Ebb. 2, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



99 



with their gray, weather-beaten faces, cast their shadows 

 o'er the trackway of shimmering goM. On we go, with 

 tlie swarthy boatmen dripping beads of persjjiratiou at 

 every dip of the oars — a track of silver in onr wake and a 

 line of sea gulls in the distance soaring along the lapping 

 waters of tire shore in hopes of a feast. 



Passing the storm-beaten islands we came to a ragged 

 piece of shore land where Ned said he had never failed to 

 catch a "Mackinac." Hardly had the remark died upon 

 the weathery waters before I felt the same vicious snap 

 and struggle aa before, and as quick as thought the line 

 which I had held firmly in hand was set in motion at a 

 3i40 pace ,and when the propitious mouient came to ele- 

 vate that frantic fish from his element, I lifted him with 

 a true aim, but a force thnt sent him on to Peter's head, 

 which somewhat confused his ideas, and led him to be- 

 lieve that it was either of dire intent or of simple awk- 

 wardness. I plastered his bruised head with an ample 

 apology .that was decidedly curative. Being satisfied \\T.th 

 the slaughter of the scaly iiuiocents. I discontinued the 

 troll , aud tljen in luxiu-ious I 'asij watched the slow moving 

 maKses of clouds fl.asli out those heaveuly dyes which 

 lia.\-H iKn-er been transferred to the artist's canvas, but 

 wliiijh have been better idealized witli the poet's pencil. 



About noon we arrived at "Jackson's Cove," our favorite 

 place last summer, Avith the boatmen wearied by tlie long 

 and steady puU at the oars. After a breathing spell they 

 went to wovk and pitched the tents, carefully stored the 

 provisions, and then prej)ared dinner. That appetizing 

 meal being duly dispatched we spent an hour of dreamy 

 idleness in the shade, aud tlien I took an icy bath on the 

 sandy beach which ran from the shore to the island, and, 

 with an entke change of underwear, etc. , felt as if I had 

 partaken of the coveted Avater which Pouce de Leon am- 

 bitiously sought, but never found. 



Tlie deej) Avater m front of the declivitous rock Avhere I 

 had caught seA^eral large trout last year, Avas a great 

 teiuptation just then with the happy and healthy glow 

 that was upon me, so taking my rod 1 crossed over to the 

 place, but a f eAv steiJs, and sent my flies in searcli of some 

 peerless prince of the spotted robe. He Avas deep doAvn 

 imder shelvmg rocks that ran from the gigantic boulder, 

 and when he saAv the flics dancing along the surface as if 

 endowed with fife, aud doubtless thinking it a rare deh- 

 cacy that avouM just then smt his fastidious appetite, 

 darted out and sprang upon one AAdth a savagery that 

 made the water fairly boil and rapidly race into curA'ing 

 ripples. Alas, for the overweening confidence of that 

 epicurean trout, he tasted not of an a3sthetic morsel, but 

 of a cold piece of barbed steel that filled him with a thous- 

 and terroi-s. With bis eyes in anger fierce, he raced Avitli 

 the sijeed of a gazelle for the open AA^ater, and then in 

 many desperate dashes and frantic maneuvers, including 

 a somersault or tAvo, endeavored to escape from the 

 patient angler on the rock. He finally surrendered, but 

 not before his vigor had entirely departed, for these lordly 

 Avarriors of the reef are as gallant in battle as they are 

 proud of their sliapely forms and their radiant adornments. 

 I returned Avith my trophy to the camp, and Avas aston- 

 ished to ascertain that he only weighed 31bs. , for he looked 

 near a. pound heavier, and ako battled as if he AA^ere. 



Ned, who Avas enjoying the fragrance of a choice 

 regalia and "Lucie's Mistake" at one and the same time, 

 Avith a bottle of fly-repellant at his side— the brulots and 

 mosquitoes being in abundance — challenged me for a 

 rubber of crib. I of coui'se accepted, and, as my mascot 

 AA'ent back on me, lost. 



Beuig determined to Avin something, if notliing more 

 than a quivering fin, I again took my rod aud net and 

 stepped over to the spot where I had slain the three- 

 pounder, and commenced the pleasurable Avork of entice- 

 ment. On my thkd cast I made a double catch, and the 

 twain being more than I could well net on the rounded 

 rock, haUoed for Peter, Avho at once came racing over the 

 uneven granite to my assistance. They were not more 

 than l^lbs. each in Aveight, and A^ ere landed by the boat- 

 men in a very handsome manner. This satisfying my 

 angling propensities for the day, I again sought the shade, 

 and deeply enjoj^ed the weird shadows so sharplj^ limned 

 in tlie bright sunshine, the rippling melody of the curving 

 waves as they beat against the massive brdAvarks, and the 

 gentle zephyrs — 



"Stealing through the forests 

 Among the leaves that palpitate forever." 



