168 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
March 2, 1895. 
water shrimp, as they are very prolific, and a shrimp diet 
gives a fine flavor to the fish which feed upon it. They 
may be obtained of James Annin, Jr., Caledonia, N. Y., 
whose advertisement will be found in this journal, 
"With the shrimp Mr. Annin will send water weeds from 
the streams furnishing the shrimps and all should be 
planted. 
You might try also planting the May fly (green drake) 
as I have told in this column how to do it. 
A. N. Cheney. 
FISHING IN NOVA SCOTIA. 
It was a beautiful morning, about the middle of last 
May. . The red birds were showing on the swamp maples, 
and one or two early robins were risking pneumonia by 
getting to the land of Evangeline so early, when the 
guides, moving quietly about the camp, around some 
disciples of old Izaak, who had already passed nearly two 
weeks at their favorite sport. 
We had started in at the head of the Milfred River, 
and worked down it and crossed Cudgy McKedgie Lake, 
thence down the river of the same name, crossed both up- 
per and lower Rossignal, and were now encamped at 
' , Indian Gardens, at the head of Sevenpool River, the out- 
let of the lower Rossignal, one of the n ost beautiful spots 
in Nova Scotia outside of the Annapolis Valley. On the 
easterly side of the river a gently rising knoll of clear 
green turf, with here and there a giant elm; on the west, 
the unbroken forest, there we camped. We had reached 
the end of our journey, not intending to go lower down, 
but to recross Rossignal and go out via Lows Landing. 
But finding the trout so large and so plentiful, we pro- 
posed a day's trip, two or three miles down through the 
rapids below the old dam, leaving the camp pitched at 
the Gardens and returning at night by the lumberman's 
path along the bank of the river, while the guides poled 
the boats up through the rapids. 
We had been having splendid luck all the way down, 
more beauties? than we wanted; in fact, all but the 
largest went back alive, if unhurt, into the water. We 
. had even smoked a lot of them to bring home, until the 
colonel, who had fished almost everywhere, declared 
that he had never struck anything like it for spring fish- 
ing. 
Below the old dam we saw water we could not leave 
without a try, hence this trip for the day was planned. 
After a good" hearty breakfast of fried trout, ham, pota- 
toes, buckwheat cakes, etc., which a good guide knows 
how to prepare, we packed a substantial lunch and 
started Isaak and I did not hurry. We let the other 
boats get a good start so as not to crowd each other in 
our fishing, I was in the stern with all my parapher- 
nalia handy, and my trusty eight-ounce Leonard in my 
hand ready for business. Good old Isaak, of many years 
experience in the bow, his iron shod-pole in hand, and a 
good, big killig handy, ready to drop at a moment's 
notice — thus we dropped into the stream, stern first, and 
shot like a flash through the break in the old dam. 
I could see the other boats some quarter of a mile below, 
and not wishing to crowd them, we dropped our killig, 
not a hundred feet below the dam, in boiling, rushing 
water that must have large trout surely in it. 
We had been using rather small flies, number sixes and 
eights; but, in such heavy water, I thought I would try 
an experiment, so I took a new leader I always use, nine 
footers, and put on three smallish salmon flies. It 
worked like a charm. The first cast I made I hooked 
two beauties, and landed them both. Then for half an 
hour I had a bit of the best fly fishing I ever struck. 
Nearly every cast raised a fish. Without moving more 
than half a mile in the time named, I had filled my 
basket and not a small fish in the lot. As we had no 
need of any more, we pulled our killig and worked slow- 
ly down stream till Ave overtook Mr. P and his guide. 
'What luck?" I asked. 
"Not much," he replied. 
"Try some larger flies," I said. ' 'I have had great luck 
with them." 
"This is as likely a spot as I ever saw," said he; "but I 
can't raise a fish. Make a cast while I am changing my 
flies and see what you can do." 
And, in truth, it was a likely spot. The river at that 
point was some three hundred feet wide, rapid water, 
some six or seven feet deep, with here and there a 
. bowlder, below which, of course, was an eddy. A large 
brook also entered here, forming quite a deep pool into 
which he had been casting. 
We dropped our killig, and I made the cast. In an 
instant, Isaak jumped to his feet. "Hurrah, Mr. 
