362 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 28, 1894. 



ANGLING NOTES. 



[New Hampshire Hatcheries. 



The Fish Commissioners of New Hampshire have 

 adopted the plans of the New York Fish Commissioners, 

 and placed certain hatcheries belonging to the State in 

 charge of certain commissioners. New Hampshire has 

 nine hatcheries, two more than New York will have when 

 the two under process of construction are completed. The 

 nine hatcheries are divided as follows: Commissioner 

 Shurtleff has charge of those at Meredith, Ashland and 

 Colebrook; Commissioner Griffin those at Manchester, 

 Laconiaand Bristol; Commissioner Wentworth those at 

 Keene, Sunapee and Plymouth. 



New Hampshire is keenly interested in her wealth of 

 fish and game, for she recognizes its value to the people, 

 but it seems a mistaken policy to erect a swarm of little 

 fish hatcheries all over the State, where a less number of 

 well equipped stations properly located will do the better 

 work at less expense for operating. I mention this, as I 

 understand that appropriations have been made to add to 

 the present number of hatching stations in the State. 



Death of Judge Ferriss. 



On Wednesday morning, April 11, at his residence in 

 Glens Falls, N. Y, Judge Orange Ferriss died suddenly. 

 He was nearly 80 years of age and up to the day of his 

 death was as active as a man of half his years. Judge 

 Ferriss, a lineal descendant of John Alden. four times 

 removed, possessed the upright, honest and sturdy char- 

 acteristics of his Puritan and Quaker ancestors. Much of 

 his life was spent as a public man, as judge of his native 

 county for twelve years, four years in Congress, six years 

 as Commissioner of the Court of Southern Claims, and six 

 years as auditor of the U. S. Treasury. A few years ago 

 Judge Ferriss and I were stormbound for an entire day 

 on an island in Like George while trolling for trout in 

 May, and he said that during fifty odd years he had spent 

 a part of each season at Lake George, fishing in its waters 

 and shooting on its shores. He recalled that he was once 

 similarly stormbound with my father when they were 

 camping together, probably before I was born. 



Judge Ferriss was president of the Glen Club at the 

 time of his death, an organization that has occupied an 

 island in Lake George with permanent cottage for a camp 

 for nearly thirty years, and it is to Judge Ferriss and 

 another member of the club, Mr. Frank Lapham, that we 

 are indebted for the largest small-mouth black bass in the 

 world. In 1886 these two men, as they were breaking 

 camp at Glen Island, caught a number of little black bass 

 from Lake George and put them in a bait bucket and 

 later in the day planted thirteen of the fish that were 

 alive and active, in the inlet to Long Pond, now called 

 Glen Lake. The thirteen little bass stocked the pond and 

 from it have since been taken small-mouthed black bass 

 weighing lOlbs. 



To his out of door life as a sportsman Judge Ferriss 

 ascribed his rugged health for four score years. Within 

 ten days of his death he said to a fellow director of the 

 Glens Falls Insurance Company that he had never been 

 sick, and he never would be but once, and then it would 

 be a brief illness; and his life came to a close, full of years 

 and honors, as he had predicted. 



An Angling Sir Bountiful. 



In several notes in this column I have mentioned an 

 English gentleman who was in this country for the fish- 

 ing—Mr. Alfred C. Harrasworth, of London. 



Before he left the other side I told Mr. Harmsworth 

 that the only fishing I could recommend in this country 

 between Jan. 1 and April 1 was in Florida; and to Florida 

 he went, and was from the first so enthusiastic about 

 what he found there in the way of sport that I should not 

 be surprised if the citizens presented him with the free- 

 dom of the State in a gold box. After catching a single 

 tarpon, Mr. Harmsworth was suddenly called home, and 

 the London Times takes a column and a half to explain 

 why he was called. 



Mr. Frederick G. Jackson, an Arctic explorer, was ap- 

 parently consuming with a desire to have another try at 

 reaching the North Pole, and all that was lacking was a 

 hatful of money to procure a steamer and other things 

 necessary for the expedition. Mr. Harmsworth, quietly 

 fishing for tarpon down in Florida, apparently hears of 

 it, and he reels up his lines, hurries to New York and 

 then across the Atlantic, and as the Times says: "Owing 

 to the munificent offer of Mr. Alfred C. Harmsworth to 

 bear the entire cost of a fully equipped scientific expedi- 

 tion to Franz Josef Land, with a view to advancing as far 

 as possible toward the Pole," the thing is done, the way 

 is prepared, and the expedition will start early in the 

 summer to be gone three years. Altogether, "the Jack- 

 son-Harmsworth expedition to Franz Josef Land" may 

 be called rapid transit irom Florida to the North Pole. 



