186 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[SEFT. 1, 1894. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Big Pike. 
A correspondent asks if I can, "without going back 
to mythological times," give the weight of the largest 
"great northern pike" caught with hook and line. 
I do not for a moment imagine that my friend means to 
imply that the weights of the great pike of the books, 
those with collars and rings, and pedigree on parchment 
folded under the pectoral fin, were incorrectly weighed, 
or that the weights were tampered with in the handing 
down process, but that he simply wishes something that 
is not moss-grown and lichen-covered. 
I am not quite sure whether he means pike of this 
country or Europe, or both, but the term "great northern 
pike" has such an American flavor that it would appear 
that he means pike caught in this country. 
I have a photograph of a pike caught in a lake in 
Pennsylvania and its weight is given as 351bs. I can 
give such particulars as 1 have of this fish if it is desired. 
This is the largest fish of this species of which I have 
any record in this country and it was caught within the 
last ten years I should say, without looking for the 
hotograph which I have somewhere, containing on its 
ack the name of lake, time of capture and name of 
captor. 
Mr, Alfred Jardine, who is famous the world over for 
literature upon the pike and pike fishing, is recorded as 
having caught a pike of 37 lbs. in England on Nov. 4, 1879. 
He also caught one of 361bs. in 1877. 
The largest pike of which I have any record as taken in 
modern times is mentioned in a clipping in my scrap 
book which I think, from the type, I cut from Land and 
Water. However this may be, credit is given in the 
clipping to the Belfast Evening Telegraph for the item. 
It relates that a pike of 561bs. was caught "in the lake 
beside Drum," County Monaghan, Ireland. It was caught 
in April of this year by a blacksmith named Bogan, with 
a bait worked from the bank. This fish was 5ft. long. 
The editor says in afoot note that no waters in the United 
Kingdom can approach the Irish loughs as far as the size 
of these monsters of the genus Esox lueius are concerned. 
That is about all that I can now say of the largest pike 
known to have been taken in modern times. 
In 1879 a pike of 2of lbs. was caught in Lake George, 
New York, bv Will Taylor, a boatman of Bolton, and Mr. 
G. O. Eddy, of Bristol, R, I. This fish was chiefly re- 
markable for being taken on a gang of single gut while 
Mr. Eddy was trolling for lake trout. 
Sizes of Hooks. 
An elaborate article in a recent issue of one of the New 
York daily papers, which purported to give plain direc- 
tions for black bass fishing, said among other things that 
flies for casting for black bass should be tied on No. 3 
hooks, but on occasion larger hooks were desirable, and 
then the flies should be tied on No. 4 hooks. As No. 4 is 
smaller than No. 3 I fail to understand the force of this 
direction. I say No. 4 is smaller than No. 3, because I 
assume that the Eedditch scale is meant to be understood, 
and I must be right in my assumption because Nos. 3 and 
4 of the Rpddituch scale are about right for black bass 
casting flies as ordinarily accepted. It is true that in the 
"new scale" No. 4 is larger than No. 3, but as a No. 4 new; 
scale is equal to No. 11 old, or Eedditch scale, it is cer-' 
tainly not intended for black bass. Not very long ago I 
gave the old and new scales of numbering hooks in Forest 
and Stream, so that they could be compared one with 
another, but did not give the figures of the hooks. Ihave 
perhaps a dozen charts showing the figures of the hooks, 
and giving with each the number by the old and the new 
scale. If any one wishes one of these charts I will mail 
them free, until they are gone, by request to do so on a 
postal card addressed to me at Forest and Stream office. 
In addition to the diagrams showing sizes and scales of 
hooks, the charts illustrate how to attach flies to the 
leader by jam knots, and double slip knot when eyed 
hooks are used. It also shows the half-hitch jam knot. 
They are convenient to have in one's tackle box to refer 
to when ordering hooks or flies, and they will also teach 
one the various knots I have mentioned. 
Tarpon In Texas. 
Florida waters are generally supposed to be the home of 
the tarpon, but once upon a time I was invited to break- 
fast by the Capitol City Press Club in Washington, and 
some four or five hours after sitting down to the table, 
Col. Sterritt, of the Dallas (Texas) News, told of an en- 
counter he bad with a tarpon in Texas waters. The fish 
escaped and the Colonel managed to save his boat, or a 
man, and not a woman, would now hold the pennant for 
the largest tarpon ever captured in fair angling, for I 
imagine the Colonel's tarpon must have weighed about 
4171bs. Then Col. Belo, owner of the Dallas and Galves- 
ton News, once when we were fishing in the Saranac Lake 
for trout, told me about tarpon in Texas waters, and later 
was kind enough to have hunted up for me a lot of in- 
formation about the fish, particularly about its name. 
