182 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Aug. 13, 1898. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Illinois Fish. 
Chicago, 111., Aug. 5. — President Nat. H. Cohen, of 
the Illinois State Fish Commission, is good enough to 
put me in possession of some facts of a very gratifying na- 
ture regarding the supply of bass in the waters of this 
State. It surely seems that the commission is doing 
great work with the fish life of the overflows of the 
lower part of the State, and the results can not fail of 
notice later in an increased supply of game fish in all parts 
of Illinois. Naturally Mr. Cohen has a word to say for 
his friend, the carp, and it is just that the impression 
should be corrected, if it be wrong, that the carp is 
cleaning out the bass. Personally I hear from other 
sources that the carp are ruining some Avaters, such as 
the Kankakee River, which Mr. Cohen mentions, once 
a grand bass water, and now spoken of as continually 
muddy from the stirring up by the multitudes of carp. 
I can not tell how true this report may be, and think the 
ditching of the river at certain points may have some- 
thing to do with its roily condition. Not that I love the 
carp, even after Mr. Cohen's encouraging comment upon 
him, which, of course, he is in position to make under 
his own observation, and with authority. He says:^ _ , 
There has been no time in the history of the Illinois 
Fish Commission that black bass has been so abundant. 
The. year will prove that carp is not so destructive to our 
game fishes as the majority of people have been led to 
believe. On the contrary, they have supplied food for 
the enormous amount of bass that the present year will 
produce. The commission has been at work for thirty 
days, and have averaged over 2,500 bass a day, and could 
have taken more if the capacity of our boat would per- 
mit. Every pond, lake and bayou tributary to the 
Illinois River is filled with this year's bass, and if all 
could be taken at the proper time they would supply 
the United States. The commission has so far dis- 
tributed 50,000 fish, not fry. These bass are from 2 to 
6in. in length, able to take care of themselves, and some 
are ready to take the hook. If nothing prevents, and the 
ponds do not evaporate too soon, we expect to gather 
500,000 this year. U. S. Commission Car No. 3 will 
take from the hatchery at Meredosia 10,000 bass, to be 
planted in the Kankakee River v at Custer Park, Over 
twenty plants have been made in central and southern 
Illinois this season. The lakes of the northern part will 
be supplied later. The commission feels gratified in' hav- 
ing been able to accomplish so much work, and with 
such promise of great results. 
We took 30,000 out of one pond with only 14m. of 
water in it, and it would have gone dry in two weeks. 
We have Several other locations that are equally as pro- 
lific. I send you this statement for two reasons, first, to 
let you know that there are more bass this year than for 
twenty years. Some of them are as long as yearlings. 
We are not trying to stock any more streams with 
carp, but the public should know that they are not quite 
as black as they are painted. 
"Wisconsin Fish. 
Fay Buck writes me from his Divide Resort, Mani- 
towish, Wis.: 
"Mr. Lampson and friend, from Columbus, Ohio, 
landed 182 black bass. 27 weighing over 3lbs. The fish- 
ing this summer has been good. July is not a very 
good month for muscallunge, but we have landed quite a 
number weighing from 10 to I5lbs." 
Tuna Club. 
The Tuna Club, of Los Angeles, Cab, has twenty-four 
members, each of whom has taken a tuna weighing over 
ioolbs. The club is contemplating putting up handsome 
medals for record fish, first, second and third, these to 
be awarded next season. The tuna records are to be 
kept in a regular record book. • 
Tarpon Club. 
The Tarpon Club, of Texas, organized last winter, and 
mentioned at the time in Forest and Stream, now has 
over 300 members, and applications which would run the 
list up to over 400 if all were admitted. The elaborate 
club house at Aransas Pass is in advanced state of con- 
struction. Our sleepy old village of Rockport, Texas, 
is going to be spoiled by becoming fashionable, I am 
afraid. 
Ohio Fish Commission. 
Fish Commissioner Fallon and State Warden Reutin- 
ger, of Ohio, last week made a royal tour in the official 
car.' coming over into the State of Indiana, where they 
spent some days looking into the methods of the State 
hatchery of Indiana. They were well entertained, and 
expressed themselves as pleased with the trip. 
Kentucky Anglers. 
A special sleeping car carried a large angling party 
from Louisville. Ky.. early this week, members of the 
Kaintuck Club, who were bound for Magnetawan, Can., 
for a long camping trip, which surely ought to be a 
pleasant one. The following gentlemen were of the ag- 
gregation: Judge T. L. Burnett. Judge Emmet Field, 
fudge J. C. Dodd. Dr. C. W. Kelly. R. B. Thomas. R. 
