March 8, 1894.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



1SS 



ANGLING NOTES. 



Whitefish Lemonade. 



Last week while writing in these notes about the size 

 of smelt fry, I was reminded of what happened to some 

 whitefish fry in charge of the late A. H. Powers, Fish 

 Commissioner of New Hampshire. Mr. Powers was trans- 

 porting a lot of whitefish fry in cans on the cars, and was 

 left at a railroad junction with his charge to wait for a 

 brain on another road to take him to his destination. The 

 3ans of fish had attracted all the loiterers about the station 

 and some of them did not understand what the cans con- 

 tained. 



Mr. Powers, anxious about the condition of the little 

 fish, dipped from one of the cans a tumblerful of water 

 and whitefish fry to examine them. Trout fry of similar 

 age would have massed at the bottom of the can, but the 

 whitefish were "swimming up" all through the water, 

 ■The fry were semi-transparent mites not unlike in ap- 

 pearance particles of the inner tissue of a lemon that had 

 Keen through a lemon squeezer. Holding glass and con- 

 sents up to the light he watched the fry for a moment 

 land then put the glass on the cover of a closed can as he 

 jgpeered down into the open one to see how the fry were 

 :ioing. He raised his head just in time to see one of the 

 loungers with head thrown back, glass in hand, and the 

 Jiast of its contents disappearing down his throat. A 

 ■puzzled look appeared on the man's face which quickly 

 Cave place to one of fear, as he exclaimed: "Bigosh! I 

 fbhought that was lemonade. "What was it?" 

 I Mr. Powers, with a serious look on his face, informed 

 «he man that he had swallowed about twenty-five live 

 ■Whitefish, and if the conditions existing in his interior 

 department should prove satisfactory, the fish were 

 fcapable of growing from thread-like fry into fish of lOlbs. 

 Each, thereby adding 2501bs. to his weight, much to his 

 Knowledge of natural history and, as an object lesson to 

 stirb his curiosity, would be worth more than could be 

 somputed. 



The Sea Serpent Redivivus. 



I am not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but when, 

 it- week or two ago, I mentioned that President Jordan 

 nad said that there was no such thing as a sea serpent, 

 and added that I presumed in spite of this fact the sea 

 3erpent would bob up, as usual, next summer in the 

 newspapers, I had not the slightest idea that at the 

 moment of writing the news was on its way to this 

 country from South Africa that the sea serpent had 

 already been seen in 1894. The Natal Advertiser tells the 

 3tory of his serpentship, and it seems to be a brand new 

 f&ecies, and the largest that has appeared thus far, inas- 

 much as it was computed by the otiicers and passengers 

 of a steamship to be not less than 150ft. long. The 

 3teamer was turned from its course and ran close to the 

 u sarpent," when it was found that it had several pairs of 

 fins about 20ft. apart on its body as large round as a 

 whale, and of the shape and color of a conger eel. It 

 was no relation of the serpent in the proverb — "How 

 sharper than a toothless serpent to have a child say 

 'thanks.'" This fellow had "a jaw about 7ft. long, armed 

 with large teeth, the gums being of a whitish color." 



That is the kind of a serpent I am looking for, and I 

 would like to get seven of them to put into seven trout 

 brooks that I know. I do not care so much about the 

 color of the gums, but its esophagus must match its greed 

 and it must be able to swallow a man without rolling its 

 eyes, and if its body is 700ft. long, all the better; but it 

 inust not taper too much toward the tail, as I shall expect 

 it to take in a "trout hog" or "fingerling fisherman" for 

 each 6ft. of its length. In fact, I think that the specifica- 

 tions should demand that every 6ft. of length should take 

 in two "fingerling trout fishermen," as they are about the 

 smallest patterns made. No serpent under 150ft. in length 

 will answer, for smaller ones would become gorged on the 

 "Smart Alecks" who go out before the law opens the fish- 

 ing season, and the digestive organs of the serpent would 

 Oot be in order to mee t the rush of other sorts of men who 

 violate the law in different ways when the season is open. 



I would like to reserve the right to reject all offers of 

 serpents that may fill the above description if there should 

 Ui the meantime be discovered a serpent with jaws 7ft. 

 long at the posterior end of the body to duplicate those at 

 the anterior end, because a double-ender would do more 

 business and sooner prepare the way for honest anglers 

 to get some decent fishing in our stocked trout streams. 



Public Fish and Private Waters. 

 Some time ago a gentleman in Lansingburgh, N. Y., 

 asked me if the New York Fish Commission furnished 

 Itrout fry for private waters, and I told him that it had no 

 ■right to do so, and presumed that it did not. I had for- 

 Igotten that I made this reply until a day or two ago when 

 •he reminded me of it and sent me a clipping from the 

 INew York Tribune with the' headline "Fish for Private 

 (Waters," and said: "Here is evidence that the State does 



■ furnish trout for private waters, and if further confirma- 

 | tion is needed you will find it in Forest and Stream, Feb. 

