Juke 4, 1898 ] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
449 
here is the first quarter line with its attendant buoy, and 
then the second, and here another skiflf takes its stand 
to watch the net and keep of¥ small craft and follow it in. 
And so we go in a great five-mile circuit, and bring the 
end around to the horses below, and the haul has begun, 
and we haA^e seen three in twenty-four hours, and more 
since in our dreams. Henry Talbott. 
Fresh-Water Angling. 
No. Vin.— Pike-perch and other Perch, 
BY FRED MATHER. 
There are two species of fish which are so closely 
related that when of small size they are not clearly dis- 
tmguished by anglers. This is bad enough, but the 
fact that their common names are hopelessly mixed is 
worse. The fish are of the perch tribe, having a spiny 
dorsal fin, but their habits are those of the pike, and 
therefore naturalists call them "pike-perch," and years 
ago the genus was called Lucioperca, as a Latinization of 
pike-perch. Later it was changed to Stho&tedion. There 
is such a variety of common nanies that by giving theffl 
all, or as many as I know, the fish intended Will be made 
clear, beginning with the species which grows largest. 
Wall-eyed Pike? Yellow Pifce» 
^ By these names the larger fish is known in plirts of the 
State of New York. In the eastei-n portion, and in the 
markets of New Yotk city, ft ife edlled the wdll-eyed pike, 
from its great, staring, glasSy teye. It is also known as 
"glass e3^e" in Some pla'ceS, bllt in the Silsquehanna and 
parts of the South it is by some strange freak of no- 
menclature called "salmon," Think of a salmon having 
the sharp spines of a peixli! t disHke to I'eeoiM tile ilbovfe 
fact, but it is a fact. TrUe, Some fishei-men qualify the 
natne by calling it jaCk Salmon, blit that is not much bet- 
ter, tor there is nothing abbut the fish that is like a 
saltnon. Science has recognized the large, glassy eye in 
calling this species . 6^. vitreum. Another confusio'n of 
names occurs on the great lakes, -ivhere it is siinply 
"pike," while the true pike is known as a "pickerel." 
"Pike-perch" is a book name, never used by fishermen 
nor marketmen, but all the other names given are used 
by these mJen, and in addition I hdve heard it called "blue 
pike" in Ohio, and I read that it is known in Canada as 
"dory," while in some parts of the South it is called 
"okow" and "blowfish." 
This is a fine game fish, but is little known as such to 
oUf American anglers. It is a bold biter and is a fighter. 
My first One was taken near CobouKg, on the Canadian 
side of Lake Ontario, and it was a surprise. The late 
\¥. Morton Locke* and I had crossed the lake frotti 
Charlotte in the little stealilel- Norsetnin, and had a fine lot 
of ti-oUt from the streams aboiit Peterboi-oug-h, and had 
just taissed the Norseman ph returning. That was hei- 
first Canadian landing coming from Charlotte, and her 
la&t bh return, therefore we could not overhaul her by 
tail. There We Were with aboUt 2olbs. of trout which 
had been put up at the last moment for friends, and 
iio steamer for forty-eight hours, and the certainty that 
the trout would be spoiled. 
"What do you say?" asked Mort. 
"If we take rail around by Niagara Falls the trout 
will be spoiled, and it Will cbst as inuch as to Wait hefe 
and eat a part of them. Come bh, let's find a 'hotel and 
inake the best of it." 
"Look at that steamer smoking away not ten miles 
ofT, and that durned teamster who promised that he 
would get us here in time to catch the boat is aWay 
off in the hills. We can't swim to the steamer, and we 
can't catch the teamster and lick him. The only reason- 
able thing is to do what you suggest, and then to 
fish in the lake until the Norseman comes back." 
We turned in our trout to the hotel, without other 
stipulation than that they were of no use to us, but 
were too good to waste. The landlord saw the situation, 
and being an angler himself, he introduced us to several 
local anglers, who were not satisfied with eating our 
trout, but arranged an elaborate entertainment for us, 
Avhich comes up vividly in these days of talk of an Anglo- 
American alliance and of the frequent quotation that 
"Blood is thicker than water," 
Fighting a Wall-eye. 
Passing the convivial dinner and the breakfast, we went 
out on Lake Ontario in two boats to troll for pike, i. e. 
what I and other American anglers call "pike," Eso.v 
lucius, and Mr. J. Romaine and a boatman took Mort. 