From that time to this I have heard more or less about 
tarpon in Texas; more especially in the vicinity of Corpus 
Christi, and I once received some documentary evidence 
about the silver king having been taken with rod and reel. 
Now, at this very moment, Mr. Wm. D. Cleveland, of 
Houston, Texas, is sitting on the other side of my desk 
smoking a cigar and telling me at the same time about 
the tarpon of Texas. As near as I can make out, nothing 
but small tarpon are taken in Florida, and when they get 
to be of a respectable size they at once "pike off" for the 
coast of Texas. 
I learn that a man can get a bite from a tarpon each 
hour in the day from sun-up to sun-down, "although 
what you are going to do with them after they bite is 
an entirely different matter, and something you must 
answer for yourself," 
Bites of tarpon are furnished in profusion in Texas, but 
no one will undertake to guarantee that you get the tar- 
pon after he bites; "in fact, the chances are that the 
tarpon will get you if you hold fast to your rod, for you 
must understand these Texas tarpon are full grown and 
not the little fish bearing this name which are found in 
Florida." * 
Upon second thought I feel sure that Col. Sterritt's tar- 
pon must have weighed more than4l71bs., for it was a 
Texas tarpon sure enough, and the more I learn about 
these fish the more 1 am convinced I used the right word 
when I said encounter with a tarpon. Mr. Cleveland has 
promised me a chapter for Forest and Stream about the 
Texas tarpon at a later date after he returns home and 
can confer with persons and refer to papers. 
Black Bass Planting- in Lake George. 
Recently I spent a little time at Lake George and had a 
long visit with Gen. Robert Lenox Banks, president of the 
Lake George Association for the Protection of Fish and 
Game, who has done so much to restock Lake George 
with game fish. For a number of years he has procured 
annually about 500,000 lake trout fry for planting in the 
lake, until it has become about the best fishing water for 
this species of fish that I know about. More recently he 
has turned his attention to restocking the lake with black 
bass. Last year he procured a number of adult black bass 
and planted them in the lake. This year he procured and 
planted 5,000 fry, fish perhaps a year old. but he tells me 
that he feels his work is almost useless. I think. that if a 
law was passed that limited the number of bass to be 
taken in one day by one rod it would do much to restore 
the black bass fishing for the general public. I am told 
that big catches of bass are made by owners of steam 
yachts, and then the fish are given to the guides, who sell 
them. This is one way not to restore the bass fishing. 
A. N. Cheney. 
IN NOVA SCOTIA WILDS. 
Harvey and I were camped in the small house within 
a stone's throw of Murphy's mill — that welcome half-way 
station between the road and Armstrong Lake. We had 
been exploring the Black Brook deadwaters for trout 
with but meagre results. I had instinctively pointed my 
rod at individual members of a large flock of partridges 
as they scattered in all directions from our advance. 
Richard offered his "kingdom for a horse," I on the first 
impulse would have given mine (if 1 had one) for a gun. 
Then I remembered that the birds at this season (August) 
were valued at $20 each, and my inability to purchase a 
feather at that price. 
We had followed the windings of the dark water for 
miles into the great forest, and had walked beneath the 
gloomy shade of gigantic piues and hemlocks, had ad- 
mired the grandeur and sublimity of nature's handiwork, 
and had finished by returning to camp feeling very small 
indeed, but also very hungry. Having satisfied voracious 
appetites we filled pipes, found a soft log for a pillow, 
stretched tired limbs upon the dry moss and lazily 
watched the stars peep out one by one from the darken- 
ing vault above the forest. 
Suddenly the guide, Charlie Murphy, electrified us by 
exclaiming, "If they's any trout anywheres you'll git 'em 
in Stoney Brook, where the deadwaters empties into 
Panook Lakes." A moment's pause and then, "It aint 
more nor two miles and a half from the head of Arm- 
strong Lakes to there, and sir, I tell you you kin drag 'em 
out just as fast as you kin throw in your hook. Yes, sir, 
I mind the time last spring — why, sir, I j ist stood on a 
bunch of tamerack clost to the bank and ketched five 
dozen; yes, sir." And the old man stooped over the fire, 
scooped up a pipeful of ashes and cinders, puffed vigor- 
ously a moment to make sure of his light and then lay 
back comfortably in his place and relapsed into silence. 
