FOREST AND STREAM. 
[April 30, 1898. 
plaintive crj^ of the screech-owl ; the anticipation of a 
warm supper, delayed beyond our usual hour and the 
memory of the sunset on the water — well, there are many 
occupations in life duller than counting a limited number 
of ties under such conditions. 
On one of our trips, when the wind had blown our 
skiffs oft the lake and we were driven to try from the 
railroad bank, we noticed as the tide Avas coming in hun- 
dreds of bass on the outside in the creek, dozens coming 
close up to the mouth of the culvert. We watched them 
for some time, hoping they meant to enter, but they 
seemed to have no particular intention or business. They 
were not feeding, but moving lazily about; we offered 
them flies to no purpose, and even caught a couple of 
small perch and tried them with bait, but they ignored 
our attentions. Some doubt was expressed as to whether 
they were bass, and to settle that question the triangle 
was taken off a pike-spoon and thrown over one. 
He moved deliberately away, but his place was quickly 
taken by another, which swam so directly toward the 
line that when it was twitched one of the barbs engaged 
his lower lip, and after a short struggle Avas landed a 
bass above albs. 
Then the fly was tried again further out, and whenever 
it could be dropped near a patch of Aveeds or floating 
grass we had a I'esponse. Standing on the high bank 
we were in plain view, and the bass Avould touch nothing 
A\'e offered, but Avhcn the grass hid us, if a bass was be- 
hind it, he made for the fly, and Ave took a beautiful 
string all of a size. ScAferal times since Ave haA'e seen 
them here, but never again had anything like as good 
sport Avith them. 
There are large fish here., The bridge tender late last 
fall saAV one struggling helplesslj^ on the surface of the 
pool, and secured it. It proved to be a bass Avith a big 
catfish fast in its gullet. Too large to SAvalloAV, the spines 
had preA'ented ejection, and the bass must have soon 
died. He took the fish to the village grocer and record- 
ed its weight, something over 7lbs. We claim the mate. 
Henry Talbott. 
New England Fishing, 
Boston, April 21. — Of the R. O. Harding party to 
NeAvfound Lake, N. H.. for landlocked salmon fishing, 
Mr. Harding Avas high line, and his friends are offering 
congratulations. He took one salmon Aveighing Bibs., 
one of 6i/2lbs. and one of 61bs. These fish Avere dis- 
played in Appleton & Bassett's Avindow to-day. and 
drcAv a good deal of attention. The other successful fish- 
ermen of the party Avere J. E. DeA'lin, with a salmon of 
7lbs.; E. H. Wakefield, Jr., one of slbs. ; and Edward 
Brooks, one of 4lbs. Mr. Brooks and Mr. Wakefield 
remained at the lake for a fcAV days longer, determined 
to get some larger fish. The party Avas quartered at 
Mrs. A. F. Sawyer's, the Masaquebec House, near Avhich 
point excellent fishing is reported. The fishermen suf- 
fered a good deal from cold, their lines frequently being 
thoroughly iced_ in the morning, AA'ith plenty of ice in 
the boats. 
At the head of the lake there has already been excellent 
fishing. J. W. Sampson, of Hebron, has taken a number 
of large fish, G. G. FelloAvs has taken one of 7lbs. ; C. 
L. Eddy, one of 5lbs.; Charles S. Bates, of Boston, one 
of 4lbs. and one of 61bs. A fisherman at Bristol has 
taken six fish in one day, and had four strikes, Avliich 
he hooked and lost. Off Whittemore's Point one weigh- 
ing lolbs. has been taken, one of Slbs., one of 61bs., and 
three of 5lbs. each. The lucky fisherman's name is A. 
G. Dolif, of Bristol. C. E. Rounds, of the same town, 
has taken two salmon of Bibs, each and one of 7lbs. E. 
A. Pike has also taken two salmon there of 7]bs. and one 
of Bibs. 
Such has been the fishing in NeAvfound Lake up to 
datie. Later good fishing is looked for on lake trout. 
One has already been taken there — last Saturday — ^Aveigh- 
ing I4lbs. The lake is noted for large fish of that de- 
scription. Commissioner Wentworth, Avho met the Hard- 
ing party at the lake and came out Avith them, is greatly 
pleased witla the remarkable catches of salmon there of 
late; the best ever known. He is more particularly 
pleased since it is the work of the Commission in re- 
stocking that has brought the salmon fishing up to such 
satisfactory results. Concerning salmon in Winnepesau- 
kee, the Commission is also very hopeful. They have 
been putting in salmon for some time, and some results 
are noted. It is a great body of Avater, and must nec- 
essarily take longer to restock. But it is believed that 
landlocked salmon will be a great success there at no 
very distant date. 
