476 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[June 13, 1896. 
is now at Monson, Me., with his friend, C. P. Keeler. 
Both gentlemen will fish the Monson ponds for a week or 
more. On his return Mr. Blanchard will go to his salmon 
river. 
Rangeley Lake is producing a remarkably large number 
of landlocked salmon this year, at least forty have already 
been taken; the largest, taken by W, F. Patten, weighed 
lOlbs. 12oz. Mr. Geo. A. Brackett, Jr., has been on a 
fishing trip to Dutton Pond, in Kingfield, and reports 
good fishing. Seventy -two trout was his record for a few 
hours' fishing, with the small ones all returned to the 
water. Mr. Joel A. Speary has been at Bemis, as usual. 
He was accompanied by Misses Effie and Annie Speary, 
who have greatly enjoyed the fishing. Mr. Speary has 
visited the Rangeleys almost every year for over twenty 
years, generally stopping at Bemis. But the fact of a 
railroad right into his former seclusion is almost too 
much. Though over 70 years of age, he is likely to seek 
other forest quiet away from the locomotive whistle. 
Mr. and Mrs. B. Shaw have returned from the Rangeleys. 
Mrs. Shaw secured a 5 lb. trout. Special. 
While reports up to date from the Rangeleys, Moose- 
head and most of the other Maine lakes indicate excep- 
tionally good fishing this season, the Boston men who 
have visited Sebago Lake bring back nothing but dis- 
couraging news of the fishing in that hitherto reliable 
body of water. With the exception of the first week's 
fishing very few salmon have been taken, although the 
lake has been trolled day after day. All agree that the 
fish are there. One gentleman tells me that the water is 
8 or 10ft. higher than usual, but this is hard to believe, 
since we have had little or no rain for a long time; 
another places the blame on the weather, which he says 
has been too cold to permit good fishing. Still another 
says the smelt are so numerous that the salmon are 
gorged all the time, and to my mind the latter is the best 
explanation of all, although not accounting altogether 
for the phenomenon. 
A letter of recent date from H, J. Wilson, of Moose- 
head, states that the fishing at the outlet at the foot of 
the lake has been wonderfully good during the last half 
of May. Many trout of from 4 to 61bs. have been taken; 
not many places in Maine can show trout of such pro- 
portions, 
For a long time Lake Winnepesaukee, in New Hamp- 
shire, has been a noted place for lake trout, but it has 
remained for the last two years to bring it into special 
notice as a place for salmon fishing. Many of the latter 
have been landed during May, and some of them have 
been heavy-weights. F. E. Busiel captured one of 9£lbs. 
and ^ome others of less weight. A friend of Mr. Busiel 
has also taken a 9-pounder, and all indications point to 
the fact that it will be but a short time before Winnepe- 
saukee will provide as good salmon fishing as Newfound 
or any of the lakes of the old Granite State. F. A. Her- 
sey, with two or three Boston friends, have been up to 
Tuftonboro Neck, at Winnepesaukee. They did fairly 
well, getting four lakers in two days' fishing, and then 
only after sinking to very deep water. Five pounds was 
the weight of the largest. H. W. Winter, just returned 
from Winnepesaukee with Robert Moses as guide, in two 
days' trolling between Meredith and the guide's camp on 
Horse Island; he landed twelve lake trout, the largest 
5flbs. and the smallest ^Ibs , and better still they 
were all taken on a 6£oz neverbreak rod. One fish was 
hooked very lightly in the skin over the eye, and when 
an attempt was made to net him the hook broke away. 
The prize was too exhausted, however, to get out of 
reach and a second attempt landed him in the boat. 
Last year was the first experience in salmon fishing of 
Senator Proctor, of Vermont, and it only served to whet 
his ardor for the sport. He is now planning to go to the 
Miramichi and the Tobique, and I hope to get the story of 
the trip on his return. His fishing last year was confined 
to the pools of the New Brunswick Railroad Co. on the 
left branch and at the forks of the Tobique. He was on 
the river only two and one-half days, and probably fished 
not more than ten hours during that time, yet he landed 
eight salmon weighing from 15 to221bs. each. He is now 
a member of the Tobique Club, which has pools on the 
main stream and on the right branch, Senator Proctor 
likes to shoot as well as fish, and spent some time last 
autumn in hunting moose. 
Another man of national prominence who likes salmon 
fishing is Justice Horace Gray, of the U. S. Supreme 
Court. Accompanied by his friend, Judge Robert Grant, 
of Boston, he will leave in a few days to spend some time on 
Judge Grant's river, the Metanne, in Quebec. Judge Gray 
had good fishing last season, and hopes to do equallv well 
on this trip. 