That settled it. We would go to Panook next morning 
at daylight, walk sharp, and by breakfast time be on the 
ground where Murphy "ketched" his dozens. We started 
bright and early, determined to deprive ourselves of noth- 
ing since the distance was so short— only two and one-half 
miles, we carried full loads. We went up Armstrong 
Lakes in a boat and then struck into the "howling wilder- 
ness," and a howling wilderness it was. We went on, 
now plunging knee-deep through a swamp — now disap- 
pearing headlong into a hole in the hard-hack, now 
climbing slowly and heavily a densely wooded hill, 
clogged with huge granite boulders and interlaced in 
every direction by windfalls. It was heart-breaking. At 
noon we came to a lake — on the wrong side, of course, 
and after taking a rest and a lunch, very much needed by 
all, we struggled wearily to our feet and continued our 
terrible march— tramp, tramp, stumble, crash, bang. And 
all this time that tireless old guide, Murphy, moved 
serenely on and on, as though he were a walking machine, 
wound up for the day. I began to be fascinated by him. 
I mentally compared him to "the old man of the sea," 
"Sinbad" — "the wandering Jew," and found myself 
speculating whether I ought not to strangle him and turn 
back. What material was he made of, anyway? Thin, 
shaggy as an old wolf, with an eye like that of a hawk — 
straight as a rush — active as a cat — tough as leather — 
merry as a cricket, and absolutely tireless. "Mr. Murphy," 
said I, "how old are you?" "Seventy -two last March. 
Let me see, March 12. Seventy-two." I subsided. 
On and on, hour after hour we went, until at length we 
halted on the brink of Stony Brook deadwater, and im- 
mediately set about making a camp for the night. That 
finished, we boiled the kettle, made tea, and ate like 
wolves, and yet we had tramped only two and a half miles, 
I at once decided that Murphy's miles were Dutch miles, 
which would make the distance about right, that is, ten 
miles, and the longest ten I had ever tramped in my life. 
Presently the old man pointed out some skids near the 
camp, rotten now and covered thickly with moss, and 
then calmly, between long-drawn whiffs from his stout 
black clay, which, from his want of teeth, had an absurd 
fashion of describing an arc of about 60° between his chin 
and nose. "Them's the skids where I brought out the first 
A FIGURE TOO FAMILUH. 
drawing by H, W. D. U 
stick of timber for the St. Croix railroad bridge. That 
there stick squared 15in. and was 30 or 40ft. long; I for- 
get which." A pause and a column of smoke. "It was 
just thirty-six years ago, and them's the very skids. Yes, 
sir, I mind it like it was last winter. Me and Lance put 
$2,000 worth of timber into the Windsor & Annapolis 
Railroad, and I've not been here sence, but, sir, them's the 
skids." 
He mused a moment and continued in a dreamy voice, 
in which a far-away tone was plainly distinguishable: 
"Yes, sir; fifty years ago they was any amount of moose 
and caribou about here on the barrens, and many's the 
night that I've called right over yonder, and many's the 
one I've coaxed up within reach of the old gun. Them 
was the times for sport. And tears! Yes, sir; slashin's 
of bears. I mind one ruornin' one set up on his rump 
and watched me milk two cows in the field right by the 
house. I took the milk in and ramposed high and 
low, but there weren't a blamed ball in the house. So 
the bear walked off to the woo s and I never set eyes on 
him sence." 
A few more whiffs and more meditation, "Down here 
below there's what they call 'frothy bole,' where the 
brook empties into a deadwater; and, sir, I mind the 
time I stood at the mouth of that there place and throwed 
'em out just as long as I wanted to, and the flies a-chawin' 
me all the time, and they was smashers. Yes, sir; I stood 
right there in my tracks and ketched a bar'l — and it 
weren't a rale good day for fishin' nuther." 
Said Harvey, "How far is it down to that place?" 
"About three miles." 
Three miles, and we had been all day doing two miles 
and a half. Harvey looked at me in a dazed, helpless 
sort of way. Shortly after this I turned in for the night; 
but, tired as I was, I could only get short snatches of 
sleep before some horrible nightmare seized me and 
directly I would wake up trembling and bathed in perspi- 
ration. I finally gave it up and for the next two hours 
sat before the fire, listening to every whisper of the night 
breeze and every movement in the giant sombre forest 
around us. 
But there were fish there, and we got them. Nemo. 
