Sept. 29, 1894.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
271 
under difficulties, and the B. P.'s fancy has got to be 
pandered to. The monthlies and quarterlies have taken 
the thing up, and the other big dailies are following in 
the same rut. Can you do it, Purvis, do you think?" 
"Oh, if that's all you want, I'll work off a couple of 
columns in time for to-morrow's issue. It is the essence 
of simplicity. All you want is a par. from 'Father Izaak.' 
'We may say of angling,' etc. Then you babble a little 
of murmuring streams, of lichen-clad boulders, etc., with 
casual reference to the unpropitious state of the weather 
(that is always a safe card to play (quote Johnson's 'Worm 
at one end and fool at the other,' showing he was utterly 
wrong, drunk or insane, and then prove that he never 
said it; trot out the old feeble witticism, 'Better to have 
fished and lost than never to have fished at all,' with a 
touching allusion to 'Hooks in the running brooks,' etc. ; 
sling in a smattering of catch phrases and angling slang 
(which you can crib from back numbers of the Fulling 
Gazette); lift a little local color from a Black's Guide, etc., 
etc." 
"Won't do, my boy. I want the real stuff with the 
ha} seeds sticking in it — something bright and breezy, 
that brings a genuine whiff of the riverside into the room 
with it." 
"Well, you'll have to get somebody outside the staff to 
do it." 
"No. I want you to do it." 
To complete the story briefly. Purvis started into the 
country to learn how to fish and then write about it, that 
his story might have the real flavor. Kemittance after 
remittance was sent to the absent editor and no angling 
copy came back in return. The last paragraph reads: 
"When the editor of the Grinder wants angling copy now 
for his paper he gets it from a contributor to the Fishing 
Gazette.''' 
Perhaps after all I am unwise to give this excellent 
recipe for angling stories so nearly in full as I have done, 
for the country weeklies may follow in the footsteps of 
the great dailies, now that the secret is out, and we will 
have a lot of boys growing up to men who do not know 
enouerh about fishing, from following such guides, to spit 
on their bait when they bob for bull pouts. 
I desire to be perfectly fair in this matter, and, there- 
fore, must pay a compliment to the gentlemen of the 
daily press in connection with fishing stories. At one of 
the tournaments of the National Rod and Eeel Association 
in Central Park, where I was serving as one of the judges, 
I was introduced to a reporter for one of the New York 
morning papers, and he said very frankly that he was in 
a hole, as he had been assigned to do the tournament, 
and if there was one thing he knew absolutely nothing 
about it was fly-casting or fishing. Hurriedly I explained 
the thing to him, telling him to come again if he found 
himself fogged; but he was so quick to grasp every point 
and understand its relation to other features of the art, 
that the next morning he had three-quarters of a column 
in his paper, in which he not only gave the bald facts of 
the contest, but discussed the style and form of the cast- 
ers like a veteran fly-caster of many years' standing. 
Record Black Bass. 
A small-mouthed black bass was caught this season in 
Lake George, near Diamond Point, by Frank Laufaier, 
that weighed 7lbs. 2oz The weight was vouched for by 
Frederick Truesdale, a merchant of Hill View, a little set- 
tlement on the shore of the lake. It was claimed at the 
time that the fish was the largest of the species ever taken 
from the lake, but under date of Sept. 2, H. S. Paine, 
of Silver Bay, Lake George, wrote to the Lake 
George Mirror that in August, 1886, John Mc- 
Shattuck caught a black bass of 8lbs, 12oz. on 
a deep shoal near Sabbath Day Point. The fish 
is reported to have been caught with minnow bait on a 
lancewood rod of seven ounces in weight and one and 
on.9 quarter hours were required to land it. Editor Lip- 
petts prints the letter without comment, but it seems 
strange that a bass of this size should be sprung on an 
unsuspecting public eight years after the date of its cap- 
ture. The Diamond Pond bass was large enough to break 
the record for size in Lake George without the other, and 
familiar as I am with the big bass of this lake and thor- 
ough as my inquiries have been amoDg professional 
fishermen and others about the size of the largest bass 
taken, I am surprised that I never before heard of this 
bass weighing 8flbs. Nevertheless stranger things than 
that have happened. Why I have been so interested in 
searching for big bass in Lake George, is that Glen Lake, 
which has produced the largest small-mouthed black bass 
in the world, was stocked with Lake George fish, and 
never until this year have I heard of a bass from the par- 
ent lake weighing over Tibs. I do not mean that literally, 
for years ago I did hear of two bass being caught near 
Balton that weighed over Slbs. each, but my informant 
had been in an insane asylum (and is there now), so I was 
not sure that his memory was to be depended upon. 
