Au6. 12, 1893.] 



Forest and stream. 



123 



WHAT ANGLERS IN CANADA ARE DOING. 



It takes some little time now to ascertain what anglers 

 are doing in Canada, for many of them are ti'aveling 

 such distances back from civiLiiiation in search of new 

 fishing grounds, that it is often only after they have 

 finished their outings and returned to Lake St. John or 

 Quebec, that the outer world knows what they have been 

 doing. Messrs. E. J. Myers and H. O. Wilbur, of New 

 York, have returned home after a stay of nearly three 

 weeks in the Lake St. .John country. After fishing for 

 some weeks for salmon last month in Newfoundland and 

 then renewing his acquaintance with the ouananiche, Mr. 

 Myers declares that salmon and ouananiche are his favor- 

 ite game fishes. Up the Mistassini Messrs. Myers and 

 Wilbur found the water much lower than it was last year, 

 and the fish were not taken at first so plentifully in the 

 same pools in which they were found last year. But 

 when theii' habitat for the time being was finally discov- 

 ered, war was carried on in vigorous style, and there 

 were struggles to the death in both air and water. Many 

 doughty finny warriore were laid low beside the famous 

 pools of the Fifth Falls. After fishing the Mistassini Mr. 

 and Mrs. Myers and Mr. Wilbur enjoyed very fair sport 

 at Isle Maleine in the Grande Discharge, where they 

 camped for a day or two. The water was rather low for 

 heavy fish at the time, but about a week previously excel- 

 lent sport was enjoyed there by Mr. R. M. Stocking, of 

 Quebec, and myself; and Paul Savard, one of the guides, 

 who had taken up my rod while I was resting, hooked 

 and lost a magnificent specimen that certainly measured 

 30in. in length, and must have weighed 8 or lOlbs., and 

 treated us to a couple of beautiful somersaults before 

 saying his final adieu. We ran all the navigable waters 

 of the Grande Discharge between Lake St. John and 

 Chicoutimi, and it is one of the most magnificent canoe 

 trips imaginable, with just enough of the perilous to 

 make it sensational, while it is well worth the trouble of 

 the entire journey to enjoy the visual contemplation of 

 either the rapids of Vache Caille or of Gervais, or the 

 whirlpool and rapids of Isle Maleine. But on no accoimt 

 should the tourist permit himself to be cajoled by the 

 guides into taking the easier and less exciting descent by 

 way of the Little Discharge. 



Mr. Myers purposes retimiing here next season to make 

 an extended tour through a number of rivers and lakes in 

 the wild country north of Lake St. John. 



Mr. Brewer, president of the Amabalish Fish and Game 

 Club, has followed Mr. Merriam, of Springfield, home. 

 Both gentlemen had splendid sport on the club waters in 

 the lower Metabetchouan. 



The Ouiatchouan River, above the falls, has afforded 

 splendid trout fishing within the last ten days to a number 

 of Quebec anglers. 



Mr. Eugene McCarthy of Syracuse passed through here 

 on Satm'day on his way home from his angling excursion 

 to Lake St. John, In a letter I received from him some 

 days before his return he said : ' 'I never had a better 

 time. The fishing is improving each year, I beheve, and 

 I think more of the Lake St. John country each year that 

 I come. It can never be fished out. I believe that I know 

 less about ouananiche each year. They are the finest 

 fighting fish extant and never alike." In ten hours' fish- 

 ing on the Triton tract, Mr. McCai-thy, with his friends, 

 Messrs. Curtis and Dean, took 282 trout. After Mr. Dean's 

 return home Messrs. Curtis and McCarthy put in a week 

 at Lac de Belle Riviere, southeast of Lake St. John, and 

 took 102 and 123 fish respectively, the first catch Aveighing 

 GBJlbs. and the second 52|lbs. They only fished for three 

 days, and then for but two hours, two and one-half hours 

 and six hours respectively. Then they put in a week at 

 the Fifth Falls of the Mistassini, where in two and a half 

 days' fishing their catch was 72 ouananiche with an aver- 

 a,ge weight of over Slbs. each, and here some of their 

 finest rods were broken and leaders and flies innumerable 

 smashed. Mr. McCarthy has with him photographs of 

 each day's catch, right through. 



A Boston angler who was recently fishing in the Grande 

 Discharge reports that a 21bs. ouananiche in one of its 

 leaps to endeavor to clear himself of the hook, landed 

 safely into his canoe. 



Mr. Byrd and his family, of Brooklyn, returned from 

 Lake St. John on Saturday with Mr. McCarthy, and on 

 the same day Chief Justice Andrews of the New York 

 State Court of Appeals left, with a couple of members of 

 his family, for Roberval with Attorney-General and Mrs. 

 Casgrain of Quebec. E. T. D. Chambers. 