Locke in charge, and Mr. George Kilgore and boatman 
took me in. 
These men knew where pike were likely to be found, 
and after a roAV of half an hour they decided that it 
was time to begin fishing. As we had only brought 
trout rods, our new friends fitted us out. They were 
new friends, because we never knew them before, but 
were readers of Forest and Stream, and saw my name 
on grip sack and introduced themselves before the land- 
lord had a chance to make us acquainted. We had rods 
of ash and lancewood, about 8ft. long, multiplying reels 
holding some 60 or 70yds. of good linen line, a foot of 
gimp on a 3-0 sproat hook, a minnow hooked through 
the lips, and an ounce tracing sinker about 4ft. above the 
hook. The water was said to be about 30ft. deep, and 
the boatmen rowed slowly. The other boat took three pike 
before we got a strike, and then Kilgore brought a pike 
of about lolbs. to gaff, the biggest one yet, and all was 
quiet for about half an hour, and I began to think that 
I was a Jonah, when away went my reel; it fairly hum- 
med, and I checked it as far as I dared. When it came 
time to reel in a little there was a struggle that bent the 
rod, and Romaine shouted from the other boat: "You've 
got a 4olb. pike or a wall-eye." 
The fight was a good one, and it was give and take for 
some time, how long I don't know, for I was never cold- 
blooded enough to hold a watch in such a fight or any 
other, and measure enjoyment by chronometer; I hate 
mathematics and all things like statistics; in fact anything 
which is measured, weighed or counted, but after a 
* "Men I Have Fished With," No. 37, Fokest and Stream, 
April 3, 1897, but not in the sketches in book. 
while the fish made a rush which meant that it must have 
line or tackle would be smashed, and line it had. The 
size of the spool was diminishing, and it looked as if 
the fish was going to take the last foot ofi^ the reel and 
still have vitality enough to break something. 
I stood in the stern of the boat and contested every 
inch of line that I estimated the capacity of the rod 
to resist. Kilgore quietly remarked: "If that is a pike 
it is a 40-pounder," but he offered no advice. Romaine 
stopped his boat and Locke and he reeled in their lines 
to watch the fight. Never before had I met such a fish, 
and seldom had I perspired as I did then. To use more 
force meant to smash my tackle and lose the fish; to 
use less would give the enemy time to gain wind to 
continue the fight The strain on the rod was regulated 
by the drag on the reel, aided by a human thumb, which 
was needed as an auxiliary. _ Once the fish AVas brought 
into sight, but indistinctly; it made a demand for more 
line and got it. Then the stiff rod asserted itself and 
the fish was brought near enough to enable the boatman 
to say: "It's a wall-eye, and the biggest one ever I 
see," when the gamy fish made another requisition for 
line, and the requisition was honored to the extent of 
20yds. 
After this the rod asserted itself and tlie brave fish, 
which had fought so hard for its life, was brought along- 
side the boat and gaffed. It was a \Vall-eye of something 
oVef I4lbs.; I have not the exact number of ounces, and 
am not sure that 1 Wotlld give them if they were in my 
note book. 
The Nairle. 
The wall-eye, and Gbode says: "If it tiitist be used, 
Svall-eye' is, of course, to be preferred to the misleading 
'wall-eyed pike.' To me it seems a most repulsive and 
undesirable name, but others find it appropriate." With 
Dl\ Gqode I agree that the name "pike" should be 
dropped, but do not find "Wall-eye" fepulsiA'e. "Pike- 
perch" is bookish and not in use, and when that angling 
millennium shall coine when each fish shall have a dis- 
tinctive natne, and only one, what better nattie than 
"wall-ej'^e" can we call this great garriy pereh? 
The Sanger. 
This is a smaller brother of the wall-eye, and is much 
like it in appearance and habits. The other fish has 
been taken of 4olbs. Aveight, Avhile the limit of this species 
is someAvhere about 3lbs. When a Avall-eyc of similar 
size is taken fcAv can distinguish them, yet it is not 
difficult if you know. The larger species has an eye 
larger in proportion, but as this is comparative one 
must have both species present to be able to decide, and 
the first or spiny dorsal fin is plain, except a black spot 
at its posterior and the pectorals are unspotted. 
The Sanger has the first dorsal fin spotted, Avith roAvs 
of black spots on the membrane, and without the black 
blotch at the end; the pectorals are also spotted. 
A Serious Blunder. 
