Oct. 21, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM-. 



347 



WITH THE CHANNEL CAT. 



Exeter, Neb. , Oct. 10. — I had come down from my 

 ranch in Wyoming to spend a few days with the old 

 folks in Nebraska whom I had not seen for a number of 

 years, and as a matter of course had brouglit my fishing 

 outfit along, for I intended having a try at the channel 

 cat for which the lower "Big Blue" is noted, and where I 

 had caught many and many a large string in my boyhood 

 days. 



i had been at the old home two days and decided that 

 on the morrow, weather permitting, I would again try 

 my luck in the old familiar places. So telling father to 

 call me early, I turned -in. 



It must have been near 5 o'clock the next morning that 

 I was awakened by the well known call which used to 

 bring me out of bed in days gone by, when I was a 

 youngster going to school. After a hearty breakfast, I 

 donned my waders and taking my split-bamboo "buggy 

 whip" from its case, I started for the river, a mile away. 

 It was an ideal morning. A southeasterly breeze came 

 singing over the hills and through the trees, which had 

 commenced donning their fall colors. I again hear the old 

 famdiar roar of the water falling over the dam, and catch 

 a glimpse of the stream through tlie undergrowth. 



It does not take me long to reach the little strip of sand 

 below the dam, and putting my rod together am soon 

 wading to the center of the stream where tlie water is not 

 over 3ft. deep, for mile.s below the dam. I have reached 

 a favorite spot, and putting on a couple of fat hoppers, I 

 make a cast toward the bank where the current sucks in 

 under a bimch of willows and old dead stumps. My line 

 has run through and has come to a dead stand in an eddy 

 just below, the cork bobbing up and down in the quiet 

 water, when aU at once the cork is gone and I feel that 

 heavy tug-tug at the line that only a channel cat knows 

 how to give. The reel is singing its fir.st song for a long 

 time, and Irow pleasant it sounds. He has started for the 

 bank and I have some 50yds. of line out when he turns 

 and makes for up stream in a zig-zag course, keeping a 

 taut line on him. He soon tires of that and makes a shoot 

 for the center of the river below me. I now have him 

 with head up stream and soon tire him out, reeling him 

 in, still fighting feebly, I soon have him on the string 

 and the pocket scales say S^^lbs. Not so bad for a starter. 



After a few more casts and no rises, I start on my way 

 down stream, casting in all likely looking places, until 1 

 have traveled nearly a mile and am at the head of a 

 series of rapids where in days gone by I had taken strings 

 of "cats" that I could hardly carry home, and where 

 many a "tip" had broken, letting that "large one" go free. 

 My line has hardly touched the swiftly running water 

 before it is as taut as a bowstring, and the reel is agaia 

 singing that song which is such music to the ear of the 

 angler. By the way the line is going out and the 

 heavy strain on the rod, I know I have a "whopper." 

 He is working down stream, and in that swift current 

 with my light ta(;kle down he must go to smoother water 

 with me following close behind, floundering over slippeiy 

 rocks and into washouts until the end of the rapids are 

 reached. Tlien the fun commences. He has headed for 

 that pool of deep still water that I know is full of snags 

 and sunken logs. Once there good-bye to my line and 

 prospective fish. Giving a few tm-ns to the reel, I gradu- 

 ally work his head up stream and he soon commences 

 that zig-zag work that I know means he is tiring. Soon I 

 have him within reach and am just going to net him, 

 when he recovers and away he goes' nearly breaking my 

 tip; but it is his last run, for that has expended his energy, 

 and he comes rolling over and over into the net. He 

 weighs Gibs, even, and as I am no "fish hog," I limber up 

 and start for home, well satisfied with my morning's 

 work. DiAJioND Walt. 



Onondaga Anglers' Association. 



The Anglers' Association at their meeting last evening 

 transacted some important business, which has for its 

 object the bettering of the condition for fish in some of 

 the waters in Onondaga county. The new dam which 

 the State is about to build at BaldwinsviUe will, unless 

 steps are taken to prevent it, become a barrier to the pas- 

 sage of fish up the Seneca Pdver. After discussion of the 

 question it was decided to appoint a committee to secure 

 legislation next winter for the construction of a fishway 

 past the dam. The expense is estimated at $1,500 and an 

 appropriation by the State for the purpose is sought. 