Lake Auburn, Me., is open, and to Mrs. H. Haskell, 
of Auburn, belongs the honor of landing the first trout 
of the season. It was landed at 5 o'clock on Tuesday 
morning, and Aveighed 3lbs. L. Baker, of the same town, 
has taken the first salmon, one of 7lbs. This AA^as landed 
after a fight of fifteen minutes, on Tuesday. 
The ice is out of the lakes at Winthrop, Me., Marano- 
cook and Anabessecook, and some good trout have al- 
ready been taken. These lakes are really coming into 
note for large brook trout, after having been given up 
to pickerel for many years. First the lakes Avere stocked 
with black bass, and the theory of the Maine Commis- 
sioners is that the bass have destroyed the pickerel, so 
that the trout put in have had a chance to thrive. 
Boston, April 23. — Landlocked salmon fishing at Se- 
bago has stopped rather suddenly. Reports from that 
lake to-day say that very few fish are being taken. The 
theory is that the smelts, on which the salmon are feed- 
ing, have moved up into the rivers and streams, and that 
the salmon have followed them. In about a Aveek, or 
as soon as the Avater is a little Avarmer, the smelts will 
return, and then another good run of salmon is expected. 
Salmon- at NcAvfound Lake have continued to come 
to the hook in good shape, and a number of Boston 
fishermen- are off and will go as soon as busmess will 
permit. C. D. Lyford, of Cambridge, went to Newfound 
yesterday. He will stop at J. W. Sanborn's, Hebron, 
one of tlje best points on the lake for fishing, and the 
one from which a great many fish have been brought 
this season. Dr. T. F. Carrol, of Newton, is going to 
NeAvfound on Monday. John E. Devlin, of the R. O. 
Harding party, has gone to Newfound again. A party 
is also planned for Newfound about May 2, includmg 
J. A. Wade, F. O. Webber and George Robbins. 
Lake Winnepesaukee fishermen are getting ready. G. 
1880— May 7 
1881— May 9 
1882— May 12 
1883— May 14 
1884— May 13 
1885— May IS 
1886— May 3 
1887— May 16 
1888— May 21 
R. Leavitt and J. E. Hill will leave for Winnisquam to- 
day for lake trout fishing. 
Reports from the Rangeleys mention an early clear- 
ing of the ice. Capt. F. C. Barker Avrites from Bemis that 
the ice will go out about May i, all depending upon the^ 
weather. Mr. Sargent, of Sargent's camp, Mooselucma- 
gutic Lake, though getting his rods ready to be off as 
soon as the ice is out, does not expect to be on the 
ground before May 5. Mrs. Sargent will be Avith him, 
as usual. He has visited the Rangeleys almost every 
j^ear for about thirty years; has taken trout up to 9 and 
lolbs. He is as fond of the sport as ever. 
The departure of the ice from the Rangeleys for the 
past seventeen years has been as follows, the record be- 
ing from the files of the Forest and Stream: 
1889 — April 30 
1890 — May 9 
1891 — May 10 
1892 — May 4 
'1893 — May 20 
1894— May 3 
1895— May 6 
1896 — May 7 
1898— 
The weather will tell. 
Lake Auburn is turning out some good fishing. A 
dozen good fish were taken the second day after the ice 
Avent out, Avhich A\'as on Monday, April 18. Boats can 
be had of Cy Metcalf, but one has to be booked ahead, 
on account of the demand. 
The ice is out of Lake Cobbosseecontee, Gardiner, 
Me., and the fish are reported biting well. Over fifty 
boats Avere out on Monday, April 18. The first fish Avas 
taken by Harry Wright, of Providence, R. I. Camp 
CouAA'ay Castle is filled with fishermen. Among the num- 
ber are Mr. ConAvay, Mr, J. L. Kenney, Mr. B. Dunn 
and Mr. M. McGaAvley. Trout fishing has greatly im- 
proved in that lake during the past few years. 
April 25. — E. H. Wakefield, Jr., and Edward Brooks, 
of the R. O. Harding party, are just in from NeAvfound 
Lake, N, H. Mr. Wakefield got two salmon of 5lbs. 
each. Mr. Brooks captured a salmon of 4^^1bs. and 
a trout of slbs. Mr. Brooks captured a salmon 
of 4i/2lbs. The above are Mr. Wakefield's first land- 
locked salmon, though he has caught about his share of 
trout. He is much pleased AA^th NcAvfound Lake, and 
AA'ill go again later. His only complaint of the Masa- 
quebeck House, Avhere they Avere quartered, is the way 
they treat fishermen there. A nice, warm fire, and four 
meals a day, are on tlie programme; eggs, coffee and hot 
toast at 3 o'clock in the morning, so that they may be 
on the lake at daybreak; breakfast at 8:30, or when they 
get in from fishing; dinner at i; and supper Avhen it is 
too dark to fish. 
