as 

 always, catch the most bass. Our oarsman, Will Dixon, 

 said he had never seen very many "throw a bait that 

 way," from which it would seem that the lake is not 

 fished by the casters. We heard of three bass caught on 

 the fly one evening a week before our visit, and. good 

 trial might prove this a good fly-fishing lake. The bass 

 seem to run small, not over .31bs., but they are very 

 gamy. This is the coldest and clearest lake I have seen 

 in this country. The water is quite unstained, even with 

 heavy rain and wmd. We caught one small-mouthed, 

 red-eyed, dark-.spotted bass, the sort they call "tiger 

 bass" around here. This fish when taken was light 

 brown in color, but darkened soon to nearly black, so 

 that the spots were hardly visible. This fish was taken 

 over a light sandy bottom. It grew darker in the darker 

 parts of the lake, and was nearly black when we lifted 

 it, still kicking, from the water at the boat landing some 

 hours after it was caught. If it had been left on the 

 string right in the w^ater where it was caught would it 

 have changed color in this way? 



We caught here the genuin5 small-mouth and the 

 genuine big-moutli bass, and we caught also one specimen 

 of the bass they catch around Fox Lake way, a solid 

 gi-een-colored fish, with a mouth about as large as that of 

 the small-mouth bass. Whether this fish is a large or a 

 small-mouth bass I wish some one would arise and say, 

 if he knows. A good many don't who have pronounced 

 on this topic. 



About the Powers' Lake trip, then. The fare via 

 Northwestern is §3.75 round trip. Hack, fifty cents each, 

 each way. Oarsman, |2.50 a day. Hotel rates, $1.50 a 

 day, Boats not very good. Minnows or frogs the best 

 bait, then spoon. Just across the road, about 60yds., is 

 Benedict's Lake, smaller and muddier than Powers' 

 Lake, but full of bass also. A little further over in the 

 country is Vernon's Lake, and they told us that was the 

 best bass lake of these three for bass, though we did not 

 try it. For tliose wlio like fun with sunfish and rock bass 

 Pelfs Lake, two mUes fi-om Powers' Lake, is said to oft'er 

 incessant sport. Twin Lakes, a rather well-known ang- 

 ling and resorting lake, is also reached via Genoa Junc- 

 tion. From Powers' Lake over to Silver Lake, or to the 

 fishing in the Fox River, at Bundy's Bridge, it is only 

 about six miles. All this is a very beautiful and kindly 

 couittry, and although I have never gone into it before, 

 it seems it certainly ought to offer attractions enough for 

 a trij) of a day, or a week or a month. The lake region 

 above Chicago can not be fully visited or described in a 

 summer, or two summers, or in three. It is a very blessed 

 provision of nature, these charming bits of lake and wood 

 right near the big city, and the city will apj^reciate its 

 mercies in this wise more and more as the years roll on. 



July '/".—The smoke of the glorious Fourth for the 

 current year has been wafted down the grooves of 

 time. So far as can be learned from those able to 

 be at their places of business, it was a great day. The 

 shooting clubs celebrated largely by trap events. Others 

 went fishing. Some went picnicking. So far as can be 

 learned, nobody at all was left in the city, there being a 

 general exodtis to the many accessible pleasure grounds 

 about this fortunate hamlet. 



A pleasant little event was the bait-casting tournament 

 of the Camp Lake Club, at Camp Lake, the morning of 

 the Fourth. There were 15 entries, competitions both for 

 distance and accuracy. Mr. Ed. Stiu-gis won the contest 

 for distance, with an average of 147ft. Sin. His longest 

 cast was 148ft. Gin. His rod was a split bamboo, over 8ft., 

 and his reel a quadruple Abbey & Imbrie. The contest 

 for accuracy was won by Frank Stoltz, 300 out of a possi- 

 ble 500 points, 5 casts. He used a Clark bass rod and 

 Abbey & Imbrie quadruple. The casting for accuracy 

 was at 65ft., on a canvas target, bullseye 24in., to count 

 100; next ring 36in., count 75; next ring 48m., count 50: 