After supper 1 insisted on Ned taking his rod and cast- 

 ing in the lucky Avaters which had affiorded me such 

 agreeable sport. Assenting, he took his rod Avhile I 

 accompanied him Avith the net as his man Friday. It Avas 

 not long before he caught two very nice trout, Avhich ran 

 over 21bs. each, and then discontinued the pastime, satis- 

 fied that the immediate Avaters would yield us more than 

 Ave could Avell care for. Eetm-ning to camp, we appHed a 

 liberal dose of the repeUant to our faces and hands, and 

 then taking om- chairs to the beach uadrdged in talk of the 

 trip for the morrow. 



The evening prognostications for favorable weather Avere 

 not A^ery flattering, as the clouds were deeply shaded and 

 flying very Ioav, indications assm-edly of rain at an early 

 period. With a smile cm-ling around his exjjressive face, 

 Ned said that Ave had better send for the Aerial Emery 

 and confer AAfith him as to the "probabifities" for the next 

 tAventy-four hours. By Avay of pleasantry, we called the 

 prophet; who was a few steps away, and consulted him. 

 He stated, after a brief survey of the cloudy sky, that "it 

 may rain, may blow; but Avait a bit, then Ave see sure." 



"That's what I call an exceedingly cloudy observation," 

 said Ned with mirthful glee, as the Aveather oracle i^roudly 

 bore himself to the c[uarters from Avhence he came as if 

 he had settled some great State question. 



"An observation Avith a resei-vation," I rejoined. 



Humor aside, Emery Avas an exceeduigly faithful boat- 

 man, and did every thing in his poAver to please us; but 

 he Avould ring in the changes on the Aveather at all times, 

 and Avas ever ready, when we wejit on a long trip, to 

 seriously foreshadoAv the arising of a storm before we 

 reached our destination. If it was Avarm and the lake 

 smooth, it was a, weather-breeder; if the scuds dotted the 

 horizon, it was a signal for a bloAv; if a heavy swell came 

 rolling along, it was the advance of a gale; if the clouds 

 changed to a slaty hue, rain: if a "mare's tail" showed 

 itseh, high Aviud; and so on to the end of a long list of 

 indications Avhich safiors pin their faitJi to. True, many 

 of these signs realize, but Avith Emerj* they Avere ahvays 

 realizing. We, liOAvever, put very little faith in his pre- 

 dictions and acted accordingly. 



That evenuig as Ave aU sat around the camp-fire, Peter 

 sang for us one Of his Freaob. songs, but as li^ voice "was 



too mournf id, as is the case with all the half-breeds, it did 

 not throw us into spasms of delicious ecstacy. Ned, to 

 obliterate the sad effects of Peter's vocalism, gave us one 

 of the rollicking airs, Avhich highly pleased the entire 

 audience, and therefore he had to repeat with another of 

 the same character. His voice is exceedingly melodious, 

 but age is fast telhng on it, as it has alreaey lost much of 

 its vocal strength) and some of its warjuth and color. The 

 concert ending, we sought oiu' Avarm and comfortable 

 bedSj and were soon wrapt in refreshing sleeiJ. 



Alex. Starbuck. 



[TO BE CONTINUED.] 



BOSTON AND MAINE. 



Pickerel Fishing. 



The recent remarkably cold Aveatherj so long continued, 

 has been too mucli for the pickerel fishermen in the vicin- 

 ity of Boston, and they have generally staid at home. One 

 or tAA'O cases are mentioned of parties on the I'lyinouth 

 j)onds, but they got cold fingers and A'ery fcAv fish. The 

 trouble Avas that the lines would freeze solid in the holes 

 faster than the fishermen coidd cut them out, if any num- 

 ber of lines were atteiupted. Tlie Maine pickerel fisher- 

 men have also been doing but very little. Milder Aveather 

 AAdll set the boys going again, however, for the quantity of 

 bait in store is unusually large, and it will all be used 

 between this time and the first of April. 



Sale of Cultivated Trout in Close Time. 



