494 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[June 9, 1894. 



NEWS FROM THE FISHING WATERS. 



Hunter, N. Y., May 26.— With this I send youaphoto 

 of our first day's fishing, April 16, I say "our," for I 

 caught only two of them: the rest were taken by a 

 friend. I just stepped out for a few minutes' fun after I 

 had closed my school for the day and captured the one 

 that local fishermeu have all been "after for the past year 

 or two. My first one taken was 12iin. in length, weight 

 about fibs. ; the second 18^in. in length, weight exactly 

 2ilbs, Taken within a pistol shot of the Roggen Hotel, 

 in Tannersville. Doubtless you remember the place — 

 Howard's dam. They were our regular brook trout. In 

 fact, just in this vicinity, the California3 are rarely taken, 

 though the streams have been stocked with' them. 



The fishing is only fair this spring. Too many fisher- 

 men are anxious to excel in numbers, so no matter what 

 the size, they never put a fish back. 



Partridges have wintered well, and as we have a couaty 

 law protecting them until Oct. 1, there will be sport this 

 fall. J. K. 



Campbellton, N. B., May 26.— Salmon have arrived, 

 also three or four anglers. I have only heard of some six or 

 eight clean fish yet. Next week I expect there will be a 

 good run with the spring tides. Nets getting few fish, 

 owing to strong east winds; but are ready to receive them 

 on arrival. Kelts very plenty; water in tip top condition 

 and lumber all down to booms. John Mowat. 



Reynolds, Trout Lake, Wis. — Mr, Clark, Mr. Downey 

 and Mr. L'jach, all of Chicago, caught in one day's fishing 

 fifty-five mu3kallonge, five bass and six pike. Muskal- 

 longe weighing from 5 to 201bs. Fish were caught in the 

 Gresham lakes, three miles from Trout Lake. 



John B. Mann. 



Neversink, Fallsburgh, Sullivan County, N, Y.— On 

 May 19, Mr. S, L, Rodes, of Brooklyn, and Mr. James 

 Curk and Mr. B. T. Bush, of New York city, caught 132 

 fine trout out of the Neversink; and on May 22, Stephen 

 Sprague and George Sarles, of New York, caught two large 

 baskets of fine trout. 



Lebanon, N. H., June 1.— The outlook for fishing for 

 trout in brooks and streams around here is very poor. 

 May 1 I took a trip of eight days through the eastern part 

 of Grafton county, and where two years ago I would 

 catch from 50 to 100, I would get from 10 to 25; and a 

 third or more of them would have to be thrown back, 

 being (some of them a good deal) under size. I know of 

 two crack fishermen who drove 40 miles one day and re- 

 turned with seven trout; so I was not so much surprised 

 when "Von W." said that a friend of his caught only one 

 trout in that beautiful brook in which I think I caught on 

 May 31, 1891, 85. There are, I think, few men that like 

 to fish (for trout alone) as well as I do; but I wish that 

 they would pass a law, and enforce it, of $5 fine for every 

 trout caught in any brook or stream south of the White 

 Mountains for three years, and see then if we could have 

 some decent fishing once more. Mascomy. 



Minocqua, Wis., June 2.— James Lane, John Lewis and 

 E. T. Hubbell, of Illinois, caught 10 muskallonge each, 

 weighing from 8 to 151bs. L. Weirhar. 



Sandusky, May 31.— The steamer Visitor, recently 

 seized for alleged violation of Canadian marine laws, has 

 been appraised at $8,000 at Amherstburg, and will be re- 

 leased under bond, returning to Put-in-Bay pending the 

 hearing of the case. The Leroy Brooks will probably be 

 released within a day or two in the same way. 



Ropesville, Texas, May 29.— Our fishermen are making 

 some big catches this spring of tarpon, junefish, iackfish 

 and all other kinds. 'j\ n. 



Lake Winola, Scranton, Pa., June 1.— In Lake Winola 

 (Wyoming county, Pa.) the bass are spawning about two 

 weeks earlier than usual and apparently in unusual num- 

 bers. They ordinarily leave the beds about July 1. There 

 is talk that the Lake Winola Association will this year 

 extend the close season until June 15. Capouse. 