Quebec, July 81. 



FISHING ABOUT CAPE MAY PENINSULA 



The season for fishing about Cape May county, New 

 Jersey, in the ocean and in the Delaware Bay, begins the 

 latter part of May, and ends early in November. First 

 come the black drum fi-om May to July, then weakfish 

 and the otlier small fish of the region ; in August the rock 

 or striped bass, and in September the channel bass or red 

 drum. Sheepshead have been so rare within the past 

 three years as to be inconsiderable. Bluefish have been 

 micertain, but there are some to be taken, and croakers 

 axe eiTatic. 



My experience up to this time has been peculiar. Every- 

 where the complaint is made of no fish. The crabs were 

 laxgely destroyed the past winter by extraordinary cold, 

 and to this is ascribed their present scarcity. No crabs, 

 few fish. Shrimp also have suffered. Razor clams and 

 manninoes are almost extinct. 



Drumfish have been abtmdant in the surf. I despise 

 this fishing, Avith the constant undermining of the surge 

 retreating over the loose sand, and giving the fisherman 

 the supposed sensation of a horse on a threshing machine. 

 It is weai'isome work, and after the fish is fastened, or 

 "snagged,'' as the natives have it, there is no play in the 

 shallow water, but a steady puU, as of a piece of drift- 

 wood, into the breakers. Within the past month large 

 numbers of sm-face drimi (which never bite) were taken 

 at Atlantic City by dragging gangs of hooks swiftly 

 through the sm-f . One man took twenty-five in one day 

 in this fashion. 



Decoration Day, with three companions, I took my 

 annual, and this year only, drum trip. We four fished 

 from 8 A. M. imtil 5 P. M. at Pierce's Point, on the Dela- 

 ware Bay, before there was a single strike, which hap- 

 pened to fall to me and brought a drum of 651bs. Last 

 year tAvo of us, on the same day, took 15, the largest 

 weighing lOllbs. 



Weakfishing has been also discouraging. Last year the 

 run was very fine and of extraordinary fish as to size. 



The few fish taken this year have been large; but with the 

 exception of a veiy few days, numbers have been small. 

 I fished with five companions three days at Crosse Ledge 

 and Ship John Lights, and the party took four weakfish 

 and one rock. The largest weakfish, however, weighed 

 81bs. One of my companions — Norris — returned and took 

 53 at the Ledge; all large fish. Ten of them weighed 

 901bs. But this day was exceptional. The fishing has 

 been very bad, even with the very best of bait. 



The only redeeming feature of the season is the return 

 of the bluefish, off Cape May, Avithin the last three weeks. 

 There has been a very good rim off Cape May and Angle- 

 sea, and the Swedes at the latter place are reaping a 

 rich harvest. Also, the non-professionals are obtaining 

 belated sport. 



From the abundance of drum and of bluefish, I infer 



that my favorite, the channel bass or red drum, will 

 answer to his name the latter part of August or first of 

 September, when, if any of your readers enjoy pursuit of 

 him, it will be AveU for them to engage quarters and boat- 

 man at Anglesea. 



The best plan is to engage a sloop or schooner suitable 

 for fishing in the ocean for one's exclusive use, and take 

 what companions he likes, resolutely declining all re- 

 quests of the skipper to allow other persons to go along. 

 This merelj' means that the boatman gets a dollar or more 

 a head for the extras, who are sometimes good fellows, 

 but almost invariably clumsy fishermen, and occasionally 

 disagreeably in the way. Let the employer harden his 

 heart and keep his monopoly. The cost of the boat and 

 bait is $10 per diem. 



The fishing is usually very fine. There is reasonable 

 assurance of one or more large channel bass, and proces- 

 sions of large weakfish, croakers and bluefish from which 

 toU can be taken. Abundance of foul fish, sharks, robins, 

 skates and stingrays. An. occasional flounder of large 

 size. At the same season, directly across the Cape from 

 Anglesea, in the Delaware Bay, the channel bass are 

 equally abundant, and, I think, of larger size. The only 

 variant is the shark, of great size, and abundant and an- 

 noying. Board can be obtained — very comfortable — with 

 Nathaniel Holmes, Dias Creek, railroad station Cape May 

 Court House, at §1 per day, and boat and bait, Avith boat- 

 man's services cost -$3 more. Two persons, therefore, can 

 fish at Holmes' for §2.50 per diem, and they will find their 

 stay in the old Holmes farm house Yevy agreeable. 



The Cape May coast fishing is no limited trout brook or 

 bass lake to be exhausted upon publicity being given to 

 its location. There is room for every fisherman in the 

 land, without sensible depletion of the splendid horde 

 which swarms along the shore at the beginning of autumn . 



F. S. J. C. 



BOSTON NOTES. 



