FOREST AND STREAM. 
[June 6, 1896. 
was in the middle of September, and I had struck what 
subsequently proved to be a very handsome female fish, 
in condition the very pink of perfection. As my rod was 
lef -s than 5r»z. in weight, and the fish both heavy and 
Strong, I had rather thoroughly exhausted my trout before 
attefflping-to bring it to net. To provide against the 
success of a possible final plunge, I had gradually con- 
ducted my quarry into a narrow opening running some 
distance between two low ledges of rock, upon one of 
which stood my guide, net in hand, ready for the closing 
scene of the struggle. Then for the first time it was seen 
that there were two trout instead of one in the little creek 
or bay into which I had towed my fish. But only one we 8 
fast to my line. With a dexterous sweep of the net, the 
guide secured, not in the first instance the fish that had 
taken the fly, but a handsome red-bellied male, whose 
persistent accompaniment of the securely hooked female 
into shallow water had rendered him apparently oblivious 
of the donger into which he was running,, And as I re- 
flected how much like men these fishes are, there came 
into my mind these capital lines of the late John Boyle 
OTveilly: 
" 'What bait do you use,' said a saint to the devil, 
'When you fish where the souls of men abound? 1 
'Well, for special tastes,' said the king of evil, 
'Gold and fame are the best I've found.' 
'But for general use?' asked the saint. 'Ah 1 then,' 
Said the demon, 'I angle for man, not men, 
And a thing I hate 
Is to change my bait, 
So I fish with a woman the whole year round.' " 
—From "The Ouananiehe and its Canadian Environ- 
ment," by E T D. Chambers, in Harper's Magazine for 
June. 
BOSTON FISHING PARTIES. 
Boston, May 29.— The open season on bass in Massachu- 
setts begins June 1. One of the most reliable places near 
the city which will be visited by Boston fishermen over 
tho holiday is the Sudbury River. It is only fifteen mihs 
out and even a poor angler can generally find there a few 
bass or pickerel to bring home. The river has been sadly 
abused as regards fishing during the last two or three 
years. The overflowed meadows along the shore make 
an ideal place for spearing, and I am told that much of 
this has been* done at night in the shallow waters, and 
that large numbers of fish have been killed in this way. 
It is an abuse that ought to be stopped, but I believe one 
of the hardest to correct, since vigilance sufficient to stop 
it by those appointed for that purpose is indeed a rare 
virtue. A. N. Walker has fished the Sudbury for yeaTS 
and knows its best points thoroughly. He has taken in 
one day five bass that weighed 201bs. , and I have myself 
seen a bass taken from Fairhaven Bay (a large sheet of 
water shooting off from one side of the stream) that 
weighed 61bs, Very few of the Maine lakes can show bass 
of this kind, and here they are at our very doors. 
A friend who fished a brook near Canton, but a few 
miles from the city, captured .ten good-sized trout in a 
few hours, while another party took twelve more from 
the same little stream, which in many places can be 
jumped across, but is very hard to fish. It would seem 
that the home waters are often overlooked while every- 
body is busily engaged in depleting the streams and 
lakes of other States. 
Caryl D. Haskins and S. B. Paine, of Boston, will spend 
their holiday in fishing Southend Pond, near Millis, Mass- 
Mr, Haskins knows tbe pond and its best fishing points 
wpII. and his friend will be under his tuition, which prob- 
ably means that he will come home with the largest 
string, something that often happens. 
J. K. Souther and S. A. Carlton, of Boston, have gone 
to Jackson, N. H, Both have lately returned from Flor- 
ida, and speak enthusiastically of the great fishing they 
have had during the winter. The next few weeks will 
- be devoted to fishing in the White Mountains near Jack- 
son. By the passage of a new law in New Hampshire 
the close season in the Wildcat and Ellis rivers will ex- 
tend to June 1. All the Boston men who have fished 
these streams for years (and there are many of them) are 
elated about the new law and expect it to work wonders 
in replenishing the rivers, particularly as a long close- 
time of two or three years has been placed over the brooks 
which feed them. 
William H. Jackson, the Boston artist, accompanied by 
his wife, has gone to the Provinces. He will spend the 
primmer and fall in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and 
Prince Edward Island, changing from place to place 
wherever the best shooting, fishing and sketching can be 
had. Last summer was passed by Mr. and Mrs. Jackson 
abroad, and during the trip some very fair fishing was 
enjoyed in Scotland, although the great restrictions placed 
on the sport there seemed a hardship to one used to the 
freedom of American waters. 