On Saturday, May 26, the writer caught a speckled 

 brook trout in Frank Lake, Adirondack Preserve Associ- 

 ation, weighing 31bs. 10oz., trolling with flies This trout 

 took a large red-ibis fly. He had been out of water at 

 least two hours when weighed. A. P. A. 



Canadensis, Pa., June 4.— Owing to frequent and 

 heavy rams the streams have all been at a high stage for 

 two weeks, improving the fishing on the smaller, but rais- 

 ing the larger streams to a degree hardly permitting either 

 wading or fishing. One of the most successful parties at 

 Price s hpruce Cabin this season came there from Troy, 

 Pa., and I am informed caught over 400 trout in four days' 

 the first of last week. My own fishing was confined to a 

 part of one day in th,i Broadhead Creek, which was about 

 w-SPlu I e its avera S e sta S e > and almost impassable, 

 With the stream in such a condition I was surprised to 

 take a dozen fair fish with the fly. From now on if the 

 P t re8< ^V prosp ? cfc of fair weather is fulfilled the fishing 

 should be good. T. H. G. 



A Remora Caught by Hand. 



In one of your recent numbers you describe the remora 

 which has a way of fastening on to other fishes, sharks' 

 turtles, etc. Bat did you know that they occasionally 

 fasten on to boats? On my trip around to New York 

 with Mr. John F Small in the Exile recently, while off 

 Chatham bars, I happened to look over the stern of the 

 boat and saw about 2ft. of a fish's tail sticking out beyond 

 it, waving gently about. I made a grab for him, but he 

 slipped through I grabbed for him a second time and 

 missed, but the third time I got him and threw him into 

 the standing room. He immediately fastened on to the 



v° r V , put hlm mto abuck et half full of water, out of 

 which he soon jumped. I put him in again, but he was 

 such a trouble to us that finally I threw him overboard 

 and he went on his way rejoicing. He was about 3ft' 

 long and had four or five small holes or openings on each 

 side of his neck. His body was a kind of brown or gray 

 m0ttled - OUFTON W, A. BARTLETT 



Baby Trout and Grouse in Spring. 



Lebanon, N. H., June 1.— I returned last week from 

 a carriage drive of some 150 miles through the south- 

 western part of Vermont. I fished in several towns 

 among the Green Mountains, Jamaica, Winhal, Stratton, 

 etc., and I was very much disappointed, for I had had 

 such glowing accounts and had also received such beau- 

 tiful letters from my friends living there. One day by 

 putting in a full day's work I did fool sixty, and put back 

 25 per cent, of them, and if the fish warden had been at 

 my elbow I don't know but what I should have kindly 

 consented to have relinquished another 25 per cent, 

 rather than to have had any difference of opinion about 

 it. All down that way laughed at the idea of a trout 

 being put back; if he had the spots large enough to see 

 he was all right. That is what is making the trouble 

 with the trout fishing. I staye/1 over night once where I 

 saw four fine ruffed grouse tails arranged on the sitting 

 room wal's. I knew that the man had lived there only a 

 short time so I asked him where he got them, "Oh," he 

 said, "I killed them since I moved here." "But are you 

 not afraid of the game warden?" His reply was, "No 

 one sees my game after I once get it," And that is the 

 way that a sportsman "gets left" who is willing to live up 

 to the law. Baby trout are caught before they have 

 hardly got their eyes open and grouse are killed when 

 they are nesting, I begin to think that there is no show 

 for the game except in the private preserves, and I have 

 always despised them. But nail that plank in the plat- 

 form— No game to be sold. Mascomy. 



An Albino Trout. 



Dingman's, Pike Co., Pa. — Editor Forest and Stream: 

 While fishing for trout on May 2 I caught an albino trout, 

 if it be not a variety of that fish. Mr. E. T. Hoffman has 

 recently stocked the upper waters of Dingman's Creek, 

 and it has occurred to me that the fi-sh might be a new 

 variety; and yet I know nothing of a white trout. 



