April 9, 1898.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
289 
both with fly and woflii ;. btit what I have said about flies 
may bring a hornet's nest about my ears from those who 
are shocked at my disregard for tradition when it does 
not accord with experience; but what can they expect 
from a PbiHstine, if that is the proper term for a man 
who does liis own thinking? 
Massachusetts Trouting. 
Boston, April r.— The trout season in ^Massachusetts 
oj^ened to-day. The weather all through Alarch, up to 
the last day, was very favorable to trouting. Yesterday 
f'pened with a snowstorm, however, and this morning 
the mercury was below freezing, followed by a chilling 
wind all day from the northwest. But the weather has 
scarcely dampened the ardor of many, of the rod and reel 
sportsmen, many of them departing for the fishing 
Ki'ounds the night beforehand, in fact. At Sandwich, 
on the Cape, a number of sportsmen were assembled 
early. The mill stream at that place was fished with sonie 
success. The Spring Hill brooks emptying into the 
t'ay. were fished. These brooks are most of them closed, 
but a few are still open to the public. Marshpee River, 
formerly fished by Daniel Webster, and later by Grover 
Cleveland and Joseph Jefferson, was not iieglecttd, 
though with what success it is yet too early to learn. 
Hie Hooded cranberry bogs in the eastern part of the 
town will be fished later, which fishing it requires a 
permit of the owners to enjoy. As soon as the bogs are 
drained the fisli go out into the larger streams or the 
bay. Some of the cranberry bog owners have come to 
consider the trouting privileges they sell very much in 
the nature of a revenue, and they will keep the water tig 
a few days longer for the sake of this revenue. 
Most of the best streattis in the vicuiitj' of Plymouth 
are closed to public fishing, but permits can be ob- 
tained of the owners, unless they are sportsmen or club- 
men themselves, in which Cases one must be a friend 
in order to obtain permission to fish. Eel River at 
Clintonville still affords some good fishing, many trout 
( scaping from the Forge Pond property and the Old 
Colony Trotit Co.'s ponds. Swan Hole .stream is still 
open to the public, I learn, and at times some good fish- 
ing is to be had. The Duxbury and Plympton streains 
have some trout wafers open to the public, but they are 
fished too much for any sort of success. 
There are some trout brooks in the town of Quincy, 
and occasionalljr the knowing ones, who have been ac- 
i|uainted with these brooks for years, get some hand- 
some trout. A gentleman who lives in that town said 
to me the other day: "I shall be on one of the brooks 
that run right through the town at daylight on the open- 
ing day. Last year I had four handsome trout to take 
home to breakfast, and did^ not go outside of the city 
limits." These .streams are fi.shed a good deal, with little 
success, and the fishermen who do take trout are very 
careful to conceal the location and what they have done; 
otherwise the brooks \\-ould swarm with boys. Even 
in the limits of the city of Brockton trout are occa- 
sionally taken by those who know where to fish for 
them. One or two streams run through the town, once 
splendid trout brooks, and occasionally a trout or two 
are to be had. Last year a gentleman came in from his 
place of business to dinner. His little hoy of eight 
years met him. "Papa, there are some fishes over to 
the brook," he .said. His father went over with the 
little fellow, and boy like he had penned in a couple of 
fine trout with sticks and sods. Fearful that the trout 
might escape the father, a good deal of a trout fisher- 
man, jumped into the stream and quickly scooped out 
the trout with a new straw hat he had on. it being the 
only net he had at hand. The trout weighed nearly ^Ib. 
each, and the captor spoiled a new hat and injured a 
pair of patent-leather shoes. 
In Leominster there are a number of good trollt 
Streams and more enthusiastic trout fishermen than in 
almost any other town in the State, with the possible 
exception of some of the other towns in Worcester 
county. Among the fishermen may be named Herman 
Derby, Warren Lewis, C. W. Burbank, E. D. Moody, 
J. Bell, Warren Emerson, Fred A. Whitney, J. A. Han- 
nis, Mark P. Smith and Jerry Wells. The streams in 
Ashburnham, Sterling, Luiienberg and Lancaster are also 
considered common property by these fishermen, though 
much to their disgust the owners of the land on the 
streams are inclined to post their fishing privileges. But 
in almost every case the farmers are said to be reason- 
able, and even generous, if fairly treated. There are 
one or two good trout brooks in Byfield and vicinity, 
and some restocking has been done, with the brook 
properly protected. C. H. Tarbox and Oren and Charlie 
Bailey are among the best known local fishermen, and 
if some good strings were not taken on the opening day 
it was for the good reason that snow water from the 
storm of the day before was runninp, while there was a 
little ice in the streams early in the day. 