 John N. Babcock, Henry Loftie and George B. Wood 

 were selected as the committee. The great spawning 

 ground of the fish is in Cross Lake and its vicinity, the 

 fish passing up the river to that locality, and the fishway 

 proposed wiU iM-ove of inestimable value.— Syracuse {N. Y.) 

 Herald. 



Pennsylvania Fish Protective Association. 



Philadei.phia, Oct. 10.— The regular monthly meeting 

 of tlie Pennsylvania Fish Protective Association was held 

 this evening at their rooms. No. 1,020 Arch street, Phiia- 

 delphia, and was well attended. A communication from 

 the Pennsj'lvania Commissioner of Fisheries requesting 

 permission to establish an ofiice in the rooms of the asso- 

 ciation was considered, and a motion to accord that priv- 

 ilege was unanimously adopted. 



The action of the Pennsylvania authorities in proceed- 

 ing to remove the fish baskets in the Susquehanna River 

 was commended and also the work of the Pennsylvania 

 Fish Commission in removing the wing Avails recently 

 erected in the Delaware River during low water. Pre- 

 paratory measures were taken to celebrate the eleventh 

 anniversary of the Association in November. 



W. G. Seller, Sec'y. 



Lake Gogebic Bass. 



Chicago, Oct, 14. — Our agent at Gogebic, Mich., advises 

 me that on Oct. 5 Mr. J. Edmund Strong, of Chicago, 

 caught in Lake Gogebic eight small-mouth black bass, 

 weighing .29ilbs. He, and the guide who accompanied 

 him, also caught a deer that was swimming across the 

 lake, and succeeded in killing it and bringing it back to 

 the hotel m the boat. On the same day Messrs. A. M. 

 Fuller and Geo. W. Pitkin, of Chicago, caught fourteen 

 black bass weighing 491bs. W. A. Thrall. 



Inning of the Faithful. 



Ft. Dodge, la., Oct. 8.— Fishing in this part of the 

 country is now at its best. The summer fisherman has 



quit. The small boy is in school or on nutting expedi- 

 tions. The granger who spears and dynamites is busy 

 picking corn, and so a few of the faithful who have been 

 "skunked" on some trips and poorly rewarded on others, 

 are now reafjing the reward of "our patience. Small- 

 mouth black bass are biting freely, and the big ones have 

 broken their summer's fast and make the strings average 

 up well. I saw a string of ten black bass which weighed 

 251bs., not a bad average for our stream, the Des Moines. 

 Bait is scarce; frogs are either too small or just the oppo- 

 site, and the bass don't seem to take even those of proper 

 size freely. Minnows are scarce, as many small streams 

 are dry. Small bullheads, about Sin. long, are the best 

 bait we get. These are tough and lively and eagerly 

 taken. CoNVis. 



Merrimack Salmon. 



Hadley, Mass., Oct. 10. — ^An October run of heavy 

 salmon, some of them estimated to weigh 40lbB., have 

 been trying for several days to get up the Merrimack 

 River at Sewall's Falls, but were prevented by the low 

 water and the absence of a fishway. Fish have also been 

 lying at the mouth of the Suncook, a tributary of the 

 Merrimack, but have been unable to get over the dam 

 at Garvin's Falls. The State Fish Commissioners propose 

 to capture them and take them to the State Hatching 

 House at Plymouth, where the spawn will be secured. 



C. H. 



Fishing in the Gulf. 



BiLOXi, Miss. , Sept. 27. — As fine a catch of fish as I have 

 ever known caught was made on the Horseshoe Bar, 

 about two miles in front of Biloxi, last Tuesday. Messrs. 

 C. N. Golden, Louis Hahn and F. Fayard caught with 

 hook and line 110 Spanish mackerel, one jackfish of 28lbs, 

 and one lemon fish. The catch weighed 240lbs., and was 

 the largest knovm to this coast for many years. These 

 parties were in one boat. Other boats caught from 10 

 to 75 mackerel each. The fishing all along the Gulf coast 

 has been excellent, and the outlook for the winter is 

 very promising. - Anodrac. 



he Mmml 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



Nov. 81 to 24.— New .Jersey K. L.. at Newark, Dr. W. F. Seidler, See. 

 Dec. 12 to 15.— R. I. Poultry and Pet Stock Ass'n, at Providence. 