Mr. Lyford, of Cambridge, got a 4lb. salmon at the 
foot of the lake the first day he fished. On Sunday four 
salmon Avere taken at that point. On the Avay out Mr. 
Wakefield saAv a beautiful salmon, 25in. long, in a box 
of just the right size. The fish Avas bedded Avith ever- 
greens, and had a bunch of MayfloAvers in its mouth. 
The name of the captor he did not learn, so much more 
interested Avas he in the beautiful prize. 
The Sebago Club party of seven has just returned from 
that lake. They took ten salmon and one trout. The 
fishing Avas not as good as immediately after the ice went 
out, but in front of Camp Sebago sixty salmon have 
been taken thus far for the season. Mr. Fisher, of the 
party, was high line in three Avays. He took the first 
salmon, and the largest one, a fish of 9>'2lbs. He also 
took a "square-tail," as they term them at that lake, or 
brook trout, of 4J^lbs. They mention a rainboAV trout, 
taken by one of the party, doubtless the result of restock- 
ing. Special. 
Early Spring Fishing in Canada. 
Though the season during Avhich both trout and 
ouananiche may be taken in Canada "with an angle" only 
opens on May 1, it is very seldom that the condition of 
the ice and the Avater does not delay the opening of the 
angling season until the very end of the month. From 
May 20 to 25 is perhaps the average period for the open- 
ing of the spring fishing in northern Quebec, but on 
some few occasions the ice has not left Lake St. John 
until the first days of June. Most often it disappears 
from May 10 to May 15, and the fishing for ouananiche 
in the lake itself at Roberval and in the mouths of the 
Metabetchouan, Ouiatchouan and other rivers floA\nng 
into it commences as soon as the ice has gone and con- 
tinues there as long as the Avaters are rising, which is 
usually about three weeks. When the water of the lake 
commences to fall the fish gradually disappear from their 
earlier haunts, and the much prized fishing of the Grande 
Decharge commences. I have gone into all these de- 
tails so that anglers may calculate for themselves, from 
the condition of the Avater, which I Avill report from time 
to time to Forest and Stream, what time they should 
arrive at Lake St. John for the particular locality in 
VA'hich they desire to fish. I have had good ouananiche 
fishing in Lake St. John as early as May 20, and it has 
lasted in some years up to almost the middle of June. 
From June 20 to June 30, in the average season, the 
early fishing in the Grande Decharge arrives at its best, 
but I have had my best sport as early as June 12 in these 
rapid AVaters, and taken several 4 and Slb. fish in succes- 
sion in one afternoon. This year the season promises to 
be earlier still. Present appearances indicate that it Avill 
be at least ten to fifteen days earlier than usual, A month 
ago summer seemed to be breaking right in upon us, 
but since then Ave have had colder Aveather. Neverthe- 
less we have already lost our ice bridge from the surface 
of the St. LaAvrence in front of the city, earlier than it 
Avas ever known to disappear before, and a message from 
Lake St. Johii states that the ice is quite rotten and 
liable to sink at any time. It is pretty certam to go by 
the end of the month, and in that case we shall have 
ouananiche fishing in the first Aveek of May instead of 
the third, and good angling in the Grande Decharge m 
the first week of June. For this early fishing anglers 
will do Avell to provide themselves with a number of flies 
tied on No. 3 and No. 4 hooks. 
Trout fishing ought to be fairly good this year about 
the middle of May, and even earlier if the weather turns 
warmer, while the bottom fishing for the heavy trout m 
Lake Ed\yard, which is now open water, will be in full 
swing just as soon as the ice is off the lake, which may 
now be almost any day. E. T. D. Chambers. 
Quebec, April 22. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Tlie Trout Season, 
Chicago, 111., April 21. — The beginning of the trout 
season in Wisconsin does not show all the results that 
could be asked. I have kept tab on the Prairie River 
through advices receiA^ed by a friend from a resident on 
the banks of that stream, and the last news is that the 
Aveathcr has turned too cold and that it will be better not 
to go out after trout there until next week. That is, 
by the time this issue of Forest and Stream is in the 
hands of the readers the trout outlook at that point 
should Avarrant one in chancing the trip. Of course the 
first flurry, before the mosquitoes begin to operate, af- 
fords the most enjoyable sport of the season, though it 
is not until the long-bills are biting also. I haA'^e not 
heard of any Chicago parties who have tried the Prairie 
as yet this spring. Mr. Edward Taylor I haA^e earlier 
mentioned as bound for that point at any early date. 
