4^6 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



lNov. 1?, 1893, 



FEMININE SUCCESS IN TROUTING. 



Six o'clock one loright October morning finds us hur- 

 riedly adjusting rods and reels on the bank of an ideal 

 trout stream in the foothills of the grand old Cascade 

 Mountains. The rosy -tinted summits of three snow peaks 

 are distinguisliable through the pnrplish morning mist 

 that is rapidly breaking away before the first rays of the 

 rising sun. 



The atmosi»here is heavy with the fragrance of the dew 

 laden pinee. W hat intoxicating draughts of pleasure such 

 a morning att'ords! How lovable, toOj nature is iu her 

 soft, Bhy inood of tht early morning; even the water rip- 

 pling u\pi (he iiioHBy Btoues has a soft, subdued sound. 

 0(T t here in the distance the musical tinkle, tinkle of a 

 cowl)eU and a Taint call of "So o-k, s-o-o-k, Pide/' ren- 

 dered vvdth inflections and accentuations, add a pastoral- 

 accompaniment to nature-6 own sounds. 



There! my lender is now straightened out most beauti- 

 fully, not a snarl left, and now for the first cast in that 

 invitin,!/, riffle yonder. My husband always gives me 

 choice of riffles, whicii is very gallant, I think, but then 

 he is a true sportsman and con8ec[uently is generous. Ah, 

 a rise already, and here is success to my last cast. The 

 strtiggles of my beauty are soon ended by a C|uick rap of 

 the head on the butt of my rod. Another cast elicits a 

 faint response; again, a good rise. I'll jugt mark this 

 place and return to it again in a few minutes. Now, I'll 

 just draw this pretty royal-coachman and queen-of-the- 

 water tantalizingly over this riffle and coax another 

 effort. A splash, an instinctive twitch of the wrist, a 

 speckled vision, and another trout is recorded to my list. 



The Doctor is meeting with good success; I hear the 

 song of the line humming its sweetest strains, showing 

 his captivey are quite gamv. Our fishing ground is a 

 series of large, very swift riffles extending about a mile. 

 On these riffieN huge old salmuri flounder awkwardly 

 about:, splashing f,h« water furiously. 



Fiirthei^ out theie in the stream is a most y)roadsiug 

 l ifflR, so i ll just take the least possible abbreviation in 

 my skirt and reach it. My suit is of corduroy velvet and 

 so made that the skirt is easily adjustable to almost any 

 length, by the use of the ever ready hook and eye. The 

 trousers are narrow enough to allow the rubber boots to 

 come up high over them. Such a suit not only allows 

 perfect freedom of action, but is protective as well. There 

 are no draggled edges of a skirt flapping about, and 

 moreover it looks well. So, my friend, if you have in- 

 dulged in ridiculous visions of the writer whipping a 

 trout stream with her dress floating out on the current 

 like an umbrella when she gets in deep water, iust re- 

 lieve your mind of such a tmmy picture, for with my suit 

 I can whip a trout stream with as much oorivenienoe as 

 any man, and not look ridicuIouB either, 



T musn t forget my soft felt hat; this is a f ery inaport- 

 ant adjunct to my costume, Just like a woman, I have 

 digressed from the main point, and am talking about 

 dresa; but this is not vanity, I only want uome otlier 

 woman to know how to go troutiug, that she will not only 

 not be a laughing stock to her companions, but that tihe can 

 combine ease and grace with pleasure. Having reached 

 the desired haven I will let my line out well and make a 

 cast beyond that log. Here is a big one, sure; but how 

 deceptive, for the size has diminished very perceptiblv 

 since landing it. However, it is a fair specimen, audi 

 will persevere until I hook and land a big one. Anotlier 

 cast, and how provoking! My huok is fast iu tlial old 

 salmon'fj sore hack. During I he spawning dcaKon the 

 salmon are coveied uiore or tes.s witli sores, caused by 

 beating thruisel yes agaiuai obstnictionB or fighting. They 

 die soorr af ter spawning 



The idea of ray boaatiful pixilessox' and ioyal-eoaoh- 

 man, with their j.rpfctv tails and wings, waving like tiny 

 pennants from the back of an old salmon, is too ridirax- 

 Ions. My giant prisoner, which is Jarg<!r than 1 bar- 

 gained for, makes a sudden rush for undisputed t ei ritory. 

