470 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[June 2, 1894. 



proving so muoh better in every way than the other fish 

 that the latter, in the language of the present day, were 

 "not in it" at all. 



Since that day I have caught many hundreds of them 

 and they have never failed to sustain the favorable im- 

 pression then created. In talking on the subject with 

 anglers and others I invariably maintain that the mullet 

 of the Gulf coast, after sojourning for a proper time in 

 fresh water, is superior in edible qualities to any fresh- 

 water fish in the State. Some who have had experiences 

 Bimilar to mine agree with me, others who have never 

 tested the truth of the statement usually take on a look of 

 incredulity, much as I imagine 1 would have done before 

 I had the opportunity of proving it to my own satisfac- 

 tion. 



These fish, so far as my observation goes, do not breed 

 when they become landlocked in fresh water, but grow 

 much more rapidly than in salt water. When first dis- 

 covered in the bayou referred to in this araicle they were 

 from 6 to 8in. in length, and in the course of three or 

 four years they grew to 18 or 20in. and attained a weight 

 of 3 or 4lbs. They also lost the dark markings or stripes 

 peculiar to the fish in salt water and became a beautiful 

 silvery white. After they began to take the hook they 

 were all caught out of the bayou in about three seasons, 

 and as there has not been an overflow of the river since 

 there are none there now. Guadalupe. 



ON THE NORTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR. 



(.Continued from Page hhS ~) 



The next morning was so unpropitious, indicating rain, 

 that we concluded to abandon, our cruise to Sand River. 

 We remained in camp the entire morning, and during 

 that time made several trips to the rocks in our immedi- 

 ate front, and though Ned and I both worked like galley 

 slaves, only succeeded in capturing one two-pounder, 

 which fell to my jungle-cock. 



In the afternoon we took the boat and skirted west- 

 ward along the shore. The sky was still overcast with 

 leaden clouds, and the lake was somewhat roughened by 

 an easterly wind, though we were in a lee that completely 

 protected us. This place last year gave us ample sport, 

 and if the red-handed pot-hunters had not gill-netted 

 every trout this season I was positive we would secure at 

 least a respectable number. 



Ned, who was in the bow this time, drew first blood by 

 the capture of a pound trout, while I soon followed with 

 one a half a pound heavier. Coming to some grand rocks, 

 the base of a towering mountain with its numerous spurs 

 clothed in somber pines and spreading cedars, I was 

 fortunate enough to here secure a coveted prize in a 

 three-pound Salvelinus, richly-spangled in mottled dyes, 

 a very dude, doubtless, of which his race so generously 

 abounds. Ned was working hard at both the leeward 

 and windward sides of the boat, as if determined to go 

 over every inch of the ground before I could reach it 

 from the stern. As we alternated in these positions, the 

 bow being considered the most favorable position, it was 

 on a basis of perfect equity, as the accounts balanced in 

 the end. Sometimes the bow was not so desirable, par- 

 ticularly when plunging through heavy seas with the 

 wind in your teeth, Then your flies were oftener at the 

 tip of the oar blades than elsewhere. But no matter what 

 the conditions of the elements we had to take our duly 

 assigned positions as per arrangement. 



At last Ned aroused a magnificent trout, but, sad to 

 relate, he squarely missed him. It was a deep dis 

 appointment and his face clearly expressed it. Again he 

 drops his lures, but he came not. Once more he tries 

 and this time fortune favors him, for he sank the cruel 

 steel well home in the toughened jaw of the wolfish biter. 



"Ah, ha, I fooled you that time," came from the 

 exultant angler. 



"Be careful you are not fooled in return." 



"He is well hooked, I am positive, but I'll watch him 

 ail the same. 



"All right, now kill him like an angler true " 



Ned needed no advice on that subject, for he always 

 handled his fish m a very skillful manner, ever patient 

 and watchtul and never hurrying to a final. He was 

 really much more careful than I, for I occasionally loved 

 to force the fighting to a rapid conclusion, getting nettled 

 sometimes at the stubbornness of the victim in hauling 

 down his colors when I thought he was sufficiently^ 

 defeated. I well knew my fault in this matter, but 

 when 1 was fast to a prize of unusual weight I endeavored 

 to exercise the utmost patience and vigilance, for I was 

 always deeply chagrined when I lost one of such noble 

 proportions. 



