Jan. 21, 1899.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



the fish of much of their natural food that breeds and 

 falls into the stream from the overhanging leaves and 

 branches. 



We did have great sport that day. The weather was 

 pleasant and all nature seemed fresh, vigorous and ani- 

 mated. Even at mid-day the fish manifested none of 

 that dullness and languor so observable ordinarily. But 

 this was not a large stream, and, besides, it was walled 

 in by mountains and overhung with trees so that the 

 trout were in eternal shade and Had little knowledge of 

 the weather outside. And the quality of the fish at- 

 tested the fact that they did live in cold, shaded spring 

 water. Their spots were like beads, their fins were red 

 as blood and the fish itself seemed almost as crisp and 

 hard as glass. 



While Frank was assuredly a novice in fly-casting, his 

 knowledge of the creek and the country , added to his 

 bardy, backwoods training, gave him a little advantage 

 over me; besides, not so much care was required in pro- 

 ttcting his tackle. To fish from our starting point to 

 camp carefully, following down Canyon Creek to its 

 junction with Milk Creek and thence to camp, would 

 have required three days instead of one ; so we cut and 

 covered a good deal, sometimes jumping a quarter of a 

 mile at a stretch where appearances indicated rough fish- 

 ing. By noon we were at the rapids below the mouth of 

 Canyon Creek, and lunched on mountain beef, with which 

 we both were pretty well supplied. After lounging 

 around on the mossy bank for an hour or so, smoking and 

 exchanging city news for mountain lore, we proceeded 

 on our way. We passed several pretty cascades and 

 beautiful pools, worthy of more attention than we could 

 possibly give to them. Realiy trout were no object, so 

 I treated the trip simply as a tour of investigation. 



That disposition of mine to investigate the secrets of 

 the mountains and to go in search of new and unknown 

 trout streams has got me into lots of trouble, of which I 

 mav at some future time give the readers of Forest and 

 Stream a few samples. One stretch of this stream im- 

 pressed me with its novelty. For nearly a mile the 

 stream pitched in an apparently unbroken sheet resem- 

 bling wavy glass. On closer examination I found that 

 this apparently smooth slab was full of boles, ranging in 

 siz3 from that of a keg to a hogshead and much the same 

 shape, and in every hole a trout had found a harbor of 

 refuge. It proved to be not the easiest of fishing, for the 

 trout, after rising to the fly, would again sink to the bot- 

 tom, and it was a difficult matter to get them out. Most 

 of these holes had a small boulder at the bottom, which, 

 1 take it, accounted for the freak. The combined action 

 of the boulder and water had ground out a deep bed for 

 the harder boulder, which itself had lost much of its sub- 

 stance in the operation, Much care had to be exercised 

 to avod these pitfalls, as I learned by experience. 



8. H. Greene. 



Portland, Oregon. 



LLEGAL FISHING IN THE ALLEGH ANIES 



IN the Alleghany Mountains, in Pennsylvania, the laws 

 relating to fish and fishing are often violated, some- 

 times openly and above board. On Big Pine, Little Pine, 

 Lycoming and Loyalsock creeks it is a certain thing to 

 find, when the season opens, that a half-score or more 

 fishers have been on the streams, perhaps some of them 

 weeks before the stipulated time. To the lover of the 

 sport, the law-observing, loyal citizen and honest fisher- 

 man, who sees early on the opening morning the foot- 

 prints in the sand, with other unmistakable evidences of 

 the poachers, this infraction of the law, together with the 

 selfish desire to get the first, and all of the best, too, is, to 

 put it as mildly as possible, simply exasperating, and 

 makes the manly fisherman feel as if the very laws make 

 an inequality to him in the distribution of privileges. A 

 few examples made of those who year after year disre- 

 gard its mandates would teach to ail alike the meaning 

 of the law. 



This fishing out of season, before as well as after the 

 closing of the same, is, however, not the only way in 

 which the law is violated. In 1888 Mr. S , a gentle- 

 man from Wellsboro, came to English Canter, on Little 

 Pine Creek, and used dynamite in that stream and its 

 tributaries. Wherever he could find some large old 

 fellows who were too cautious to be taken by fair means 

 he would put in a cartridge and gather up the big ones. 