Massachusetts trout fishermen, and in fact everybody 

 who ha,s an iuterest in tront in the Old Bay State, are in- 

 terested in Avhat the present Legislatm-e may do in regai'd 

 to the laws for trout protection. It is generally under- 

 stood in the circle of fishermen that Mr. tifibert, failing in 

 getting Ins bid passed last winter to allow hmi to seU cifi- 

 tiA^ated trout ta close time, has by no manner of means 

 given up his idea. A hearing is aunotmced for Wednes- 

 day of this week, before the committee on Fisheries and 

 Game at the State House, on the question of making the 

 open season on trout in Massachusetts begin on the 15th of 

 January. It is pretty Avell knoAvn that Mr. Gilbert him- 

 self is behind this measure AAdth a good deal of force. It 

 is also admitted by those bitterly opposed to taking aAvay 

 so big a slice from tlie protection of ti-out that a majority 

 of the committee may be in favor of Mr. Gilbert and his 

 measure and that a bill is likely to be reported. But it is 

 dcA^outly hoped that a measure so decidedly bad may be 

 smothered either in the House or the Senate; or failing- 

 there, that it will ncA^er receive the signatm-e of the Goa'- 

 ernor. GoA'ernor Eussell is himself so much of a sjaorts- 

 man as to fully appreciate the magnitude of harm in such 

 a measm-e, and then he is a man of too much sound sense 

 to permit almost the Avhole volume of protection to be re- 

 moA^ed from trout in his oaa'u State, simply to gratify one 

 man's desire to sell trout in the Avinter time. 



Sucli a measure Avould simply open up ice-fishing for 

 ti-out from the middle of January tfil the ice Avas gone, 

 and the f eAA^ tront there are left in the streams and ponds 

 in the State Avould soon be destroyed by the men and boys 

 who cut holes in the ice and fish Avitli live bait. Such 

 fishing in Maine Avas some years ago terribly destructiA^e 

 of the trout supply in lakes and ponds Avliere noAv there is 

 good summer fishing Avitli the fly; the little preA^ention to 

 ice-fishing ofl'ered in that State havdng again restored the 

 trout in part. Few men are better aware of this fact than 

 Governor Russell. His name is — the Maine papers say — 

 on a petition to the Legislatiu-e of that State, asking tliat 

 all fishing, except Avith the fly, be prohibited by laAV on 

 B. Pond, in Oxford coxmty. He has been to that 

 pond several times, in comjiany with Messrs. John and 

 Bayard Thayer, where one or both of these gentlemen 

 have, within a year or tAvo, built a beautiful camp. Now, 

 it is within my recoUection when ice-fishing had run the 

 trout fishing in B. Pond doAvn to a very low ebb. 

 Early in the winter parties Avith an abundance of hve 

 bait would go and camj) at the pond tdl they had caught 

 enormous strings of the most beautiful trout in theAvoiid. 

 This had its natural and only effect; ti-out fishing became 

 even too poor there for the ice-fishermen. Then, later, the 

 laAv against ice-fishing tfil the 1st of February was better 

 enforced, and from that time tdl the Messrs. Thayer, Avith 

 then- friends, became acc^uainted Avith the i)ond — onlj'' 

 three or four years ago — the trout had been gaining in 

 size and numbers. Indeed, there is also every reason for 

 befieAdng that these gentlemen have not injured the trout 

 supply of B. Pond. Under flj^-fishiug only it doubtless 

 would continue to improA^e. 



Maine Ice Fishing for Trout. 



But the Maine resident lishermen are getting their lines 

 ready, and many of the holes will be cut previous to the 

 morning of the first day of February, Avlien they can 

 legally fish for trout in most of the ponds and lakes of the 

 State. Some of the lakes and ponds, lioAvever, are pro- 

 tected from this ice-fishing by special legislative enact- 

 ments. About the only virtue there is in this law is that 

 it gives fai-mers and farmers' boys a. chance to fish at a 

 season, as they say, "When Ave can afford the time." Na- 

 ture favors the trout to some extent in that the AA^eather 

 in February is not usually A^ery favorable to fishing on the 

 ice, and besides some of the more remote j)onds are gen- 

 eraUy difflcidt of access by reason of tlie great body of 

 snow on the ground. But if eA^erybody in Maine could 

 realize the actual Avealth there is in her trout ponds and 

 streams, they Avould at once conclude to let the trout 

 alone in the AAdnter season. Special legislation is, how- 

 ever, likely to do much in this direction the present Avin- 

 ter. The Legislature is beset with numerous bills, and 

 petitions for bfils, asking and commanding that ti-out and 

 landlocked salmon in nmnerous lakes and ponds, as well 

 as streams, be protected during the winter season, and 

 some of them be perpetuaUy closed as trout nui-series for 

 the larger waters beloAv. Special. 



