494 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
(Pec. 8, 1894. 
pulling up the car in the morning it was found that in 
lowering the door had sprung open, and that all of the 
trout had escaped, so we had no trout for breakfast. 
During the forenoon as I was putting down some lines 
about a mile from our fishing place of the day before, I 
concluded to run down to the first place and put in a few 
lines there, which I did over the spawning bed, and in a 
short time caught seven or eight fine trout, and among 
them were two which we had caught the previous day, 
and which carried in their jaws the broken off hooks 
which we had noted the day before. These trout being 
liberated the nigbt before three miles from the spawning 
bed, had found their way back without delay and proba- 
bly all of the trout so liberated had likewise arrived back 
again, making the passage during a dark night beneath 
30in. of ice and snow. The occurrence induced us to 
carefully consider the matter, and we unanimously re- 
membered the circumstances of the broken guts, and that 
they had broken in the floundering upon the ice, and that 
we did not lose a single hook in tne water, or one of the 
trout which were hooked. The rapid passage of the 
trout in so brief a period, and that we should have caught 
them again so quickly, made such an impression upon me 
that I made a careful notation at the time, although I 
have small occasion to refresh my memory in the matter. 
In reality there was nothing astonishing about it, except- 
ing in the ability to establish the facts. 
The trout finding themselves liberated in a strange 
locality, which was near the mouth of a stream running 
into the lake, followed out the distinctive stream water 
into the lake until they reached the central gentle cur- 
rent, which was a part of the flow which occurs from 
lake to lake. This water flow in its peculiarities they 
were familiar with, for it flowed past their home, and 
despite the incidental localized odors they had no difficuly 
whatever in almost stygian darkness in rapidly pursuing 
their proper route. As they approached their own home 
their scent recognized the growing familiar conditions 
as our sight confirms with more certainty our routes as 
we draw nearer home. 
I feel very positive about this element of scent as the 
guide of fish. It is the sense which enables the salmon 
to unerringly reach the fresh water streams of its nativ- 
ity. They have no compass; they do not take any note 
of geological features, but they return with certainty to 
their native streams. It is not probable that they go far 
from the deltas of their streams, probably not so far as 
200 miles, perhaps not 100 miles. They are not deep- 
water fish; they go where their food abounds, for the 
schools of small fish which inhabit the moderate depths 
of the sea. 
It is not unreasonable to believe that the outreaching 
freshness and odors of a salmon stream may reach out 
into the sea for several hundreds of miles. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Just Game Laws. 
Game laws are supposed to be enacted — and generally 
speaking they are — solely for the protection of fish, birds 
and animals during their breeding seasons, that the 
supply may keep somewhere near in touch with the 
demand. 
The "breeding season" is not simply the time during 
which fish are depositing spawn or birds are laying eggs, 
for the care and rearing of the young fish and game to a 
certain age by their parents has to be considered as part 
of the breeding season, and a law which does not take 
into consideration the time required for rearing and re- 
cuperation is little better than no law at all. 
Any game law which goes beyond this or falls short of 
it, and is enacted for the convenience of any class of men 
is ill-advised and sure to work more harm than good. It 
may be necessary in the interest of fish and game preser- 
vation to close certain waters for a term of years that 
they maybe restocked, or to prohibit the killing of game 
for a period to prevent its extinction, but that is for the 
benefit of all concerned and is not what I refer to; but I 
do refer to annual close or open seasons that may be made 
or are attempted to be made for a favored class. The 
black bass law in New York is an instance of this sort of 
legislation. In spite of the fact that black bass spawn all 
through the month of June and it is the one so-called 
game fish that broods its young for days after they are 
hatched, the general law opens the. fishing for this fish 
May 30, as was alleged by an angling newspaper when 
the law passed, that city anglers might avail themselves 
of Decoration Day, a holiday on which to fish in a lake 
near New York city. How true this may have been I do 
not know, but such was the plea, and it was never, to my 
knowledge, contradicted. 
Similar legislation is that which attempts to close the 
fishing season for some particular fish until the summer 
boarders arrive in the country. Very recently I have 
heard people talk about providing fishing for the summer 
ooarder, as if the summer boarder was the only person 
in the wide world who loved to fish or to eat fish after 
they were caught. 
The summer boarder is an important and most desirable 
factor in every community, and it is right that they 
should be considered; but it is not right that the open and 
close seasons for fish and game should be made to conform 
to the opening and closing of the summer hotels and 
boarding houses. The native fisherman has to be consid- 
ered also, and he has rights which he is very jealous of. 
To be sure, there are times, seasons or occasions when he 
has a well developed idea that the summer boarder, who 
may be his very best friend, is a tyrant who is trying to 
put his foot on his neck, but he is open to reason if properly 
approached. 