Boston Anglers. 
Boston, Mass., Aug. 25. — Mr. Patrick Kelley has re- 
cently returned from Florida. He says that the fishing 
in Florida is tame and insipid, and that the fishermen 
cannot cast a fly. Mr. Kelley also fished the lakes at 
Niagara for bass, and again he was disappointed at the 
poor game qualities of the bass of that region. "They 
are nothing like our small-mouthed bass," he says: 
"Hereafter the Range-ley Lakes are good enough for mel 
I would rather catch one trout a day." 
Mr. E, L. Pickard is just starting for his second trip 
this season to the home of the Oquossoc Angling Associa- 
tion, at Indian Rock, Me. He will be accompanied this 
time by Mrs. Pickard and Miss Plummer. He is one of 
the most enthusiastic lovers of that region, which he has 
generally visited annually for years. He is a patient 
fisherman, but more of a lover of nature. The air of that 
region is his particular delight. Col. E. B. Haskell, with 
Mrs. Haskell and a grand child, will make a very desirable 
part of Mr. Pickart's party. In the party will also be 
Mrs. H. H. Roelofs, with four others from Philadelphia, 
Pa. Mr. F. A. Turner will take up a party to the Oquos- 
soc Angling Association's camps a little later. Mr. Henry 
Whitmore starts this week, with Mrs. Whitmore, for a 
two weeks' trip to the Rangeleys. They will probably 
spend some time at the Birches and Bemis. They are 
also invited to Allerton Lodge, as the guests of Mr. Hal. 
Haskell, son of Col. E. B. Haskell, who is spending some 
weeks in camp with friends. Ex-Gov. John B. Long 
has been at the Birches and Bemis with members of his 
family, for their usual summer fishing trip. Special,. 
Moosehead Lake. 
Ki>eo, Me,, Aug. 15. — We forward a few items to 
show that the trout fishing is now excellent. The follow- 
ing fish have been taken within the past few days: One 
trout weighing Slbs. , by Chas. H.Phelps; two 6Jlbs.,by J. 
H. Lewis; one 3£lbs., by J. H. Lewis; two 6flbs., by 
Judge J. E, Ingersoll; one 3ilbs,, by Wm. Ziegler; one 
4ilbs.,byA. S.Jerome; nine lOlbs., by H. G. Campell; 
seventeen 81bs., by Master R. H. Cox; 114 trout by Lewis 
P. Tibbals and Dr. J. J. Kilbride; while 523, weighing 
from i to fib. each, have been taken by Mr. Lyman T. 
Goff, of Providence, R. I., from the streams near Mt. 
Kineo House, and all caught in less than eight days fish- 
ing. All the above fish mentioned were caught by fly 
hooks. The Mt. Kineo House is full of men from all 
parts of the country. The thermometer has been as 
high as 78° in the shade but once during the past three 
weeks, O. A. Dennen. 
Tuckerton Bay. 
Tuckerton, N. J.— Everett House.— Fishing in the 
Tuckerton Bay (or Little Egg Harbor) is better than it 
has been in years. All the boats are getting big hauls. 
Several sheepshead have been caught this week, and 
rockfish (striped bass) have put in their appearance. 
Weakfish are the staple article and are now running very 
large. The writer caught twenty-two to-day and twenty- 
nine on Monday, in about one hour and a half; all large 
fish. School or channel weakfish (small) are biting briskly 
for those who fish for numbers. W. N. Vreeland. 
Susquehanna Bass. 
Binghamton, N. Y., Aug. 28.— The Canadian law tax- 
ing Americans for fishing within their borders need 
give the anglers of this section but little concern, when it 
is known that one day last week N. W. Waldron, the 
sporting goods dealer of this place, took from the waters 
of the Susquehanna 15 black bass, the largest weighing 
51bs, loz., the five largest 22ilbs. They were on exhibi- 
tion in a Court street window. Mr. Waldron has been 
very successful this season, having made several large 
catches. Winfteld. 
A Wyalusing Bass. 
We believe the heavy-weight black bass record has been 
broken for Wyalusing and vicinity. Last Thursday, Aug. 
10, the Rev. Henry Chamberlaine, rector of St. Matthew's 
Episcopal Church, New York, caught a bass weighing 
6£ibs. after it had been out of the water for some time. 
The fish was taken out of the river opposite Theodore 
Brown's place, at Brownstown, where the Rev. Chamber- 
laine is staying.— Wyalusing (Pa.) Rocket, Aug, 16, 