Col. Dickey's Plea was Nonsensical. 



Neavbuegh, N. Y., Jan, 19.— At the Goshen Cncnit 

 Com-t term Dr, Wfilett Kidd, game protector of this dis- 

 trict, has just Avon his suit against Henrj^ C. Brunner to 

 recover a penalty for iUegal fishing. George Pan and 

 James HoAveU, residing at Highland Mills, an Sept. 21 

 last, Avent to CromweU Lake to seine for bait fish. There 

 they met Brunner, and whde two held the seine the other 

 thrashed the Avater and droA-e in the fish. Thirteen bass 

 were caught and divided among the three; the largest bass 

 weighed S^lbs, Bn m ner claimed he put his bass in a bait* 



can until he saAv Mr. CromAveU, who told him it was illegal 

 to take bass, and he then put them back in the lake. In pre- 

 senting the case of the defendant to the jury Col. Dickey 

 said the law was getting so rigid that one dare not go fish- 

 ing unless he took numerous law books and a pair of scales; 

 that the law Avould soon regulate the size of a man's bot- 

 tle and compel them to wear velveteen or corduroy suits. 

 This he said Avaa class legislation and it should be stopped. 

 Ex-District Attorney Headly summed up for the people. 

 The judge charged the jury to bring in a verdict of gufity, 

 AA'^bich they did, imposing the full penalty of $100. 



"JUST ONE MORE." 



Grand Rapids, Mich. — While neither admitting nor de^ 

 nying that fly-fishing is on general principles the most 

 artistic and poiiular method for capturing fresh-Avater 

 fish, yet I rise to maintain that "circumstances alter 

 cases," and that no one lure is always the best in all 

 Avaters, no matter how sifillf ully made or deftly handled: 



On Lake MacataAA^a, Mich., if one wishes to fish for fun 

 or to practice fly-casting, there is plenty of room, Avith no 

 ordinance or enactment, legislative or local, in the Avay* 

 but if you want fish, sometiiing for the frying-pan, or to 

 show aud brag about at the hotel, don't Avaste your pre- 

 cious time \v\Ui a fiy. Take a minnoAv, a hA^e frog or a 

 good-sized casting spoon hook. Then, with a good long 

 stfif rod, a strong-hne, a minnow or spoon hook, by cast- 

 ing close up to the rushes with either of these or with a 

 live frog just inside (the latter AviU not foul as bad as 

 either of the others) one is not likely to go home with a 

 "water hauL" 



The partj'^ I am thinking about had been fishing all the 

 afternoon, had exhausted their supply of frogs, and had 

 fallen back on tlie casting hook. They had a fair strmg; 

 it was time to quit, and they Avould have done so but for 

 that undefined, overpowering hankering inhei-ent in aU 

 Avhogo a-fishing for "just one more." 



It was growing dark, in fact, Avas so darkjone][could,^uot 

 see clearly 50ft. from the boat. B., who was standing up 

 in the boAv, heard a splashing in the water among the 

 rushes close to the shore, and could see a slight ripple on 

 the AA'ater. Thinking it Avas a big bass and just the ' 'one 

 more," he unwound about 6ft. of line from his reel, made 

 a hurried calculation as to distance and spot, gave his 

 18ft. rod a good SAving, sent the glittering fraud flying to 

 tlie point, -and struck as soon as his hook touched. 



There Avas a commotion in the AS'ater, and at the same 

 time a large water .spaniel scratched up the bank, yelping 

 and hoAvling, ki hy, ki liy, twarnt Id tioarnt Id, ajid aAvay 

 he went youvvling and liowfing, running aU the line from 

 the reel, and as it had not been weU tied he made oft' home 

 Avith the Avhole business. 



The "blood cm-dhng," "hair lifting" scream of the pan- 

 ther is bad enougli, but for a doAAairight nerve-destroying, 

 nail-stai-ting racket that dog could haA^e beaten any pan- 

 ther or pack of XJanthers or avoIa^gs that CA^er lioAvled. 