W !" he shouted, "you have got three. Don't lose 
one, ard we shall break the record for this trip." Mean- 
while, my rod was doing nobly in a veritable rapid, with 
'three heavy fish on my leader. It stood the test, and 
after some ten minutes of careful work, we landed them 
all. The two largest weighed two pounds each, and the 
third one and one-half pounds. 
And so the early morning sped till 8.15 o'clock. As I 
noticed afterward the other boats were below us some 
distance. A full basket and ten or twelve besides, we 
pulled our killig and started after them. 
We still had deep, heavy water, which carried us rapid- 
ly. Isaak stood in the bow and guided the boat with his 
pole. We had covered about half the distance, when, 
looking ahead, I saw a large log lodged on a rock across 
the stream. "Look out for that log, Isaak," I said. 
"I see it," he replied, plying his pole vigorously, but an 
eddy caught us, and quicker than I can think of it now, 
we struck the log a little sideways, canted up stream,, 
filled, and turned over. I went out head first, rod in 
hand. How Isaak went out, I didn't stop to see. As 
the boat went under, it raised the end of the log, and, 
when I came up, I was right under it. Throwing up both 
arms involuntarily, I got them around ifc, where I hung 
till I got my breath, then worked along till I could climb 
on the rock, where I found Isaak. Then the log floated 
off, to keep company, I suppose, with my fly look, 
leather jacket, landing net, etc., which had gone down 
Stream. One of the other boats came to our assistance at. 
once, and put us ashore. I started for camp on foot for 
gry clothes, while Isaak stayed to pick up what he could, 
ut, excepting the boat, which was not badly injured, 
my leather jacket and the ax, we recovered nothing. 
After getting some dry clothes, I returned to the scene- 
of the accident and commenced fishing again, but, some- 
how, it spoiled the day. It certainly took some of the- 
sand out of ] Isaak, and he didn't get it back" for some 
days; but it was our first accident of any kind in many 
years' fishing, so we can't growl much. 
But talking of large, gamey trout, that is the place to 
find them. W. 
PALE CANADIAN FISH. 
Mr. George H. Dana, a well-known landlocked salmon 
angler of Washington, is authority for the following 
curious phenomenon about the color of fish in Sandy 
Lake, Ontario. The lake is three miles from Hall's 
Bridge post-office, and lies nearly north of Peterboro. 
In August, 1894, Captain C. M. Holloway, of Cincin- 
natti, while fishing in Sandy Lake caught nine bass (usu- 
ally called black bass), weighing from 3 to 3 1-2 pounds. 
Every one of the fish was white, and so were the craw- 
fish which he used for bait. 
It is said that all the fish in the waters are white, even 
the bullheads. The water is so crystalline in its clear- 
ness that the bottom can be seen where it is fifteen feet 
deep, and every movement of the fish can be easily ob- 
served from the time it takes the bait until it is landed in 
the boat. Indeed, the fish scarcely seem to be swimming 
in water, but flying through the air. 
The bottom is covered with a white deposit, but there 
is no information as to the character of the material. 
Whatever it may be all animal life found upon it par- 
takes of the peculiar whiteness seen in the bass and the 
crawfish. T. H. B. 
IN AROOSTOOK WILDS. 
My first trip over the Bangor and Aroostook railroad 
this season was in the last of August. I met in Bangor a 
party from Boston, which wished to get some trout-fish- 
ing and bird-shooting. I engaged another guide, and we 
started. 
We went over a hundred miles by railroad, thence some 
forty miles further by team, which carried our canoes and 
other equipment. We landed at a dead-water stream and 
pitched there our tpnts. By noon, the third day out from 
Bangor, everything was ready for fishing or for comfort. 
Dinner over, preparation were made for fishing. We 
started up stream. As I had never fished there.we had to 
seek the fishing pools: an easy search, for there were 
plenty of springy places making in from the shores, and 
wherever spring water came in, there were trout. But 
we only caught what we wanted for supper and break- 
fast. The small trout we returned to the water. The 
largest one weighed one and one-half pounds. 
The shores .were all trampled by moose, caribou and 
deer. 
When we had caught what trout we needed, we pad- 
dled up stream, something like three miles from camp, as 
far as we could go in the shallow water. 3 We saw one 
deer, and as we came round a turn in the stream near the 
head of the dead-water, we came across a big moose feed- 
ing on the lily pads and other water vegetation in the 
midde of the stream. He saw us, and thereupon walked 
lazily ashore, then turning around had looking at us for 
a few seconds before he struck a ten-mile gait, making 
the brush and dead limbs rattle. We then returned to 
camp. 