H. Blain, S. T. Jones, J. C. Durrett, John S. Jackman, 
E F Camp. If- S. Monahan, E. H. French. J. E. 
O'Bryan. E. H. Hewett. W. M. Smith, J. C. Barrett, 
J. D. Loughrirl^e and C. C. Early. 
Good Bass Fishing. 
1 hear of two points this week which are affording 
good bass fishing. One is La Crosse, Wis., on the Mis- 
sissippi River, always very well worth keeping in mind 
by any bass angler. The second place is at the La 
Grange dam on the Illinois River, where the bass fish- 
ing is extraordinary. The Fish Commission of Trie 
State are to be accredited with this latter fact. Mi 
Frederick N. Peck, a newspaper man of Chicago, starts 
this week for Helena. Mont., where he will join friends 
and have an extended troutirig trip. 
u* " E. Hougk, 
1260 Bcycz Buii-dins, Chicago, 111, 
Santa Catalina Island Tuna Club. 
Avalon, Cal., July 29. — The intense interest among 
anglers in the leaping tuna, who have visited the island 
of Santa Catalina to enjoy the sport of taking one of 
these fish, has resulted in the formation of a tuna club, 
the object of which is to discourage hand-line fishing and 
to reduce the sport to an exact science. 
A result is already seen in the fact that but one or 
two tunas have been taken this season by hand-liners, 
while hundreds have been hooked with rods — nearly all 
breaking away, owing mainly to the inexperience of the 
fisherman or the "tuna fever" into which the novice is 
thrown by the gallant rush and fight of this king of 
fishes. 
The Tuna Club is a close corporation, and appar- 
ently very select; having but twenty-four members— 
but "it can be said that every man has earned his mem- 
bership. The requirements are that every member shall 
have taken a ioolb. tuna with a fairly light rod and. a 
line not larger than a 21 strand or thread Cuttyhunk. So 
far but twenty-four members have qualified and there 
is a remarkably large waiting list. The president is the 
angler who takes the heaviest fish, and he holds office 
until he is defeated. The first vice-president is the mem- 
ber who takes the greatest number in a season. Then 
come the members in the order of their weight rank, all 
being vice-presidents. The club offers a gold medal 
which is fished for each season, but remains the property 
of the club. This is for the largest fish, and there are - 
second and third medals, to be held by the second and 
third catches. The list of members to date is as follows: 
Pounds. 
Tune 1, 1898, C. F. Holder, president, Pasadena 183 
Tune 25, 1898, S. S. Fraser. San Francisco T'6 
Tune 3, 1898, W. M. Rockwell, Redlands 168 
June 19, 1898, W. F. Loud, Pomona , 156 
August, 1S96, Col. C. P. Morehouse, Pasadena 150 
Tune 22, im. E. L. Doran, Los Angeles 153 
Tuly 28, 1S97, Greer Campbell, New York 140 
'Tune 15, 1898, M. C. Arnott, Elmira 148 
Tulv, 1898, W. T. Landers, San Francisco 138 
Tuly, 1898, Dr. H. K. Macomber, Pasadena.- 13 ( 
Tulv 1898. Fitch Dewev, Detroit 136 
Tuly, 1898, C. R. Scudder, St. Louis loU 
July, 1898. J. G. Chapman, New York 129^2 
Tuly, 1896, H. A. Vachall, London 125 
F. E. Brett, Mankato 120 
W. S. Goodfellow, San Francisco 116 
T. M. Studebaker, South Bend 115 
E. A. Doran. Los Angeles 110 
Thos. S. Manning, Philadelphia 105 
H. L. Loomis. Los Angeles 10o 
F. V. Rider. New York 103 
P. H. McMahon, Randsburgh , ""35 
Nat F. Wilshire, Los Angeles 102 
C. A. Wucomin, Los Angeles 101 
Mr. E. L. Doran is the first vice-president, having 
taken sixteen fish in the season, and several othcrs_ have 
taken four or five, but all base their membership on 
one fish. 
My letter to Forest and Stream has occasioned so 
many inquiries from fishermen that I may perhaps add 
a few additional notes on the tuna. The fish is probably 
identical with Orcynus thynuiis of the Atlantic, but owing 
to the fact that its prey is the large California flying 
fish, its habits are different: in other words, it is a re- 
markable leaper, not only after it is hooked, but at all. 
times, It will bound io or 15ft. into the air. I have 
seen it strike a flying fish in the air: and a reliable boat- 
man in casting had a tuna leap from the water and seize 
the bait in the air before it struck. They have been 
known to leap over boats, and I have retreated before a 
large school that were leaping, fearing that one might 
land in the boat and go through it; a very easy matter. 