I was "poking around" among the sticks and alders, 

 when to my astonishment I caught sight of a white fish 

 — hooked. It was not over 5 in. long, and as I saw it white 

 as it came up I said, "This is a shiner or a silverfish." 

 But, I thought, "I have never seen, in my experience of 

 many years, anything but chubs and occasionally a small 

 pickerel." However, as the line swung into my hands I 

 was surprised to see a white fish, and as I extended the 

 palm I said, "No scales here; and the form of a trout is 

 perfect." I looked closely as it lay on my hand. It was 

 white, with outlines of the mottlings of the back. I 

 could not see the red spots, while the yellow ones seemed 

 whiter, if possible, than the spots of the sides. Of course 

 the fins and tail were even clearer and whiter than the 

 body. Of course I released the fish as soon as I could. It 

 was gasping for water, and I saw it must perish soon. It 

 was a vigorous one for so small a fish, and it dove down 

 lively enough among the submerged alders. Maybe it 

 will be found again. A. H. G. 



[We believe that we have recorded a similar case 

 before.] 



Fishing Among the Thousand Islands. 



The New York Central & Hudson River Railroad has 

 sent us a copy of a convenient, comprehensive and well 

 arranged pamphlet descriptive of "Fishing Among the 

 Thousand Islands." It is No. 15 of the "Four Track 

 Series" of handbooks for travelers, coming from the 

 Passenger Department of that road. The author is James 

 Churchward, "an expert fisherman, whose experience of 

 over ten years in pursuit of his favorite sport in the 

 waters of the St. Lawrence, has amply qualified him to 

 advise and direct in all matters pertaining to that subject." 



The pages are embellished with characteristic illustra- 

 tions, and all the best fishing grounds of the St. Lawrence 

 River are correctly located by charts printed in colors, so 

 that they cannot tie missed. Everything about tackle is 

 also minutely described and illustrated. A copy of the 

 book will be sent Iree. post-paid, on receipt of five 2 cent 

 stamps, by George H. Daniels, G. P. A., Grand Central 

 Station, New York. 



Whipping the Stillwater. 



They tell a piscatorial joke on our friend John D. Lose- 

 kamp, the famous clothing merchant of Billings and Red 

 Lodge. A few weeks ago Mr. Losekamp and his friend 

 Col. Hough, editor of the Forest and Stream, were en- 

 joying an outing and whipping the Stillwater River for 

 trout. The merchant was having good luck and pulling 

 out trout by the wholesale and had about 100 of the pretty 

 finny trib<- captured, and the heart of Cnl. Hough was on 

 the ground in despair. Pretty soon the journalist suc- 

 ceeded m pulling out a 41bs. trout andit changed his sour 

 visage into rapturous smiles. Mr. Losekamp requested of 

 his guest that they move on up the stream. Col. Hough 

 indignantly refused to move, and informed his benefactor 

 that he had all the fish he wanted and "was no Montana 

 hog."— Bed Lodge (Mont.) New Idea. 



Trout Near Baltimore. 



Baltimore, Md.— The new trout law relating only to 

 Baltimore county protects the fish from July 1 to March 1 

 and makes the lawful size 6 in. We might almost say we 

 had no trout, but happily there are a few. The gentle- 

 men of Green Spring Valley have stocked many of their 

 streams and we of the Tenth District have always done 

 all in our power to preserve this sport. Nevertheless 

 streams in which our fathers caught forty or fifty in an 

 afternoon are now without a fish, due principally to the 

 mills and partly to dynamite. Where suitable streams 

 have been stocked with 5,000 trout, when the fish left the 

 cans they were forever lost. Asa B. Gardiner, Jr. 



Fishing Camp and Warship. 



