Nov. 26, 1S98.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
429 
Should we in fancy yet desire 
Some potent spirit to inspire 
Our lives, our hearts, our thoughts, our ways, 
Throughout our few remaining days; 
Discard the one whose record shows 
Deceit and lies, e'en at its close. 
There is no ''sport" in trickery, 
Nor fun in like iniquity; 
Be honest with yourself, nor try 
Deceit, though meant in levity; 
If honest with ourselves, we then 
Are honest with our fellow-men. 
Saint Peter was a fisherman, 
Install him as your saint, and then 
We will no more exaggerate; 
Pleasure in "sport" shall not abate, 
Besides, he tends at Heaven's Gate. 
H, F. Taintor. 
At Barnegat Bav, October, 189S. 
"Goin A-Fishing." 
Wherein Lies the Pleasure? 
Men may be different in the ordinary attributes of 
life, and habit, yet there is that in the composition of 
the entire human family which revels in a temporary 
return to the primitive conditions of mankind, as ex- 
emplified in one or more of the several features of the 
early environment of the race. 
This does not necessarily imply that savagery or 
brutal first motives be the moving spirit. On the 
contrary, it is in communion with those things which 
marked the primeval man — the sea, the forest, the fields, 
the mountains- — these and their accompanying and vary- 
ing features are the essences which delight the heart of 
the average man, and in them for a time doth his nature 
revive, and his blood course rapid and ardent. 
Where is the man, be he whom he ltiay, whose soul 
does not expand when its possessor is for the tinle fe- 
rn oved from the conventional trammels of society arid 
of prosaic business and confronted with nature pure 
and simple. 
Gazing into the sapphire skies; upon the surface of 
reflecting lake, murmuring stream, or never quietening 
sea; surrounded by the delicate greens of the summer 
covering or the ardent coloring of October foliage; heels 
pressed deep into the leaf-strewn sward and back con- 
tentedly resting upon the crusty bark of some forest 
giant—the breath comes freer, the limbs more pregnant 
with strength, and life takes on a fresher tinge, as he 
Or she takes in the full significance of the vista and 
the conditions which govern it 
Man is more himself thus. Shorn of the echoes which 
ring of the pavement and of the mart, the full humanity 
of self becomes apparent, and the shams and mockeries 
of a nineteenth century civilization dwindle Under the 
softening influences of good old Dame Nature, until the 
soul is nearer the surface and the dwarfed mind broad- 
en? with the expanding body.. God is nearer to man 
when he lists to the breakers roll on brown sands; tn 
the tremor and soft rustle of the wildwood or the early 
quaver of the winds when they sweep the marshes in 
the morn. A_nd then, too. how much more so when one 
stands upon the bank of some fresh-running stream and 
sees the trout spring into active being in the clear 
depths; to watch the fish as it lithely breaks the surface 
and the water curls in ever widening circles, which 
reach the shore and die in the shadows. 
"Ah, how good it is "to live!" one sighs contentedly — 
and that brings me to the subject matter. 
Sometimes a fellow runs along moralizing as he goes. 
A vast deal of time is thus wasted, but then, what's the 
odds? Life is a medley, and we are apt to remember 
those things which at one time or another afforded the 
greatest decree of pleasure. Why one should moralize 
about so simple a thing as "goin' a-fishing," I can't im- 
agine, but you may understand it. The prospect for 
retrospect is infinite. Goin! a-fishing!- Why, that expres- 
sion has been ringing in -my ears since the early days, 
when, with a "spool of thread for fishing line and bended 
pin for hook," I perched myself on a little knoll which 
i uttcd into a summer-lit old' moat, and waited for a 
bite. 
That old moat was a source of never-ending pleasure 
to me then. It was by the little, old, red schoolhouse, 
and when lessons were over I would tuck my old third 
reader into my shirt and make for the time-honored 
pool. L remember one day how I threw myself into the 
soft spring clover by the moat and watched a water 
snake try to swallow a red-bellied perch it had caught. 
Seems cruel now, but I never thought of trying to pre- 
vent the snake from getting its dinner. Guess I must 
have recognized the earthly rule which permits the 
strong to do up the weak, and thus tacitly, if uncon- 
sciously, agreed to the proposition. 