In a personal letter from Mr. Harmsworth, dated at his 

 place in Kent on March 31, he says, with the modesty of 

 an angler of high degree: "I had to come back from 

 Florida more rapidly than I expected, owing to a polar 

 expedition which I am fitting out. My expedition is 

 entertaining the American expedition (Wellman's) to- 

 morrow. Wellman is a particularly fine fellow. * * * 

 I have not had time to tackle the fishing articles yet. I 

 had hoped to have written them on the return voyage 

 but we had rough weather, and writing was almost 

 impossible. The advice you sent me regarding Florida 

 fishing proved most useful and accurate. It is a pity that 

 there is no reliable book, in fact, no book at all, on Florida 

 fishing. An impartial work, run in the interests of sports- 

 men and not hotel keepers, would sell, of that I am con- 

 fident. I estimate that between 5,000 and 10,000 people 

 take rods to Florida every season. This year, although 

 the fishing was very good, the number of people was 

 poor on account of the depression. All those to whom I 

 spoke agreed that there was great need of such a work as 

 I refer to. The hotel advertisements are most misleading 



that of being particularly ridiculous, as there is no 



fishing there. 



"I did not, unfortunately, get another tarpon. Had I 

 stayed a fortnight longer, as I intended, I should probablv 

 have landed three or four. I had a big fellow on and arn 

 now impatient for 1896 to arrive, when I propose going to 

 Florida again. . • e 



^ "™ w ^ s rather surprising to me that so few people from 

 the North go to Florida for sport. Most of the Northerners 

 we met there sat in the hotels all day. To go to Florida 

 and not to fish for tarpon is criminal. 



• 'I met some people in New York who had been to Florida 



for fishing and came away disappointed. The reason was 

 simple. They had gone to the wrong place and at the 

 wrong time. Except perhaps in the very best salmon 

 rivers in Scotland or some parts of Norway or Lapland, I 

 do not imagine there is such good fishing in the world as 

 can be found in Florida, if one goes to the right place. 



' 'I had my first fishing here to day. Twenty-three trout 

 in an hour is certainly my record. I never had so many 

 before and do not expect to again in so short a time. They 

 took any kind of fly. By the way, I ought to say that 

 the tackle dealer you sent me to for tarpon tackle, treated 

 me extremely well. His tackle was of the very best and 

 he would not let me take any more than I really wanted. 



' 'I hope to send over crowds of sportsmen for the tar- 

 pon fishing presently. A good many go already via 

 Havana, but if the fishing were better known here 

 thousands who spend a great deal more money in going to 

 outlandish places like Lapland (for salmon and trout) and 

 India (for masheer) would run over to Florida, which, 

 after all, is only an easy nine days from London. * * * 

 I am off to London early to-morrow morning to meet 

 your compatriots." 



The fishing articles referred to are some that are prom- 

 ised to me about Mr. Harmsworth's experience in Florida 

 the past winter. When he returns to America he will 

 find another fish, the ouananiche, waiting to give him 

 first-class sport, and with which I feel sure he will fall in 

 love. 



As Mr. Harmsworth owns a newspaper in London he 

 may have something to say about Florida fishing on his 

 own account, which surely will benefit the country in 

 view of his high opinion of it. A. N, Cheney. 



NOTES FROM MOOSEHEAD LAKE. 



FLORIDA TARPON. 



Woodward, Ala., April 11.— Editor Forest and Stream: 

 I send you inclosed a photograph which I thought might 

 interest you. I may say that 1 was a witness to this catch 

 and that no assistance whatever was rendered in taking 

 the tarpon, except when the fish was drawn up to the 

 boat he was gaffed by the guide, which is the usual way 

 of taking him. 



Fort Myers, Fla., afforded excellent tarpon fishing dur- 

 ing part of the month of March. I was there with my 

 family for two weeks, and all of us captured six tarpon, 

 three being credited to me, two taken by my son, a 17- 

 year- old boy, and one by my daughter, of which the in- 

 closed is a photograph. J. H. Woodward. 