Archibald Mitchell passed through Boston a week ago 
en route to the Restigouche to fish the Grog Island pools. 
E. C. Fitch leaves soon for the Romaine. Mr. Fitch will 
be joined by Dr. Brown, who is now due to arrive home 
from Burmah, where he has been for some months. The 
two gentlemen will go to Quebec and sail in Mr. Fitch's 
vessel for the river. Charh- s D. Sias and George N. Talbot 
and one other gentleman start next Monday on a salmon 
fishing trip to the Gaspe, St. John River. W. M. Brackett, 
the artist, and Mrs. Brackett expect to leave on June 12 
tor Mr. Brackett's river, the northeast branch of the St. 
Marguerite. Mr. Harry Russell will join them on the 
16th inst. At Bangor, E. A. Buck, of that city, has been 
having some good fishing. He has taken eight salmon 
within a week, four of which weighed 561bs. 
A Boston friend, who lately returned from one of the 
New Brunswick fishing preserves, tells me that in the St. 
Croix River, in the village of St. Stephen, N. B., while 
he was there the natives were taking salmon with the 
ny m the rifts below dam almost every day. 
Mr. Louis Curtis and Geo. von L. Meyer, speaker of the 
Massachusetts House, will leave next week for the Resti- 
gouche salmon. Both had good fishing last season, Mr. 
Meyer landing eight fish in one day, which is something: 
of a record even for the Restigouche. 
The Aroostook region seems to be uppermost this year 
in the minds of many New England anglers as the prom- 
ised land for fishing. Atkins Camp, at Oxbow, is 
piooabiy the most prominent place in the region as yet, 
but a large number are planning to go further north 
where there are many lakes in which it is said the best of 
fishing can be had. From what I have heard I think the 
camps over there, as compared with those of the Range- 
ley and Dead River country, are quite inferior in accom- 
modations, but if they prove good centers for fishing 
these sins of omission will be forgiven, and it will not 
take them long to improve. T. H. Rollinson and Mrs. 
Rollinson will leave on Sunday night for Ashland. They 
will go from there to Portage Lake and may extend the 
trip up Fish River to Fish Lake. Mr. Rollinson has 
heard great stories about the trout at Fish Lake. 
Geo. L, Tracey and S. Y. Nash left on Friday night for 
Oxbow. They will spend two weeks at Atkins camp on 
the preserve, and fish around Milnocket Lake. 
Another party just returned from Moosehead stopped 
at the Kineo House, and had the steamer Cora Lee when 
out trolling. On Wednesday last they landed fifty-five 
trout, weighing 150^1 bs. These, of course, were mostly 
lakers, but Mr. Reding captured one square-tail of 5lbs. 
weight. They were fortunate in getting some fly-fishing 
during one day. A speckled trout weighing 3flbs. and 
another of Iflbs. were taken in one cast, and three casts 
yielded seven large trout. This was rapid fishing, and 
exciting enough to please any fly-caster. 
Still another party just from Moosehead, with reports of 
good fishing, left on May 22, and, like most of the Moose- 
head anglers, had a steamer from which they fished. 
Their best luck was at the head of the lake, and among 
the fish taken were a few salmon. Mr. Cheney was high 
line of the party, getting one 16Jlb. laker that took him 
forty minutes to land. Mr. Davis captured a 5Jlb. brook 
trout, and Mr. Perkins a 13£lb. laker. Twenty-three fish 
were taken in one day, of which fifteen were speckled 
trout. 
One of the largest parties of anglers that leave Boston 
annually for Maine is that headed by F. W. Thomas, 
of Boston. This is the fifth successive trip, and Moose- 
head Lake is the place. Last year they landed 383 fish, 
the largest weighing 14£lbs. 
L. Dana Chapman, Horace S. Dame and W. A. Macleod 
have just returned from a trip over the Megantic Preserve. 
The party had good fishing, and found all the club camps 
in fine condition. They were gratified to learn that the 
salmon put in Big Island Pond were showing themselves 
and give every evidence of doing well. The return trip 
was made through Kennebago and down over the new 
road from Bemis. Hackle. 
Niagara County Anglers' Club. 
Lockport, June 5 — The Niagara County Anglers' Club 
held their annual tournament at Olcott, on Lake Ontario, 
yesterday, and had a royal good time, as usual. The 
black bass were not biting, but many perch were captured. 