FIELD TRLiLS. 



Oct. 2.3.— Brunswick Fur Club field trials, at North Acton, Mass. 

 Bradford S. Turpin, Dorchester, Mass., Sec'y. 



Oct. 30.— National Beagle Club trials, at Nanuet, N. Y. Geo. Laick, 

 Tarrytown, N. Y., Secretary. 



Nov. 6.— United States Field Trials Club's Fall Trials, Bicknell, Ind. 

 P, T. Madison, Sec'y, IndianapoUs. , 



Nov. 7.— New England Beagle Club trials. W. S. Clark, Linden, 

 Mass., Secretary. 



Nov. 7.— International Field Trial Club's Fourth Trials, Chatham, 

 Ont. W. B. Wells, Sec'y, Chatham. 



Nov. 15.— Ohio Field Trial Club's Second Trials, Canton, O. C. Y. 

 LeUinger, Sec'y. 



Nov. 20.— Eastern Field Trial Qub's Trials, at Newton, N. C. Mem- 

 bers' Stake Nov. 16. W. A. Coster. Sec'y. 



Nov. 27.— Irish Setter Club's Field Trials, at ThoraasvUle, N. C. All- 

 Age entries close Nov. 1. G. G. Davis, Sec'y. 



1894. 



Jan. 1.— Southern California Field Trials, at Ontario, Cal. H. C 

 Hinman, Los Angeles, Cal., Sec'y. 



Jan. 29.— Southern Field Trial Club's Trials, New Albany, Miss. T. 

 M. Brumby, Sec'y, Marietta, Ga. 



Feb. 19.— United States Field Trials Club's Spring Trials. Grand 

 Junction, Teun. Second payment in Derby due Nov. 1. P. T. Madi- 

 son, Sec'y, Indianapolis, Ind. 



POINTS AND FLUSHES. 



[By a Staff Coi-re3po7ident.] 



A Fishy Matter. 



The two .iudges of the Minneapolis dog show conspired to- 

 gether in rather a fishy matter, which I am sure will lead to 

 the destruction of some fish. Mr. Hansen took Mr. David- 

 son as his guest to his home at Osceola Mills, which invita- 

 tion included some troub fishing in Mr. Hansen's private 

 waters. Mr. Davidson surrendered easily. The writer, too, 

 was the recipient of a similar generous invitation and felt 

 like surrendering easily, but owing to busy days, inclination 

 gave way to duty. May they "cast their lines in pleasant 

 places." 



By the way, I regret to observe the proclivity and growing 

 practice of erstwhile good dogmen of "going fishiuK." They 

 have a hard-earned reputation for veracity to cherish, and 

 with such in possession are in trust for posterity, one cannot 

 be too careful these days. Still I do not anticipate any alarm- 

 ing defection, since no dogman of proper sentiments Avill 

 ever take any thrilling pleasure in catching trout till the 

 latter are bred true black, white and tan in color, of that 

 there is no question. Trout which are oranee-ticked, 

 or red ticked or roan, can never hope to hold a firm 

 place in the seething corner of the true dogman's heart, 

 in which repose his large store of pure affections. 

 The dogman is a keen stickler for the refinements 

 in the fancy, and when he goes fishing or angling— or both— 

 he should not forget that he has a mi.ssion, namely, to im- 

 prove and elevate his brethren of the fly. Never neglect true 

 art, and this cannot be done without a conscientious obsers'- 

 ance of details. For instance, it is now quite as bad form to 

 shoot a quail, snipe, woodcock or grouse over a liver-coloi-ed 

 setter as it is to catch a trout with a Avorm, or, rather, to 

 catch a trout by inducing him under various cloaks of kind- 

 ness and friendship, to bite a worm with a concealed weapon 

 about its person. To the rude barbarian, who shoots to kill 

 or fishes with a pole, the delicacies of true art are uaught; 

 yet the little refinements, after all, are what fill the longings 

 of the spirit of the true sportsman for something nobler and 

 higher. If a sportsman feels that his pleasure rests solely on 

 possessing a dog whose color matches his own complexion, or 

 whose happiness con.sists in wearing a costume which har- 

 monizes with the foliage, the sky, the birds or the eternal fit- 

 ness of things, who, by a single word, would deny the happi- 

 ness to him? 