Boston Mass,, May 28.— Two years ago Admiral Sir 

 John Hopkins, of Her Majesty's warship Blake, was enter- 

 tained at the summer home and fishing camp at Gaspe P 

 Q of John Fottler, Jr., of this city, ex-president of the 

 Massachusetts Fish and Game Protective Association 

 To-day the Admiral returned the compliment by enter' 

 taining Mr. Fottler, wife and daughter at private dinner 

 aboard the Blake. The Admiral is a thorough sportsman 

 and enjoys discussing camp life fully as much as going 

 into the subject of Oin. rapid firing guns. It is a great 

 pleasure to meet such a man. He expects to spend a week 

 fishing on the fc>t. John River this season. b. 



Butterfleld and Mill-Site Lakes. 



Ithaca, N. Y., May 31.— Well down in the summer of 

 1893 an advertisement of the Dollinger House, at Red- 

 wood, met my eye, and I determined to pay a visit to the 

 locality. Although the weather was very unpropitious, 

 myself and friend found excellent accommodations at 

 the hotel, the headquarters of fishermen, and good sport 

 in Butterfleld and Mill-Site lakes, which are scarce a half 

 mile apart and in the immediate vicinity of the house. 

 Mill-Site Lakp i3 about one mile long and perhaps an aver- 

 age of one-half mile wide. In this lake peculiar salmon 

 trout, often of large siz Q , are caught in abundance, differ- 

 ing from all others I have ever seen m having a tail much 

 resembling a mackerel, instead of the square or rounded 

 tail generally found They are good biters and game to 

 the last. Black bass of the small-mouth variety are plen- 

 tiful in the same lake. Butterfleld Lake is near five miles 

 long, broken up with Hands and deep bays, perhaps an 

 average of less than a half mile wide. Here are caught 

 bass of large and small-mouth variety, glass-eyed pike, 

 pickerel, immense schools of large perch, with an occa- 

 sional catfish to furnish variety. Self and friend expect 

 to visit Redwood and fish the twin lakes for a couple of 

 weeks following the! 1th of June and then again late in 

 September. Will note for Forest and Stream- the suc- 

 cess we may meet. J. H. S. 



"Kingfisher" and the Bull. 



' The old Black Bull 

 Came down off the mountain, 

 Long time ago. 1 ' 



"Old Sam," in Forest and Stream of May 26, has covered himself 

 with glory as a purely imaginative writer of "bull stories;" and as a 

 vigorous drawer of ye long bow I mak« my obeisance to him and take 

 a back seat, figgeratively speakin'. Did I not know Sammy so well I 

 would lay his outburst to an overdose of "O(ld) F(ashioned) Cropper)," 

 but in this case I am fain to think it may ba charged to the "water" of 

 the famous blue grass region in which he lives, which, it is said, exerts 

 a peculiar, and at times bewilderin 1 influence on the imagination, not- 

 ably in the relation of bull and fish stories. Not to give Sam's powers 

 in this line too abrupt a backset, it is only necessary to call attention 

 to one of his many flights of fancy in the tale oE the bull, to east a 

 shadow of doubt on the accuracy of the other main "p'ints" of the 

 narrative, and that is, that I was never known to be guilty of wearing 

 a coat when on atroutin' tramp. But the story is so well told (out- 

 side of the fact that Sam was 20Pyds. away and not "in" at a single 

 act or scene of the performance), and so laughable withal, that I for- 

 give him— for his many other good quali.ies— and only hope that tie 

 "old daisy" may be with us again in camp this summer to "jine" me 

 in S"me more "bull-y episodes" and r other pleasantries that have 

 cemented friendships in the "Camps of the Kingfishers" that will 

 abide till we make our last cast. 



And now, to reel up, I wish to add my mite in praise of my old 

 friend and comrade, "Kelpie," and thank old Sam and the editor at 

 the same time for their good words for him. I heartily indorse it all, 

 and go 'em one better, for he is one of a rare type of sportsmen, whom 

 it is good to know and have as a friend. 



The picture of him in Forest and Stream is a most excellent one, 

 alheit a trifle more "rotund in feature, maybe, than he usually shows 

 m camp. Jeems Mackerel. 



Cincinnati, O., May 27. 



tgishqulture md «gizh grokqtion. 