The next day we went clown the wide stream some 
three miles, winding through meadows and marshy land. 
Moose, deer and caribou signs were plentiful, but we saw 
none of these animals themselves, owing to the place hav- 
ing "been fished and hunted a great deal. The deer, moose 
and caribou were working mostly by night, as is their 
habit in sections which are fished and hunted. We found 
one party of farmers near the stream, in a camp which 
was occupied by lumbermen the winter before. The 
farmers had with them a team, and were salting trout to 
take home. They had built a raft, the water being deep. 
On it they floated up and down stream and fished. 
, The water was deep, and fly-fishing was poor, but we 
caught what fish we wanted without using bait. We 
camped there a week, going betimes into the woods. 
There were fresh, hard-trodden deer trails, of which I 
never before saw the like. 
On Sept. 1 we engaged a team to take our canoes and 
camp outfit to a lake about ten miles away. This lake 
is about six miles lohg. Other lakes Avere' near by, and 
there also were several dead-water streams. It was 
a good locality for canoeing. Game was plen tiful, but 
the trout fishing was poor, though there were lakes and 
streams about three miles distant where it was good. But 
we did not care for trout, as we could get al 1 the ducks, 
partridges and pickerel we needed, and also wild cran- 
berry sauce to go with them, though the latter tended to 
lower the weight of the sugar basket. 
We camped at the narrows of the lake, a big hill on 
either side of us. It seemed to be a crossing place for the 
wild animals. We rarely went to the shores without see- 
ing deer, and several times Ave saAv them swimming 
across. One caribou came across and ashore near our 
canoes. The point on the opposite side below us we 
named DeertoAvn. 
We found plenty of moose signs. I had never called 
moose in the early part of September. I was at the head 
of the lake Sept. 6, just at night. I made a bark horn and 
called. Soon an answer came from a bog which led back 
nearly tAA-o miles among the hills. I called several times 
more, and perceived that the moose Avas coming. Then 
I started for camp and, when I reached the narroAvs I 
could hear the moose at the head of the lake at the place 
where I had called. 
To see how a bull moose would perform Avhen called out, 
two nights afterward, Ave Avent to some big bogs on another 
brook which was deep and about one hundred feet Avide. 
We would not kill a moose in close time. We had merely a 
■curiosity to see Avhat one would do. I selected the men- 
tioned place, so that, in the event of an attack, we could 
paddle out of the Avay. I called for nearly an hour, and 
Avas about giving up Avhen I could faintly hear a reply. The 
sound grew plainer as the moose came over a high ride a 
mile away. He came nearer and nearer. The moon Avas 
shining bright. We went to the opposite shore and 
waited. I gave a call once in about five minutes. We 
•could at length hear the rattle of antlers among the bushes 
and trees, and the breaking of big limbs until he reached 
the bog. We then could hear him walk. He would stop 
to listen we supposed. He came within sixty yards of us 
and stopped. He changed his grunting sound into a sort 
of louder bark, Avith a tone of anger in it. There he stood 
for nearly half an hour. He finally gave one of his barks 
or grunts from his throat and lungs, as if he were angry 
all" through, and started away. We did not get a good 
Aiew of him, as there was a steam rising from the water 
and drifting in his direction. He Gould scent us, which 
was probably the reason he Avould not come nearer. I did 
not dare to cross over to his side of the stream, having 
fears that he might charge, as sometimes has been the' 
case. I never saw but one do so, and then he was in com- 
pany with the cow. Had he been alone he probably 
would have retreated. 
The next day Ave started for the settlement, leaving our 
canoes and camping outfit for parties who Avere coming 
later. 
This party will lay its plans to return in the open season 
next year for big game. J. Darling. 
Meg-antic Club Finances- 
Treasurer's report for year ending Jan. 31, 1895. 
Receipts. 
Cash on hand Feb. 1, 1895 S535 38 
From annual dues 4,082 50 
Shares sold !50 00 
Supply department 6,846 20 
Other sources 357 88 
§12,771 "94 
Expenditures. 