The Passaconnaway Fishing Club has been organized in 
Merrimao, and has leased a small lake (on which they 
have a camp) known as Veal's Pond, situated about four 
and one- half miles from Haverhill. The pond has been 
famous for its pike fishing, contains about thirty acres, 
an d is fed by four nice streams, in two of which there 
have lately been placed a few trout. The club have 
leased the fishing privilege for a term of ten years, with 
the right of renewal for five years longer. They have a 
large camp, with ample accommodations. During the 
summer pike fishing will be the feature, and in the 
autumn it is the intention to draw off the water and ex- 
terminate those voracious fellows. In the spring of 
1897 the water will be stocked with trout. The officers 
ft re: President, Harry Tuttle; Vice-President, E. Byron 
Sargent; Secretary and Treasurer, Chas. H. Judkins; 
Board of Managers, A, B. Carter, F. B. Judkins, B, Frank 
Sargent and the elected officers of the club. The mem- 
bership is limited to twenty. The name of the club, 
"Passaconnaway," is taken from Whittier's beautiful 
poem, "The Bridal of Pennacook." and the trout brook 
of which Whittier wrote is the outlet of this same pond, 
the poet's birthplace being only one and a half miles from 
Passaconnaway Reservation. 
Eugene Atwood, of Stonihgton, and Gen. E. S. Bass, of 
Wilhmantic, left Boston on Saturday for their camp at 
Kennebago, in the Rangeley region. They will spend 
some weeks fishing these beautiful waters, of which it is 
said that trout will take a flv at any time of year except 
when the lake, is solidly covered with ice. Q. A. Atwood. 
of Boston, will join them in the sport a little later. 
Judge Charles Allen, Judge of the Supreme Court of 
Massachusetts, and his brother, William H. Allen, of 
Greenfield, left on Friday for Moosehead Lake, where they 
have fished together for many years. They will make 
thei* headquarters at the Kineo House. 
Walter B. Farmer, of Arlington, and Fred H. Pearson , 
of Lowell, have just returned from a two weeks' trip to 
the Rangeleys. They stopped at the Mooselucmaguntic 
House, and most of their fishing was done near that re- 
sort. The largest fish was a salmon weighing 81bs., and 
in one morning's sport they landed fourteen fish — all 
trout — the largest 4^1bs. and the smallest 2£lbs. Like 
many others who have been at the Rangeleys this season, 
Mr. Farmer spoke of the excellent salmon fishing. One 
big fellow of lOf lbs. was captured during his stay. 
E. T. Burley, of Lawrence, has gone to the Rangeleys, 
and will stop for some time at a private camp and try the 
fishing. _ 
Dr. C. E. Prior and Mrs. Prior, of Maiden, left on 
Wednesday for the Rangeleys. The Doctor is a devoted 
fisherman, and although intending to stay but a few days 
hopes to bring back one or more of the Rangeley trout or 
salmon. 
R, R. Gilman, of Boston, has reached home from the 
Magaguadavie preserve in New Brunswick. He says the 
party had good fishing, mostly in trolling. Thirteen of 
Mr. Gilman's trout weighed 231bs., and he lost an old 
patriarch who simply took out all his line and galloped 
off without ever stopping to say good-bye. He reports 
quite extensive forest fires in New Brunswick, and says 
that many camps have been burned. 
The Fuller party, who went into the Aroostook region 
from Stacyville about two weeks ago, returned last Mon- 
day evening. They had good fishing, sixteen of their 
best trout averaging 3£lbs. each. While canoeing up the 
east branch of the Penobscot one of the canoes, containing 
two sportsmen and a guide, was caught in the swift cur- 
rent and overturned in deep water. The three men 
reached the shore safely, however, and the canoe was 
captured after quite a chase down the stream. Our two 
sportsmen had all the boating they wanted for that day, 
and were satisfied to tramp the rest of tbe distance to 
camp. They were very fortunate in losing only one 
article of their equipment, a . 32cal. rifle. 
A considerable number of Inglewood Club members 
who did not leave with the main party last week will go 
down in a few days to join them. They are L. L. Hop- 
kins, Morton E. Cobb, Chas. Hull, Peter Tancred, Chas. 
Brown, Leroy S. Brown, H. D. Yerxa and W. A. Taft. 
Hackle. 
NEW JERSEY COAST FISHING. 
Asbury Park, N. J., May 28 — The first striped bass of 
the season to be taken along this coast was captured this 
morning by J. D. Woodward from the Asbury Park fish- 
ing pier; weight 6£lbs. This, while not remarkably early, 
is nine days in the lead of last year, and anglers will be 
correspondingly happy. The prevailing east winds are 
very favorable to striped bass and kingfiah, as the choppy 
condition of the surf on the bar washes out the worms 
and small Crustacea upon which these fish feed. 