 1 17, in a letter from C. W. Puffer, Supt. , stating that he 

 I has ordered 5,000 brown trout for a preserve in New Jer- 

 I sey (out of this State, you will notice) from the State 

 lhatctiery in Caledonia, Do you wish to revise your reply 

 ■to me?" 



| I am not infallible, but in this instance I have nothing 

 I bo revise, for there is no evidence whatever that the State 

 ■has furnished trout for private waters, or that it proposes 

 I to do so. To be sure, the Tribune clipping reads, under 

 I the head I have quoted: "Many applications have been 

 j received (by the Fish Commission) from all parts of the 

 j State on the part of people who wish to stock private 



■ waters with fresh- water fish," but that is not evidence 

 ■that the applications were granted, even if they were 

 ■made. If my friend will send to the secretary of the 

 I New York Fish Commission for blank fish applications he 

 I will find that they read as follows: "The undersigned 



I applies for fry of to be planted in the Public 



I Water hereafter described, etc." Then follows a sort of 

 I civil service examination as to what the applicant knows 

 ■about fish, and water, and temperature, and fish-food, and 



■ the law, etc. There is another blank used for black bass 

 I which reads: "The undersigned applies for black 



■ bass to be planted in the Public Water, etc.," and then 

 I follows the civil service examination as in the case of fish 



fry, and the average applicant will do well if he passes 

 fifty per cent, of the^questions which are necfssary for 

 the intelligent distribution of fish. In each case "Public 

 Wa,ter" is emphasized in capital letters, which is evidence 

 that it is the Tribune which is wrong and not the writer. 



As to Mr. Puffer's letter in Forest and Stream, he does 

 not say that he has ordered the trout from the State 

 hatchery at Caledonia. He says he has ordered them 

 from Caledonia. One of the State hatcheries is situated 

 at Caledonia, and I know that it is quite customary to 

 associate, this hatchery with the name of the post-office, 

 to the exclusion of a similar institution wholly free from 

 State control at the same place. If my critical friend 

 will look in the same issue of Forest and Stream to 

 which he refers me he will, in the advertising columns, 

 find the advertisement of James Annin, Jr. , of Caledonia, 

 who offers trout for sale, and when sold he can send them 

 to Europe, Asia, Africa or New Jersey, for the product of 

 his hatchery and trout ponds is individual property to do 

 with as he likes, and while I personally know nothing 

 about the matter, I presume it is this Caledonia establish- 

 ment that is to furnish the trout mentioned in Mr. Puf- 

 fer's letter. 



Doubtful things are mighty uncertain, and if my friend 

 will continue to apply at the Forest and Stream shop 

 when in doubt about matters and things which this jour- 

 nal is devoted to and avoid the false gods of the daily 

 newspapers, he will get information that he can bank 

 upon. A. N. Cheney. 



PORTAGE LAKE. 



Portage Lake, in Province of Quebec, is a beautiful 

 sheet of clear water with some six or eight square miles 

 surface, situated near the Maine boundary and conse- 

 quently at considerable elevation above sea level. It is 

 perhaps the most beautiful of a large number of lakes 

 clustered among these boundary mountains and forming 

 the headwaters of Portage Brook, a branch of Du Loup 

 River on the Canada side and the north and south 

 branches of the West Branch of Penobscot River in 

 Maine. From Portage to Penobscot Lake the head of 

 the South Branch is only half a mile, and this trail crosses 

 the boundary. All these waters are well stocked with 

 trout — not very large fish, but up to 21bs. or thereabouts; 

 and one lot of ninety taken from Portage in 1891 weighed 

 901bs. At that time 1501bs. of trout could have been 

 taken in a day with a single fly -rod, according to the 

 guide's estimate. The fish are not often rising so freely 

 as they were at that time; but enough can be caught to 

 satisfy any reasonable man at almost any time during the 

 trout season. 



The only feasible way to reach these waters is via Jack- 

 man, Me., thence by train twenty -five miles on the Ken- 

 nebec road across the boundary, and then in and over a 

 tote road nine miles to Portage Lake. 



I first visited this region with Jackman guides, and 

 after the first trip secured guides from the Canada side. 

 The latter is decidedly the better and cheaper way. The 

 Jackman men are not sufficiently acquainted with the 

 country to be efficient there, and they make a trip cost 

 50 per cent, or so more than the local guides find satisfac- 

 tory. 