 Of course, hundreds of little ones were killed, but those 

 he did not want. He took in this manner over 75 large 

 trout in three or four days' time. His entire catch, taken 

 as a whole, was the best the old fishermen had ever- 

 seen taken out of the stream. Other persons set nets, out- 

 lines, eiil-nets, fish-baskets, use snares, and even, where 

 it can be done, use lime. 



In 18&9 the sheriff of the county made a raid on all 

 baskets and destroyed them or had them destroyed, and 

 warned the offenders that they would be dealt with ac- 

 cording to law the next time. This had a very salutary 

 effect and nearly broke up this kind of fishing. Yet, 

 once in awhile a basket which had gotten in its work the 

 previous fall will be found in the streams in some out-of- 

 the-way place. A little more precaution and diligence 

 on the part of the proper officials would enforce the pro- 

 visions of the law. 



All along the Susquehanna illegal fishing is carried on 

 and some men make it a summer's business. At Williams- 

 port, Montoursville, Jersey Shore, Muncy, Lock Haven, 

 etc., many nets and outlines are set. There is also an- 

 other lot of poachers (they cannot be called anything 

 else) who get in their work near thehead of the streams and 

 tributaries, while the fish are spawning. These fellows, 

 .when the water is low and clear — and it always is sc— 

 provided with a pole and a No. 26 copper wire formed 

 into a running noose, snare out all the large ones they 

 can see. Atrout, like the wild animal?, is scared by any 

 quick motion, but will lie quite still unless such a motion 

 is made. As they lie suspended in the water it is a very 

 easy matter to slip a noose over them. One fellow in- 

 formed me " that he never did much fishing in the 

 spring, but would wait till the water was clear and low 

 in the fall. Then, said he, if they do not come out from 

 under the rocks I can easily drive them out with a pole, 

 and two or three turns around the pool disheartens and 

 tires them so that they settle down quietly in one comer, 

 and then thev are my fish." He added, " I have caught 

 more than 20 lbs. in an hour more than once." This 

 fishing has been carried on for some years on the Texas 

 Fork of Little Pine Creek and to some extent on the 

 Loyalspck. M. E. ,J. 



CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 



IBy a Staff Correspondent.] 



CHICAGO, III., Jan. 18,— The regular annual meeting 

 of the Fox River and Kankakee River Fish and 

 Game Protective associations were held this afternoon at 

 the Sherman House, this city. The call was set for 2 P. 

 M., and unusual interest attached to the occasion from 

 the fact of the general understanding that there would 

 come up for discussion in joint session the question of 

 the organization of a State league of the fishing clubs, 

 for the purpose of carrying out practical protection on a 

 larger scale. The advisability of such a measure was first 

 discussed in the columns of Forest and Stream. The 

 idea was first conceived by Mr. Geo. E. Cole. 



For many reasons the work of a State Organization 

 would be of special interest and benefit to the lower part 

 of the Slate. The greatest amount of lawlessness is there. 

 The upper part of the State has its work of protection 

 practically accomplished. The main fight is along the 

 lower Illinois River country now. It should be the clubs 

 of the lower country which should do the yeoman service 

 in that fight now, for Chicago will not, although she will 

 help. Realizing all these facts, Dr. Bartlett, of the State 

 Fish Commission, bent all his energies to the work of 

 securing a good attendance at the preliminary meeting 

 this afternoon. He wrote letters to club3 all through the 

 central and southern part of the State. The responses 

 and promises were many. On the wole, the result of the 

 promises were not wholly unsatisfactory, though the 

 usual discrepancies between the results and the promises 

 were easily apparent. 



President Cole called the Fox River Association to order. 

 The methods of this society are nothing if not practical. 

