462 
FOREST AND STREAM 
fjTTKE 4, i8g8. 
Trout Fishing in Nova Scotia* 
In Nova. Scotia trout fishing can be had from early- 
May to late in September. The first month and the last 
are the best months to fish. In May a party has the 
chance of being first in the water. In September the fish 
are getting ready to spaAvn, and from the ist to the 20th 
of the month they will be found in the runs between the 
lakes making their way up-stream, and if good fortune 
should lead the fisherman to a spot where a running 
stream comes into still water, or lakes, over a sandy 
bottom, it will take two men to fish, one to tliroAV the 
fly and the otlier to take the fish off the hook. In 
early May the voracious midge is not prepared for 
visitors, but later in the month and in June the shade 
of Izaak Walton would lose blood. However, the drug- 
gist in Nova Scotia has a remedy, and its repeated 
application will spoil the sport of the flies, save appear- 
ances, and prevent very bad language. 
It is hardly necessary for the tourist to ask for de- 
finite information. The fisherman need only look at 
any countr3r map, select his stream and follow it up. 
If he is a novice he will be satisfied with what he gets. 
If he brings experience his own good judgment will lead 
him aright. Only do not depend on lake fishing, strike 
out for running water. 
Through the middle of Western Nova Scotia, and run- 
ning east and west, is the divide between the Bay of 
Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean, and fifteen miles south 
of Annapolis town, at Milford, a canoe will be water- 
borne to the Atlantic at Livei'pool. This trip gives over 
sixty miles straightawaj'- lake and stream fishing, and on 
branches east and west as manj'- more miles. 
A few miles east are the headwaters of the Port Med- 
way, and next the La Have, both with quite as extensive 
fishing as the Liverpool River and larger trout. The 
head waters of the Annapolis River and all the streams 
running into the main river afford good fishing, especial- 
ly the upper waters of the Nictaux. 
In every town in Nova Scotia the month of May causes 
a trout fever that nothing will alleviate with those who 
like the sport but the swish of the flies through the air, 
that tremble on the water, the click of the reel, and then, 
well, you want a frying pan, a sizzle, a smell of cooking 
trout, and satisfj'' your palate and the regions below. 
This will temporarily abate the fever, for a trout out of 
water and into the pan is worth a thousand that reach 
the cooking stove. If a tourist to Nova Scotia has a 
touch of this fever he will find in every town some one 
to sympathize Avith him. It is hardly necessary to ask 
what to bring. A rod and flies, a rubber mackintosh and 
blankets. Wear heavy flannel underclothing, woolen 
clothing and old clothes. With two sets of each and 
old laced boots to match, getting wet' or wading knee 
deep all day will do no harm if a change to dry things 
is made at once on returning to camp or hotel in the 
evening. 
Other things wanted can be found in Nova Scotia, 
that is, provisions, boats, canoes and men to assist or 
go with you. Professional guides or Adirondack facto- 
tums are not always to hand. It is better to take the 
level of the people as you find them, and I speak as a 
Nova Scotian; if it is not satisfactory, it lies at the 
doors of your own bad luck. 
The usual length of a fishing trip in Nova Scotia is 
four to seven da3^s, that is to say, a trio to the woods. 
Within reach of every town is a day's fishing, and lib. 
trout can be had. . , 
The following are trips in which the writer has partici- 
pated: Sept. 10, two hours' fishing, two rods, eight 
dozen 541b. to lib. trout. Same time and place, following 
year three rods, twenty-five dozen. May, 1898, five days' 
trip,' three days' fishing, 11 A. M. to 3 ?• M. each day, 
two rods, twenty-five dozen; and as many more trout 
could have been caught. One-half of these fish were 
lib. trout. The largest weighed i541bs. 
The trout in Western Nova Scotia are not large, gomg 
occasionally to 3lb. fish, but they are gamy. They often 
jump clear of the water, taking the flies on the down 
turn to their native element. A l^lb. trout taken m 
heavy running water will give an experienced fisherman 
all the sport he wants, particularly if it is two at a time 
For early spring and September fishing my choice of 
time of dav to fish is il A. M. to 2 P. M. In surnmer 
months early in the morning, as soon as the mist is oft 
the water and resting through mid-day, begin the even- 
ing fishing after 4 P. M. Take things easy and enjoy 
life in the woods. Verj^ good roads run in all direc- 
tions, and carriage hire is not expensive. By road one 
can generally get within a mile or two of the fishing 
ground, out of sight perhaps of civili7.ation, but in a 
country of clear skies, a land filled with running water 
and magnificent lakes, an atmosphere that carries with it 
always a touch of ozone and a smell of the sea. To- 
. day what Longfellow said of the Acadians is applicable 
in its fullest measure, "There the richest was poor ana 
the poorest lived in abundance." F. C. Whitman. 