In that grand work entitled "The Fisheries Industries 
of tiie United States, prepared throiigh the Co-opera- 
tion of the Commissioner of Fisheries and the Superin- 
tendent of the Tenth Census by George BtoWn Goode 
* * * and a staff of associates," filling seven great 
quarto volumes, published by the Government in 1884. 
and intended to convey all the fish lore of the United 
States up to date, there is a serious blunder in the plate 
representing these tAvo fishes, which, if it has escaped 
observation, I have not seen it commented on. It is in 
the volume of plates. Section i, pi. 169, where the printer 
not only transposed the names of the tAvo species, putting 
the name "Wall-eyed Pike or Dory" under the sauger. 
but under the wall-eye put the legend, "Sauger or Land 
Pike." Now the fact is that this fish is somcAvhere called 
a "sand pike," and in the manuscript of some Avriters 
the capitals S and L are not to be distinguished. While 
I have the honor of being one of the twenty "Associate 
Editors," I did not Avrite up this fish nor see proofs of 
the plates. 
In his excellent book, "American Fishes," t888, p. 13, 
Prof. Goode repeats this error. I say this entirely in the 
interest of truth. Mr. Goode, who died a few years ago, 
was one of my warmest friends. As assistant secretary of 
the Smithsonian Institution and curator of the National 
Museum, he Avorked his life aAA'^ay. Few men die from 
overwork except brain workers, Avho neglect exercise, 
and yet he was physically active. Lie probably dictated 
his work and ordered a small cut made from the larger 
work, and so it happened. He knew the difference be- 
tween these fishes; so did Dr. Bean and others of the 
staff, but the error Avas made by the printer, and it may 
work confusion because it has the sta^p of authority. 
As a Game and Food Fish. 
The wall-eye is Avell Avorth the attention of the angler 
and the fishculturist; the sauger is not worth thought 
from the fish breeder, for it is a voracious fish,- which is 
inferior to its big brother for the table, and its smaller 
size makes it of smaller account to the angler. 
The Avall-eye is one of the best of American game 
fishes, coming next after the salmon, the trout, and the 
black bass. All human judgment is fallable; therefore, 
when I class this fish as a better fighter, pound for 
pound, than any of the pike family, be it pike, pickerel 
or mascalonge, it is only the opinion of one man, based 
entirely on his personal experiences. 
There is on this continent a wealth of game fishes 
whose fighting qualities are yet to be discovered, because 
we have followed beaten tracks, largely laid down by 
English anglers, from whom Ave first got our angling 
literature, and the anglers of Great BritairL_ are the 
only ones in all Europe who have elevated angling to the 
level of other field sports. English, Irish and Scotch 
anglers Avere the first to discover that fighting a fish was, 
next to fighting a man, the grandest thing ever put in 
this world to fight. But all this is a digression caused by 
the war with Spain, which is on now and which I hope 
to take part in. To fight a stubborn game fish is to 
make a man's pulse beat high, and to make his nerves 
tingle, but when the battalion charges, that is ecstasy! 
The Yellow Perch. 
Here is a fish which Walton loved, and in the waters of 
Britain, where the black bass is not yet common, it 
ranks next to the pike as a game fish. There it is 
simply called perch, for they have no other. The fish 
sharps have figured out a fcAv differences between this 
fish in the old Avorld and in the new, and while Schrank 
called ours Perca Americana, I am glad to see that 
Goode, in his "American Fishes," before mentioned, fol- 
lows the European name of P. fluviatilis, or perch of the 
streams, and furthermore the yellow perch has the right 
of the line, being found on page i. 
In America the yellow perch is rather neglected by 
anglers who fish for trout, the pikes and black bass, but 
we boys! Why it was our kind of fishes, not only for 
sport, but for the table. The flesh of this fish, like 
that of the wall-eye, is firm and flaky, and when not 
taken from weedy ponds is not muddy. In boyhood days 
the "muddy" or "Aveedy" taste of some fresh-water 
fishes was not noticed. Many years' residence near salt 
water has taught me to pass by most fresh-water fishes 
in the market, but the fishes of the great lakes are free 
from all that vile flavor which is found even in brook 
trout from weedy ponds in midsummer. 
Range and Names. 
This beautiful fish has an American range Avhich in- 
cludes all the streams of the Atlantic slope from Labra- 
dor to Georgia. It is not found in the Lower Mississip- 
pi, now on the Pacific slope. Jordan, who Avill not 
admit the identity of the American and the European 
species, says: "It occurs in some tributaries of the 
Ohio in the northern parts of Ohio and Indiana, and of 
the Mississippi in Wisconsin and Minnesota." In the 
great lakes and their tributaries it is common. 