In justice to the summer boarder I must say that I 
never knew him to ask for the taking down or putting up 
of the bars for his convenience, and if such requests are 
made they come from the native hotel keeper; and the 
one redeeming feature about such requests is that he who 
makes them realizes the great importance of protective 
laws to keep up the supply of fish and game. Game laws 
to be effective must have the support of the native com- 
munity and then every man is a game protector. Antag- 
onise the native fisherman bypassing laws which covertly 
discriminate against him, and it will take four game pro- 
tectors to the acre to enforce the laws. There is no 
earthly reason why the native fisherman and the summer 
boarder, through his attorney, the hotel keeper, should 
not be, and work, entirely in sympathy for the protection 
of fish and game. Their interests are identical, if they 
but knew it, and one is, to a more or less degree, depend- 
ent upon the other, and as a rule I believe they do work 
in harmony. It is only in isolated cases that education 
influences have not progressed to the point where the 
native fisherman and the summer boarder — always by 
attorney, realizes that what is fish for one is fish for the 
other. Therefore, I believe that just and efficient game 
laws to be such as provide only for the protection of fish 
and game during the breeding seasons of the different 
species. 
Pike and Pike Fishing. 
On one occasion at least when I have been asked in 
Forest and Stream about the size of the largest pike 
(Esox lucius) taken in American waters, I have said the 
largest I knew anything about was one of which I have 
a photograph, taken in Lake Le Boeuf, Pennsylvania, 
which weighed 35lbs. Recently the species of thiB fish 
having been questioned (it being suspected that it might 
have been an unspotted mascalonge or "Chautauqua 
pike"), I wrote to Mr. W. G. Sargeant, of Meadville, Pa. , 
who sent me the photograph eleven years ago, asking if 
later investigations had given any reason for doubting the 
species. He replied under date of Nov. 12: 
"Our pike are the great northern pike (Esox lucius); 
not the pickerel, and not the mascalonge. Of this I am 
certain. The only fish of the Esox family in dispute is the 
pike of Chautauqua Lake. It is neither the pike (lucius) 
nor the mascalonge, and it is too large for the pickerel 
(reticulatus) — so large that they are frequently taken in 
weight up to 25, 30 and 351bs. One of the latter weight 
was taken on a trolling line this season, and pulled the 
young man who caught it into the water. F, W. Cheney 
took one of 451bs. in a net last year. It was taken for the 
purpose of hatching the spawn artificially. 
"The largest pike taken at Lake Le Boeuf was caught 
by Mr. T. Judson on a bass line, gimp snood, and hook of 
small size. The weight was 46ilbs,, and my father-in- 
law weighed it. It was a true great northern pike (Esox 
lucius). 
"We have taken a number of pike at Lake Conneaut this 
fall — largest 16ilbs. — by trolling rather fast and using a 
lOin. chub, or black sucker for bait. Took two last tveek 
of 12 and 141bs. by casting a large bait. The best fishing 
is now, and the rougher the weather the better the pike 
bite. We have taken pike-perch, called Susquehanna 
salmon, this year, weighing 16Albs., and many between 
10 and 121bs. They are fine eating but not game. I send 
you my 'souvenir' of the lake and you can rely on my 
statement about the fishing." In Mr. Sargeant's souvenir 
I find mention of a pike of 501bs. speared in Conneaut 
Lake and bought by a Meadville gentleman, who sent the 
head to the old Peale Museum in Philadelphia, where it 
was exhibited. Another of 551bs. is reported to have 
been caught previously, but there is no authentic record 
of its weight. But one of 481bs. was killed with rod and 
reel, and one of 49ilbs. was speared, which Mr. Sargeant 
saw. 
Mr. Alfred Jardine, the celebrated English pike angler, 
who has a record of the big pike taken in England during 
the past twenty years, records, as the largest, one of 
371bs. 
Now, having quoted the greater part of Mr. Sargeant's 
letter assuring me that the large fish are pike, I am in a 
quandary, for, by using one little word of two letters, he 
stamps the fish with the distinguishing mark of the mas- 
calonge. This may have crept in through inadvertence, 
and I will so consider it until he has had an opportunity 
to review it. 
Texas Tarpon. 
Fishing records must be approached with circumspec- 
tion, if one wishes to avoid trouble, for they are kittle 
cattle, particularly fish records in Texas, where every- 
thing is so big that the fish have to outdo themselves to 
keep up with other products of the State. But a fish 
record should be accurate, whether it is made in Texas 
or Rhode Island. I read the note of "L. F. Mi" in 
Forest and Stream of Nov. 17 about twelve tarpon 
being taken in one day, which constituted "the largest 
record ever known." Soon after, my friend Mr. Wm. D. 