Annapolis, Nova Scotia, May, 1S98. 
New Jersey Coast Fisiung;* 
AsBURY Park, N. J., May 28. — Kingfish have reached 
our waters and have been taken pretty freely in the nets 
the past two weeks. The first to be taken on the hook 
-fell to the lot of Dr. G. B, Herbert, at Manasquan Inlet, 
one evening this week, he took seven in one tide. It is 
a peculiar fact that at that point both bass and kingfish 
are each year at least two weeks earlier than at any 
other point along our coast; why this is so has long been 
a -puzzle to the wiseacres of the fraternity. If there 
is any superiority in the fishing grounds, that fact has 
still to become apparent. As with many another of 
nature's problems, the solution seems difficult. If there 
is any salt-water fish, inches and ounces considered, 
which is more supremely game than the kingfish, I wot 
not of him. Sprightly as thought, he strikes the hook 
sharply and is sone before the angler, unless thoroughly 
alert, realizes what has happened. The kingfish is always 
a bottom feeder and is accustomed to wrenching loose 
mussels and other crustaceans from their moorino-s; its 
bite is entirely different from that of all other species, 
and which can best perhaps be described as a nervous 
wrench I am fully convinced that the fish turns on its 
side when taking the bait, as its peculiarly formed month 
would indicate that position to be the natural one. 
While the Chestertown hook is a good one, still I con- 
sider the turned down eye sproat, 2-0 size, the acme of 
perfection. While they will at times take a variety of 
bait, still the shedder crab and blood worm are prime 
favorites, and can always be relied on. 
Bluefish are fairl}' abundant, and the off shore boats 
are taking them freely; none as yet have been taken from- 
the beach, however. The indications all point to a first- 
class season for salt-water anglers. 
May 28. — The first bass of the season taken along the 
coast fell to the rod of Robert Large at Deal Beach this 
morning, weight I3^1bs., together Avith two kingfish. 
This fairly opens the season, and from now on rods will 
be busy. Leonard Hulit. 
Fishing in the Peninsular State. 
Grand Rapids, Mich. — ^These are days that give un- 
told joy to the festive piscator in the seasonable pursuit 
of the wily trout. Ever since the first gleam of daylight 
ushered in the flowery month of May — yea, perhaps 
ever since that sweet little flower of the cedar forests and 
swamps, the trailing arbutus, poked its fragrant blossom 
above the disappearing snow — the streams of northern 
Michigan have been the Mecca of the devotee of the 
rod. 
The rippling, clear, cold waters of these streams, the 
dancing flies and the fun incident thereto have always 
been sufficient to lull the sensibilities regarding game 
and fish laws, benumbed fingers and freezing noses and 
ears. It is the same now, and will be forever. 
I have been the victim — the self-immolated victim — 
upon all these sharp points, and I have never kicked 
nor confessed, and I am not going to do it now at this 
late day. Only everything else being equal I would a 
little rather do the sinning when it is a little more 
comfortable than on some occasions that memory re- 
calls. I start comfortably, and how and the Avay I do 
it is tq get ready with as little fuss as possible. I 
usuall}'- am going to look up some "stumpage" way off 
in Manistee county, or in Wexford or Kalkaska, or any 
old county up there, where there is plenty of said 
stumpage and likewise plent3' of trout streams. 
The Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad is one of the fish 
lines to take, and I always take it. Friend Moeller, tlie 
man who knows all about that country, sometimes takes 
a day off and goes too, but since he has lately been pro- 
moted to the responsible and onerous duties of general 
passenger agent of that line, it is probable that his days 
off will not be many, for if there ever was an official 
who filled his position to the fullest he is the man. 
To use the classic and beautiful (though perhaps de- 
void of nickel-plate polish) of the untutored Governor 
of the State in speaking of a friend whom he had ap- 
pointed to office: "He knowed his duty and done it 
noble." 