Yesterday was an ideal day for fishing. Never did the 
members of the Niagara County Anglers' Club and their 
friends have a better time. The fighting began at 9 
o'clock in the morning and the fishermen were instructed 
to report at the pavilion at 5 o'clock in the afternoon. 
There were sixty-six anglers on each side, headed by 
Capt. W. W. Stevens (green) and Capt. W. F. Bennett 
(yellow). Several fished all the time, from start to finish, 
and were not seen until the roll was called in the after- 
noon. When their names were pronounced they would 
come forward with a large string of fish as a result of the 
day's sport. D uring the afternoon the fishermen gathered 
at the pavilion in little groups and discussed the events of 
the day. The refreshment committee was arrayed in 
proper uniform, and on their hats were the words "Life 
Saving Crew." Those who had charge of the refresh- 
ments had done their work well, and all were well cared 
for. The pavilion was filled to overflowing when the 
anglers congregated at 5 o'clock in the evening to have 
their fish counted and claim their prizes. The fish were 
laid on the floor and were carefully examined by the 
judges. The yellow side, under the able leadership of W. 
F. Bennett, was the winner by 373 points. The following 
is the result in detail: 
Yellows— Perch 564, rock bass 41, white bass 11, black 
bass 1, bullhead 1, suckers 2; total 1,450. Greens (Capt. 
W. W. Stevens)— Perch 457, rock bass 23, white bass 4, 
sunfish 1, blue pike 1, eels 2, menhaden 1; total 1,077. 
Difference 373. 
The fish schedule of the club is as follows: Black bass 
50 points, white bass 15, salmon trout 100, muscalonge 
500, pickerel 25, herring 5, yellow pike 20, blue pike 15, 
perch 2, rock bass 2, eel 20, catfish and bullhead 15, suck- 
era 5, sheepshead 20, sunfish 1. 
First prize, gold badge, for largest small-mouth black 
bass, won by T. H. Van Horn, who caught the only bass 
taken. Prize for largest string of perch by count, F. B. 
Lewis, with 43. For heaviest string of perch, H. J. Bene- 
dict. For heaviest string of mixed fish, J. F. Darrison. 
For largest string of fish by count, John Wilson, with 50. 
Heaviest string of white bass, W. Shaffer. 
When the time of counting up came, the large string 
of fish which was brought to the pavilion by Ed. Le Van 
was nowhere to be found. It was rumored, and perhaps 
on good authority, that some person or persons had con- 
fiscated the fish, and that there was a fish supper held last 
evening. The persons who stole the fish were considerate 
enough to invite Mr. Le Van to partake of the meal. 
Secretary Sweet proved an able officer, and did all in 
his power to have the fishermen enjoy themselves. Ex- 
Mayor John T. Darrison, who won the sixth prize for the 
largest string of mixed tish, caught five perch, four rock 
bass, one blue pike and one menhaden. H. 
A Very Useful Invention. 
Iowa.— The drawing herewith is respectfully sub- 
mitted as an invention very useful to the average 
fisherman, who never knows how big that big one was 
that got away, and how big a fight a fellow has on hand 
when he has him hooked. We have several of the boys 
here who always come in ahead with a big one that got 
away, and this leads me to think that until the above is 
adopted there will be no show for the rest of us. 
A, C. Heath. 
THE PROPAGATION OF SMALL-MOUTH 
BLACK BASS. 
BY SEYMOUR BOWER. 
[Read before the American Fisheries Society,] 
At Cascade Springs, Kent county, near the banks of the 
Thornapple River, is located an experimental black bass 
station of the Michigan Fish Commission. The present is 
the third and most successful season of its operation. The 
water supply to the experimental ponds is derived from 
spring sources, not far removed, and is therefore too cold 
for bass work as it reaches the ponds, but the supply is so 
limited in volume that the area of pond exposure is suffi- 
cient to nearly equalize the temperature with that of the 
Thornapple Elver. 
The Thornapple is well stocked with small mouth bass. 
Their spawning beds are found all along in front and for 
a considerable distance above and below our experimental 
ponds, thus affording an excellent opportunity, in connec- 
tion with the pond work, of observing their natural 
spawning habits and the results. 
This station was not established with any idea of per- 
manency, nor with the expectation of hatching any con- 
siderable number of bass — the water supply is too limited 
for that — but rather to acquire practical knowledge by 
experience, experiment and observation, so that when 
funds are available for a large plant they may be ex- 
pended wisely and efficiently. 