After a gallant struggle the lucky angler had the 

 pleasure of seeing his hard-earned trophy rtposing in the 

 bottom of the boat. Put to the scales the indicator 



SSTrf $ f mba -, Th £ - caused a SUQn y radiance to 

 o erspread his face, and well it might, for it was a match 

 to the peerless beauty I had caught a few days before and 

 was a prize to be duly proud of. dDQ 

 A short distance ahead, where some tiny rivulet was 

 dropping its beaded waters over the ragged face of™ 



2w^ blU ^ mt ° th ? bel ° W ' Waa a °h£ming "isolation 

 5Sw"Ti^' ^e very place for the lair of a her 

 E£ ' N , ed b . ei " g , ahead of me ' dr °PP ed h^ flies into 

 6 U e V?*' a ?u d T a3 rewarded with a vicious rise 

 w ll»* f e - ate Wltb i ^e wizard movement of the wrist 

 5-1? w to P ie f ce w,th his needle-like lance of arched 

 ™ L ? e P? ated citing from the disappointed angler did 

 ZS^-!° r f 6 in( l u i sitiv 1 e trout had discovered the 

 counterfeit and was not to be coaxed again. He knew 

 every color on the fly, had felt its featrfers as it pSsed 

 between hie jaws and had fully ascertained there wat no 

 dainty morsel in it for him to masticate 



foUhTJhft 1 * 8 WCTe the , vei T opposite of Ned's in color, I 

 felt highly encouraged as I reached the spot and with 

 cherished hope let my lures drop around the edge of the 

 detached rock, and lo! there was a sudden tumuft in the 

 waters as if a skyrocket had there exploded, and then a 

 delicious rhythm from the revolving reel rang out u?on" 

 the air that was music most entrancing. The sfvage W 

 instantly developed as a fierce fighter and S 52 

 battle that I dearly enjoyed. TlJ ^Sdsteefhf TdonTits 

 woik handsomely and ere long I had the stubborn Sitv 

 drawn out of him and then had him on such terms of m 

 timacy as to ascertain his weight to be21bs tosav 

 of the fractions that made generous gravkV ^ mg 

 Ned was a bit surprised at my capture, but it was sinir.lv 

 the introduction of other lures that did it, Sen^liyfng 



the favoring influence of an occasional change in flies. I 

 tried for another warrior of the aureate hues, but it was 

 futile, for nothing came for the feathery flies. 



It was push along once more by rocky ramparts of 

 stern rigidity, which possessed a decidedly singular fas- 

 cination in their scarred surfaces and their forest-crowned 

 tops. Solitude was here supreme, and so smooth the 

 rocky bottom, tha,t we began to think it also had poses- 

 sion of the waters, for it did not look as if it were ten- 

 anted with a single trout, and after we had flogged it till 

 we struck a change in the rocky formation were sure of it. 



The grounds now began to look more trouty, for rocks 

 in all manner of strange confusion, with chasms and 

 ledges abounded without end. Ned was the first to boat 

 a pounder, and then I followed with one about the same 

 size in a lovely sheen of scarlet and silver. 



It being evident that we had fish enough for the camp, 

 the return was suggested and made without another cast, 

 though we were strangely tempted as we went by favorite 

 grounds to try another beguilement of the graceful inno- 

 cents of the ravishing tints. Eager for camp and a good 

 square meal, the half-breeds put their strength into the 

 oar blades and sent us along with a delightful swiftness 

 that tumbled the water from the prow into a caress of 

 tinkling joy. 



We reached our quarters under a very sullen sky, 

 ominous indeed for the morrow's sport, but as Lake 

 Superior is as capricious in her moods as the lovely trout 

 she harbors in her icy bosom, a forecast is as often a 

 failure as a success. All being ravishingly hungry, on 

 landing we gave our chef a carte blanche order for the 

 supper, and his response developed the choicest in our 

 larder, 



"A table of celestial food divine, 

 Ambrosial fruit, fetched from the tree of life; 

 And from the fount of life ambrosial drink." 



After the repast we sought an open glade and drank in the 

 picturesque beauty of the wild mountain scenery which 

 was spread before us in boundless extent of infinite 

 grandeur. 



"An Eden haunt, a charming faiy grot, 

 The angler's home in Nature's fairest spot; 

 Where peace, like some wing-wearied bird, drops down, 

 Folds her white pinions o'er her breast of brown. 



"The evening sky is flecked with gold, 



As slow the setting sun declines; 

 The western cloud's transparent fold 

 With a surpassing radiance shines. 



"And as the deepening shadows sweep 



Athwart the glimmering landscape's breast, 

 And o'er the purpled mountains creep, 

 The soft air, drowsy, sinks to rest. - 



"How clear this icy lake, in whose depths 

 The gold and silver fishes glide I 

 So clear, I count the pink-hued shells 

 That pave the cool, transparent tide." 



Here, where the mountain ranges are older than Thebes 

 or Baalbec and higher than the Pyramids, the goddess of 

 health has her silent home; here her grand palace and 

 her stately throne: here the sweetest dews are distilled, 

 here the pure air is drawn from the realms of ether, here 

 the most wholesome of waters and an atmosphere laden 

 with life-giving properties that impart new luster to the 

 eye, tone to the languid pulse and vigor to the wasted 

 frame. No wonder, then, that the patient angler returns 

 from these exhilarating regions as if he had taken a new 

 lease on life. 



