MayJIS, 1894.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



40B 



MAINE WATERS. 



The ice is out of all the Maine trout lakes, and much 

 earlier than usual. Mooaehead cleared on the afternoon 

 of April 30, twenty days earlier than in 1893. It is always 

 expected that the Rangeleys will clear within a couple of 

 days after Moosehead, and this year the usual conditions 

 were carried out. Word came from Richardson Lake on 

 the morning of May 2 that the ice was out, and in the 

 afternoon the telegraph announced that Mooselucma- 

 guntic and liangeley were clear; eighteen days earlier 

 .than last year. But after all this clearing of the ice from 

 the celebrated trout lakes of Maine is not the earliest on 

 record, though earlier than the average for the past four- 

 teen or fifteen years. In 1882, as may de seen by the files 

 of the Forest and Stream, the Rangeley Lakes cleared of 

 ice on May Vi; in 1883, May 14; 1884, May 13; 1885, May 

 15; 1886, May 3; 1887, May 16; 1888, May 21; 18S9, April 

 30; 1890, May 9; 1891, May 10; 1892, May 4; 1893, May 20; 

 1894, May a. 



This early clearing of the ice has taken the trout fisher- 

 men who annually visit the Maine lakes, by surprise, and 

 not the usual number are "on the wing" for their favorite 

 trout waters. Hundreds of them will go a-fishing, but 

 they will not be on the ground directly after the ice is 

 out as is usually the case. The Produce party, some 

 twenty-five in number, will be ready to start in a few 

 days. They have their steamer on Moosehead already 

 engaged. Mr. O. A. Dennen will have the annex to the 

 Kineo House open and ready for them. The Lake House 

 at Greenville, at the foot of the lake, is also open. Other 

 parties to Moosehead will follow, and one or two sports- 

 men have already gone, in fact. The Tuttle party will 

 early leave for the Rangeleys. Mr. Tuttle has annually 

 visited his handsome camps at the foot of Rangeley Lake 

 for many years. Mr. S. C. Dizer, with Mrs. Dizer, will 

 start for the Birches, Mooselucmaguntic Lake, on Monday 

 of this week. It is rather earlier than he expected to go, 

 but the ice is out and he is an enthusiast as to the Maine 

 lakes and his rifle is fast becoming so. Hence they have 

 concluded to be off. They will doubtless visit Kennebago 

 for a day or two before their return. Mr. Dizer thinks 

 Kennebago is one of the most beautiful lakes in the 

 world. 



Mr. L. Dana Chapman arranged for the taking and 

 transportation of about 2,000,000 smelt eggs for the Me- 

 gantic waters from Lake Auburn. Commissioner Henry 

 O. Stanley has arranged for the taking of the eggs. The 

 Megantic waters are to have food for the landlocked sal- 

 mon. It is understood that on the bottom of the breed- 

 ing streams running into Lake Auburn the smelt eggs, at 

 this time of the year, are to be found to the depth of 

 nearly an inch, in some locations. The Megantic Club's 

 new fish hatchery is completed and will be put in use this 

 fall. It has a capacity of 800,000 trout or salmon fry. 

 Mr. Chapman hopes to be there at the time of taking the 

 ;fish and the eggs. 



Mr. Henry E. Cobb, with Mr. March, will go to the 

 Inglewood Club waters on the 17th of May for landlocked 

 iSalnion and trout fishing. The ice is out of those waters, 

 .and the gentlemen will doubtless be accompanied by 

 .other members of the club. 



Mr. Claude H. Tarbox, of Byfield, with his friend C. O. 

 Bailey has made another trip to the trout brooks. The 

 .gentlemen suggested to ''The Col." that he go with them. 

 Now the Col. lias been a great fisherman in his day, and 

 you only have to mention the trout streams to start him 

 loff. Tarbox and Bailey suggested that he meet them at 

 a certain turn in the road at 5 o'clock A. M. He would 

 be there. They warned him that his age was telling on 

 him, and that if he was not on hand he would be left. At 

 five in the morning he was not there, and they started 

 vwithout him. A few minutes later he appeared, and they 

 took him in. They reached the stream. Both the other 

 jnien caught trout till eighteen or nineteen swelled their 

 creels, but not a trout could the Col. get. He allowed 

 that it was his hook, since he had strike after strike; and 

 Mr. Tarbox opened his fly-book to the Col.'s service. But 

 the results were no better. He could not catch a fish. The 

 other men finally allowed that it was his advancing years 

 telling on him — he is only about 50. He could not get 

 started in the morning, and he had failed to catch fish. 