There seems to be less interest among Boston gunners 

 than usual this season in shore bird shooting. The 

 weather has been hot and dry, till of late, and that may 

 account, in part, for the few that have taken to the shore 

 after summer yellowleg and other eai-ly shore birds. But 

 the abundant rain of Saturday will doubtless bring in 

 some flights of birds, and then there Avill be more interest 

 among the gunuprs. A couple of hunters went down to 

 Chatham the other day, but decided not to stop, finding 

 that there were already some 15 gunners there and part 

 stopping at the hotel. These gunners were getting some 

 birds, the report being that they had been taking some 60 

 or 70 a day to a gun, though the number was made up too 

 largely of peep to please the two gunners mentioned. 



It is only a little over three weeks to the opening day on 

 ruffed grouse in Maine, Sept. 1st, but if reports of birds 

 continue as discouraging as they have so far, the opening 

 Avill amount to little. Rod and line sportsmen, who have 

 returned from the Maine woods, report no partridges 

 seen of any account, and I am led to believe that there 

 are not three birds Avhere tiiei'e should be dozens. The 

 season of 1892 Avas a very hard one for ruffed grouse, 

 though the winter, last winter, was not especially hard. 

 Ticiis, foxes or bad weather, kdled off the broods, and 

 the result was that there Avas little breeding stock left at 

 the opening of 1893. Again the mistaken Maine law that 

 fiermits of shooting ruffed grouse on and after Sept. 1 is 

 surely destroying that noble game. The broods are to- 

 gether till far into September, the chicks not having 

 grown, and it is an easy matter for any country boy to 

 pick off every one of a flock. Then the increased and in- 

 creasing influx of Sf)ortsmen into that State, each eager to 

 shoot, reduces the ruffed grouse each season to not enough 

 for breeding. This is a common complaint from many 

 localities, where formerly partridge shooting was 

 excellent, 



The Bangor (.Me.) gunners are reported to be discouraged 

 about upland plover this year. Some of them have been 

 out as usual, but getting no birds they have come to the 

 conclusion that the broods are not yet reared, or else the 

 game is remarkably scarce. It is understood that the up- 

 land ploA^er seek the open fields as soon as the young are 

 able to fly Avell, and there they flock together, feeding 

 upon grasshoppei-s and crickets till nearly time for the 

 frosts to cut off' these insects. The big hayfields of Brewer 



CHAINED TO BUSINESS? 

 Can't go fishing? Do tlie next best thing. Read about it in th 

 "Forest and Stream." 



have been visited by a number of Bangor gunners, with 

 the result of few birds or none. They have not even heard 

 piping as usual. - 



Mr. W. B. Garfield, watchmaker, with Kettel & Blake 

 of Boston, is going to Umbagog Lake, in Maine, where he 

 will camp, fish and hunt for a couple of months. He is 

 well known in Waltham as a great lover of the rod and 

 line and the shotgun. Several of his friends wish they 

 were to be with him. They count him as an adept at mat- 

 ters pertaining to camping and one of the most genial 

 men. 



Salt-water fishing is more in vogue at the Massachusetts 

 seashore resorts than ever this season. At Nantasket it is 

 understood that the guests Avho OAvn or can hire boats and 

 yachts, spend nearly every pleasant afternoon in fishing 

 for cod, perch, etc. Among the devotees of the sport are 

 jMr. Michael J. Moore, a School street lawyer: Mr. Frank 

 C. Marshall, of Sagamore Terrace: Mr. W. F. Taylor and 

 0. W. Bradbury, of Atlantic avenue: Mr. Geo. F. Hall, 

 Nantasket avenue: Messrs. C. S. Jeffries, S. F. Moore, W. 

 M. Draper, J. J. Brownlowand Edward F. Anderson, of 

 Nantasket avenue. The above are all lovers of codfisliing 

 and they have already brought in many a good haul, the 

 fish being distributed among their friends. Mr. Lewis E, 

 Hubbard and his son Lewis, Stephen Porter, .Jr. and E. E. 

 Angell are lovers of mackerel fishing, and they have had 

 some good sport of late. Mr. J. H. Edwards, of the Went- 

 worth, Mr. A. B. French, Miss French and Mr. J. B. Cook 

 are ardent lovers of perch fishing. There might also be 

 added to this list of perch fishermen Messrs.W. F. Worthen, 

 J. W. Huntress and Fred Wilson. Mr. Frank Bennett, the 

 rifle and revolver expert, is also mentioned as very fond of 

 fishing. Among the Stony Beach fishermen are Mr. Geo. 

 Barnard, Lawyer Coogan, W. W. Leach, Wm. T. Brown 

 and Bartlett Holmes. They spend all the time they can 

 afford on the fishing groimds when the weather is suit- 

 able. 



A party from Brockton, consisting of Messrs. E. E. 