The road runs, as you will see upon consulting a map — 
it will not be necessary to take a railroad map, for every 
railroad gets out a map to suit itself, and generally winds 
around to include every place of importance, or if it is 
a trunk line that wants to make a strong point as to 
its directness between the principal cities which are its 
termini, it just draws a straight line across and puts 
down the places to conform, without regard to geograph- 
ical results. After leaving Saginaw the road passes 
through Midland, Gladwin, Clare, Osceola, Wexford, 
Lake, Mason, Manistee and Benzie counties, and if you 
can't find good fishing in these counties, and plenty of 
it, it would not be worth Avhile fooling away any more 
time this month anyway; but you can find it and not half 
try, and when the summer heaves in sight and the great 
large July days have arrived, why the -black bass just 
simply have their national conventions up there, and 
full delegations are present from all the back counties. 
I have wondered often why that chap named this the 
Wolverine State.' He did not know even a little bit. 
He might have known that such an ugly beast as the 
wolverine would be exterminated and then people 
would be guessing what sort of animal it was; or per- 
haps they wouldn't know it was an animal. There is 
only one in existence in this State, and that is stuffed 
and is in the reading room of the Bancroft House, 
Saginaw, E. S. Mr. Lyon don't own it, and Miller 
says he don't, and further says that wolverine meat haS 
net been on the menu of that hotel in thirty-five or forty 
years, if it ever was. He further says that he never saw 
a live one, and if they were as mean and vicious as they 
are reported to be, he is glad of it, and rejoices that the 
species has ceased to keep folks awake nights. So if 
they had just thought a minute before naming this the 
Wolverine State, and given the claims of trout and black 
bass an inning, why there would have been some sense 
in it, and people even unto the children of the fortieth 
generation would have caught on. However, we have 
to stand all sorts of hardships and injustice in this life, 
but we've got the fishing just the same, also laws for the 
protection of the fish, and a game warden who with his 
deputies are a terror to evildoers. By the way, I wish 
now that Osborne has got things in pretty good shape in 
abolishing illegal fishing and shooting he would take a. 
hand with the black flies and mosquitoes. Up to this 
time the fish have had all the protection — and that's all 
right too — but the poor fisherman has been utterly ne- 
gfected. Now then, dear Mr. Osborne, get after the 
bugs with as little delay as possible. 
It has been thought that the Spanish war would in- 
terfere with the fishing up here this season, but upon 
looking over the lists of officers, privates, volunteers, 
naval reserves, staff officers and other more or less mil- 
itary people thus far published I do not find that the 
numbers of iishermen- will be depleted so as to be 
seriously felt. 
I have personally met about all of them too, and they 
have either gone, are going or have been and got back. 
The fishing has been pretty good, about a fair average. 
The weather has not been. I never saw so many kinds 
of weather in a week in my life, not even in Michigan. 
The Little Manistee has been a favorite spot, and I 
don't know why it should not be. It comes pretty near 
being an ideal stream; the fish are well behaved, come of 
good families, raise large ones, and as a general thing 
give the boys a fair show for their investment. The 
streams around Traverse City have afforded and are now 
affording good fishing, and the same may be said of the 
streams in Kalkaska county. 
If the signs continue favorablf afl'd the Government 
can get along without me in the Navy Department I 
will make one more expedition and give Forest and 
Stream the result, Keuka. 
The Maine Season, 
Upper Dam, Me., May 27. — Fishing is holding out 
most remarkably well in the whole Rangeley section. 
At Haines' Landing the excellent fishing has continued. 
At the Oquossoc Angling Association camps there arc 
a_ number of the members, including E. L. Pickard, Mr. 
C. S. Roberts, with his wife and other ladies. They are 
making a good fishing record. Allerton Lodge has a 
party of seven or eight guests, including the well-known 
Haskell party: Mr. E. B. Haskell, senior partner of the 
Boston Herald Company; Col. H. T. Rockwell, Mr. 
Priest and others. Ex-Mayor Edwin U. . Curtis is not a 
member of the party this year, though he has been with 
the others a great many years. Reports of good fishing 
come from their camp. Mr. Harry Haskell and Mrs. 