 He will try the boys again. 



• Reports of good fishing begin to come in. From Lake 

 Auburn in Maine some good trout have been taken. 

 These trout are described as very handsome and gamy. 

 They resemble the famous Swan Lake trout, from the lake 

 of that name in Belfast. From Moosehead there are also 

 reports of good fishing. Mr. O. S. Ham, of Lewiston, 

 Me. , writes his friend, Mr. Harry B. Moore, of J. E. Soper 

 & Co., Boston Chamber of Commerce, that he went to 

 Moosehead May 2, the day the ice was fairly cleared. With 

 his guide he went to a camp up the lake about five miles 

 above Kineo. He fished there one day, with the result of 

 28 square-tailed trout, the number weighing a trifle over 

 421bs. He was satisfied with this string, and immediately 

 wrote his friend to come on. But Mr. Moore will hardly 

 take in Moosehead this spring. He hopes to make a trip 

 to the Inglewood preserve a little later in the season. 



There is another proof positive that the trout is on, 

 though it is very early. A 14-pound laker, or togue, was 

 shown in Dame, Stoddard & Kendall's window on Satur- 

 day. This big trout was 30in. in length. It was taken 

 from Newfound Lake, in New Hampshire, a day or two 

 before, by Mr. Samuel Wax, the Temple place confectioner: 

 The card on the trout stated that it was taken on one of 

 the Never-break rods of that firm. 



Mr. Leroy S. Brown has a letter from the Inglewood 

 Club preserve, stating that the ice left the lake on May 3, 

 exactly the same date as a year ago. A large party of the 

 Club members is fitting out to start on the 17th. A list of 

 names will be appended later. Another party will follow 

 a week or two later. Special, 



"Away Up North." 



Brooklyn, N. Y. — 1 was up after ouananiche as soon 

 as the railroad was opened, in fact I went part of the 

 way on the construction car. I think there is no game 

 fish in the country equal to it, taking all things into con- 

 sideration. I am much pleased with the papers "Away 

 Up North," having been over most of the ground men- 

 tioned. Oh! that climb up from the Montreal River. But 

 it pays. Th« writer mentions a guid« from Mattawan, 

 named Gus Pillou, I know of no better man in Mattawan 

 for the purpose, only keep away from him the curse of 

 the Red Man. He is a most thorough woodsman and 

 strong withal, both in the canoe and on the portage. 



^Medicus. 



NEWS FROM FISHING WATERS. 



Canadensis, Pa., April 30.— The fishing in the Broad- 

 head and other streams in the immediate vicinity of 

 Canadensis is better this spring than usual, which is prob- 

 ably due to the stocking done each year recently to a lim- 

 ited extent, coupled with the favorable natural conditions 

 prevailing there. Messrs. Price Brothers, at their Spruce 

 Cabin Inn extend a cordial welcome to fishermen and 

 furnish comfortable accommodations, with livery if 

 desired. Mr. Milton Price one afternoon last week caught 

 16 trout weighing 71bs. But the large catches are not by 

 any means confined to the natives, as a guest this week 

 in a day and a half's fishing hooked 68 fish, of which he 

 retained 40 of fair size, ranging from 6 to llin., using the 

 fly wholly. Canadensis is reached via Cresco, 106 miles 

 from New York, on D., L. & W. Railroad. G. 



Abbot Village, Me., May 2. — The ice went out of 

 Moosehead Lake Tuesday, May 1. F. S. Bunker. 



Dingman's Ferry, Pa., May 1.— Two guests of the High 

 Falls Hotel, Mr. Stebb and Mr. McCabe, of New York, 

 fished Dingman Creek to-day from Adams's saw mill to 

 Fulmer Landing, taking 40 and 30 fine trout, beauties, 

 all nice size. Herman Lange took 17 handsome trout, 

 also from Dingman Greek. The prospect is for good fish- 

 ing. Philip F. Fulmer. 