During the past week I weighed a small-mouth black 
bass, taken in Glen Lake by Ira Witherell and I made 
the weight exactly Slbs. It is claimed that when first 
taken from the water the fish weighed 8flbs., but I do not 
think the scales could have been accurate, for the fish had 
not dried out when it came into my hands. 
Extract from a Personal Letter. 
"The nets at the hatchery were put out last Monday 
night (10th) for the firss time, when twelve trout, some 
four-pounders, and two salmon were taken, beating last 
year's record for the first night, when the nets were put 
out on the 14th of September. Last night only five trout 
were taken, but for the two nights we have had a full 
moon and it has been very clear, so that it is extraordi- 
nary that any fish were taken. The trout and salmon 
can see the nets in moonlight 5ft. away. The largest sal- 
mon ever handled here knocked one of the hatchery men 
down as he was taking it from the net, and leaped the 
net and made for deep water with a splash like the screw 
of a steam launch." 
That is not from the superintendent of the hatchery, 
not from one of his men, but it is from a very charming 
young lady whose father has a summer cottage on the 
shore of a New England lake not far from a State 
hatchery where trout and landlocked salmon are propa- 
gated. That she takes an interest in fishculture, and can 
cast a fly and catch fish, sail a boat alone and unaided, or 
row a boat with a stroke that might put many a man to 
shame, is because her father is a sportsman of the highest 
type and believes in bringing his children up to know 
well all healthful and maidenly out-of-door sports that 
strengthen and improve both body and mind and so fit 
them better to live their lives in this world. 
I may add in this connection, that the wife of a sports- 
man friend had occasion last summer to write me for 
some historical information concerning colonial and 
State fish laws which I gladly furnished, and recently 
she again wrote me: "Since I began my chapter of the 
history of this town, I have learned many interesting 
things upon the subject of fishing, and perhaps in con- 
sequence of it I have learned to fish. It required consider- 
able coaching on the part of my husband before I could 
land my fish successfully, but one day when I caught 
three black bass and two pickerel in a lake near where 
we are spending the summer, I no longer wonder why 
this sport had such a fascination for the men." 
A Young Enthusiast. 
Perhaps I may be pardoned if I bring this matter of 
woman's interest in fishing a little nearer home. During 
the summer my young daughter got up one day about 
daybreak and went fishing with her cousin, a young man 
just home from college. A man long in the employ of 
the family went with them to a black bass pond three 
miles away. A couple of hours after their departure it 
began to rain, and rained hard all day. As the hours 
passed and the young people did not return the mothers 
were in despair, and it was with difficulty that they were 
restrained from sending the town crier out — so to speak. 
Just at dusk the carriage drove up with two of as wet 
and draggled young fisher people as it was ever my good 
fortune to see, as they were happier than prince or prin- 
cess, for they had a good catch of black bass and yellow 
perch. 
The daughter was questioned: "Why did you not come 
home when it began to rain? " 
"The fish were biting then and I did not think any- 
thing about the rain." 
"Did you take shelter anywhere when it was raining 
the hardest?" 
"Shelter! No; why I caught a 3lbs. bass, and we sat in 
the boat all day and took it, hoping to catch another; and 
just at night I did catch one almost as big. It was a little 
hard for John, but I will get wet again to-morrow if I 
can get as many fish as I did to-day." And I said she did 
just right, whereupon there was a division in the family; 
but they did go again and again, and the young man 
caught a Slbs. bass, the largest that ever came from the 
pond. A. N. Cheney. 
CANADIAN ANGLING PERMITS. 
Dertroit, Mich., Sept. 19.— The fishermen of Detroit— 
I mean the enthusiastic amateurs who like to spend a day 
or two at the Flats with their rods — have been much put 
out of late by being approached while in Canadian waters 
and given the option of paying $5 for a permit or placed 
under arrest for breach of the Canadian fishery Jaws. 
This action of the Canadian officials has caused consider- 
able kicking by the unthinking, and there have even been 
claims made that the man collecting the license money 
has no rights for so doing under the Canadian laws. 
Some time ago George A. Johnson, secretary of the 
Tri-County Fish and Game Protective League and a resi- 
dent of Detroit, wrote Sir Charles Tupper, Minister of 
Marine and Fishery of the Canadian Government. Sir 
Charles said that permits were required of American fish- 
ermen. A few days later Mr. Johnson received the fol- 
lowing detailed conditions: 
' 'The conditions on which such permits can be obtained 
are as follows: First, fee, $5 for a period of three months 
and $10 for a period of six months. 