 The Doctor cries, "l,ook out," but his warning comes too 

 lato; the huge tail rnihises xne but upsets my equilibrium, 

 and down 1 go. \ few struggles and my 'equilibrium is 

 as firmly established as these slippery rocks and this 

 swift current will allow. 



The Doctor's line goes out with a cutting zip! that fore- 

 tells a light. But lo and behold! when landed not a 

 heatitiful trout meets his expectant, enraptured gaze, but 

 only an ordinary steel-head salmon. With a disappointed 

 air he tosses it on the bank, since it is too big for the 

 basket. 



the shallow water, 1 am trying to keep cool with my 

 pulse up to about 300 pulsations per minute and my 

 cheeks burning like fire. Now, this is such trouting as 

 we hear of, and how exciting — cooling I mean. A sud- 

 den flash and my seemingly vanquished pirize suddenly 

 is electrified with new life. Again my line goes otit, and 

 again I must follow up and down, and— my flies all at 

 once are floating uninterrupted on the surface of the 

 water, while the line curls lightly in the swift cun-ent 

 and about the mossy stones. I might do as women are 

 generally expected to do Xiuder such trying circum- 

 stances, "viz., si( down and cry, but as there is no conve- 

 nient seat in thrct; feet of swift water I postpone the 

 luxury, The Doctor returns victorious, and sorrowfully 

 I aiarrate the unexpected capture and loss of my "biggest 

 one that got away." We count twenty-six fine trout, the 

 i-esult of our morning's pleasure, which we consider very 

 good, indeed. 



Why do not more women enjoy trouting I wonder, 

 and yet we may find a partial solution of the problem 

 without taxing our brains very much. The husbands 

 and brothers do not ask them to join in a sport that they 

 find so necessary to their own health and pleasure. If 

 they do. they prol)ab]y laugh at the sister's or wife's first 

 attempts, forgetting that they themselves once cast a fly 

 awkwardly and got their hooks, too, entangled in all 

 sorts of inviting meshes. Then, too, women often fail to 

 picture any enjoyment in a sport they know nothing of, 

 the indulgence of which would not only be beneficial to 

 their health but particularly delightful enjoyment. An 

 occasional outing is a panacea for most ills human flesh 

 is heir to, woman's not excepted. Fishing, too, is a sport 

 where there is comparatively no danger of injury, which 

 makes it all the more possible for women. 



We are glad to know that there are some sportsmen 

 who consider their wives or sisters as real chums on a 

 trouting excursion, instead of leaving them at homo 

 wishing "that they were men" that they;, too, might 

 enjoy an outing and leave their perplexing cares at 

 home on a shelf. 



A woman will soon learn to love the ripple or roar of a 

 trout stream and the song of the reel as much as her 

 husband or big brother, and look forward expectantly 

 to a "day off" in the mountains enticing the wary trout. 

 OREfiox. Mrs. F. Cauthorn. 



SUSQUEHANNA OBSERVATIONS. 



He is now enticing another rise in that swift rilfle 

 below. I hear the hum of his reel again. His rod yields 

 to the strain; the tip certainly will snap, for it seems to 

 bend nearly double. 



The captive leaps high out of the water, trying to free 

 itself from the hook, then darts off either up or down- 

 stream, according to its fancy, with Doctor dancing at- 

 tendance. After 15 minutes of careful playing the trout, 

 weighing 'SUhs., is safely landed. It is left on the bank 

 with the salmon, while we whip the rifile a little lower 

 down. 



Our other chum, Dick, is disputing with a hog the pos- 

 session of the fish on the bank. The hog evidently thinks 

 possession to be nine points of the law, so it makes off 

 with a fish— the trout, too, maybe— while Doctor and the 

 dog follow in hot pursuit. 