 No talk was wasted. The meeting was over in twenty 

 minutes. The secretary, Mr. John Wilkinson, read the 

 minutes of the last meeting of the Association and of the 

 board of directors, detailing briefly also the work of the 

 year, notably the conception and carrying out of the only 

 successful piece of protective legislation of the year, the 

 law prohibiting winter fishing. The necessity for this 

 measure was first shown in Forest and Stream, which 

 also exclusively detailed at the time the account of the 

 steps taken in its passage. In his remarks later the presi- 

 dent highly complimented Hon. Henry L. Hertz for his 

 work on this measure at Springfield, also attorney Knight, 

 who drafted the bill, and also Senator Knott, Representa- 

 tive Will and others who fought nobly for it. 



The annual dues of the Fox River Association were 

 placed at $2 instead of $1 for the ensuing year. 



On motion, the old Board of Directors was continued 

 in office without change. These are Messrs. Henry L. 

 Hertz, Clarence A. Knight. John Stephens, Charles F. 

 Hills, Geo. E. Cole, John Wilkinson, L. M. Hamburger, 

 Geo, R. Davis, O. J, Weidner and James Gardiner. 



There is every possibility that at their first meeting 

 the board will continue the present incumbents in offioe, 

 Mr. Cole for president and Mr. Wilkinson for secretary. 



The R. R. Committee on reduced fares for anglers' re- 

 ported that they could do nothing, 



The secretary's financial statement shows the follow- 

 ing annual totals from the first year of the Fox River 

 Association : 



Total Receipts. 



Annual Dues, 1888 $20ii 00 



18f9 78 00 



1890 67 00 



1891 32 00 



Contributions, 1890 339 70 



1891 33 00 



Total Life Memberships 600 00 



1888.... 



1889 ... 

 1890.... 

 1891. . . . 



Total Disbursements. 



. $1,377 70 



. . $174 60 

 .. 334 05 

 . . 603 19 

 . . 133 15 

 $1,S23 99 



Balance on hand... $f3 71 



Mr. Cole, as president of the Fox River Association, 

 made his remarks brief in the summary. He said, "Our 

 work on the Fox River is practically done. We have 

 finished what we started to do, and have accomplished in 

 detail all of onr original purpose. To-day the fish way a 

 are all in on the Fox River. Destructive winter fishing 

 on the lakes is stopped. The law is respected. We have 

 no violations of it to report. Offenses against the fish 

 law are as scarce as chicken stealing, and such an offense 

 is held about as respectable as the latter crime. We will 

 keep up our organization, and hold to all we have gained; 

 but our work is done, and done well. Gentlemen, I con- 

 gratulate you." Adjournment followed. 



THE KANKAKEE ASSOCIATION MEETING . 



The Kankakee Association was now at once called to 

 order. Mr. Cole still in the chair as president of the lat- 

 ter body. The system of this society was even more ex- 

 peditious than that shown above. No disorder and no 

 speeches. It was moved that the order of business be: 

 1st, the directors' report (a novel feature in such work 

 and a good one); 2d, the financial report of the secre- 

 tary-treasurer ; 3d, the appointment of a committee for 

 the nomination of the board of directors for the ensuing 

 year. This order was adopted. 



It would be needless to give the directors' report in full, 

 for the work of the Kankakee Association has been so 

 fully covered in these columns as to render that largely 

 repetition. The report went on to state the inception of 

 the society at the Possum Club meeting last spring, 

 detailed the formal proceeding briefly for that and the 

 meeting of the board of directors, continuing as follows : 



The following committees were appointed for the purpose of 

 soliciting subscriptions from the various clubs: Mak-sn w-ba 

 Club, R. B. Organ, T. B. Leiter and W. H. Haskell; Cumberland 

 Club, C. D. Gammon, H. D. Nicholls, Geo. T. Farmer and Capt. 

 Sanborn; English Lake Club. Abner Price, A. M. Fuller Cbas. K. 

 Deaue and T. C. Edwards: Water Valley Club, R. A. Turtle; Tol- 

 leston Club, F. A. Howe. O. H. Rochp, W. R. Linn and A. G. 

 Schwartz; Diana Club, Henry Ehlers, John Press, Henry Sehal- 

 ler and A. Stafford; North End Oun Club, Cbas. Burmeister; 

 Pittsburgh Club. Mi". Kennedy; Koshenoek Club, E. P. Arnold; 

 Prairie Club, A. M. Hoffmann and Geo. Hoffmann; Gran<l Calu- 

 met Heights Club, Dr. Harlan, Gpo. Marshall and W. L. Pear ce. 