Our admiration of the grand, towering scenery, which 

 was in a hush of sweet and silent repose, was disturbed 

 by Ned leaping from his chair, with fiery maledictions 

 upon the entire insectivorous family who feast upon 

 human gore, and making rapid time for the fly repellent. 

 I also felt their warm attachment, and followed in the 

 footsteps of my aggravated and tormented partner. After 

 a copious ablution with the diluted vitriol and other 

 ingredients which composed the fluid, and which the 

 "cussed" tribe so dreaded, we changed our base to the 

 rocks in front, which were entirely free from the blood- 

 sucking marauders. 



Here we found our half-breeds comfortably seated with 

 theii backs snug against a lofty shaft of granite that 

 sheltered them from the evening breeze. They were 

 quietly smoking and gazing vacantly at the wild expanse 

 of sea which was beating the shore unceasingly and then 

 falling back with clutching snarl o'er the detached masses 

 of rock in ample confusion on all sides. Peter, who had 

 been anxious for a move up the lake to Point Brulee, 

 thought this a favorable opportunity to open the subject 

 so he descanted liberally relative to its not only being a, 

 magnificent rendezvous for big trout, but a capital place 

 for camping. He stated that he had been to the point 

 twice with other parties and that they had had very fine 

 sport there, and were especially delighted with the loca- 

 tion, which was exceedingly picturesque. I was as 

 anxious as Peter for the change, but Ned, not being tired 

 yet of our present quarters, was not inclined that way I 

 however, refrained just then from insisting on the trip 

 but concluded to gently harp on the subject at the proper 

 time until I had brought him around to favor the move. 

 True, we were having only moderate success here but 

 we always had trout enough for the table at each meal 

 and very frequently a surplus; but this was never wasted' 

 for the boys always disposed of it to Indians passing: or 

 stopping near by. & 



I was very much interested while we remained on the 

 rocks with Kenosh's account of a trip that he made to 

 Hudson s Bay last fall with Judge Steere and a Mr Ferry 

 of the "Soo. ' He said it was one of much toil and hard- 

 ship, and that it was made principally by rivers in canoes 

 though they had plenty of tiresome tramping and much 

 carrying to do. They had expected to find some fine 

 trouting streams en route, but in this were greatly disao- 

 pointed. Ducks and wild geese in migration were abun- 

 dant, a few of which, when opportunity offered, thev 

 shot. It was really more of a time-table trip than aught 

 else for it was every day an early breakfast, and then 

 quick time and forward march. Returning, thev verv 

 often had to break the ice in the rivers with a W 3 

 for passage of their canoes. It was sJow and hard work 

 but it had to be done in order to make any headwlv at 

 aJL as the overland trip was out of the question Ind if 

 attempted would have taken twice as long 



The scenery along the route was not cif a grand and ™ 

 turesque character, though occasionally the> wouW have 



views of magnificent mountain ranges in which nature 

 had shown a lavish hand. It being the fall of the year 

 everything was shrouded in sombre shadows. Sun- 

 shiny days were rare indeed, but when they did come 

 were appreciated like smiles from a beauty's lips. I had 

 a long and interesting talk with Judge Steere about the 

 trip after my return to the "Soo," but he exhibited no en- 

 thusiasm over the country. It was really a disappoint- 

 ment to them, but profitable in the intelligence they 

 gleaned of the wild and untrodden forests and the far 

 away home of the savage trapper. 



After returning to camp we were very forcibly re- 

 minded that as the twilight deepened it indicated an 

 ill-boding harbinger for the morrow. Solemn and stately 

 the great hills with their pinnacles shrouded in the lower- 

 ing clouds inclose us with their aspect of eternal mel- 

 ancholy calm; from the deep ravines a white mist is ! 

 slowly arising; in the darkened woods a sough of lament 

 is winding through the bending branches; fireflies in j 

 countless numbers usurp the brilliant offices of the ob- 

 scured stars, while along the ironbound shore the waves 

 are deeply moaning as if in direful warning. I was posi- 

 tive on retiring that we would hear Old Boreas storming 

 our fortifications with a hurricane savageness when we 

 awoke in the moring; but having grown accustomed to his 

 wild vagaries, we little thought of what the dawn would 

 bring, be it storm or calm. Alex. Stakbtjck. 



[TO BE continued.] 



ANGLING NOTES. 



Fish Reports. 