In the me^ time my ^professor and royal-coachman 

 bob on the riffle at their own sweet will, while I watch 

 the outcome of the race. All of a sudden my line goes 

 out 60 fast it fairly burns my fingers, while the reel hums 

 like a top. A big one at last! Instantly all the big fish 

 stones I have read or heard run riot through my brain, 

 ihe keynote of all these stories where success crowned 

 the victor's efl;orts is "keep cool," Well, this is all very 

 well theoi^tioally, but practically it is somewhat diflicult 

 with the first real big trout— of course it is a trout— it 

 must not be anything else— leading one over slippery 

 epeed^ through swift water at an astonishing rate of 



Keep cool I- must; so down stream I go, then up 

 according to the whims of my gamy charge, Now he 

 sulks, and I take advantage of this to breatht a little and 

 clear out the water I have splashed into my eye. Now 

 if my tip does not break, if~agaiu my captive darts up 

 stream and so do 1: then down we go in the saml 

 fashion, then up again. This cannot last always, as the 

 ^ffll S"" '■«F^^**^^= will soon exhaust itself 



at this rate. Oh, now he yields, as I carefully reel in'm 

 m coaxmgly uearer a good landing plane- Oh" what a 

 beauty, and see how his pretty spMed side?, ' 



Aug, Black bass running fair in size. Shiners 

 best all round bait: stone catfish best for large fish. 

 Grabs (crawfish) and Ho Jacks (helgramites) used to very 

 little es-tent at present, 



Salmon fishing poor. Trolling for these or black bass 

 not successful- Still- fishing with live minnows good. 

 Eiver high for the past two weeks; now falling rapidly 

 and clearing uieely. 



The little darters are here known as ''mud salmon. " 

 Is this not as far fetched aa "Sand Lake trout'' for mas- 

 calouge? 



In collecting baits in the creek several kinds of shiners, 

 the butter chub, the darter, the black-nosed dace and 

 crawfish a,nd helgramites were found. The darters are 

 the commonest. Butter chubs, or out-lips, are common 

 enough at the foot of falls or rapids, in the foaming 

 water close up to the current. How vigorous they are for 

 I heir Hize! The angle worm is their weakness and they 

 are read ? biters. 



Voiiug lamprey eels iirc tiiconiy l>ait for "salmon'' now. 

 In I he rivev w« take our bait with the hook. The grass 

 v'taih I horny head, f-hnb, jerker, hornj-headed dace, etc ) 

 was the principal and beBt bait taken. Shiner and cut- 

 hps were also taken, but did not prove so good. The 

 grasii chub is m called because it is found along the grass 

 patches. They are hardy, live well, and take two bass 

 often before, dying. 



Aug. .v;. —The river baa litileu during the past week, 

 although it is still above low water mark, and we have 

 had good fishing. A dozen or more anglers here have 

 had successful outings. The swift running waters found 

 at and near the riffles below town have furnished the 

 best fishing. 



There seems to be no limit to the variation in the colors 

 of the small-mouthed bass. They are taken here dirty- 

 yellow, light green, dark green, dark, and sometimes 

 very black. Ot course the greener ones are mostly 

 smaller fish, the large ones generally black, or green and 

 black. But fish of the same size vary in color. They are 

 found under the same conditions, so it would seem that 

 it is not always safe to conclude that a fish's color is due 

 to its environment. 



We find a great difference in the strike of a fish. Some 

 bass are hard to hook, Others hook themselves. It would 

 seem at times that we had pulled the minnow out of the 

 bass's mouth; while again it occurs to us that we gave the 

 fellow just a little too much time. Size of bait also un- 

 doubtedly, must enter into this question. If the bait be 

 lai-ge ought not the fish have more time to turn it and 

 commence the act of swallowing? An old and very suc- 

 cessful bass angler once told me that he always counts 

 14 before giving the bass "the butt." The counting is 

 done moderately slow. A very good plan, we find, is to 

 pull out through the guides a couple feet of line and hold 

 it in the hand so that the fish may make a short run with- 

 out having to feel the resistance made by a reel with the 

 drag on. 