But it is useless to get fish and dog mixed— even the Indian 

 would not so fancy them. Yet I dislike to see man's best 

 friend deserted for the tinsel and glitter of speckled beau- 

 ties. 



Mr. Geo. E, Gray, the well-known trainer and field trial 

 handler, stopped over at Minneapolis to attend the dog 

 show. The summer sun and prairie winds had left a healthy 

 bronze on his cheek, and the firm grip of his hand denoted 

 that he is no weakling. He was en route to Indiana with a 

 string of twelve dogs. The southern part of the State will 

 be the section in which be will give his dogs work on quail 

 and put on the finishing touches preparatory to the fall con- 

 tests. 



The sportsmen who are interested in field trials should 



keep in mind that the All-Aged Stake of the International 

 Field Trials closes positively on Nov. 1. Address W. B. 

 Wells, Secretary, Chatham, Ontario, 



At the Minneapolis show I met Mr. Paul H. Gotzian, who 

 still admires his old fancy, although he is not so materially 

 interested as an owner as in mouths not far in the past. 

 There, too, was Mr, Al. C. Anderson, always amiable and 

 affable. He, the present year, took a trip to the Pacific 

 coast, but did not take an active interest in canine matters 

 while there. 



I read with much pain of the destruction of the entire 

 plant of the St. Laudry Clarion, a weekly paper published 

 at Opelousas, La, Mr. J. W. Jackson, a gentleman well 

 known as a sportsman and breeder of fine dogs, is the editor. 

 All the circumstances indicated that the fire was of incen- 

 diary origin. The paper was fearless and independent in its 

 policy, which rmdoubtedly made it some enemies. It is just 

 -such papers as the St. Laudry Clarion that the South needs 

 to stir it to action and to strive for progress. With an energy 

 which is svtpposed to be limited to the bouudaries of the 

 North, the paper came out the following week, but undis- 

 mayed and unflinching. Out of the ashes of that fire. I 

 believe, will grow a larger paper with the loyalty of a large 

 constituency clustering about it. So let us hope 'it will be. 



In a brief note Gapt. C. M. McMurdo informed us that he 

 would pass through Chicago about Oct. 4 on his way to his 

 home in Virginia. It will be remembered that he has been 

 enjoying the bountiful chicken crop in Manitoba. A pleasure 

 was lost by being absent from Chicago in attending the Min- 

 neapolis show at the time Captain McMurdo was in the city. 

 "WTien speaking of a gemiine gentleman and sportsman, one 

 can never go wrong in mentioning the Captain. 



Mr. H. W. Lacy, kennel editor of Forest and Stream, 

 stepped off the train in Chicago Sunday morning, Oct. 1, 

 and the two Western representatives of Forest and Stream 

 met him simtiltaneou.sly after a wait of about two hours in 

 the ghostly inorning hours for his arrival on a late train. 

 We felt much solicitude for him, as we greatly feared he 

 might be lost in this great city. He was en route to Huron, 

 S. D., to dally with the gay greyhound andgiddy jack rabbit. 

 As he did not leave till evening there was time for a trip to 

 the World's Fair, which was made by boat. It is consid- 

 ered the proper caper on seeing the Fair to look awe-struck 

 or interested and to remark that it is a great and glorious 

 enterprise, a grand monument to American enterprise in 

 general and Chicago in particular, etc , ad inflniPitm, but 

 Mr. Lacy did neither. He gazed upon it as calmly as if 

 world's fairs were as common as cobblestones. He greatly 

 admired Forest asd Stream's exhibit in the Fisheries 

 Building. But we were pressed for time and hurriedly 

 walked through the middle of the grounds and the Plaisance 

 I believe that Mr. Lacy was not quite in his usual good form, 

 as he only talked dog about eight-tenths of the time. 



Mr. Anderson Retires. 



I regret to learn that Mr. H. B. Anderson of Glen View. 

 N. J., will retire from the profession of dog training; that is, 

 I regret it is to lose a man who was an ornament to it. I re- 

 joice that he will be in a better occupation, and my wishes 

 go with him for his prosperity and happiness. He writes to 

 me^imder date of Oct. 9, as follows: "I drop you this note 

 to say that I am going out of dogs entirely. I am returniuK 

 to the practice of dentistry, and after the 15th inst., my office 

 address will be Franklinville, N. Y., where all communica- 

 tions should be sent. I look over my three years as a pro- 

 fessional h.andler with pardonable pride, as t have been in- 

 strumental in landing six winners in three seasons, viz.. 