A. W. 



St. Lawrence Anglers' Association. 



The Anglers Association of the St. LaAvrence River is a 

 live, active and pubfic-spirited organization, Avhose mem- 

 bers have accomphslied splendid results by holding u^) the 

 hands of the State Protectors and aiding aud abetting them 

 in. the enforcement of the laAvs against netting. At the 

 November meeting of the New York State Association 

 for the Protection of Fish and Game, Mr. G. M. Skinner, 

 of Clayton, a member of the St. LaAvrence organization, 

 reported that a decided change in pubhc sentiment had 

 come to the support of the anglers. In the published re- 

 port of his remarks Mr. Skmner Avas quoted as saying 

 that in his district too much attention had been given to 

 the protection of fish. This, as he himself says, is a pre- 

 posterous sentunent to attribute to him and would re- 

 quire no correction among those avIio knoAv his interest in 

 the work of the Anglers' Association. 



CURIOSITIES OF TROUT SPAWNING. 



We have published from time to time notices of unusually 

 late spawning of the brook trout. On June 23 and 80, 1892, 

 such observations Avere made public in these columns by Mr. 

 Cheney, and simfiar statements have appeai-ed earlier. Seth 

 Green found brook trout spawning at Caledonia as late 

 as March 1. Vinal N. EdAvards records the taking of ripe 

 females in April on Cape Cod. M. Calverley, in the letters 

 quoted below, tells of trout spaA\Tiing in Moorehouse Lake, 

 New York, in June. Col. E. B. Hodge, Fish Commissioner, 

 had ripe female trout in the middle of .July. 



We have obtained permission from Dr. Goode and Mr. Cal- 

 A'erly to publish the f oUoAving letter: 



BAJmEGAT, N. J., Sept. 26, 1892.— Prof. G. Brown Goode: I was ask- 

 ing Piof. Hooper, of Brooklyn Institute, if lie has ever heard of 

 speckled trout spawning in June. He said he did not know^ but told 

 me to write to you.^Some years ago I was at Moorehouse Lake, in the 

 north part of Fulton county, N. Y. My guide told me the trouc in the 

 lake were spawning. 1 told him he must be mistaken. He said he 

 would show me before AA-e left the lake. One day aljout June 8 or 10 

 I caught a speckled trout about aMlbs. and laid it in the bottom of 

 the boat; in a few minutes he called my attention to it and asked me 

 what I call that, the bottom of tiie boat being covered with loose ripe 

 sijawn. We caught, I think, three that had ripe spawn in them, but 

 the other fish hatl young spawn in tliem. If you know anytliing 

 about trout spawning in the spring I w iiU you would let me know. 

 The lake is now owned by a club m Herkimex- county. * * * 



Wii. Calverley. 



Reply was made to Mr. Calverley's communication, and on 

 Jan. 30 he wrote again to Mr. F. W. True, of the National 

 Museum, giving him the following additional information: 



Bakne&at, N. J., Jan. 20.— Mr. F. W. True: If you want any more 

 information in regard to this, I think I can get it for you by Avriting to 

 Joseph Lane, of Moorehouseville, Herkimer county, N. Y., the gm'de 



ho was with me aud first told u.ie about the trout spawning in June. 

 Moorehouse Lake is in Fulton county, near the south line of Hamilton 

 county, about live miles from Moorehouseville and about the same dis- 

 tance from Piseco Lake. I caught tAvo or thi-ee trout with ripe spawn 

 in them, but no ripe male fish. The first fish I caught weighed about 

 21bs., the si-iav, Q ^vas about the size of ^^o. 1 shot. Others have caught 

 them. I Lave lished in a great many lakes and streams in the Adiron- 

 dack mountains in the last forty years, but it is the only case of finding 

 sjjawn except in the fall, aud I never heard of it before. I think it was 

 about 1876 that I caught them. Wm. Calverley. 



Trout are full of surprises. Laws ba.sed upon then- repro- 

 ductive habits need occasional revision, in order to keep step 

 Avith the variability of these habits. Rainbow trout are usu- 

 ally spring .spaAvners in their native Avaters; but in their new 

 home in the East they approach the brook trout in their 

 spawning season. The U, S. Fish Commission collected many 

 thousands of eggs of this trout at WythcA'ille, Va., hi Decem- 

 ber, and has already 300,000 at Neosho, Mo., far in advance of 

 the California season aud equally in advance of all expecta- 

 tions. 