The above committee seem to have been fortunate in the selec- 

 tion, at least in some instances, for money began to flow into the 

 secretary's office in a highly satisfactory manner. From the 

 secretary's books it is learned that the total receipts have been 

 §473. Deducting from lhis amount the funds employed by the 

 fish way committee, and used in the various expenses of the sec- 

 retary's office, as will be specifically set forth in the secretary's 

 rpport, there remains ou h?«nd at the preseut time the sum of 

 $384.(14 Your directors eonfidenrly state thai, there has never 

 been so large an amount raised in so short a time, for the purpose 

 of protective work in this region. It is believed that this sur- 

 passes the record of the Fox River Association. 



Up to this time the life of the Kankakee Association bad been 

 an easy one. and it had swum upon a summer sea of glory. In due 

 course, however, there ensued the usual waning of enthusiasm, 

 and by the time fall ■ ame there were many who had apparently 

 forgotten the association and the honor it had conferred by 

 selecting them for the performance of certain duties. Interest 

 seemed fairly well sustained in the lower Ka.ukakee country, and 

 it is very gratifying to slate that from Monwnce and other points 

 there appeared proof that the enterprise was not solely a Chicago 

 one. From the upper country, however, or that occupipd by the 

 large snorting clubs whose grounds are in Indiana, the interest 

 seemed to die out considerably after the financial contributions, 

 although it, is only justice to state tha.t the latter were large from 

 that source. This portion of the Kankakee was fairlv ground for 

 action of the committee ou protection. This committee was to 

 have conferred with the proper officials in Indiana, but there is no 

 record to the effect that such conference was ever held, or that 

 serious attempt to that end was ever ri/ade. 



The Committe on Ways and Means have failed to obey the in- 

 structions of the president, and have never obtained a charter for 

 the association. This leaves the society in a loose and indefinite 

 condition, for which there is really no necessity. 



The committee on fish ways did some work in October personally, 

 and the expenses of this, and the work done earlier in the season 

 by Warden F. L. Buck, at the instance of this committee, have 

 rather exceeded the $100 set apart for the use of this committee. 

 The lishway committee was confronted with perhaps the most 

 pressing need of action of any, it being notorious that the fish- 

 ways of the Kankakee Piiver were altogether inelicient and 

 illegal. 



Here followed the account of the trip made in Octo- 

 ber by Messrs. Cole and Hough of the fishway commit- 

 tee, showing the status of affairs on the Kankakee. This 

 has already been published so fully by Forest and 

 S 1 ream that its repetition is unnecessary. It will be 

 remembered that the two most serious obstacles to the 

 fish, the Marseilles and upper Wilmington dams, were re- 

 ported as practically overcome. The fishways on these 

 impassable dams are good. Those on smaller dams are 

 not in quite such good shape, but are not so essential. 

 The directors recommended that the work be resumed in 

 the spring and watched to its conclusion. The report 

 concludes as follows: 



Considering that one of the most important aims of the organi- 

 zation was tbesccuriog of proper rishways along the stream, your 

 directors feel that it is a matter of congratulation to say that, 

 during the spring of 1892, the run of fish will, provided the water 

 be of average height, be practically unimpeded. The effect of 

 this on the fishing, at all points accessible from Chicago, will un- 

 questionably be most highly beneficial. 



Tin's result has been obtained without a. smale law suit, and at 

 the expenditure of less than $150. We do not believe that this 

 record lias been surpassed in the work of any similar society. It 

 is high proof of the usefulness of lhis organization, and high en- 

 pouragment for the future in its work. Especially pleasing Ir it 

 to reflect that, in one of its main purposes the association did not 

 content itself with talk. The success of the work in this item is 

 mainly due to the experience and practical judgment of Mr. Cole. 