In the North and East it is called yellow perch, from 
its prominent ground color, but in Virginia and the 
South the black bars on the side claim attention and it 
is variously knoAvn as "barred perch," "ringed perch" 
and "raccoon perch." 
In the North, outside of that species of darter known 
as "log perch," Avhich is the only one of its tribe which 
the angler is liable to take, Ave only knoAV tAVO "perches," 
the yellow and the Avhite; other percoid fishes are "bass," 
as "Avhite bass," rock bass," etc. In the South these are 
all called "perch," Avith some specific designation, and 
our "sunfish" becomes "sun-perch," and often the ob- 
solete English "pearch" is heard. 
Angling for YelloAV Perch. 
As boy and man there has been no fish so frequently 
hooked as this one. From boyhood days Avhen Avith 
an alder pole, a linen line, a Limerick hook which to-day 
I AA'ould think many sizes too large, and a Avorm, I 
Avatched a cork go doAvn and snatched a perch over my 
head to see it flop in the grass behind to the time 
when this really game fish was taken on a light rod, 
either with fly or minnow, the yellow perch has been a 
favorite. 
I have taken it when fishing for pike or pickerel 
through the ice, and always took them home to mother, 
for she often said: "Noav Fred, if you get a few perch 
while fishing for pickerel, don't give them away, for 
they are the best fish you get in winter." I think my 
tendencies to shoot, fish, and to love the Avoods came 
from the maternal side, for father would occasionally 
shoot snipe and meadoAvlarks in his younger years, 
but frowned on my doing either that or rabbit trapping. 
Mother encouraged it in a Avay, by advising me that if 
T did go fishing to bring home certain small snecimens, 
"pan fish" we called them; or it Avas a request like this: 
"Fred, if you go shooting next Saturday Avith Port 
Tyler, you may give him any ducks that you get, but 
bring home enough rail or other small birds _to go 
around." With such encouragement my "hookey" days 
from school were condoned, and I Avas the sort of boy to 
take advantage of it. That same good mother said to 
me in 1862, Avhen I told her that I had enlisted: "My 
bov, I am glad you have. I would never have asked 
ybu to do it." And she sat doAvn. 
To get real sport from the yellow perch needs a light 
rod. not over Soz., a click reel beloAV the hand, and a 
hook not larger than No. 2, preferably a Pennell Limerick 
with turn-down eye for minnow or worm, but a smaller 
hook, say No. 4, is better. Boys are apt to select large 
hooks, and I remember that in boyhood days a Limerick 
from 2-0 to 4-0 Avas thought to be the right size, for Ave 
wanted hooks that Avere strong, yet I do not recall that 
one ever broke. To-day I Avould consider such hooks 
fit to hold a lolb. fish. A small hook is an easier mouth- 
ful than a large one. and Avill be more satisfactory when 
taking small fish. With the tackle mentioned the yelloAv 
perch gives good sport, as it has a chance to fight for 
its life. If a float is used let it be a light one, and so 
placed that it Avill not come to the tip Avhen reefing in; 
about 6ft. from the hook Avill do. It should be large 
enough to prevent your live minnow, if you use one, from 
dragging it under. 
Fly-fishing for Perch. 
This is the way in Avhich the perch can afford the most 
sport. It prefers bright flies as a rule, and the red ibis 
is usually successful, but the coachman, professor, queen 
of the water, and other showy combinations are attrac- 
tive to the perch. 
Ozonia Park, 
Potsdam, N. Y., May 23.— Forest and Stream for 
May 21 contains an interesting account of game pre- 
serves in this region, written by a brother of Assembly- 
man Ives. It alludes to Ozonia Park as containing an 
ideal lake, but as having only a feAV hundred acres of 
hunting ground. 
Allow me to state that the park alone contains 1,682 
acres, the larger part of which consists of virgin forest. 
Besides this I own 1,400 acres jbining it upon the west 
from which some timber has been taken, and I control 
1,800 acres of similar forest on the eastern side, mak- 
ing in all nearly S,ooo acres abounding in ponds and 
streams. 
Guests at Fernwood Hall have access to this entire 
tract, as well as to the bass fishing of Lake Ozonia, which 
is three miles in length. Frederic M. Heath. 