JS'OV, i.— During the past season, which is just ending, 

 some very good catches of fish have been ' made- The 

 river took a long time to get down to low water mark, but 

 when it did get there the mark was held for a consider- 

 able length of time. Salmon (pike-perch) fi.shing has been 

 very fine. From the Juniata to the Columbia dam the 

 sport has been excellent. A number of anglers caught 

 handsome strings in the deep water immediately below 

 the dam this week. Mr. Lemer, of Harrisburg, took 36 

 m one day at Fife's Eddy, weighing 751bs. The Cone- 

 wago Falls have furnished rare sport, too. Barney Doyle 

 has been very successful there, and Mr. Aldinger of Har- 

 risburg recently caught 20 odd, which averaged very 

 nicely. Other Harrisburg anglers have been t. . the Juniata 

 and report good fishing, Bok. 

 Bainbhidgis, Pa. 



MAINE BLACK BASS SEASON. 



Chestnut Hill, Mass.— I received to-day a note from 

 the Maine Fish and Game Commission stating that there 

 has been no close season for two years, I have a pamphlet 

 of the "Fish and Game Laws of Maine," sent to me by 

 one of the Commissioners, dated 1891, It contains the 

 clause naming a close season. In your BooJc of the Game 

 Lmvs, just purchased by me, said clause is also included, 

 and yellow pages at end mention no cancellation of said 

 iaw, 



I bet a certain veteran that there was a close season, 

 and opinion of those present forced me to lose: but I 

 presented my authority, the two books above mentioned, 

 and gathered back my payment. This letter from the 

 Coinmission upsets me again. The bet was a trifle, but 

 I wish to know where the proper authority is. Is there 

 a close season, and if there is not, why do these publica- 

 tions state there is '? X. 



The Maine law as to black bass is given in the Book 

 of the Game Laws as found in the statutes thus: 



Lmid-loclfed Salmon, Trout, Togue, Black Bas8, White Perch.— 

 Sec 17. There shall be an annual close time tor land-locked sal- 

 mon, commonly so called, trout, togue, bin ck bass, Oswego bass 

 and white perch, as follows, viz.: For land-locked salmon, trout 



the fifteenth day of September and the first day of the following 

 May; and for black bass, Osweg-o bass and white perch, V'etweeh 

 the first days of April and July. Sec. 48 [as amended ISS?]. No 

 person shall take, catch, kill or fish for, in any manner, any land- 

 looked salmon, trout or togue, in any of the waters aforesaid, 

 between the first days of October and the following May, nor in 

 the St. Oroix river and Its tributaries, between the fifteenth day 

 of September and the first day of the followins: May; or black 

 bass. Oswego bass or white perch between the first days of April 

 and July, under a penalty of not less than ten nor more than 

 thirty dollars, and further fine of one dollar for each fish thus 

 caueht. taken or killed; provided, however, that during Feb- 

 ruary. March and April, citizens of the State may fish for and 

 take land-locked salmon, trout or to?ue, and convey the same to 

 their n-wn homes, but not otherwisp; provided, further, that the 

 provisions of this and the precpding and two sunceeding .sections, 

 shall not apply to the taking of black bass from any waters 

 which have been stocked therewith for a period of five yea.r,s. 



Blaclr Bms.—SM;. .55 Whoever takes any black bass during 

 April, May and June, or at any time from their spawning beds, 

 forfeits for each offense not more than twenty nor less than five 

 dollars, besides one dollar for each bass so taken. 



The Vermont Game and Fish Bill. 



The Bill (S. 131) now before the Vermont Legislature 

 provides for a Fish and Game Commission of two mem- 

 bers, to be appointed by the Governor, and for fish and 

 game wardehs to be appointed by selectmen of towns 

 or by the Commissioners. The close seasons prescribed 

 are: Trout, land-locked salmon, longe, Sept. 1-May 1; black 

 bass, JaUa 1— June 15; wall-eyed pike, pike-perch, white 

 perch, muskallonge (except in La,ke Champlain), April 

 15- June 15, Lawful length of trout, land-locked salmon, 

 salmon trout, 6in.; black bass, lOin. Ice fishing for- 

 bidden in trout and land-locked salmon waters. Deer 

 protected to 1900. Close season for rabbit (hare) and 

 muskrat. May l-Sept, 1; gray squirrel, raccoon, Jan. 1- 

 Sept. 1; beaver, fisher, otter, April 1-Nov. 1; quail, wood 

 duck, wild duck, wild goose, plover, .Jan. 1-Sppfc. 1; 

 ruffed grouse, woodcock, .Ian. 1-Sept. 15; pheasant, Nov. 