Reports are coming in from Barnegat which are highly 
gratifying. Already good catctaeB of weakfish have been 
made. This is something phenomenal for that body of 
water. While the season was very early last year, still 
the first weakfish was taken there on June 11, making this 
two weeks in advance. While reports were current last 
season of fish being taken in May, a personal investiga- 
tion failed to verify the same. 
I would advise anglers at present to direct their atten- 
tion to Forked River, Waretown or Cedar Creek Point, 
rather than at the pier or any of the more northern points. 
While shedder crab is usually a very killing bait, still 
there are times when shrimp alone will suffice, and this is 
particularly true early in the season, 
Weakfishing, if had under proper conditions, is glorious 
sport. And by all means, never give up a season without 
having an all-night trip to some favorite locality. The 
angler who has never tried it maybe somewhat skeptical, 
but to such I would say secure a safe, comfortable boat, 
and with one companion row quietly to some locality 
where the weakfish are known to abound, drop anchor 50 
to 75ft. away from main channel (as the weakfish always 
leaves the channel in the night during the flood tide, seek- 
ing food on the flats and shoals). Then, with line with- 
out either sinker or float, pay out to the tide until the 
strike is secured. With line stripped of all impedi- 
ments, as above described, full play is allowed 
the quarry, and the fun partakes largely of the nature of 
fly-fishing, inasmuch as every quiver and turn of the fish 
is telegraphed instantly to the rod hand. I have taken as 
high as 125 fine tide-runners at a single tide fishing in the 
above described manner between midnight and sunrise, 
"Fish-hogl" I hear somebody say. Well, perhaps so, but 
what is a fellow to do when bait is plentiful, fish are on 
the feed and sleep not to be considered? This much, 
however, in extenuation of the thousands that have 
fallen to my rod: I remember but two fish wasted. There 
are always plenty of families to whom they are welcome, 
and it is ever my pleasure to see that all surplus fish are 
placed in the homes where they will be appreciated. 
May 29.— I am in receipt this A. M. of a letter from Mr. 
L. P. Streeter, an enthusiastic rod and reel fisherman, who 
has been spending a few days at Anglesea in quest of the 
festive drumfish. That he has been thoroughly success- 
ful the following record will attest: May 22, four drum of 
26, 18, 15|and 131bs. respectively; 23d, two of 34and28lbs. ; 
25th, five of 21i, 211, 21£, 18 and 17lbs.; 26th, three of 28, 
20 and 161bs. ; 27th, four of 51, 20, 16 and 151bs. A total of 
eighteen fish, weight 4001bs. 
A scale taken from the 511b. fish measures If xliin.,- 
which of course goes into my cabinet of collections. 
Where, oh, where is Big Reel? And why is he not there? 
Leonard Hulit. 
The Rangeleys. 
Loon Lake, Rangeley, Me, May 29.— Fishing is fine. 
Mr. F. B. Richardson, of Brooklyn, in four days fishing 
the Loon Lake caught sixty-four trout; the largest 
weighed 3£lbs. A. Putman, of Lowell, caught twelve 
trout and four salmon in two hours. 
The game is very plenty here this season; a party while 
fishing at Loon Lake saw six deer in the water. 
R. S. York. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Clams. 
Constant Reader, 1206 Boyce Building, Chicago: 
Dear Sir — I have read your letter addressed to me in 
Forest and Stream with unfeigned satisfaction; first, be- . 
cause it is always a p'easure to hear from you and Old 
Subscriber, Pro Bono Publico, Justice, Taxpayer, One 
of Many, and the rest of the rare band of choice spirits 
of the vintage of our early days, who were wont on stated 
occasions to read the riot act to an erring world. Now, 
full of years and honors, that you emerge from your 
seclusion and pensioned ease will be hailed with delight 
by a younger generation. Second, I am relieved to know 
that you have turned your attention from Western bull- 
heads to Eastern clams, for there was a time when I 
feared you would ruin your well-earned reputation if you 
tarried longer with the horned pout in its plentiousness at 
Koshkonong. With the clam you are on safe ground, and 
I can see with my eyes shut that you have made a scien- 
tific study of its environment, its ancestry, its pleasures, 
and its aspirations. As Darwin might have said if he 
had thought of it, the clam has never had a fair show to 
prove what it might become under the softening influ- 
ences of education, and it remains for your Chicago asso- 
ciation to give it tb at showing. 