In his day Gov. Talbot was a fisherman, and through 
his influence the streams and ponds in the vicinity of 
Billerica and Lowell were stocked with trout, and soon 
there was some good fishing. But since his death the 
brooks have been badly fished out, with very little being 
done to keep up the supply. As might be expected, the 
fishing is poor in that part of the country. The brooks 
m Middlesex county ai'e well adapted to trout growing, 
and local lovers of the rod and reel say that if the State 
would do what should be done toward restocking and 
protecting these streams against unreasonable fishing, 
they might be restored to something of their original 
prestige. 
Congressman John Simpkins, whose death on Tuesday 
pame like a shock to his many friends, was a great lover 
of the rod and reel. He had fished most of the trout 
streams of the Cape, and was well known as the com- 
panion of the late Gov. Russel, Bayard Thayer and John 
Thayer on their many fishing trips to Birch Lodge, head 
,of Richardson Lake, Me., and the celebrated B. Pond, 
a few miles from the same lak^. Every season, when 
the pressure of political and professional duties has per- 
mitted, he has made his loved pilgrimage to that Mecca 
,of the rod and reel, where fly-fishing begins early. This 
year his friends mention that he was already counting 
the days for the ice to depart, but death has all too 
mly ewt off finpther bejoved follower of the gentle Izzak. 
Sea Fishing Near New York* 
Althuugii a majority of the New York city angling 
readers of Forkst anp Stream belong to the class which 
finds its sport in the mountain streams or lakes, miles 
from home, yet I doubt not that there are a goodly 
number amongi them belonging to the class of those 
who, through farce of circumstances, cannot leave home 
and business for weeks, or even days, at a time, and 
who, if they desire to indulge in their favorite pastime, 
must perforce find the sport near home. To such a one 
this means that he must fish, if at all, in .salt water. 
True, there are places quite near New York where a 
few fresh-water fish can be caught, but they are scarce, 
and the sport to be had at these places does not Justify 
the necessary expenditures and time consumed in mak- 
ing such a trip. 
For the benefit of the latter class of fishermen. I send 
you this note on the fishing as I have found it in the 
waters near New York, and hope that others will let 
us hear from them in regard to the fishing at other 
points in this vicinity. 
Probably the most popular resort for the salt-water 
^fishermen is the Fishing Banks, located ofif Long Branch, 
N. J., and in that vicinity. A number of large and com- 
modious steamers leave New York daily for the banks; 
their schedules are given in the daily papers. These 
boats are fitted up especially to suit the convenience of 
fishermen, and carry on board bait, tackle, etc. The 
fares range from 65 cents to $r. At this season only 
cod and ling are caught on the banks, but blackfish, fluke 
and sea bass are caught in season. The best sport is had 
in the summer, when the large sea bass are caught. These 
fish furnish more sport than most people imagine, send 
one can invariably get a good mess of them or of other 
fish when the conditions are right. Skimmers are used 
for bait, and a heavy sinker is necessary, because of the 
.strong tide and rough water. On the Fi,shing Banks 
boats everything is done to make the fishermen com- 
fortable, and often entire families make the excursion. 
Except for the fact that this trip affects persons who are 
inclined to biliousness, and thus involves seasickness, 
it would be a pleasant outing for anybody. 
While the fishing steamers embody everything that is 
essential to a pleasant fishing trip, the best way to en- 
joy a day's fishing on the Banks, and avoid the crowds 
which patronize the steamers, is to go on one of the 
numerous fishing sloops that are to hire for this pur- 
Dose. Canarsie and Sheepshead furnish most of these. 
They can comfortably accommodate a party of eight or 
ten, and can be hired for from $8 to $to per day. The 
owners of these boats, who usually sail them, do all in 
their power to please their patrons, and furnish bait and 
tackle. They will start at any hour of the dav, and fish 
as long as the party demands it. It is when the bluefish 
are biting that these owners reap their harvest. Their 
boats are out on everv fair day, and rarely return with- 
out a good catch. The bluefish are caught by trolling 
with a squid, made of lead or w^ood, which is furnished 
with the boat. The cantain lands most of the fish, as it 
requires considerable skill to land bluefish. The "blue- 
fish swing" is not mastered by everybody. A day of blue- 
fishing aboard one of these boats is well worth the 
slight expens^ attached. 
Among the best known of the Sheepshead Bay fi.shing 
sloons are the Sly Fox. Capt. W. J. Fox: Gertrude, Cant. 