We troll for the fish within 100 or 200ft. of the rocky 
shores of the island, calling to mind the bass grounds of 
the St. Lawrence, only here the water is extremely deep 
a few feet from shore." The fish lie off shore at midday, 
coming in in the early morning.; best fishing being from 
daylight until 8 or 9. and from 3 P. M. until 8 at night. 
The season may be said to be from May or possibly 
April until November— June being in my experience the 
best month. The fish stop biting as a rule at the full 
moon and stop mysteriously at other times. At about 
July 15 there is a decided falling off in catches, but I am 
confident that this is due to the roving character of the 
tunas, and they are caught from fast launches at all 
times.' A launch is not necessary. Some of the finest 
catches are made from boats slowly moving. But behind 
a launch the fisherman covers more ground. The bait 
used is a large i6in. flying fish. The tuna strikes at full 
speed and at the eye of the fish, so that the killing hook 
should be here. Some leap into the air and come down 
upon the bait; others come boiling along at the surface 
and generally two are together. 
I agree with Mr. Beard, who faithfully fished for the 
tuna, that it is the "game fish" of the world, well de- 
serving the encomiums he has given it. In this connec- 
tion it is interesting to note the effect of the fish upon 
anglers. The average man in my experience is help- 
less in from ten to thirty minutes with his first fish, and 
almost invariably loses it. Some I have seen are utterly 
exhausted in ten minutes, partly from physical exhaustion 
and partlv from the nervous strain. After fighting my 
1831b. fish four hours I was almost completely ex- 
hausted, and for a week suffered from the strain. With 
the second and third catches it is different. One pro- 
fits bv the remarkable experience, yet two-thirds of the 
fish hooked escaped from skilled members of the Tuna 
Club, clue I think to the fact that during the intense ex- 
citement of the rushes, too much force is put upon the 
brake, and the thread-like line parts. In former years 
I lost scores of these fish before I learned that the 
friction of the brake burnt the line — now the first move 
is to wet the line and brake. TT , , 
A.s to reels and rods, Julius and Edwin Vom Hofe, of 
New York, both make the ideal tuna reel, and the only 
one obtainable here that will withstand the terrible 
strain. The reel should should be large enough to hold 
oooft. of wet 21-strand line. In rods, any good striped 
bass rod will serve the purpose. What is known as an 
ironwood bass rod is used, also the noibewood bass 
rod. or Hall bass rod. I have found particularly adapted 
for the sport a heaA^ i6oz. split bamboo. In lines 
the Cuttyhunk is the most enduring in my ei^erience. 
My laree" tuna, the record fish, was taken on one of these 
lines, the fish towing a heavy boat by it against my 
boatman's oars for at least ten miles. I do not know the 
maker's name, but the test was a tribute to his tackle. Oru; 
such tackle (rod and reel) a member of the Tuna 
Club has at the present writing landed a 3271b. black) 
sea bass, bringing the fish to gaff in fifty-five minutes. 
Chas. F. Holder. 
Boston Anglers, 
Boston, Aug. 5. — Salt-water fishing, is increasing in 
popularity among merchants and business men. Buz- 
zard's Bay is popular, though regarded as uncertain; 
but sometimes giving excellent results. Two gentlemen; 
of the wool trade, and a well-known newspaper pro-' 
prietor (their names I am not at liberty to use), were on 
Buzzard's Bay the other day, for scup and tautog. Thel 
fishing was not of the best, the day being very hot. It- 
was proposed to go over a.nd call on Joseph Jefferson, 
the renowned personification of Rip Van Winkle, as well' 
as .lover of the angle. They were most graciously re- 
ceived and handsomely entertained, because they were: 
fishermen. Two of the Cleveland children were at Mr. 