Punt a Gorda, Fla., April 12.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: I think you have had reports from this place 

 as to the tarpon fishing this spring, but I don't recall hav- 

 ing seen anything in your paper as to the fishing at Fort 

 Myers. W. P. Washburn has kindly supplied me with a 

 list of those who have caught tarpon and. the weight and 

 length of the fish, as hereafter given. 



The best two days' fishing so far was on the 8th and 9th 

 inst. (about four miles below Fort Myers), when twenty- 

 six tarpon were caught. Mr. N. M. George on last-named 

 date had ten strikes and landed three fish. Mr. W. Ashley 

 Jones, of Richmond, Va., succeded in landing a fish which 

 weighed 168+lbs.; and that, too, on a broken rod. 



Mr. Wm. W. Jacobus, of East Orange, N. J., who has 

 been stopping at the Tarpon House at Punta Eassa, told 

 me that he had been trolling lately for tarpon in Estero 

 Bay, using a drumfish belly to troll with, and he said that 

 he had twenty- eight strikes and caught four tarpon, all 

 of which averaged over 901bs each. Here is the record of 

 tarpon so far caught at Fort Myers: 



Dec. Lbs. Ft. In. March Lbs. Ft In 



28. A. M. McGregor... 124 6 3 29. N. M. George 62 5 



Jan. 29 F. B. Frishhiuth... 180 6 8 



8. A. W. Cochran..... 98 5 9 29. F B. Frishmuth . 103 

 Feb. 29. H. S. Drinker, Jr.. 150 6 7 



1. Alva Finney 102 5 9 30. R. J. Hollo way. ...130 5 8 



2. B. F. Ray 124^ 6 7 31. A. M. Mitchell 106 6 2 



24. J. L. Ellwood 117 6 2 April 



March 2. F S. Hodges 98 5 11 



14. Dr. E. P. George. . . 76 4 9 2. E. P. Borden 129 6 1 



14. Dr. E P. George. . . 78 5 1 2. David G. Yates .124 6 4 



15. J. C. Mattison 92 6 2. Mrs. G. A. West... 107 6 2 



15. J. 0. Mattison 63 5 3. Slocum Howland 89 



15. F. S. Hodges 94 5 11 3. Clarence Howland 137 



15. J. Bird Nixon 108 6 1 3. W. Ashley Jones. .. 86 5 10 



15. F. B. Frisbmuth.. .114 5 10 3. A. M. Mitchell 163 7 



15. F. B. Frisbmuth... 78 4 7 4. W. Ashley Jones. 92 5 8 

 15. J. V. O'Donabue. ..109 5 1 4. R. T. Holloway. .105 5 8 

 15. A H.R.Woodward 78 4. E. P. Borden 130 6 2 



15. J.H.Woodward,,. 83 * 4. A.M. Mitchell 62 5 



16. F. S. Hodges 91 5 10 5. J. R. Moore 57 5 2 



16. F. B. Frishmuth 51 5. Dr. E. P. George 72 5 2 



16. F. B. Frishmuth. ...104 5. Amos R. Little ".151 6 6 



17. L. S. Cole 60 5 2 5. Amos R. Little 115 6 3 



17. F.S.Hodges 66 5 5. David G. Yates... 68 5 



r,. R. C. 'jiiiriiov.... cii i ii 5 k. F.rarn-1 'm u i 



17. F. B. Frishmuth. ... 87 6. E. Beadel "133 6 7 



17. F. B. Frishmuth. ... 61 6. R. T. Holloway ' 114 6 4 



17. Geo. D. Wi.trous... 82 5 7 6. N. M. George "'l09 6 »V, 



17. Geo. D. Watrous... 82 5 7 8. R. T. Holloway "ll8 6 4 



18. J. Boyd Nixon 134 6 0 8. R. T Holloway "64 4 10 



18. L. S. Cole 88 6 8.R.T. Holloway 75 5 5 



18. C. J. Hicks 142 6 10 8. A. M. Mitchell 107 6 1 



18. J. W. Comstock. ... 54 5 9 8. A. M. Mitchell '75 53 

 18. Miss B. Woodward. 125 6 S. A. M. McGregor" ' 87 5 s 



18 J. H. Woodward... 93 8. A M. McGregor 122 6 



18. F. B. Frishmuth. ... 77 8. W. Ashley Jones" '.112 6 2 



19. W. J. Comstock.... 71 • 5 8. David G. Yates 1G7 6 7 

 19. W. J. Comstock. ... 98 5 10 8. Amos R. Little ] ' ' 143 6 4 



19. John M. Lakin 70 5 1 8. David G. Yates 106 6 1 