Having no special fund for even experimental purposes, 
the work has necessarily been limited to a small scale of 
operations. In the summer of 1893 two ponds were ex- 
cavated. The upper pond was to be used for experiment- 
ing in the direction of artificial propagation; the lower 
and much the larger pond was to be devoted to pond cul- 
ture. During the fall a stock of about 150 adult bass was 
collected from the Thornapple and placed in these ponds. 
The fish carried well the following and subsequent win- 
ters, and also in the Bummer, although the temperature 
in the lower pond rises to 90° at times. No losses of any 
consequence have occurred, except as a result of handling 
during the spawning season. 
In the larger pond the fish have not been disturbed 
during the breeding season. In the month of May, 1894, 
ten beds were made in this pond, from which 32,000 fry 
were taken as they rose in schools. This does not repre- 
sent the number hatched, but the number saved, as a part 
of some of the schools had dispersed before it was discov- 
ered that they had risen, 
The following spring, or one year ago, this pond was 
unproductive. Owing to extreme dry weather the sup- 
plying springs nearly failed at times, and the water in 
this pond became stagnant and quite foul and roily. 
When it cleared up a few beds were observed, and it is 
quite probable that a few fish spawned notwithstanding 
the unfavorable conditions; but if they did the beds were 
undoubtedly cleaned out by a large snapping turtle that 
was discovered in the ponds at the time. There is no 
doubt that turtles have a special fondness for the eggs and 
fry, as by actual observation two beds in the river are 
known to have been despoiled in this way. 
The present season the shoal margin around the upper 
end of this pond is literally "peppered" with beds, and 
the outlook is most promising. There are sixty adult fish 
in the pond and eighteen beds are in sight. Five of these 
beds are non-productive, but the other thirteen will yield 
about 70,000 fry, 60,000 having already been collected 
from eleven of the thirteen beds. 
The fish in the upper pond were reserved for experi- 
ments in the line of artificial propagation. Beginning 
with the first spawning season — 1894— they were not dis- 
turbed until they had commenced to prepare the beds; 
they were then seined up from time to time and exam- 
ined. Early in the seaBon one ripe female was found and 
a portion of her eggs were taken, but there were no ripe 
males in the pond; so a male was opened, the spermanea 
removed and pressed out in water, which was poured over 
the eggs. Number of eggs taken, 2,100; number hatched, 
700, or 33 per cent. 
A number of the females were quite soft when first 
handled, but hardened up with further handling and 
failed to spawn at all. Bedding was also discontinued, 
and interference with the natural spawning was resented 
to the extent that they made no further effort to spawn in 
a natural way. Not a fish was hatched in the pond, and 
only 700 by artificial propagation. So this experiment 
was a failure. 
A few days later a pair of bass were seined from their 
bed in the river as they were at the point of spawning, 
but no eggs or milt could be obtained. They were held 
in a tank seven days, then removed to a small pond with 
gravel bottom; but they made no effort to spawn, and 
finally fungused and died. Another pair was captured in 
the river while in the act of spawning, a few eggs having 
been cast; the eggs came freely, but as no milt could be 
pressed out only 500 were taken. By opening the male a 
very little milt was procured, and about 200 fish were 
hatched from the lot. 
The next spring, or one year ago, a small side pond 
about 9x12ft. was excavated and connected by a short 
raceway with the pond in which the failure of the. pre- 
ceding year had occurred. This side pond carried only 
18in. of water, a favorite depth selected by the fish in the 
river for spawning; and being much Bhoaler it would 
also grow much warmer, and therefore more attractive 
for the spawners, than its larger and deeper consort. 
The bottom was covered with gravel and small cobble- 
stones and everything done to make the little annex as 
inviting as possible. No one but the attendants were al- 
lowed to approach the pond during the spawning season. 
A "blind" was provided near by, from behind which all 
the proceedings, from the initial step of preparing the 
beds to the final rising of the young fish, could be ob- 
served without intrusion. 
The result more than justified expectations. There 
were no indications of bedding in the deeper pond, but in 
two instances at least the males literally fought over the 
possession of the bed in the little annex. Eight beds 
were made — there wasn't room for any more. Three 
pairs were lifted from the beds, of which one was spawn- 
ing at the time, but, as usual, no milt could be pressed 
out, or only a minute "speck" or fraction of a drop. 
No further effort to handle the spawners was made. 
As the last three pairs handled had not been touched or 
disturbed in any way or at any time until they were at 
the point or in the very act of spawning, we concluded 
that while occasionally, under peculiar or accidental con- 
ditions, a few eggs might be taken and fertilized, aL 