P. S. — Two more of our guests have just come in, hav- 

 ing fished over three miles — about four hours — and have 

 brought in 121bs.— 40 fish. P. F. F. 



Flagstaff, Me., May 1.— In Kibby Valley the ice is 

 out of all the small ponds, and by the third of this month 

 will be out of Spring Lake. Being the largest lake in the 

 Dead River region it is the last to open up. We are already 

 taking trout from the small ponds on a fly. Last night 

 the fish rose very readily to the red-ibis, and 9 were 

 taken in one hour's fishing. A. B. Douglass. 



Sunapee Lake. — The eai-ly fishermen at Sunapee Lake 

 in New Hampshire were unusually successful. The ice, 

 I am told, went out about April 18. A few days after 

 there were caught at Blodgett's Landing, in three days' 

 fishing, 42 landlocked salmon and trout weighing from 3 

 to lOlbs. each. Most of these fish were taken from the 

 wharf, with five smelt for bait. I drove up to the lake 

 and spent a day and a half, but it was very cold and 

 rough, and I did not get a fish. A few fish were taken 

 while I was there, as follows: One salmon of 81bs., one 

 of 71bs., two of 61bs. and a native trout of a little over 

 21bs. Smelt seemed to he the only bait the trout or 

 salmon would take. Several parties tried trolling, but 

 only one fish, a trout of 4lbs. , was taken. C. M. Stark. 



WOODBOURNE, N. Y., May 14. — Fishing is getting good, 

 the stream has been high until now, the catches this past 

 week are improving each day, trout begin to rise to flies. 

 Eli Garrett has made the best catch, the trout averaging 

 iib., filling a 121b. basket. L. L. Waldorf. 



Neversink, N. Y., May 5. — George Sarvens and friend, 

 stopping at the Neversink Valley House, caught on May 

 2 and 3 231 fine trout, and 56 good size, larger than have 

 been caught for years past. James Dart and Stephen 

 Harten from Brooklyn caught on Friday, May 4, I31bs. of 

 fine trout out of the Neversink River. Geo. Sarvens. 



Dingman's Ferry, Pa., May 5.— Mr. W. J. Stibbs, of 

 New York city, fished May 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, every day with 

 splendid success — a basket full of handsome trout. Fished 

 Dingman Creek and Indian Ladder Creek. All our guests 

 are well pleased with the fishing. Streams all in fine con- 

 dition for fishing. " Philip F. Fulmer. 



Shad Take Worms, Flies and Grasshoppers. 



Washington, D. C, May 2.— On Saturday last, while 

 fishing with angle worm for white perch, about two miles 

 above this city, in the Potomac River, we caught two 

 large roe shad. My little daughter Mabel caught one 

 which weighed 3^1bs. ; the one I caught weighed over 

 4ilbs. They were caught fairly in the mouth as though 

 they had taken the bait. 



I have fished on this river for twenty years or more, 

 and never before had a like experience, nor can I find 

 any one who has had. I have always understood that 

 shad could not take a bait of any kind, and when they 

 come up stream to spawn they do not feed, as their 

 stomachs are always found empty. 



I will appreciate any opinion, or explanation you give 

 me of this most curious act on the part of shad. 



C. COBSON. 



[Shad do not come into rivers to feed, hence they seldom 

 notice any kind of bait; but in a few localities, notably 

 Washington, D. O, and Holyoke, Mass., they have been 

 captured with small and light-colored flies, like white- 

 miller or white and ibis, dressed on hooks corresponding 

 in size with No. 6 or 7 Sproat. In his report on the fishes 

 of Lake Ontario, Dr. Hugh M. Smith, of the U. S. Fish 

 Commission, notes the taking of shad with grasshopper 

 bait in the St. Lawrence. The fish were supposed to have 

 come from a planting of shad in Lake Ontario waters. 