"Second, one angling permit only is issued to each ap- 
plicant, and is not transferable. 
"Third, only one fishing line to be used under each per- 
mit, with not more than three hooks. 
"Fourth, no one is allowed under an angler's permit to 
catch or kill in one day more than twelve bass or pickerel, 
twenty trout or four maskalonge. 
"Fifth, no bass to be killed measuring less than lOin. in 
length and no trout under 6in. in length. All fish of less 
size than the above to be returned to the water alive. 
"Sixth, no person holding an angler's permit shall 
export, sell, or offer for sale, any fish caught with hook 
and line." 
G. W. Raymond, who is at present engaged in and 
around the Flats issuing permits, and whom some have 
believed unauthorized to issue permits or make arrests for 
violations of the law, has full authority to do just what 
he has been doing. Mr. Raymond is a well known 
Canadian, being postmaster at Mitchell's Bay. He is the 
regular officer of the Province of Ontario, charged with 
the enforcement of the fisheries laws. 
Mr. Johnson says that he believes the law a good one 
and that all true lovers of the sport should aid in its en- 
forcement. Mr. Johnson believes the enforcement of the 
law by the Canadian Government is doing much toward 
protecting the fish, and it would be of advantage to Ameri- 
can sportsmen if the laws were equally well enforced on 
this side of the border. A, D. B. Van Zandt. 
Surf Fishing in New Jersey. 
Wm. W. Hart, the taxidermist, has been spending his 
vacation at Belmar, N. J., and had good surf fishing 
there. On two or three occasions he took fine 31bs. blue- 
fish with light surf pole, common light bass line and reel. 
It was necessary to cast about 200 to 250ft. out into the 
surf with heavy 6 to 8oz. sinker, but the fish bit raven- 
ously, and when hooked they gave lively work until 
landed high and dry on the sand. When the bluefish did 
not bite, plaice, a large species of flounder, were caught, 
weighing from 2 to 6lbs. The largest catch was made by 
Mr. Hart, which was twelve fish weighing 401bs. 
Sheriff Hilleary's Big Haul. 
As a result of complaints of unlawful fishing on Lake 
Lochloosa, Sheriff Hilleary, of Alachua county, and his 
deputies recently captured sixteen fishermen who were 
violating the fishing law. They also seized seven nets. 
The men were all bound over to the county court. 
The sportsmen of Gainesville have signed a document 
in the shape of a pledge, which obligates themselves to do 
all in their power to enf orce the game law. If the sports- 
men of other towns in the State would do likewise it would 
be a step in the right direction. G. A. I. 
Jacksonville, Pla., Sept. IS. 
CANADIAN EXPLORATION AND FISHING 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
Some exceedingly interesting facts have been made 
known to civilization concerning the interior of the great 
Labrador peninsula, and the fish and game that inhabit It 
by the return to Quebec of the Dominion Exploratory Sur- 
vey, led by Messrs. Low and Eaton, after an absence of 
nearly fifteen months. They took accurate measurement 
of the great falls of the Hamilton River, whic^ drops, 
nearly 800ft in five miles, and has one sheer fall of 3u0ft. 
Then Lake Michikamaw was found to be bigger than 
great lake Mistassini, and quite a number of lakes were 
found bigger than Lake St. John. The fish in these 
northern waters are exceedingly plentiful, and include 
large whitefish, lake and brook trout, ouananiche and 
red and white carp. At Natvak sea trout up to 141bs. 
weight are taken. Immense herds of caribou cross the 
northern rivers in late autumn, usually furnishing ample 
food supply to the Indians, who slaughter them by 
thousands. Their entire absence last year, which caused 
death by starvation of hundreds of Indians, is supposed 
by the aborigines to have been caused by the polluted 
atmosphere, due to the number of carcasses left to decay 
in the previous season. 
Ouananiche have the most unreliable habits of any 
game fish in Canada. No amount of careful observation 
seems to warrant anybody in professing a thorough 
knowledge of Canadian fresh-water salmon. This year 
they have beaten all previous records in regard to the 
time they have remained in and about Lake St. John, at 
the head of the Grande and Petite Discharge. Upon the 
occasion of a very recent attempt to follow these some- 
what highly educated fish amid the beautiful islands at 
the head of the great lake's outlet, I was privileged to 
enjoy the companionship of the charming angler and 
author, Mr. A. Nelson Cheney, of Glens Falls, and his 
good friend, Mr. W. D. Cleveland. We had some fish- 
ing, but to me the outing would have been one of the 
most enjoyable I ever had, even if I had never seen a fish 
during it. Mr. Cheney had heard much and received 
many conflicting stories respecting the ouananiche in 
Canada, and it will be most interesting to note what so 
keen and accurate an observer has to say to the readers 
of Forest and Stream concerning the specimens that he 
met and vanquished during the last days in August at 
Lake St. John. 