Taken asa whole, tbp record of the Kankakee Association during 

 the short period of its existence is of a sort to encourage and 

 stimulate the hearts of all sportsmen. It is believed that no bet- 

 ter record ha* ever been made. Yet the whole method of work 

 has been simple and easy. This fact should also stimulate the 

 members of 1 his Association to greater efforts during the ensuing 

 year. The Board of Directors and all members of committees 

 should consider it not a trouble, but a duty and an honor, and an 

 honorable duty, to <=erve in the capacities in which they are 

 ehosen. They should disprove the old idea, that sportsmen will 

 talk, but not act, in protective matters. The grade of work for 

 the pa.st vear has been good, but it might have been better. It is 

 hoped thai in this day of advancing sportsmanship the work for 

 the ensuing year maybe much better, more conscientious and 

 more thorough. 



In the hope that this may be the ca"e, and that the Kankakee 

 Association may add many years of usefulness to its short life of 

 practical work, and that, it may go far to show what the influ- 

 ence of the sportsman maybe in the land, we heg to subscribe 

 ourselves very respectfully, TnE Board op Directors. 



The report was ordered accepted and the directors 

 were thanked. The Secretary, Mr. Mussey, then made 

 his brief financial report with the following showing: 



Total Receipts. 



Fifteen life memberships at $20. , $300 00 



Annual dues and donations 172 00 



Total $*73 00 



Totai .Disbursements. 



Postage...; -•- WlSn 



Printing 40 97 



Warden's expenses • JKf-jg 



Fishway Committee's expenses 29 S7 



' ■ $1S7 96 



Balance on hand ... $284 04 



After this very pleasant statement the chair appointed 

 the Committee "on Nominations as follows: Messrs. R. 

 B. Organ, R. S. Cox and Geo. J. Maillette, of Crown 

 Point, Ind. These soon reported, recommending for the 

 Board of Directors for the comin.se year the following 

 gentlemen: Messrs. Abner Price, R, B. Organ, J. P. 

 Card, W. P. Mussey, H. D. Nicholls, Ceo. E. Cole, Henry 

 Ehlers, W. M. Durham (of Momence), E. Colby, A. H. 

 Harryman and E. Hough. 



The meeting now adjourned. Thus far there had been 

 shown a method which should be noticed andcommended 

 by all similar societies. There was nothing but plain, 

 simple, practical, clean-cut action, without a bit of blus- 

 ter, indecision or delay. Two prettier meetings than 

 the above have never been seen in the history of sports- 

 manship. Thanks to the system, all the usual eloquence 

 had been cut off. There was no one to dilate on the 

 standard of true sportsmanship, to show the necessity of 

 protective means, to bemoan the difficulty of such work 

 or to triumphantly predict the ultimate success and 

 laurel-crowning of that truly noble being, the True 

 Sportsman. Accordingly, a great deal of time waa 

 saved, and something got done. 



1HE STATE LEAGUE. 



Qft motion of Dr. Bartlett, of the Fish Commission, 

 those present now resolved themselves into a committee 

 of the whole and went into .session for the purpose of 

 discussing the advisability of forming a State league for 

 protective purposes. Mr. Geo. Cole was chosen chairman 

 of the meeting, E. Houeb secretary. 



It was learned that the following associations and clubs 

 were represented : The Fox Lake Association, meaning, 

 perhaps, a dozen different cluos ; the Kankakee Associa- 

 tion, meaning as many more clubs of the Kankakee 

 country : the Illinois ValW Association, including the 

 main club3 of the Illinois River ; Crystal Lake Club, of 

 the Mississippi River country: Forester Hunting and 

 Fishing Club of Channel Lake ; Vermilion County Fish 

 and Game Association; Mak-saw-ba Club; Columbia Club 

 of Fox Lake; Wausaukee Club of Wausaukee, Wis.; Fox 

 Lake Fishing Club : Shaubaunee Club of Seneca ; Audu- 

 bon Gun Club and Grand Calumet Heights v un Club of 

 Chicago. 



The following gentlemen were present : Dr. S. P. Bart- 

 lett of the State Commission; Capt. Chat 5 . T. Bronson of 

 Pullman ; Dr, M. D. Green, Mr, H. L. Watlington and 

 Mr. O. M. Harlan, all of La Salle ; Mr. Geo. Kamper of 

 Danville; Mr. N", S, Young of Burlington, la. (club 