 He says: "In August, 1881, Mr. H. L. Matheson, of Oswego, 

 New York, was fishing at that place for black bass. As 

 an experiment he baited his hook with a grasshopper and 

 cast his line from the shore of the island into the current, 

 made somewhat muddy by a strong westerly wind. The 

 bait was promptly taken, and to his great surprise a 31bs. 

 shad was landed. More grasshoppers were secured, and 

 fifteen shad, weighing from 2i to 31bs. were taken in a 

 few hours. On succeeding days, six, three and two fish 

 respectively, were caught. Several other parties took one 

 or two fish each in the same way." Mr. J. V. Sharp re- 

 poi'ted in these columns that he had seen shad take the 

 fly in the James River, Va., the fly of medium size and 

 bright color; on one occasion five roe shad were taken in 

 an hour.] 



Central New York Fishing. 



Ithaca, N. Y., May 4. — Overflowing creels of brook 

 trout are now reported from many parts of this and ad- 

 joining counties. These reports, however, are of only 

 recent origin, the beginning of the season and the first 

 ten days following having been marked by light catches. 



Old fishermen declare the prospects for a satisfactory 

 angling season on Cayuga Lake to be of the right sort, 

 notwithstanding the notorious resistance to the enforce- 



ment of the provisions of the law governing the hauling 

 of seines, manifested by a certain contingent of citizens. 



W. H. Miller, of this city, recently landed a 7ilbs. mas- 

 calonge on an 8oz. rod, a feat not always easily accom- 

 plished, when the fighting qualities of Cayuga Lake mas- 

 calonge are taken into account. M. Chill. 



The Pennsylvania Fish Protective Association. 



No. 1,020 Arch Street, Philadelphia, May 2— The Amer- 

 ican Fisheries Society will, by invitation, hold its next 

 annual meeting in this city, at the rooms, No. 1020 Arch 

 street, on Wednesday and Thursday, May 16 and 17. 



There will he morning and afternoon sessions, at which 

 papers will be read and discussions had on subjects of inter- 

 est to our members, all of whom are invited to be present. 



In honor of the American Fisheries Society a planked shad 

 dinner will be served at 7 o'clock on the evening of the 16th 

 inst., at Reisser's, Fifth and Minor streets, for which tickets 

 — not transferase— will be issued free to members by the 

 committee, at the Rooms on Thursday, Friday and Satur- 

 day. May 10, 11 and 12, between the hours of 4 and 6 P. M., 

 and members so desiring can be accompanied by friends on 

 payment of the cost per capita for the dinner. 



Committee: Wm. H. Burkhardt, chairman, Henry C. 

 Ford, Wm. P. Thompson, John Gay, Jas. H. Miller, H. C. 

 Demuth, Edward Hagert. 



American Fisheries Society. 



The annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society 

 will be held at Philadelphia, at the rooms of the Society for 

 the Protection of Fish and Game, 1,020 Arch street, on Wed- 

 nesday, May 16. E. P. Doyle, Sec'y. 



Not Much Poetry, But Truth, Perhaps. 



When the winter has departed and the river's free from ice, 

 The angler gets his fish-pole and starts out to entice 

 Some member of the finny tribe with enthusiasm great, 

 Enough to be deluded into nibbling at his bait. 



He gets him to some favorite spot, and then proceeds to plank 

 Himself with circumspection upon the river's bank, 

 And there he waits with patience from early morn till night, 

 Never doubting if he perseveres that he will get a bite. 



With drowsy expectation he sets and sets and sets, 

 While the great world all around him with action fumes and frets. 

 From a generou3 twist of pigtail a goodly hunk he gnaws, 

 And dreamily inspects his bob and chaws and chaws and chaws. 



What though empires disappear and vanish at a look, 



They're less to him than one good tug upon the cruel hook 



That into the wriggling worm he skillfully inserts, 



And heaves it back while placidly he squirts and squirts and squirts 



Far out into the turbid stream and seeks once more to rest, 

 And not a wave of trouble rolls across his peaceful breast, 

 And he seeks to lure the finny tribe with every known device, 

 When the winter has departed and the river's free from ice. 



— Upton Department of the Otsego Journal. 



TRAIN RACE FROM FLORIDA. 



Fast Trip Over the Richmond & Danville from 

 Jacksonville. 