Mr. H. L. Stanton, of this city, also wants to try the 
trout a whirl there, for he says he has not had a trout 
trip for five years. We have not many anglers here 
who understand trout much better than Mr, Stanton, and 
I should like to be Avith him on this happy little river 
next week. On May 23 Mr. Stanton, his friend Mr, 
Frank Willard and scA^eral others Avhose names are not 
yet 'certain, will go up to Squirrel Lake for a Aveek Avith 
the 'lunge. 
A number of anglers of West Superior, Wis., have 
been out this week along the streams of upper Wiscon- 
sin adjacent to their city, but their report is generally 
that of bad luck. The streams have not yet settled down 
into their natural flow, and no sport of steady sort has 
offered, the fish taken being dull and averaging very 
small. 
Wautoma Creek and the White River near Princeton. 
Wis., haA'e had a good quota of anglers this Aveek, among 
others from Ripon and adjacent points being Messrs. 
L. E. Reed, H. P. Cody, H. C. Evers, E. J. Burnside, T. 
S. Chittenden and George Hill. It is very likely too 
early for much sport there, though these streams are 
among the first in the State to offer fishing. 
At La Crosse, Wis., a great many men are ardent trout 
anglers, cultured on the many streams which run not 
far from that good angling point. The opening day 
contingent from La Crosse was a goodly one. Henry 
Heil and Benj. Ott tried the Mormon Coulee, Harry 
Hirshheimer went to Sparta, Dr. Gattedam, S. L. Bowl- 
by and Henry Gund went to Galesville, Messrs. Joseph 
Boschert, Ed Richardson and J. E. Willing tried La- 
fayette, joined later by E. J. Tull and Judge Kleeber, 
It appears to be one of the beneficent arrangements of 
nature that trout fishing begins just about the time jack- 
snipe shooting stops. The snipe are still here. BetAveen 
the tAvo the average Chicago inan is keeping happy. 
Bass. 
Mr, S. A. Wright, of Sand Lake, 111., writing to a 
friend in this city this Aveek, says: "The fishing is good 
here now. Black bass and pickerel both feeding in fine 
shape, I had some jump clear out of the water after 
the bait. I caught a fine string yesterday, although the 
Avind blcAV hard from the northeast." 
"West Michigan Fly-Castiog Association. 
Mr. Eber Rice, secretary of the West Michigan Fly- 
Casting Association, A\-rites me Avith a A'ery kind invi- 
tation to be present at the first tournament, June 8 and 9, 
which I shall certainly see if it be among the possibili- 
ties. Mr. Rice adds: "We propose to spend a couple 
of days among some of the finest trout streams in the 
Avorld, which Ave have in the northern part of this State, 
and give a practical illustration ot casting." 
The West Michigan Association tournament, as earlier 
stated, is under the auspices of the Game, Fish and Dog 
ProtectiA'e Association of Grand Rapids, Mich,, and the 
competitions Avill be held at Reed's Lake, near that city, 
where preparations are already well under Avay for the 
events. The officers of the Association are John Wad- 
dell, President; E. Crofton Fox, Vice-President; Fred 
J. Adams, Second Vice-President; Eber Rice, Secretary- 
Treasurer. The address of Mr. Rice is Bi Lyon street, 
Grand Rapids, Mich., and he Avill send out a full printed 
programme to any inquirer. The rules are printed in the 
programme. There Avill be six championship medals as 
first prizes in each event, with many valuable merchan- 
dise prizes. 
Protective Meeting, 
The Michigan State Game and Fish Protective League 
has been called to meet at Grand Rapids on the morning 
of June 8. This meeting is for the purpose of consider- 
ing the action of the Wardens' Convention at Chicago 
last February. Secretary Charles E. Brewster hopes that 
there Avill be a good attendance of this protective league, 
inasmuch as many members will be present at the fly- 
casting tournament. 
One Good One. 
AprU 23.— Messrs. George P. Rose, Jr., and Hugh 
Davidson, of La Crosse, Wis., with another friend, 
opened the season along the Kickappo streams last 
week, taking 98 trout. Mr. Rose Avas so lucky as to get 
one good one weighing 3lbs. 2oz. He also took another 
weighing lib. 40Z. This is about as good a catch as I have 
seen mentioned this week. Reports coming from Wiscon- 
sin do not speak of very good luck thus far. Indeed, 
most trout trips have more hope than trout in them. 
Thus I hope we shall hear of better luck within the next 
ten days. The first Aveek in May is usually the best of the 
season in Wisconsin. 
Sooflers in Michigan. 
Michigan anglers are in the leash waiting for May i. 
The Big Rapids Gun and Rod Club have established 
headquarters on the Pere Marquette River, and there 
will be several camps on the Little Manistee, the Board- 
man, etc. 