For a few days past I have been so deluged with reports 

 of fish and fishing that it would seem as though a fish 

 epidemic had broken out in this section. The first symp- 

 tom manifested itself when there was a ring at my door 

 and a boy was shown in to see me, with a paper parcel in i 

 his hand containing a trout. The trout was 12^in. long 

 and the boy was about 3^ft. high. He was 10 years old 

 and his name was Sylvester Palmer. He was a little dis- I 

 appointed that it was not one of the brown trout which 

 had been planted in the brook where he had fished, but, 

 all the same, he was proud that he had caught a native 

 brook trout weighing nearly a pound. The trout are not 

 yet in good condition, and the boy's trout was quite thin, j 



Later, the same evening, Mr. A. K, Pike gave me the i 

 outline on paper of a yellow perch which he caught the- i 

 day before, May 11, in Dunham's Bay Creek, Lake George- J 

 The fish w as 14in. long and weighed 21bs., making it the- j 

 largest perch on record from Lake George or its tribu- ' 

 taries, and a very large perch for any water in these days. 1 

 Last year Dr. Edward Eggleston told me that he caught a. 

 yellow perch at the mouth of Dunham's Bay Creek which, j 

 weighed If lbs., and at the time it was considered a most 

 unusual capture. 



The next report to come to me was also from Lake' J 

 George, and it told of the capture of a "lake trout with 

 black spots," and my informant, who got a description of 

 the fish from the captor, was quite sure that it was a land- 

 locked salmon. The fish weighed 7ilbs., and the fisher- 

 man who caught it said it was unlike any fish he had ever 

 seen in the lake. The only salmon planted in Lake George i 

 or its tributaries I planted in 1887 and in 1890. Both plants j 

 were of fry from the U. S. Fish Commission. Of course \ 

 I cannot say that the fish was not a landlocked salmon, 

 and much as I wish that it may have been, I have serious .j 

 doubts about it, for reasons too long to explain here at this ;j 

 time. 



The next report filled me with joy. Saturday evening, I 

 May 12, a boy exhibited in several stores in Glens Falls a ! 

 brown trout l8in. long which he caught in the river above ] 

 the falls at a "sorting place," i. e., a place where saw . 

 logs are sorted to separate those belonging to different | 

 owners. One of the rivermen who was on the platform 

 when the boy caught the trout knew of similar fish hav- 

 ing been taken in the river on other occasions, and after 

 following several leads this is what I got: 



Mr. W. A. Sherman, of the Sherman Line Company, 

 told me that about May 1 a man caught a brown trout in 

 the Hudson near the Sherman Lime Kilns which weighed : 

 21bs., and this caused him to investigate the matter of the | 

 appearance of a new trout in the river from which the j 

 native trout disappeared long years ago. The brown 

 trout have been taken in the Hudson for two or three 

 years, the greater number having been taken at or near fl 

 the mouth of Clendon Brook. A few men who discovered 

 that the trout were in the river have fished persistently , 

 for them and at the same time have tried to keep the 

 matter a secret. The two-pound trout caught May 1 was 

 caught below the falls at Glens Falls at a point about 

 three miles below the mouth of Clendon Brook. All the 

 trout taken have been of good size, weighing from £ to ' 

 about 31b8. 



Now, as to how the brown trout got in the river. In 

 1886 Mr. Eugene G. Blackford, then president of the New | 

 York Fish Commission, sent me 8,000 brown trout fry 1 

 from a lot of eggs sent to him by Dr. von Behr, from j 

 Germany. I planted them in the Clendon Brook, and 

 from the day _ they were planted until a few days ago I 

 have heard nothing of them in any way. I have fished < 

 the brook and examined and cross-examined every man ! 

 whom to my knowledge has fished it, and finally came to 

 the conclusion that the plant was a failure. In 1887, at I 

 the request of Mr. O E. Durkee, superintendent of the 

 Adirondack E.R., I procured 5,000 brown trout fry from 

 the U. S. Fish Commission, and they were planted in I 

 Wolf Creek, a stream which flows into the Hudson just I 

 above Luzerne. Those are the only plants of brown trout 

 fry made in the Hudson, or its tributaries, so far as I 

 know, and if tnere had been others I think I would have | 

 known about it. A sufficient number of brown trout 

 have been taken in the Hudson to demonstrate that the 

 upper portion of the stream may be a suitable habitat for 

 their species, and under the circumstances it is well worth i 

 while to continue planting them. That they do not stay ' 

 In the small trout brooks is quite clear, and in the river it 

 cannot be urged against them that they will ea.t the native 

 trout of slower growth. It is true that there are still a 

 few of the native brook trout in the river from the Glen 

 northward, but they are becoming more and more scarce 

 every year, and if the brown f.rout can replace them why 

 not give them the opportunity? 



Hudson River Salmon In Market. 

 A New York newspaper in announcing the arrival of the 

 first North River salmon in market of April 28, adds that 

 for over fifteen years these fish were u£tknown in market. 