W. J. Cowdrick; Pacific, Capt. Nat Wilson: Jennie S., 
Capt- Isaac Corson; Daisy, Caot. J. Fowler; Annie 
C, Capt. John Greenwood; Cricket. Capt. J. Canute; 
Carrie, Capt. Isaac Miller; Nettie, Capt. Jerrv Green- 
wood; Russell. Capt. Henry Canute: Nathelie, Capt 
G. Ayen: Rhoda C. Capt. John Colwell. 
Next to the Fishing Banks. Jamaica Ba}' probably 
furnishes SDort for more fishermen than anv other place 
in the neighborhood of New York. The fishing stations 
on the Rockaway trestle. Goose Creek, Broad Channel 
and Beach Channel, are the best points from which to 
reach the fishing grounds. These are on the line of the 
New York and Rockaway Beach R. R., which has its 
terminal at the Atlantic av. depot of the Long Island 
Railroad at Atlantic and Flatbush avs.. Brooklyn, and at 
the Long Island Railroad depot in Long Island Citv. 
Sea bass, blackfish, fluke, flounders, porgies, weakfish 
and snaopers are caught here. The fishing grounds are 
all within a few minutes' row of the boat houses. Row 
boats can be hired for 75 cents and $1 per day. Sand- 
worms and clams are princiual baits. Night weakfishing 
is a popular sport here. Weakfish are numerous in the 
months of August and September. Shrimn and pearl 
squids are used for bait for catching weakfish. 
Canarsie is another point from which the fishing 
STounds of Jamaica Bay can be reached. Trolley cars 
from the foot of Broadwav. Brooklyn, and the Canarsie 
Railroad from East New York, furnish transportation to 
Canarsie. Crabs aboiuid in the waters about Canarsie, 
and while crabbinsr can hardly be looked upon as sport, 
yet it miarht furnish a day's amusement when the fish 
are not biting. Moreover, the crab is a toothsome crea- 
ture, and when full of meat makes a delicious morsel. 
Sheepshead Bay. a small body of water separating 
Manhattan Beach from Brooklyn, and connected with 
Jamaica Bay by numerous small creeks, is the means of 
reaching a number of good fishing spots. Few fish are 
taken in the Bay proper, but some of the best fishing 
in the neighborhood of New York can be had within a 
short distance. In the spring the flounder fishing in the 
creeks and oE Ritchie's Point is all that could be de- 
sired. Later in the season, when the fluke are biting, 
no better sport could be found than around the "Can" 
Buoy off Rockaway Point. Both still-fishing and troll- 
ing with "killies" for bait are effective. Porgies and 
blackfish are taken off Ritchie's Point. Clams are used 
for bait for porgies. while fiddler crabs make the best 
bait for blackfish. Weakfishing is uncertain, being good 
and poor in turns. In the latter part of September and 
early in October of last year the weakfishing in Rock- 
away Channel was very good. Night fishing is rarely 
attempted. Three of us tried it one night last year, when 
the fish were being caught daily in large numbers, and 
caught three colds and one dogfish. In the fall the 
snappers, or young bluefish, furnish plenty of sport. 
These_ are caught in the bay as well as in the creeks. 
Spearing, or white bait, as it is commonly called, is un- 
<M^^j^n0f ypst p^)\ for smpp^f t M ^ 
light By rod when fishing for snappers. They make a 
good fight on a light rod. Striped bass, blackfish and 
sea bass are caught at the "stone pile," off the Manhat- 
tan Hotel, reached after a hard pull from SJieepshead 
Bay around Point Breeze and along the outside of Man- 
hattan Beach. In September and October of last year 
striped bass were caught in large numbers. Catches of 
from ten to twenty fish, averaging about 3lbs. each, were 
not uncommon. Usually, however, the striped bass fish- 
ing is not so good. They are caught by trolling around 
the jetties oft' the Manhattan. A spoon and bldod-wonn 
are used for bait. The blackfish and sea bass are plenti- 
ful here, and are usually big fellows. Sheepshead Bay is 
reached by trolley from the Brooklyn Bridge and the 
ferries, and by railroad from the Atlantic Avenue Depot 
of the Long Island Railroad. Good fishing is to be 
had along the south shore of Staten Island, at the sta- 
tions on the Perth Amboy division of the Staten Island 
Rapid Transit. LIuguenot, Tottcnville, Gilford's and 
Prince's Bay are the best known of these places. The 
weakfishing in Prince's Bay is excjeptionally good in 
season. Catches of twenty-five to thirty-five fish to one 
man we^e frequent last year. Weakfish are frequently 
caught here by using a piece of salt pork and a small 
piece of red flannel for bait. Porgies, snappers and 
others of the smaller fish swarm in the waters of Staten 
Island. Fluke and porgies arc taken from the pier at 
South Beach, and occasionally a few weakfish can be 
picked up. Gv F. DiKHT., 
Hkiiok-lvn, N, v. 