 next ring 60in., count 25. There was some discussion 

 whether this target was better than casting at a stake and 

 measuring the total string, The main trouble with 

 bait-casting contesCs is the time spent in roeasuring^ This 



makes the sport drag. The facts above are kindly given 

 me by Mr. J. M. Clark, who was present, and who, after 

 the contest, went on up to Burlington with Mr. Peck, the 

 judge of the casting, and Charles Porter on a floating 

 fishing trip down the Fox River. This trip they say was 

 very delightful. They got 16 small-moufch bass and some 

 pickerel, fishing part of two days, camping out, and end- 

 ing their trip at Wilmot. 



Mr. C. S. Burton and a friend or two went up to Muk- 

 wanago for their Fourth, and it seems they had good 

 luck with the fly, though the bass, all big-mouths, ran 

 small. Charlie is very enthusiastic over fly-fishing now. 

 It is a form of sport all too Uttle practiced by our 

 Chicago anglers. The fishing in this case was done at 

 Eagle Lake, and not at Mukwanago Lake proper. The 

 successful fly was Parmachene-belle. 



Down at Momence, on the Kankakee, or rather at the 

 club house a mile or so above Momence, a friend and my- 

 self found Messrs. George Marshall, Sam Young and Met- 

 calf on a little private celebratioit of then- own. In 

 company with a few friends they had been having a 

 little trap shoot at live buds and targets, shooting about 

 300 birds and several thousand targets, besides doing a 

 lot of boat riding with Charlie Heimbaugh in his steam 

 launch. Heimbaugh says there have been a few illegal 

 nets in the river above this place, and thinks he knows 

 the parties who 'put them out. 



We found fishing in the Kankakee not so good as usual, 

 the water being high and muddy. My friend and .1 

 camped out about three miles below town, and had a 

 pleasant time, but caught only a few bass, all of which 

 were taken on the fly. The Donaldson proved the most 

 taking fly this time. We were guided by that most 

 kindly-hearted sportsman, Mr. Fred Daree, of Momence, 

 who took tis down the river and staid in camp over night 

 with us. He showed us where he and some friends 

 caught 25 bass four days earlier, but we did not strike 

 them so well as that. 



The feeling about the fishway and protective work 

 seemed good at Momence, Warden Btick arrived at 

 Momence Monday, but we did not see him. I might con- 

 tinue the story of his w^ork along the Kankakee by qttot- 

 ing his reports to headquarters. On Jtily 1 he wrote from 

 Wilmington: 



I went to Lookport iiud saw Capt. Leiglitoa and ho is to meet 

 mo at the State dara below this x^lace to-day or to-morrow and 

 make arrangements to pTit in the lishway there. Yesterday 1 

 went to Marseilles and saw the owners of the dam, the Marseilles 

 Water Power Company, L. Clark, Manager, iind made them a 

 working model. They are at work now i)ul,ting in new head .sates 

 and will put the fishway right in. .Fust as soon as tlie water goes 

 down the pai'ties will put in their ladder at this place, Wilming- 

 ton. I shall go to Ivankakee as soon as 1 get through with Capt. 

 Leighton and fix up the matter of the Momence dam and go there 

 and get them at work on their dams. My boat will be sent to 

 Momence and next week 1 shall take atrip down the river.— F. L. 

 Buck. 



On July 2 he reported as follows from Kankakee town: 



Have jnst arrived here from Wilmington. 1 met Capt. Leigli- 

 ton at the State dam to-day and he said he would put (he men at 

 work the first of next week, as snon as they get through repairing 

 tlte canal al Urica, and have tlie lishvva.v put in at oruie. At Wil- 

 mington I saw Mr. Stewart, one of iLc owuerM of i tifi smnll dam, 

 and he said ho liad sent word to all ot tlie others and uL-ranged to 

 have the work done just as soon as the waler is so tliey can. 1 

 will hunt up Mr. Walker, the attorney for Cass & Shelby, and get 

 him to siun the stipxilatiori so I can go to MomenoH and make 

 them pet to worli there. I have just heard that there is consider- 

 able seining between tiere and Aroma. I shall go there and see 

 what thei-e is in it and will most likely spend the balance of the 

 week. 