Paid in wages improving property and general 
expenses $6,585 79 
Supplies, wages and expense incidental to supply 
department 5,640 16 
813.125 95 
Cash on hand ....... 645 99 
(WiM 94 
Membership. 
Members February 1, 1894 " 268 
Admitted during the year 36 
304 
Sold out for non-payment of dues..., 5 
Stock s transferred , 17 
22 
22 
Present meruhership 282 
Gain v , 14 
Assets. 
Cash ?645 !9 
Dues receivable 640 00 
Supplies on haud 322 50 
Due for rent 30 00 
Camps, furnishings and boats 12,180 00 
Lands afc Spider Lake 1,500 00 
§15,3 iS 49' 
Liabilities. 
Bonds and accruod interest §1,867 50 
Bills payable 208 00 
82,075 50 
Surplus $13,242 99' 
L. DANA CHAPMAN, Treas. 
THE RAINY LAKE COUNTRY. 
As the east, south and far west are often heard from as 
to great catches of finny felows, the Avestern middle 
frontier is very seldom considered worth mentioning, yet If 
want to say that at this point— the junction of the Otter 
Tail, Bois de Sioux, and Red River of the North, there is ini 
the spring an abundance of real good sport. The Red 
River teems with fish— Winnipeg bass, sheep head, pick- 
erel, pike, skipjack, rock bass, red horse, buffalo and cat. 
Sturgeon weighing as high as 165 pounds have been 
caught at this place, coming probably from Hudson's Bay. 
The Otter Tail, whose source is away east in the pineries 
which are covered with lakes, is a SAvif t stream, ahvays 
cold, and the pike and bass are always sound and gamey. • 
The Bois de Sioux, the connecting stream betAveen Lake; 
Traverse and the Red, is a slow, weedy and shallow 
stream, just the place for spawning, Early in Spring I 
have caught a good string of black bass, rock bass andl 
pike, using frogs and angle worms. They will not take a 
fly, though 1 have tried every kind. The water is clear 
and deep in the Otter Tail for one mile from its junction,; 
and from the three bridges which span it from the Min- 
nesota to the North Dakota bank it is alive during April 
and May Avith anglers. Later the fish from these waters 
are unfit to eat, the flesh tasting weedy and flat. But, 
the angler has recourse a few feet further north where 
pickerel and pike Aveighing frorn a pound to three pounds 
take bait eagerly. Then comes the channel cat— great 
big fellows, whose meat is as firm and toothsome as one 
could desire. In the deep holes along the Red one can, 
by using grub worms, catch five to seven pound sheep 1 
heads. These are the gamiest fish in the river and fight 
to the finish, and it takes a good rod and reel to land 
them. These fish turn sideways and act similar to tar- 
pon. They are from Hudson Bay. The next game fish is 
the channel cat, and if the angler has no gaff hook he will 
surely lose him. The black cat is also plenty, but come 
so late they are seldom taken. 
When June comes these waters are deserted for the lakes, 
east of us on the Northern Pacific Railway— the favorite 
place being Clitheral. Several of our citizens have beauti-' 
ful cottages along the shores of Clitheral Lake and excur- 
sion trains are run every Sunday during June, July, and 
August. 
But the best place to fish in Minnesota is at Alexandria, 
a pleasure resort, famed throughout the United States. 
The Rainy Lake country is an attractive place for 
sportsmen of all classes. Everything from a cotton tail 
to a bear, and from a cpiail to a swan can be found there. 
The region is a dismal Avooded district abounding in lakes 
and swamps. No roads have yet been cut through the 
district — but the sportsman avIio can stand a cracker and 
cheese diet can find plenty of game. The Minnesota game 
law is practically a dead letter in this district— but the 
environments outside are such that it is risky to attempt 
to bring game out except in open season. 
J. B. Bushnell, one of the best known sportsmen in I 
Western Minnesota, has established a summer resort on 
ten-mile lake, south of Fergus Falls, and James Nolan, 
an 1860 sportsman, has just erected sportsmen's quarters 
on Lake Lida, north of Fergus Falls. Fishing is the prin- 
cipal attraction. 
Hunting in Montana is practically at a standstill,! 
though I have a letter dated Gilt Edge, Jan. 29 last, 
which tells of a party of four Avith only one good shot in 
the party, bagging seventy deer in ten days. This is 
piracy. 
Chicken and grouse are plentiful, and are being protect- 