 30-Oct. 1. Forbidden to kill woodcock or ruffed grouse 

 (partridge) for sale outside of State. 



First English Sparrow-The Legislatures are offering re 

 Tvards tor our headt;. Aren't you scared Second Eneliali 

 bp.arrorr-Vo, I yhaa't worry until they call us same and 



imm in ' pass laws to protect us,~Neiv YorkTreehly'. 



game and 



Florida Fishing. 



Waukegan, ill,, Nov. 7.— Let me tell you where to go 

 fishing now that the winter is near at hand. Go to the 

 Indian River, hlorida, The past two winters T have 

 stopped at Melbourne. There are Ash by the millions at 

 this point. A person can go a few miles north to the 

 Banna Kiver, where is fine fishing; an.i taking a boat and 

 going down the river to the Inlet tarpon, sharks and other 

 large fish can be caught. There is no place in America in 

 the winter where such fine fishing and hunting can be 

 found as on this Indian River, with the best of oysters, 

 also the famous Indian Biver oranges and pineapples, 

 J. F, P, 



Seventy Years Ago. 



A OENTLBMAN who recently visited Niagara Falls, and leaving 

 there at 11:41 in the morning, arrived at Orand Central Station al 

 10:30 the same evening, after a delightfui ride of 465 miles, writes 

 regarding his trip as follows: "Seventy years ago, when Mrs, 

 Sigourney wrote her 'Apostrophe to Niagara,' this ride would 

 have been considered as wonderful as the ITalls themselves. The 

 New York Central is a poem, or an apostrophe in itself. Such 

 perfect service does the road render, that it is not only a pleasure 

 to travel thereby, it is a positive luxury."— ^du. 



ROD AND GUN AND CAMERA. 



As a recognition of the important place of amateur photography 

 in its relation to sports of the field and prairie aud mountain and 

 forest and stream, the Foeest and Stream offers a series of 

 prizes for meritorious work with the camera. The conditions 

 under which these prizes wiU be given are in brief as here set 

 forth: 



There will be ten prizes, as follows: First $35. Second $30 

 Third $15. Fourth $10. Six of $5 each. 



The competition wlU be open to amateurs only. 



The subjects must relate to Forbst and Stream's field— game 

 and fl.sh (alive or dead), shooting and fishing, the camp, campers 

 and camp life, sportsman travel by land or water. 



There is no restriction as to the time when the pictures may 

 liave been or may be made— whethw in 1893 or in previous years. 



Pictures will be received up to Dec, -31, of this year. 



All work must be original; that is to say, it must not have been 

 submitted in any other competition, nor have been published. 



There are no restrictions as to make or style of camera, nor as 

 to size of plate, 



A competitor need not he a subscriber of Fohesx and Stream. 



All photographs wiU be submitteed to a committee, shortly to 

 be annotmced. In making their awards the j udges will be in- 

 structed to take into consideration the technical merits of the 

 work as a photograph. Its artistic qualities; and other things 

 being equal, the unique and difficult nature of the subject. 

 Photographs must be marked only with initials or a pseudonym 

 for identification. With each photograph should ho given name 

 of (sender, title of view, locality, date, and name of camera. 



The photographb shall be the propsrty of the Forest asd 

 Stream. Thie applies oulv to the particular prints sent us. 



From time lo time we shall reproduce by the haLf-tono procesE 

 samples of the work submitted, and should the interest in 

 Forest and .Strea.m's Amateur Photography Colleotiou prove 

 t o ho what is anticipated, we may ask for an expression of opinion 

 by a vote of all our readers after the manner of the suecssisf ul 

 aud faanous "Camp-Fire FlickeritLg "'S'ote^"" Such popular vote 

 will be quite distinct from the a'ward by the o<iinT!i!ttes. 