Haskell are also at tlie association's camps. At the 
Birches fishing is good. The guests brought in over 
thirty trout on Wednesday; a number of 4 and 4Klbs. 
The salmon are just beginning to "take holcf"' in Range- 
ley Lake. One of 8 and another of 8^1bs. were taken 
there early in the week. The Phinney party, stopping at 
the Upper Dam, are reported to be having great luck. 
Three gentlemen — two in one boat and one in the other — 
made a remarkable catch in Upper Richardson Lake 
Thursday morning. The one fisherman struck a trout. 
While playing him one of the men in the other boat had 
a strike, evidently a large fish. His friend in the same 
boat was earnestly watching the process of capture, with 
his line just over the edge of the boat. As the partly 
lexhausted trout came up toward the net, the line over 
the boat was seized with a vicious snap. Three big trout 
were on it at once. AH three were landed after individual 
(fights of over twenty minutes. The fish weighed 7^4, 
;7 and 61bs. respectively; all perfect Salmo fontinalis. The 
Phinney party includes H. A. Phinney, Harry H. Bald- 
win, James Gormley, Warren Page and William T. Wil- 
.kinson, 
Mr, L. O. Crane writes from Round Mountain Lake 
'Of good fishing; better than already noted. "The trout 
.are coming up to the fly in fine style." 
Among the Boston fishing items may be mentioned 
the departure of the C. F. Porter and Crawford party for 
Moosehead, eight or nine of them, by special car over 
the Boston & Maine and Maine Central railways. Mr. 
Walter L. Hill, secretary and treasurer of the recent re- 
mankably successful sportsmen's show, will leave for 
Mo«5sehead this evening. He expects to be accompanied 
ibyja. couple of fishing friends, Messrs. Kirk and Murphy. 
Speciai.. 
Trout at Canadensis* 
ScRANTON, Pa., May 25. — In your issue of May 21 1 
isaw mentioned my name as one who had caught an evetl 
basket of trout at Canadensis. As every fisherman is 
somewhat inclined to stretch the size of his fish and his 
catch, it pleases me to have your paper vindicate the 
:story. In return for the same I ask through your coL 
umns to return my thanks, and also, if you will allow 
the space, to express not only admiration for Canadensis, 
its woodland scenery and splendid fishing, but also a few 
words for Spruce Cabin Inn, on Broadhead Creek. 
There you will find assembled men of congenial man- 
ners, rich men and men of moderate means, made equal 
as God intended them, for there is something about fish- 
ing that makes men like brothers. The streams abound 
with trout, and the waters are so broad that you have 
ample room to practice with your rod and line, dry-fly, 
wet-flv and bait-casting, and meet with good results. I 
prophesv good fishing at Canadensis all the month of 
June, for the wet spring so far has prevented ma,ny 
from trying their luck, waiting till the streams subside 
and sunny weather to prtvail, 
Preston Parton, 
The '^xkhotic of a Rod. 
!Baltimore, Md.-, May 27, — Editor Forest and Stream: 
After fifty years' trout fishing, I desire to indorse 
Brother Mather in what he says about rods, reels, flies 
and hooks, in your issue of the 28th instant. I do not 
know so much about bait-fishing, but I am sure he knovys 
what 'he is talking of upon that kind of fishing. I will 
bear him out on "backbone," necessary both in casting 
:and hooking your trout. I do not want any carriage 
mhip in mine, nor do I want any "double action" in my 
rod, which would wrap the casting line (leader) around 
'my 'head. I congratulate the Forest and Stream in 
^aviimg a common sense contributor on the subject of 
fislnimg tackle, as also on all subjects of the angle. I 
hope our younger generation will benefit by Brother 
Maaiier's advice.^ E. S. Y. 
** The Game Laws in Brief." 
The new edition of "The Game Laws in Brief" is now 
ready. It gives the laws as revised to date, and is com- 
plete, accurate and convenient of reference as always. 
The Brief is finding constantly growing support and 
confidence, and has long been established as the accepted 
authority in its peculiarly useful field. 
A New Tarpon Record. 
Mr. Edward Vom Hofe, of this city, tells us that a 
message received on May 27 from Mr. R. T. Halloway, 
of Kentucky, advised that Mr. Halloway was on that 
date leaving Punta Rassa, Fla., after having made tke 
score of loi tarpon for the season of iSgS.. 