And now the work of fish ways in the Kankakee gets 

 its first and most serious setback, and that jitst where it 

 was least expected, at Momence. Only July 3 the warden 

 writes: 



Mr. Wheeler, the attorney for Shelby & Cass, the owners of the 

 Momence dam. refuses to sign the stipulation and if when I get 

 to Momence tueir agent there will not get tiis signature then I 

 shall serve notices on them and see it tliat won't bring them to 

 time. 1 will look up some parties between here and Aroma that 

 have been seining and selling the fish here in the market every 

 week. 



The stipulation above referred to is that agreed to by 

 the C. & E, I. R, R., to waive their injunction rights as 

 against the dam owners provided the fishway shall not 

 lower the backwater above the dam. It seems singular 

 that the dam owners' attorney refuses to agree on a point 

 like this, which is altogether immaterial to Ms case. The 

 law demands that the fishways shall go in, just the same 

 as a right of way can be condemned for a railway. In 

 nature a right of way is due to the fish. They will have 

 it, and the fiahways will go in the Momence dams, either 

 with or without delay, or with or without a legal light. 

 I can't see the use in a dam owner's delaying a measure 

 like this, when test eases and precedents show him so 

 plamly that he hasn't a leg to stand on before the law. 

 It would be far better and wiser for the attorney to agree 

 at once to so obviously wise a measure. That would be 

 sensible and comteous alike, and the sensible and com-- 

 teous man is the one who will win in this world. 



On July G Warden Buck wrote from Momence as fol- 

 lows: 



I have sent for my boat so I can travel down tbe river and not 

 have to spend so much on tlie cars. I was at Aroma .Sunday look- 

 ing after some parties who are in the liabit ot using a seine there, 

 1)111. they did not show up. In regard to tlie IMonienoe matter, I 

 Will see Mr. Woi'cestor and explain the sltnation of the R. R. Co. 

 iu the matter, and if they still refuse to go on with the flshways I 

 will serve notices on them. I think they will do the work with- 

 out any trouble when the matter is fully explained. All of the 

 dams, with the exception of the ones here and the large dam at 

 Wilmington, will have flshways- without any trouble. I shall 

 make a f rip down the river in my boat as soon as I can find out 

 what they intend to do here to-morrow, or as early as possible, for 

 I tliiuk there is a chance to get some of the men wno are using a 

 seine above Kankakee.— F. L. Buck. 



The ways and means committee of the Kankakee As- 

 sociation met and appointed "hustling committees" for 

 the different clubs, comprised as follows: Mak-saw-ba, 

 Messrs. R. B. Organ, T. Brenton Leiter and W. H. Has- 

 kell: Cumberland, Messrs. H. D, Nicholla, C. D, Gam- 

 mon, Geo. T. Farmer, Capt. Sanborn; English Lake, 

 Messrs. Abner Price, A. M. Fuller, Chas. E. Deane and T. 

 C. Edwards; Water Valley, Mr, R. A. Turtle; ToUeston, 

 Messrs. F. A. Howe, O. H. Roche, W. R. Linn and A. G, 

 Swartz; Diana, Messrs. HenrvEhlers. John Press, Henry 

 Schaller and A. Stafford: North End Gun Club, Mr. Chas. 

 Burmeister; Pittsbttrgh Club (of Pittsburgh, Pa. ; grounds 

 near Davis, Ind.), IVIr. A. E. Kennedy; Prairie Gun Club, 

 Messrs. A. M. and George Hofmann; Grand Calumet 

 Heights, Dr. A. H. Harlan, Messrs. George Marshall and 

 W. L. Pierce. It would certainly seem that the above 

 corps of workers could raise sotne funds to protect th© 

 Kankakee. E. Hough. 