Pound Fishing as Seen by a Pound Fisherman. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It was with much interest that I read the proceedings of 

 the Coast Fishery Conference, and with much regret that the 

 sportsman fisherman and net fisherman cannot meet and 

 work for the good of each and the community in general. I 

 am a net fisherman. I set pounds and believe in netting. 

 But I do not believe in the inhuman practice resorted to by 

 most pound and trap fishermen, and think it time that not 

 only the sportsman, but the community demand a change; 

 and that at once a change that will prohibit the use of net- 

 ting so fine as to destroy more fish than are saved for market. 

 The fineiiettinghasalmost destroyed fishing in the salt ponds 

 and bays; and where a few years ago one could enjoy good 

 fishing with hook and line for tautog and white perch, to- 

 day he would find nothing. Then with a small seine it was 

 not unusual to take from ten to twenty barrels at a single 

 haul; now one might get as many fish instead of barrels. 



With striped bass fishing it is the same. The bays and salt 

 ponds were full of them, and large quantities were taken 

 with gill-nets, while shore seines were used outside; and it 

 was a paying business when bass sold at from 5 cents to 7 

 cents per pound. To day one could not nay expenses with 

 bass at 25 cents to 35 cents per pound. Scup were taken in 

 almost any desired quantities with shore seines, and paid 

 well at one to two dollars a barrel, with thousands of loads 

 for manure at 25 cents per load. To-day with the same seine 

 one could not pay board — even fish-camp board. 



Yet they tell us that fish are governed bynatural laws, and 

 that the free use of the most improved nets and pounds has 

 no effect upon the supply of fish; that there is no scarcity; 

 that fish are as plenty as ever. Why is it that scup pounds 

 are set out wider and wider, until some are 2,500 to 3,000ft. 

 wide, when a few years ago scup ran in countless numbers 

 almost in the surf? If there are as many fish now as then, 

 why do the pounds take less now than the shore seines could 

 then, while now the shore seines get nothing? 



We read in the Fish Conference report that there is no 

 waste of food fish taken from pounds. I have seen thousands 

 of barrels taken, but never saw anything of that kind. How 

 are the fish handled? I will write regarding the fishing in 

 this vicinity, where large quantities of netting are used and 

 a large amount of fish taken, and ask, have the community 

 and the sportsmen a right to say anything? 



In March the setting of small pounds begins for smelts, 

 alewives and flatfish. Then begins the destruction in a very 

 small way. Small unsalable fish are put on the land. A 

 little later fish get cheaper, and flatfish, which sold for 5 to 

 8 cents per pound in the winter are now put with the small 

 smelts, tomcod and flatfish for manure. By April 25 a large 

 amount of alewives, together with tons of small tautog, 

 which now run, are thrown up. Scup pounds are now put 

 at work and when scup come large and small are bailed on 

 to the boat and they start for a shipping point, and thousands 

 of barrels of small scup are killed and when sorted and bar- 

 reled are thrown overboard, put on land or into pomace. 

 Usually, take the season through, more small fish are wasted 

 than salable ones are saved. After the run of scup the 

 pounds are taken up, but many summer pounds are set, and 

 the slaughter goes on. 



But we have not come to the worst, which is fall pounding, 

 in bays, rivers and salt ponds. Then the destruction is be- 

 yond belief by one who never saw it. These pounds are put 

 in by the hundred. They are usually of fine netting, and 

 give fish but a small chance to escape. The netting being 

 fine for eels, is fine enough to take almost everything, and 

 hundreds of barrels a day of tautog, white perch, bluefish 

 and flatfish, too small for the market, are put on the land for 

 manure. 1 have seen tons in a heap, of fish from the size of 

 one's finger to salable size. Every one can see it and should 

 see it next fall, only take the trouble, if fine netting is 

 allowed, It would surprise you to see two or three barrels 

 of fish put on the land to every barrel shipped— fish that if 

 allowed to grow one or two years would be good salable fish. 



I trust every lover of fish and fishing will look into the 

 matter and see pounds hauled, Next summer when at the 