Winter Pastime. 
It has been said — and who will gainsay he wisdom 
thereof? — that this is a world of compensations; that 
there is no great loss without some small gain; and that 
every thorn has a rose for a neighbor. This is but an- 
other way of saying that age is not without its pleas- 
ures, nor maturity of years without its advantages. Many 
of those now in mid-life and beyond find much enjoy- 
ment in retrospection and the many pleasant experiences 
and Recollections of the past; in recalling the congenial 
spirits assembled for the May training, and the various 
contests of agility and strength in which they v/ere 
participants or interested spectators — jumping, wrestling, 
putting the shot, pitching quoits, and the like. Again is 
recalled the wonderful muzzle-loading flintlock shotgun, 
and the story of its achievements rehearsed for the thou- 
sandth time without suifering any loss or diminution by 
age; of the wonderful destruction wrought to the vast 
flocks of wild pigeons; the renown won at the Thanks- 
giving turkey shoot; and the clean killing of gray squir- 
rels from trees of fabulous height. 
Nor were days beside the noisy brook or on ruffled 
lake unknown, for the dainty trout and mighty mascal- 
longe not infrequentlj'' graced their larder and diversified 
the frugal itieal. 
It is true that modern appliances and modern methods 
have long since superseded the appliances and methods 
of more primitive times, and that many devotees of rod 
and gun now sit in judgment and condemnation of much 
that gave many now of mature years great amusement 
and lasting pleasure in their boyhood days. 
But all the same many of those of older growth — men 
who are rapidly auproaching the limit of life, or who 
have already passed beyond the Scriptural days of three- 
score and teti; men whose heads have whitened, but 
whose hearts are still young; men who yielded to the 
allurements and tasted the sweets of nature in their 
earlier years, and who cherish many, very many pleas- 
ant experiences with rod and gun as prized remem- 
brances — may hope to be pardoned by the toleraiit and 
thoughtful if they refuse to be governed in everj'^ detail 
by the modern interpretation of the canons of sport-s- 
inanship, and recur to some of the pastimes and plea.s- 
nres of youth for a day, even though^its hours be spent 
in the commonolace spOrt of fishing for pickerel throuerh 
the ice when the laws of the land intervene to prohibit 
other sport. 
I am frank to acknowledge that I haVe nqt outgrown 
my early love for a day out in midwinter on the ice= 
and this weakness I boldlv aA'^ow even at the risk of 
having the right hand of fcllowshio of many withdrawn 
for indulging such imseemly. plebeian propensity. 
We always divide the anticioated pleasures of the day 
into two parts, the fishing and fish and the accessories: 
we go whenever we plan to go; sometimes the weather 
clerk is for us and sometimes "agin us," but it is all the 
same to us — ^we go: sometimes the sign is right for 
us and sometimes it is right for the fish: sometimes we 
set the fishing, fi,sh and accesories, and sometimes we 
have to charge up all the pleasures of the day to the 
acce.ssories; the accessories never fail. 
The weeks are not many since a qtiartet of congenial 
spirits spent a balmy winter's day upon a not (listant 
nond upon the invitation of one of the party, a mutual 
friend, who with a few boon companions owns a private 
camo in a grove of pines upon an island near the center. 
The camp is commodious, well Herhted. and provided 
with a huge nreolace built of boulders laid in colored 
cement, tables chairs, bric-a-brac, and all the little et 
cetera that sportsmen know so well how to provide, and 
which they appreciate so highly. Connected therewith 
is a kitchen, supplied with cooking range and all the 
utensils necessary for the practice of the culinary art. ■ 
Arriving at our destination after an exhilarating drive 
in tJie clear, bracing air of winter, a roaring fire is soon 
blazing upon the hearth, imparting grateful warmth and 
good cheer, and perfuming the air with the fragrant in- 
cense of burning pine, the volume of smoke gracefully 
curling upward and losing itself in the branches of the 
trees. 
We were to be the guests of one of our number, who 
provided the commissariat and essaved to olay the role 
of cook and host, and who exacted from his guests only 
pickerel enough for the fish course. 
He was soon left alone, and if not in his glory, at least 
with unbounded enthusiasm and determination to do 
himself proud, the rest of the oarty betaking them- 
selves to the work in hand noon the ice. 
As the day waxed anace the temoerature rose above 
the freezing point, making it a delightfid dav to be out. 
and the frequent click of the tilts told us that we had 