The keen rivalry between The Florida Central & Peninsular and 

 Eichmond & Danville, "The Florida Short Line," which now has the 

 government contract for carrying the Southern Mails, and The 

 Atlantic Coast Liine, which formerly enjoyed that privilege, culminated 

 in an exciting race between two special trains over those roads from 

 Jacksonville to New York, yesterday, The Florida Short Line train 

 winning by an hour and twenty -four minutes, despite a handicap of 

 thirty -five minutes at the start. Both trains carried a large excursion 

 party of Florida people. The Atlantic Coast Line train of 5 cars was 

 scheduled to leave Jacksonville at 10 o'clock Thursday morning, and 

 Tne Florida Short Line train of 7 cars pulled out at 10:35. Thelatter 

 train reached Washington at 6:05 yesterday morning, and its rival at 

 7:29. The victorious train then sped to this city, and in making the 

 time in less than twenty-four hours, broke the record between Jack- 

 sonville and New York.— New York Times, April 28, 189U.—Adv. 



Unneh 



FIXTURES. 



DOG SHOWS. 



May 9 to 12.— Louisville Kennel Club, at Louisville, Ky. St. Marc M. 

 Munday, Sec'y. 



May 30 to June 2.— Alameda County Sportsmen's Association, at 

 Oakland, California. 



Sept. 10 to 14. — Toronto Industrial Exhibition Association, at 

 Toronto. C. A. Stone. Sec'y. 



Sept. 18 to 21.— Rhode Island State Fair Association, at Cranston, R. 

 I. W. W. Dexter, Sec'y. 



FIELD TRIALS. 



Sept. 5.— Manitoba Field Trials Club, at Morris, Man. R. J. Gallaug 

 her, Winnipeg, Sec'y. 



Nov. 5.— United States Field Trial Club, at Bicknell, Ind. P. T. 

 Madison, Indianapolis, Ind., Sec'y. 



Nov. 6.— International Field Trials, at Chatham, Ont. W. B. Wells. 

 Sec'y. 



Nov. 23.— Eastern Field Trials Club, at Newton, N. C. W. A. Coster, 

 Saratoga, N. Y.. Sec'y. 



Nov. 23.— Philadelphia Kennel Club, at Newton, N. C- Dr. G. D. B. 

 Darby, Philadelphia, Pa., Sec'y. 



St. Bernard. Club Meeting. 



A SPECIAL meeting of the St. Bernard Club of America, 

 was held at Madison Square Garden, New York, May 1. 

 The following members were present. W. H. Woodin, J. S. 

 Hovt, J. Keevan, W. C. Keick, T. M. Burke, J. N. Churchill, 

 C. A. Pratt, B. P. Johnson, Mrs. J. M. Nicholson, Mrs. A. 

 M. Hughes, G. P. Wiggin, S. W. Smith, Daniel Mann, H. B. 

 Turner, William H. Joeckel, Jr., Jas. A. C. Johnson. 



Meeting called to order at 8:20 by the President, Mr. 

 Joeckel. 



A proposition of Mr. Terry (of the Hempstead Farm Co.) 

 to hold a show annually in connection with the Farm Co. 

 and the other specialty clubs was submitted by Mr. Reick, 

 and after being informally discussed was approved by the 

 meeting and referred to the board of governors. 



Communication from Mr. H. D. Johnson, of the South 

 Bend Kennels, in regard to the special prize offered by the 

 club at the Mascoutah Kennel Club, was read and referred to 

 the board of governors. 



The question of establishing futurity stakes to be decided 

 at the next dog show of the St. Bernard Club, was taken up 

 and discussed and the plan was approved and referred to 

 board of governors for actions. 



In response to an invitation to address the meeting, Mr. 

 Sydney W. Smith said he did not approve of writing down 

 the dogs as had been done, but at the same time he would 

 confess that he was a bit disappointed in some of the dogs. 

 He advised sticking to a certain line of bitches and breeding 

 from them as practiced in his kennels at home, the result of 

 which was illustrated in Rustic Beauty. He cautioned in- 

 tending purchasers not to place too much reliance on press 

 notices, but rather see the dogs or have some one in whom 

 they had confidence see them. 



A vote of thanks was given Mr. Smith for crossing the 

 ocean to judge for the club. Meeting adjourned. 



Jas. A. C. Johnson, Sec'y pro tern. 