19. W. G. DeWilt 120 6 4 8. Amos R. Little "'.105 5 10 



19. W. G. DeWitt 138 6 7 8. Amos R. Little "l08 6 



19. F. B Frishmuth 90 9. W. Ashlpy Jones" . 87 5 8 ' 



20. A.H. R. Woodward!-^ 6 6 9. W. Ashley Jones" 163^ 6 11 



20. F. 8. Hodges 126 6 9. Mrs. R.T.'HoUaw'a'yllO 5 10 



20. E. H. Pardee 167 6 11 9. Dr. E, P. George 122 6 3 



20. Dr. C S. Baldwin.. 6'J 5 2 9. Robert. Walpofe 'l06 5 6 



21. J. H. Woodward... 73 5 1 9. David G. Yates " 50 



21. F. B. Frishmuth. ... 89*4 9. E. P. Borden "93 59 



21. F. B. Frishmuth. ...114 9. Clarence Howland! 61 5 

 22 Com. Falls 9. Slocum Howland 111 59 



22. F. B. Frishmuth.,. .103 9. Amos R. Little "l03 6 



22. F, B. Frishmuth, ...104 9. N. M. George 100 5 s 



23. F. B. Frishmuth. ... 73 9. N. M. George 138 6 3 



23. F. B. Frishmuth 114 9. N. M. George 110 5 8 



24. F. B. Frishmuth. ...110 9. E. L. Toland 164 6 3 



24. J. H. Hildreth 146 6 9 9. F. B. Frishmuth"" 114 c 2 



25. F. B. Frishmuth.... 88 9. S. Low.. " 'l06 fi 



27. R. R Rand 120 6 4 9. G. A. West 95 « n 



28. A. M. McGregor. ...150 6 6 9. G. A. West 85 6 9 

 28. F. B. Frishmuth. ...106 6 10. Prof. C. E. Aklev' lSO 6 R 

 28. M. Toland 78 5 7 10. N. M. George ' 'l02 H 7 



28. S. Low 85 5 6 10. R. M. Riddle 158 6 k 



29, Com. H. Belknap... 85 5 11 10. E. L. Toland 106 5 10 



Neversink Trout. 



Fallsbdrgh, N. Y., April 31.— A party of two gentle- 

 men from New York city, stopping at H. W. Dean's 

 Hotel, at Neversink, caught out of the Neversink on April 

 16 and 17 eighty very fine trout. On April 20 and 21 Col 

 Niffeyand three friends from Goshen caught 293 fine 

 trout from the Neversink. Willie Dean, 



The Winter Fishing. 



The winter fishing is over. Take it all in all, the catch 

 has not been remarkable either in point of size or num- 

 bers, though several fine togue have been taken in the 

 vicinity of the Deer Island House, which, by the way, is 

 the most convenient place for winter fishing, as well as 

 one of the neatest, quietest, prettiest stretches in the world 

 for the summer angler. 



Although large catches have not been made in Moose- 

 head itself, many heavy hauls have been made from small 

 lakes and ponds in the vicinity. 



The Ice Going out Early. 



There is now every prospect that the ice will go out 

 much earlier than usual. Recent advices from Williman- 

 tic state that the ice will certainly leave Sebec Lake about 

 April 26-28. The spring salmon fishing will of course 

 come on immediately after the going out of the ice. 

 There will probably be a larger number of anglers at the 

 head of Sebec this year than ever before, and there are 

 some reasons for expecting that the fishing too will be 

 better than usual. 



The ice usually leaves Moosehead within a week after 

 Sebec is open, so that it may be confidently predicted that 

 Moosehed will be clear about May 5, or possibly a day or 

 two earlier. 



The Salmon Pool. 

 Fishing began rather brilliantly at the salmon pool at 

 Bangor, but for the past ten days high and roily water 

 have made the fishing a failure. The snow is now nearly 

 gone, however, and it is likely that the water will clear 

 this week. 



Maine Sportsmen's Fish and Game Association. 