There is a very nice place for sportsmen to stop near 

 where the State road to Portage Lake starts from the 

 Kennebec road, a house kept by Mrs. Rainy who makes 

 her guests very comfortable. There are several good men 

 living along the Kennebec road, who can be hired as 

 guides. The only one who owns a camping outfit is Rob- 

 ert Elliott, whose address is Kennebec Road, Armstrong 

 P. O., County Beauce, P. Q. He built a camp at Portage 

 last year, owns a nice canoe, some other boats, tents, 

 cooking kit, etc. He is very familiar with this region, 

 having made his living in these woods for more than 

 twenty years. He is a very reliable temperate man, a 

 cheerful willing worker and most excellent woodsman. 

 If notified in advance, Mr. Elliott will send a team to 

 Jackman to meet any train and bring sportsmen over the 

 boundary. Portage Lake can be reached in a day from 

 Jackman, but a more comfortable way is to break the 

 journey by stopping over night at Mrs. Rainy's. 



Good trout fishing is becoming more and more scarce 

 and difficult to reach. I believe Portage Lake offers as 

 good sport in this line as any place equally easy of access, 

 especially for those who consider expense. I shall be 

 pleased to give any further information that may be 

 desired by gentlemen who may like to make this trip. 



In this region deer are plenty, caribou less so, moose 

 rare. Under Mr. Elliott's guiding two very fine caribou 

 heads were secured last fall on the boundary mountains, 

 and one smaller one on the headwaters of St. John River. 



Fred Talcott. 



Providence, R. L 



BOSTON BUDGET. 



Inglewood Looks for Big Fish. 

 The Inglewood Club, the preserves and camps of which 

 are in New Brunswick, but the membership largely in 

 Boston and other cities, is proving, under good manage- 

 ment, to be a successful institution. So far pretty strict 

 rules have to be lived up to and its present management 

 proposes to keep in that track. During the fishing season 

 ladies are not permitted in the camps. This may seem 

 to be a pretty strict rule, but it is a measure agreed to by 

 the majority of the membership and has worked well so 

 far. Daring the summer months, when the camps are 

 not full of sportsmen, members are allowed to take their 

 wives and sisters with them. But guests of any sort 

 are under the direction of a live house committee at all 

 times and no one is allowed the privileges of the preserve 

 without the consent of this committee. Mr. Leroy S. 

 Brown, of Boston, is chairman of this committee and he 

 is determined to keep the camps clear of objectionable 

 people. Mr. Brown received a letter the other day stating 

 that 150,000 trout eggs were about ready for shipment to 

 the hatcheries of the Inglewood preserve from the cele- 

 brated trout breeding establishment of ex Commissioner 

 Wilmot, of Canada. Mr. Wilmot, it will be remembered, 

 was for a number of years Commissioner of Canadian 

 Fisheries. He is greatly interested in fish propagation, 

 and goes into the business with a great deal of study and 

 forethought. The trout eggs he is about sending to the 

 Inglewood hatcheries have all been bred from large 

 parent fish. He writes Mr. Brown that the parent fish 

 from which these eggs have been bred weigh from 1 to 

 41bs. It is Mr. Brown's opinion, and those interested in 

 stocking the Inglewood waters agree with him, that trout 



bred from large parent fish are much more likely to make 

 large fish themselves, other conditions being equal. 



Gilbert Trout Bill Again. 

 The old Gilbert trout bill is again before the Massachu- 

 setts Legislature. The form is essentially the same as ever : 

 simply to permit Mr. Walter L. Gilbert, of Plymouth, to 

 sell the trout he raises in his ponds, in open season. Of 

 course it will again be opposed by the Massachusetts Fish 

 and Game Protective Association, and all other good 

 friends of fish protection in the State. Gentlemen familiar 

 with legislative proceedings, and who know the temper 

 of the present House, do not believe that it will receive 

 much consideration in that body. The Fish and Game 

 Protective Association is asking a law at this session to 

 prevent the seining of smelt in the bays and inlets along 

 the coast, as w T ell as up the smelt streams, and the chances 

 are that such a law will be passed. It is said that the 

 Hoxie measure, to prevent all seining in Buzzards and 

 other bays, does not stand as good a chance for favorable 

 action. 



- Mr. Chamberlayne, who is much interested in protection 

 of our shore fish, as well as the trout streams in the State, 

 made an excellent point the other day, in speaking of the 

 indifference of either wardens or commissioners as to the 

 enforcement of the fish protective laws. "If our fish 

 protective laws are not worth enforcing," was his idea, 

 "then we have no further use for the officers appointed to 

 enforce these laws. " I may not have quoted Mr. Cham- 

 berlayne exactly, but the idea conveyed was a good one. 

 A warden or commissioner who is not earnestly working 

 for the full enforcement of our game and fish protective 

 laws, should be asked to resign immediately. 