However, at the very outset I am in the dark as to the 
particular clam you would know about. There is the 
wild clam and the domesticated clam; salt water, fresh 
water, hot water and cold water clams; hen clams, cod 
clams, hard clams and soft clams; long clams, flat clams 
and painted clams — all belonging to the class of plate- 
gilled or lamellibranchiate mollusks. I have an idea that 
it is the soft clam you are after (Mya armaria), some- 
times known as the smooth-bore clam because of its flat 
trajectory. I know perfectly well that you have no use 
for the reticent clam in Chicago, because its ancestors 
have been inbred for generations, without a single out- 
cross, until it has little, if anything, to say for itself, and 
it is from this particular clam that has arisen the expres- 
sion to politicians, "Don't be a clam"; and I have omitted 
from the list the razor clam, as under no circumstances 
should it be cultivated where it may spread into the black 
belt. 
If you begin with the wild smooth-bore they will have 
to be halter-broken and gentled as soon as they are 
weaned, and clams of different temperaments require dif- 
ferent handling; and it would be better to begin opera- 
tion with a flock of domesticated clams; but I must warn 
you that just now the clam, with other articles of 
"bigotry and virtue." is much worn on the bonnets of the 
ladies in the effete East, and you will require a quavelian 
for each clam in the outfit if the fashion spreads to 
Chicago. 
While I will try and give you some general information 
about the clam, I see that a few of your questions require 
specific answers. You should never set a hen on other 
than the eggs of hen clams, any more than to set cod 
clams under a bullhead, unless you have a hen of phleg- 
matic temperament. Hens are quite apt to get gay as 
clam stepmothers, and seem to think they have filled a 
bob-tail flush. 
Clams will not girdle fruit trees, but maiden clams with 
a retrousce exprf ssion will climb a spruce tree to its very 
top for gum, and in this way it may be the clam has been 
maligned as a tree girdler. 
I fear you are inclined to frivol when you ask if clams 
are indigent. I never saw a clam that had a cent (ex- 
cept that ancient and fish-like scent which Shakespeare 
discovered), and why should they have, for they are like 
the lily in that they toil not, neither do they spin. The 
clam is cast in a patrician mold and can afford to be in- 
digent. Tennyson understood this when he said: 
"From yon blue heaven above us bent, 
The grand old gardener and his wife 
Bmile at the clams of long descent." 
In a clam hennery the perches should be some distance 
above the ground to admit of circulation of air and pre- 
vent an incursion of malaria and the pip. In a state of 
untrammelled nature the clam has no habits, but it 
acquires them when domesticated. It has a natural 
affinity for green corn, lobsters, chickens, sea weed and a 
hot fire, and this inclination should be encouraged in the 
clam, and the juxtaposition cultivated by man, as it does 
the man good and does not hurt the morals of the clam. 
I have given a few facts in a general way, purely from 
a scientific standpoint, in regard to th9 finer instincts of 
the clam, but before the stuff goes to the printer I will 
submit it to my friend Ed. Mott, of the New York Sun, 
who has a clam juice farm in Pike county, Pa., for re- 
vision. 
I know that Major Mott is generally regarded as a bear 
expert and hunter, for he usually kills a few in each Sun- 
day issue of his paper, but since he chased a bear through 
two States and three counties, and had to make a map of 
the route (he tells me, not for publication, that making 
the map fatigued him more than the hunt, as it only took 
him a few hours to chase the bear for seven days, but it 
required a whole day to make the map), he has retired to 
his clam farm for recuperation. Really, he is at his best 
as a clammer, and if not troubled with writer's cramp he 
can give this Mahatma of the Theosophists cards and 
spades when it comes to a knowledge of clams, their here- 
after and their heretofore, and if I mistake not, his crea- 
tion, the "Old Settler" of Sugar Swamp, was a nanninose 
or soft-shelled clam in a previous state of existence, so 
that he is, ex officio, the stepfather of Theosophist clams. 
The "Old Settler." 
Three days are supposed to have elapsed, and in fact 
they have elapsed, and another day with them, since the 
above reply was written to Constant Reader. I sent 
the MS. to Major Mott, and he has returned it with the 
appended letter, and if, when my Western friend reads 
the two replies, he is not filled full of information of a 
reliable character about the clam, I fear he will have to 
apply at another shop to slake his thirst for knowledge. 
Col. A. N. Cheney, Glens Falls, N. T. : 
My Dear Colonel— I have received and read your re- 
plies to Constant Reader's inquiries in Forest and Stream 
about certain qualities and aspirations of the clam, and 
am charmed with their simplicity, their technical accu- 
racy, and the wide clutch with which they seem to take 
hold of knowledge on the subject. I am sorry, though, 
that you|ask me to give my impressions of the clam, 
because I.,have made discoveries about him that are not 