In a recent letter, Mr. E. C. Farrington, the secretary of 

 the Association, says: "Considering the times, we are 

 getting on finely. One satisfactory feature of member- 

 ship is the class of men who join. I doubt if there can be 

 found in Maine an association of any kind with men of 

 more note and ability. 



"Our work is not for personal benefit. We have no 

 club house. What we put out is for the good of the State. 

 We are constantly pushing and sustaining the State Com- 

 missioners, and our programme now is to get up and keep 

 a general public interest in our game and its increase. We 

 shall have the present laws thoroughly revised by a board 

 of good and able men, then brought before the Asso ji- 

 ation, and when we are agreed as to law and appropri- 

 ations, go before^the Legislature and secure it. A whole- 

 some public opinion is what we want. 



' 'I hope that a little later on we may have a reservation 

 and association building, a place where any member can 

 go cheaply and have all needed opportunity for rest." 



May Mr. Farrington stand firmly on the Forest and 

 Stream "plank" when he secures the needed legislation. 

 That plank alone would be a good enough law for pro- 

 tecting our fish and game. F. S. Bunker. 



Ice-Bound Canadian Waters. 



Quebec, April 19.— The spring weather that was ex- 

 pected so early this year has tarried long in the coming, 

 and as a consequence almost all the lakes in northern 

 Canada are still in the fetters of the ice king and in the 

 Lake St. John country snow still lies deep in the woods. 

 Not until the early days of May is the ice likely to leave 

 Lake Edward and Lake St. John, but there will be excel- 

 lent trout fishing in Lake Beaufort, Lake St. Charles, 

 Lake St. Joseph and Lake Edward within a couple of days 

 after the disappearance of the ice. The 10th or 12th of 

 May will be none too early for the large fontinalis of 

 Lake Edward, and as summer is likely to come in with a 

 rush after such a late spell of cold in the spring as we are 

 now having, the weather in the middle of May will prob- 

 ably be very pleasant for camping out, though the dis- 

 tances are not so great but that anglers may return each 

 night to the hotel at the station. 



From American friends who are members of the Meta- 

 betchouan and Springfield clubs, I learn that we may 

 expect a number of American anglers up here from the 

 15th to the 25th of May, most of them bound to the Kiski- 

 sink and Lower Metabetchouan waters. For spring fish- 

 ing in these waters anglers should be well supplied with 

 fairly large-sized flies of the Parmachene-belle, jungle- 

 cock and professor varieties, with a sprinkling of Jock- 

 Scots or silver-doctors. 



Fishermen in the habit of crossing to the Grand Dis- 

 charge of Lake St. John or to the large tributaries of the 

 inland sea, will be pleased to learn that a new steamboat 

 is rapidly approaching completion at Roberval, which will 

 make the fourth steamer to navigate the waters of the 

 lake. The Canadian Government is also constructing a 

 suitable wharf at Roberval. 



I would not recommend crossing to the Grand Discharge 

 for ouananiche fishing before June 10, though May 18, as 

 described in my last letter, will not be too early to take 

 them in the mouths of the Ouiatchouan or Metabetchouan 

 "vers. E. T. D. Chambers. 



Point Senasqua Rod and Reel Club. 



Sing Sing, N. Y— Editor Forest and Stream: We have 

 here the finest striped bass fishing ground on the Hudson 

 River and there are many enthusiastic fishermen. We 

 have an angling club, the Point Senasqua Rod and Reel 

 Association, Senasqua being the Indian name of Croton 

 Point. As an incentive to make the sport interesting, 

 the club has prepared a handsome gold badge which will 

 be awarded the member landing the heaviest fish during 

 the season beginning April 1 and ending Dec. 1. The 

 fish to win the prize must be either a striped bass, weak- 

 fish or salmon, and must be caught in the Hudson River 

 between Tarrytown and Verplanck. The club members 

 also have a button badge. W. S. S. 



Chemung County Association. 



Wellsburg, N. Y., April 12.— Editor Forest and 

 Stream: We have organized a club of thirty members 

 called the Chemung County Fish and Game Protective 

 Association. The officers are: W. H. Wagener, President; 

 Aaron Seafuse, Treasurer; Dr. F. G. Dean, Secretary; 

 Willmot E. Knapp, Attorney; Louis Balch and Cbas. 

 Whealer, Wardens. F. G. Dean, Sec'y- 