Cleveland, of Houston, Texas, sent me an account of the 
capture of the same fish, and he, too, said it beat the 
record for one day's tarpon fishing. It happened just at 
the time I received Mr. Cleveland's letter that a friend in 
England had written to me for the tarpon score made in 
Florida last, season and the papers containing as much of 
it as I could find were on my desk, and from it I learned 
that more than twelve tarpon had been taken in one day 
in Florida. April 8, this year, at Fort Myers, thirteen 
were taken.the largest one weighing 1671b3. The next day, 
April 9, eighteen tarpon were killed at the same place, 
and the largest one weighed 168^-lbs. From the account 
sent to me of the Aransas Pass tarpon only the weight 
of the largest one, 1251bs., was given, and the record 
claimed may consist of something besides twelve tarpon 
in one day or the weight of the largest fish. It is so easy 
to start conflicting "best records" on their rounds through 
the newspapers that I believe it advisable to set them 
straight when it is possible. 
Canadian Fishing Clubs. 
The report of the Commissioner of Crown Lands for 
the Province of Quebec for 1894 has just come to me, and 
it contains much interesting information about the 
numerous fishing clubs in the Province. Within the last 
nine years 48 fish and game clubs have been incorporated 
under the provisions of the Provincial Laws, and the 
membership of many of these clubs is made up in part, 
and, in some instances largely, of American sportsmen. 
Perhaps the most interesting part of this report to anglers 
is the record of fish caught in the rivers and lakes of 
Quebec during the season just passed. 
For instance, Mr. Walter M. Brackett, the famous artist 
of Boston, reports the capture of 33 salmon in his river, 
the north branch of the St. Marguerite, the largest of 
which weighed 341bs. Mr. H. W. DeForest reports 202 
salmon from his river, the Grand Cascapedia, the largest 
fish 42|-lbs. and this is the largest salmon reported. Many 
lessees have not reported. Only the second part of the Res- 
tigouche figures in the report with 9 salmon, largest 261bs. 
The York, Mr. Thomas Murdock lessee, reports 81 salmon 
of total weight l,2251bs., and Mr. John Fottler, Jr. of 
Boston from his river, St. Jean, reports 119 salmon of 
l,6451bs., largest 281bs., as against Mr. Murdock's largest 
fish, 321bs. 
The reports from clubs leasing trout waters are perhaps 
more interesting than the reports from the salmon rivers. 
The Triton Club reports the largest trout 7flbs. When it 
comes to totals the Jacques Cartier Club caught 3,408 trout 
of a total weight of l,0371bs. The Stadacona Fish and 
Game Club 3,388, weighing l,9211bs. The St. Bernard 
Club, largely made up of Vermont anglers, 2,244 trout, 
weighing l,0941bs. The Triton Club fish ran larger for 
the numbers caught, 2,134 trout, weighing l,5501bs. A 
score that must have been very satisfactory to its mem- 
bers is reported by the Amabelish Club, of Springfield, 
Mass., which leases the central part of the Metabetchouan 
River. A total of 894 trout, weighing 4881bs., is a very 
tidy score. The largest trout reported from the rivers is 
one of 6lbs. from the Murray, W. H. Blake, lessee; but the 
Orleans Fish and Game Club is a good second with one of 
5£lbs. from the Jeannotte. There is no report from the 
Lauren tian Club, but there is one from the St. Maurice 
Club, and I have saved it to be mentioned as a sort of a 
"finally, brethren," and if the figures have not been 
transposed, as I very much suspect they have, and thus 
overlooked by the proofreader, I must advise Dr. Drum- 
mond that such fishing should have a barbed wire fence 
18ft. high entirely around it, with a big dog and a man 
with a gun at the only entrance to the preserve; and even 
then I fear there are men who would tear their clothes 
trying to climb the fence. The report says very plainly 
that the St. Maurice Club members caught 668 trout, 
weighing l,920lbs., an average of nearly 31bs. per fish. 
There is nothing in the Crown Lands Report to indicate 
that lake trout are taken into consideration, and it must 
be assumed that the club report refers only to brook 
trout. 
One feature of the club reports worthy of note is the 
column under the head of smallest trout taken. No trout 
under ilb. are reported. The smallest trout taken by 
other clubs are 5, 6 and 8oz. 
Limit the Catch of Fish. 
In a note very recently I said that I believed that the 
time was near at hand when the number of fish taken by 
anglers would of necessity be limited by statute. I am 
not a believer in signs or omens, but the ink with which 
I wrote the note to which I refer was scarcely dry when, 
quite by chance, I opened the book of the Adirondack 
League Club, as I moved it from one place to another in 
my library. My eye caught the printed line, "The Fish 
and Game Record," and under it I read, among other 
things, "Under the club rules of 1893, not more than 
lOlbs. in all of speckled or brook trout, and not more than 
five in number of salmon or lake trout, shall be killed or 
taken out of the preserve by any member. The allowance 
of each member shall be charged with the fish or game 
killed by any member of his family or guest, and also by 
any guide or other employe in his service." 