 Dunbar, F. S. Osborne, E. J. Edgar, John S. Holmes, F. 

 W. Keith, Charles W. Douglass, Henry D. Wade and S. 

 W. Caldwell, was out after cod the other day. They took 

 over forty fish of good size. These they divided liberally 

 among tbeir friends. A Avell known Weymouth party is 

 also frequently out fishing in a staunch little yacht. In 

 the party are seen Messrs. A. M. Bachelder, E. T. Jordan, 

 C. D. HarloAv, F. H. Mason, W. H. Cunningham, with 

 Capt. Freeman Wliitmarsli, the owner of the yacht, the 

 Mettle. Several Atlantic Hill people are frequently seen 

 fishing. Among these may be mentioned Messrs. Thomas 

 Grimes, J. H. Wfiliams, George O. Baker, Henry T. Clapp, 

 Alfred S. Thompson, Charles F. Warren, J. S. Abercrom- 

 bie, George B. Judson and Lee Hammond. They are all 

 lovers of any kind of fishing almost, and their catches are 

 often the wonder of their friends. They are noted for 

 fishing and "sticking to it," and that is the way they get 

 the fish. 



Almost Aveekly trips to the beach are made by severa 

 Whitman lovers of salt-water angling. Among these 

 gentlemen may be mentioned M. W. Foster, John H. 

 Fenton, L. S. Benedict, Henry Marks, S. J. Parmalee, M. 

 F. Tobias and .James S. Foster. They make good fares 

 frequently, and their friends are generously remembered. 



Special. 



"FOEEST AND STREAM" PISHING POSTALS 



Send us a postal card report of your own luck, your partn-er's luck, 

 your neighbor's luck, your father-in-law's luck. And — iier Iwk. 



Clayton, Thousand Islands, Aug. 2.— Dr. J. Livingston 

 Reese and nephew, Mr. T. Irving Reese, both of New 

 York city, yesterday landed 135 fine black bass in less 

 than four hours, at Reed's Bay, above Clayton. Fisliing 

 here is exceedmgly good just now, a large number of good 

 catches being made daily. Mr. Frank W. Emery, of New 

 York, last Monday landed a 251bs. mtiskallonge off Clayton 

 on an Soz. rod. Besides this beauty, Mr. Emery's catcli 

 for the day included 21 black bass, weighing together 

 294^1b8., and one wall-eyed pike of 6|lbs. 



Cayuga Lake, July 31.— Union Springs, famous for 

 perch and pickerel fishing, is not giving a A'ery good 

 showing at present. Myriads of grasshoppers cover tiie 

 lake, which accounts for the black bass not taking the fly 

 as they have heretofore. D. D. W. 



CuTCHOGUE, L. I., Aug. 1. — Young Anglers' Club 

 scores for past week, on Long Island Sound, for black 

 fish: T. Shed 7, Aveight 61bs.: J. O'Neil 12, 181bs.; Robt. 

 Lang 9, 8flbs.; J. Carr 10, 161bs.: J. Smith 41,' 321bs. 

 Largest caught by Mr. Carr weighed Tibs. 9oz. All fisher- 

 men are residents of Brooklyn. Fishing for coming week 

 is expected to be about the same. Little -Jim. 



Keene Valley, N. Y., Aug. 8.— Mr. Oliver Hewitt, of 

 Burlington, N. J., caught three nice ti-out in the Au Sable 

 River, near St. Hubert's Inn, last week, one of which 

 weighed 2^1bs. An unusually large number of big trout 

 have been caught in the Au Sable River recently owing to 

 the careful stocking of its upper waters by the Adiron- 

 dock Reserve. J. B. B. 



Plainwell, Mich., Aug. 5.— Wm. Crispe took four 

 trout of lib. apiece from the Chart Creek yesterday; this 

 is the same creek that he got the prize winner from last 

 year. J. H. M. 



Aug. 4. — Mr, T. D. Jordan, of New York city, who is 

 staying at the Hubbard House, landed 79 black bass yes- 

 terday. Their average weight was Iflbs. Though rather 

 above the average catch for one rod this is not con- 

 sidered an extraordinary lot. 



Staten ISLAiro, N. Y.— Tottenville, N. Y., Aug, 7.— 

 During the last seven days weakfish have been plenty on 

 last hour of flood and first hour of ebb; 1 to 31bs. fish; 

 crab not so eagerly taken as in former seasons ; fish 

 seemed to have been feeding on small fry. 



John T. Haavkins. 



Where to Go. 



Anybody desiring information with regard to the hotels 

 a-dvertised in Forest and Stream, such as rates, routes, 

 fishing and himting oxjportunities, should address Forest 

 AND Stream Information Bm-eau, where all reasonable 

 inquiries will receive prompt answers 