Maine Trout Through the Ice. 



Stories of»trout caught through the ice are again in 

 order in the Maine papers. A Monson, Me., dispatch to 

 one paper says that over oOOlbs. of trout were brought 

 into that town in two days last week, and that even a 

 temperature of 2S to 30 c below zero was not sufficient to 

 keep the fishermon from the ice. Another paragraph in 

 the same paper says that a party of seven fishermen 

 brought in a string of over 200 Lbs of trout, the result of 

 two days' fishing. The water is now remarkably low in 

 all of the Maine lakes and ponds, and this makes the 

 work of the ice fishermen all the more deadly. The low 

 water narrows down the feeding ground of the fish. 

 They are thus more starved than usual, from their long 

 fasting under the ice, and it is but the work of passing in 

 hooks baited with live bait, to take every trout in the 

 vicinity of the hole where the lines are put. Special. 



A New Rod and Gun Club. 



The sportsmen of Glens Falls, N. Y., were invited to 

 meet in the directors' parlors of the Young Men's Christian 

 Association on the evening of Feb. 15 to discuss the 

 formation of a Rod and Gun Club. The originator of the 

 idea, Mr. N. R. Gourley, called the meeting to order and 

 Mr. A. N. Cheney was chosen chairman and Mr. C. H. 

 Baxter secretary. The chairman explained the objects of 

 the proposed organization and how its influences might 

 be exerted for the welfare of the fish and game, and as 

 an educational body in the community, how it might 

 become a power for good in training sportsmen in the 

 expert use of rod and gun, and in the proper observances 

 of the game laws. The secretary outlined a plan for 

 organizing a club, and a general discussion followed, 

 which resulted in the meeting by an unanimous vote 

 organizing itself into a Rod and Gun Club. The secretary 

 was instructed to cast a single ballot for A. N. Cheney, 

 correspondent of Forest and Stream, as president. Mr. 

 C. H. Baxter, one of the editors of the Glens Fails 

 Morning Star, was elected secretary, and Mr. S. A. Hays, 

 of the Glens Falls Insurance Company, treasurer. A 

 committee consisting of N. R. Gourley, Rev. J. R. 

 Crosser, D. L. Robertson and Dr. T. J. Henning, was 

 appointed by the president to draft a constitution and 

 by-laws, -suggest a name for the club and report to the 

 club the names of three or five gentlemen to act as a 

 governing board in connection with the officers elected, 

 the club to vote on the names at the next meeting. The 

 club bids fair to be a success, as it undoubtedly will begin 

 its career with about 100 earnest, active members. The 

 enthusiasm shown at the initial meeting gave evidence 

 that the time was ripe for a club of this character, as 

 there is not in the village, containing over 12,000 inhabit- 

 ants, any organization of the sort. Horicon. 



Gilbert Trout Bill. 



Trout fishermen will be pained to learn that the Gilbert 

 Trout Bill has actually passed the Massachusetts Senate, 

 and has passed the House to a third reading. It is almost 

 certain to become a law this time, there being very little 

 chance that Gov. Greenhalge will veto it, as did his worthy 

 predecessor, Gov. Russell. The bill was opposed before 

 the committee by the Fish and Game Protective Associa- 

 tion, but finding that the members of the committee were 

 generally in Mr. Gilbert's favor, the case was given up as 

 hopeless. The measure does not give the full close season 

 to Mr. Gilbert for the sale of his home-raised trout, how- 

 ever, but only the months of February and March. Then 

 the bill on reaching the House (it was first reported in the 

 Senate), was amended by exempting the four western 

 counties of the State — Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin 

 and Berkshire. Another amendment has also been tacked 

 on forbidding the sale of any trout under Sin. in length. 

 The bill now goes back to the Senate for concurrence in 

 these amendments. It was first on the order for Monday, 

 and the amendments were to be vigorously opposed by the 

 friends of Mr. Gilbert. Special. 



Game and Fish at Albany. 



[From our Special Correspondent.] 



The Assembly committee on fisheries and game will hold but one 

 meeting a week through the session. It will be on Thursday after- 

 noon at committee room No. 3. 



A NEW-SUBSCRIBER OFFER. 



A bona fide new subscriber sending us $5 will receive for that Bora 

 the Forest and Stream one year (price $4) and a set of Zimmerman's 

 famous "Ducking Scenes" (advertised on another page, price $5)— a 

 89 value for $5. 



This offer is to new subscribers only. It does not apply to renewals. 



For $3 a bona fide new subscriber for six months will receive the 

 Forest and Stream during Ithat time and a copy of Dr. Van Fleet's 

 handsome work,J"Bird;Portraits for the Young" (the price of which 

 fl13) 