For my part I do not understand what any man can 
do with more trout per day than the members of the 
Adirondack League Club are entitled to under this rule, 
and what is reasonable and just for members of such a 
club as this, should be reasonable, just and enough for 
any man who fishes the open waters of the State. It is 
really no compliment to any man, or woman either, to 
send him a lot of trout days after they were taken from 
the water. I doubt very much if, as a rule, the fisherman 
who imposes his fish upon his friends after a fishing trip, 
would himself eat the fish which he distributes, for a 
man who knows the flavor of a fish out of water does 
not hanker for fish that have journeyed far afield after 
capture. The Bisby Club, now incorporated with the 
Adirondack League Club, has a rule similar to the one I 
have quoted. Those clubs have their own fish hatcheries 
and their affairs are conducted by good business men and 
keen sportsmen, and if they have found by experience 
that such rules were necessary within the confines of 
their preserves, why is it not more necessary to enact 
something of the kind for the State at large? 
A. N. Cheney. 
The Natchaug- Frizes. 
The Natchaug Silk Co. send ub the names of their prize 
winners for the season of 1894, with the competitors also 
who failed to win the $25 gold offered in each class, but 
who ought to be abundantly contented with their great 
good luck. The winners' names are in italics: 
MUSKALLONGE. 
Mrs. H. D. Stevens, Chicago, Aug. 22, Twin Lakes, Wis., 
4lft. , length 38in. , line No. 17. W. H. McManus, Chicago, 
Sept. 22, Lake Vieux Desert, Wis., 32ft. 8oz., line No. 6. 
W. T. Holly, Chicago, Sept. 21, Lake Vieux Desert, Wis., 
36ft. 8oz., line No. 6. J. B. Carlin, Ashland, Wis., Sept. 6, 
Wild Cat Lake, Wis., 12ft. 8oz., line No. 18. W. W. Ell- 
ston, Angola, Ind., May 16, Lake James, 22ft. 2oz,, line 
No. 6. H. T. Brigham, Wanseon, O., Turtle River, 25ft. 
12oz., line No. 5£. 
SMALL-MOUTH BASS. 
Will Cunningham, Attica, Ind., Aug. 24, Kankakee 
River, 61b. 9oz., line No, 1£. Gporge H. Pratt, Chicago, 
July 6, Pistagua Lake, 111,, 5ft., line No. 19. C. H. Laird, 
Washington, D. C, July 15, Potomac River, 6fc., length 
23fin.. line No. 2, M. P. Gray, Frankfort, Ky., July 25, 
Star Island, Mich., 6ft., line No. l£. J. Ficher, New 
Brunswick, N, J., Aug. 14, lake in Canada, 5ft. 8oz., line 
No. 17. G. A. Collins, Lakeport, N. H., Aug. 20, 6ft. 2oz., 
line No. 19, James Donahoe, Williamsport, Pa., Oct. 16, 
Susquehanna River, oft. 8oz., length 23Mn,, line No. 19. 
W. B. Higly, Cleveland, O., Sept. 10, Sable Lake, 5ft. 4oz.. 
21|in. I. L. Holt, Meriden, Conn., July 17, East Hamp- 
ton, Conn., 4ft. 2oz., line No. 3. Mrs. I. G. Wilson, Frank- 
lin, Pa., July 11, Bobcaygeon, Ont., 5ft. 4oz,, line No. 3. 
LARGE- MOUTH BASS. 
E. J. Beidler, Gabriella, Fla., July 4, Pearl Lake, Fla., 
81b., line No. 6. Carl Darnell, Goshen, Ind., Aug. 26, In- 
diana Lake, Ind., 5ft. line No. 19. W. A. Morris, Mexico, 
Mo., May 25, 5ft , line No. 3+. R. C. Welch, Braidwood, 
I. T., Sept. 28, 7ft. lUoz., line No. 2. Ben. Bugbee, Wau- 
kesha, Wis., July 5, Phantom Lake, 6ft. 12oz., line No. 19. 
Bert. Crosier, Charlotte, Mich, July 20, Pine Lake, Mich., 
7ft. 2oz., line No. 6, R. R. Wightman, Albion, Mich., 
June 19, Hall's Lake, 5ft., length 23in., liue No. 1. J. 
Beidler, Gabriella, Fla,, Pearl Lake, Fla., 7ft. 8oz,, line 
No. 1£. H. T. MaJpass, Philadelphia, July 12, 4ft. lOoz. 
P. R. Harper, Mechanicsburg, O., July 3, 6ft. 8oz., line 
No. 5$-, 
T.ATTF. TROUT. 
Joseph Downey, Chicago, May 12, Trout Lake, Wis., 
16ft., line No. 1. FrankQ. Noyes, Nashua, N. H, May 21, 
New Found Lake, 16ft., length 32in., line No. 2. J. B, 