Jefferson's cottage, and the sportsmen had a good look} 
at a couple of good, healthy babies, without any sort of 
'"'flummery" or useless formality. Mr. Jefferson has an 
ideal cottage and establishment. His pictures are 
worth many thousands of dollars. In one door he has, 
a transparency of Booth, and in another one of William' 
Warren. He delights in fishing; fishes almost every 
day, in fact, when the weather permits. The next morn- 
ing after this visit the Boston sportsmen received a 
basket of trout, with the compliments of Mr. Jefferson, 
Mr. L. Dana Chapman is back from another trip; 
to the preserve of the Megantic Club. The club is well! 
patronized this season. There are twenty-eight people 1 
at Big Island Pond, nine at Chain of Ponds, and twelve! 
at the main club house. The fishing has not been good, 
at Big Island Pond of late, doubtless by reason of the; 
extremely hot weather. At the main club house, Megan- 
tic Lake, the bass fishing has been excellent. In one 
day tw r enty-seven bass were taken by one party, the 
largest weighing 61bs. — a remarkably large fish. Another ( 
day fourteen bass were taken by another lucky party. 
Deer are remarkably plenty, and are well protected, the 
club having wardens, whom everybody respects._ Par- 
tridges are also plenty, which is remarkable, considering 
the scarcity of these game birds in other parts of the. 
State. Prospects for fall shooting are excellent. 
A Fish Pays a Church Debt. 
Aug. 8. — The salmon fishermen continue to return. 
Generally the late fishing has been scarcely fair in the 
New Brunswick and Quebec waters. Messrs. Robert 
Bacon, of New York, and Gorham Peters, of Boston, 
are back from the Grand Cascapedia. They had only fair! 
fiihing, with a good deal of extremely hot weather. The 
Dumaresq party is back from the Dawson Pool at the 
Re^tigouche. In the party were Messrs. Herbert Du- 
maresq, T. R. Hoyt and L. R. Howe. These gentlemen 
control' the celebrated Dawson Pool. They had 
moderately good fishing, getting seven salmon each. 
Still there" was a good, deal of the time when the fishing 
was very poor, and anything reasonable was done to 
keep up the interest. Old gentleman Dawson, for wdiom 
the pool was named, lives there with his wife and guards 
the fishing interests zealously. A little church stands in 
the town, in which both he and his wife are interested. 
On the meeting house was a debt that has hung like a 
deadly incubus for some time. Though but $ioo. it has 
troubled the good people a great deal. The sum is a 
large one for the good folks of that country. Mr. Her- 
bert Dumaresq registered a vow one day that if he shottlc; 
take a salmon of 2glbs. he would pay the church debtj 
Little did he think that the good fish oE the pool mighlj 
be on the side of the church. The next day he went a- 
fishing and soon hooked a monster. After a tremendous 
struggle the fish was landed, and behold it weigheo' 
361bs.. and was borne in triumph on a board up to tin 
little town. Mr. Dumaresq was prompt in lifting the 
church debt, and Mother Dawson and the other mother, 
of the little church declared, "with tears of gratitude 11 
their eyes, that '"The Lord sent that fish!" But the 
sportsmen have another reckoning with Mr. Dumaresq! 
as they tender their congratulations. They tell him thai 
he owes that little church seven more contributions \\> 
for his promise was registered at 2albs., but the fist 
weighed 361bs. At any rate, it was the biggest fish o 
the trip, and one of the biggest of the season m any 
waters, -and Mr. Dumaresq, real sportsmen that he is, 1: 
greatly pleased. 
6 " ~ Special. 
Great Fishing off the New jersey Shore. 
Asbury Park, N. J.. Aug. 7- — Coast fishing has de, 
v eloped all that was predicted earlier in the season 
From all points come the most encouraging details, 
every stream along the coast is productive of the bes 
fishing, while the ocean proper is prolific of fish life* 
Strange as it may seem, the ebb tide is now the moal 
productive of results. While the striped bass have gives 
the angler the go-by. still the weakfish and kingfish ar! 
extremely abundant, and every day and night bring good 1 
results to the angler of experience. 
A most important matter is now claiming the atten 
tion of all anglers. A fish locally termed the croaker 1. 
taking the hook freely about one mile at sea. As th 
descnotion of the fish does not agree with the descrip 
tion of that fish as properly known, 1 have offered 
special price for a specimen, so that the matter mai 
be satisfactorily settled. A description of the fish, toll 
gether with memoranda of baits, etc.. will be given iJ 
the columns of Forest and Stream in a later issue. Thj 
absence of pound nets has re-established our old-time fish 
ing. and to all who enjoy a catch either in the ocea- 
or estuary I would say the time is now ripe, and wi; 
so continue until Oct. 1. 
Leonard Hulit. 
Mahopac Bass* 
The largest black bass taken this season from Lak 
Mahopac! New York, was caught by Mr. Clifford 1 
Lukens. of New York city, in the Isst week in July, 
measured 2i y ^in. and weiged 5>^lbs, 