 Ready II., Nugget, Bedford, Lady Alice, Nanon and Ben 

 Hm- of Riverview, who I prepared for last year's Members' 

 Stake, Philadelphia trials. I am also out of red setters en- 

 tirely, and no more need apply. The only dog I keep in re- 

 tiring is a Rowdy Rod ex Prima Donna puppy." He, too, 

 has an enviable record as a gentlemanly handler. 



B. Waters. 



Westchester County Fair Show. 



The dog show of the Westchester County Fair was held at 

 White Plains, N. Y., Sept. 25 to 30. The undersigned did the 

 benching and superintended the show. There were 165 dogs 

 on exhibition. Mr. George Laick, secretary of the National 

 Beacle Club, was judge. Mt. Morgan Kennels of St. Ber- 

 nards had a fine string of dogs, two fine Yorkshire bitches 

 being with them. Palisade Kennels had smooth-coated St. 

 Bernards; and mastiff dog Ray took second prize. Herman 

 Kruger of New York city showed some St. Bernards, also 

 Dr. James of Rye, N. Y., had seven St, Bernai-ds. Fox- 

 hounds were fine; Hall, Brown & Co. won first in the does 

 and first and second in puppies. Sixteen beagle dogs ana 

 puppies were shown, Sunnyiside Kennels, owned by Beck 

 and brother, showed six dogs; two won first and two second. 

 Brier Cliff Kennels first in dogs. This dog won at Yonkers, 

 N. Y., and he. at New York city. Mr. Laick was at home 

 among these little hunters. Pointers shown by Mr. W. J. 

 Gormley of Yonkers were a fine string. H. McCarty of Tar- 

 rytown showed two good pointer puppies. There were only 

 three English setters shown and they were nothing extra. 



Three collie bitches were shown; the first and second were 

 good, In great Danes two showed up The first prize dog, 

 Hannis 11. , owned by Ernest Hoig of New York city, stands 

 .33in. and his weight is 1601bs.; he was admired by all who 

 saw him. Three greyhounds w' ere shown; the fir.st and sec- 

 ond dogs were fine. There were only three Irish setters and 

 Mr. Laick was some time judging them as both winners 

 were very good. 



Terriers were out in force and there w^ere many good ones. 

 The bull-terrier prize winner was above the average. In 

 pugs one entry took first. French poodles had two entries, 

 and the fir.st prize winner in dogs, owned by H. McCarty, 

 was a good one. The judging was done more .systematically 

 than ever before, Mr. Laick giving general satisfaction. 



D. C. Paulding. 



North T.aEavTo wy, N. Y. 



Mr. Barrymore's Spaniels. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In my letter to you of recent date, and describing to yoit 

 the spaniels which Messrs. Barrymore and Kent have, I fear 

 I made a mist,ake, as these toys w^ere obtained on board a 

 China steamer at San Francisco, and as the description given 

 by W. K. Taunton answers exactly to the dogs referred to, I 

 am cf the opinion that they are the genuine Chinese toy 

 spaniel, as hereafter described: "China also possesses a small 

 breed of toy dogs very much resembling the Japanese 

 .spaniel, wirh which the public are familiar from the .speci- 

 mens exhibited from time to time at our different shows. 

 They are about the size of a small Blenheim spaniel, with 

 long, silky, wavy coats, black and white; the nose is not so 

 short as in our modern toy .spaniels. These dogs come from 

 Pekin and thereabouts, and are obtained through the Napau- 

 lese traders, wlio go to Lhassa in Thibet and get the dogs 

 from the Chinese caravans which go there."— (W. K. Taun- 

 ton, "Foreign Dogs," 18f>S, England.) 



The spaniels which I mentioned are black and white, with 

 long hair, although they are not over five to seven months 

 old. To give you a better idea I send you a photo of them, 

 for which we must thank Messrs. Lear & Cotton. I have 

 never been an admirer of toys, but after seeing these beauti- 

 ful dogs I am converted and I hope to see a class for them in 

 these United States. RiCHABD FRANCIS. 



Omaha, Neb., Oct. 10. 