As illustrative of the sport afforded by our Northern 
trout waters just now, I clip the following item from an 
evening paper of this date published in this city: 
"Four members of the Nonantum Fish and Game Club, 
consisting of Messrs. F. M. Ryder, formerly American 
Consul here, now of New Haven, Conn., J. T. Morse and 
J. T. Benham of the same city, and A. G. Henderson of 
New York, returned to town to-day after a couple of 
weeks' fishing and shooting at the club's preserves a few 
miles back of Lake Bouchette, where the association has 
a fine new club house and are building two others. The 
gentlemen are enthusiastsc over the sport enjoyed during 
the trip. An immense black bear was captured at Lake 
Lapeche, partridges were in abundance and half a dozen 
could easily be brought down with a single shot, while 
trout fishing with the fly in Lake de Commisaire was 
simply immense. Fish weighing from 1£ to 3|1ds. were 
easily hauled up two at a time, while one gentleman of 
the party broke the record by capturing at one cast two 
fish weighing 3J and 41bs. respectively. Mr. Ryder cap- 
tured the largest fish of the lot, a huge fellow weighing 
close on 6lbs. E. T. D. Chambers. 
Quebec, Sept. 14. 
Big St. Lawrence Fish. 
Clayton, Jefferson County, N. Y., Sept. ^.—Editor 
Forest and Stream: Mrs. W. R. Farrington, of Pough- 
keepsie, N. Y , successfully landed a 391bs. muscallonge 
off Clayton on the 17th inst. , which was generally con- 
ceded to be as handsome a specimen as ever seen here, 
and to Mrs. Farrington must be awarded the champion- 
ship for the largest and finest muscallonge caught this or 
any other year from these waters by a lady. I have asked 
Mrs. F, to favor Forest and Stream with a copy of the 
photograph of the fish, taken with herself and guide, Ed. 
Denny, of Clayton, and same will be mailed to you in a 
few days. On the same day Mr. W. R. Farrington, with 
Leander Denny as guide, landed a 151bs. muscallonge. 
A few days previous Mr. and Mrs. Farrington, fishing at 
Loughborough Lake, had a curious experience. Mrs. F. 
fishing with live bait hooked a large pickerel, measuring 
31in. m length. Before this fish was brought to the sur- 
face there was a sudden and unusual strain on the line, 
and a lively tussle which lasted several minutes. Eventu- 
ally landing the 31in, pickerel it was found that for a 
space of 20in., by actual measurement, it had been 
scraped, proving that a much larger fish had gorged it to 
that extent, as the skin was literally scraped off and the 
fish was bleeding from the encounter. Not being clean, 
deep cuts, showed it was not a larger pickerel's work, and 
the thing happening in deep water the occupants of the 
boat were unable to see what the larger fish was, but it is 
supposed it was an immense salmon trout. This instance 
may prove interesting to your readers and it can be re- 
lied on as absolutely true and unexaggerated. 
J. G. Fraser. 
Connecticut Trout Prospect. 
Preston, Conn., Sept. 21.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
The outlook for good trout fishing here the ensuing 
spring is gloomy indeed. After an almost unprecedented 
drought, the large streams are nearly dry, most of the 
smaller ones quite so. I know by personal observation 
that several of these small streams have always contained 
large numbers of 5 and 6in. trout, which must all have 
perished. Montville Brook, a fine trout stream, flowing 
through the township of that name is nearly dry, and the 
farmers along the stream, although not members of the 
guild or particularly friendly to the angler, are doing 
good work by scooping the stranded trout from the 
shallow places and transferring to the deep pools. Good 
for the farmer, and may I live to see the day when a 
more friendly feeling shall prevail between him and the 
sportsman. We are now having copious rains and the 
streams are filling up and the few trout that are left may 
winter through. E. M. Brown. 
Look at This. 
"IndiaDland and Wonderland," "The Yakima Valley," "Work for 
the Unemployed," will be sent to one address upon receipt of 10 cents 
in stamps. Ohas. S. Eee, General Passenger Agent Northern Pacific 
Railroad, St. Paul, Minn.— Adv. 