I suspect that if the man of to-day were to analyze 
his make-up he would find a A'ast number of records of 
days when he was "goin' a-fishing," and too he would 
learn that in the majority of instances he never got any 
further than the "goin' " stage. 
In the boy, I rather am inclined to the belief that the 
bare brown rafters and ink-stained, knife-chipped forms 
of the little schoolhouse have been responsible for a 
very large number of the goin' a-fishing periods. You 
know yourself, and from experience, that the sky seems 
bluer when viewed through the open window. The sum- 
mer day — ah! so many summer days at school. There 
was the dull hum of the human bees in the hive of learn- 
ing. A very distinct hum that dulled the senses, and 
you looked through the wide open window and there 
were the golden-barred bees themselves sporting amid 
the white crests of the clover blossoms, and then off into 
t tie cool looking shadows of the woods near by. There 
were a lot of gleaming clouds lazily floating across the 
iky, making huge deep-toned blots upon the fields 
when they came between the sun and the grass tops. 
How could you study when the note of the mocker 
came crisply in through the window, and you heard 
the rustle of the leaves as they-flirted against each other 
in the south wind? The barren, mundane, tiresome 
bchoolrooni, and the glorious sunlighted out-of-doors, 
What a comparison, and to make it harder, just as you 
caught sight of Tommy Green, with a reed cane on his 
shoulder and a mysterious looking old tin can in his 
hand, walking stealthily in the direction of the woods, 
there came a sharp summons: "Class in second geo- 
graphy, please come forward." And you walked to the 
instructor's desk, wondering what the lesson was, and 
between times wondering how many fish Tommy Green 
was going to catch. You knew as well as Tommy that 
the stream in the wood was "just filled with 'em " 
When one comes in after years to think of it all, it 
seems that it wasn't so much the fish one caught that 
set the measure of enjoyment. Then if not the fish, what 
was it? 
Pot thy part, I am inclined to the belief that it was 
just the getting ottt of doors. A little lad I know quite 
intimately — he's only eight-— not infrequently disobeys 
the maternal admonitions, slips off, is gone several 
hours, and comes home, mud from head to foot. More 
or less shame faced, he admits he's been fishing— fishing 
itt the gutters for minnows and "crawfish," and then he 
proudly exhibits to his younger but admiring brother 
a tin can, which he produces from beneath his shirt 
bosom, and in which rests a tadpole as large as a collar 
button. 
Shades of Izaak Walton — a tadpole! and yet the little 
scamp's face is wreathed in smiles as he view* his treas- 
ure, and I suppose he feels as you or I rqight after the 
landing of a 61b. bass. I doubt, however, if it is the 
tadpole itself which gives the young angler the 
greatest degree of pleasure; rather is it the brief free- 
dom from restraint, the absence of the maternal apron 
strings, and the temporary revel in the grass tops, lis- 
tening to the sharp chirp of the cricket, chasing the 
yellow butterflies — in other words, a delight in an un- 
conscious return to primeval conditions, when clothes 
and conventionalities were scarcely so necessary as 
during the to-day. 
And I really believe that in after years, if God lets 
him live, and I pray He will, this now immature and 
defiant rascal will view his childhood in retrospect, and 
swear by the moon those were his happiest days. The 
environment of his being then — the evidences of man's 
progress, the luxury and opportunities for enjoyment, 
will pale and fade, and in his mind's eye will come a 
picture of tall grass with damp roots, a muddy gutter 
in a city's suburb, and a diminutive tadpole flopping in 
the depths of a battered old condensed milk can. 
H. M. Mayo. 
Tuna vs. Bass. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In a communication to your valued paper some time 
ago, I mentioned, I believe, that a black sea bass of 
40olbs. had been taken with a rod, thus beating Mr. 
Frank V. Rider, the honorary secretary of the Tuna 
Cltib. If you will permit me, I should like to make a 
correction. Mr. Rider holds the record for the largest 
black sea bass ever fairly taken with rod and reel, the 
fish weighing ,^2?lbs. ; and he is given credit for it on the 
Tuna Club book, a copy of which I enclose. This gives 
Mr. Rider, if I am not mistaken, the record for the 
heaviest game fish ever taken with rod and reel. The 
400-pounder was not caught fairly, the angler receiving 
aid from several people, according to report, which has 
not been denied. This gives Mr. Rider the champion- 
ship of the world, to quote the ethical expression used 
in other sport. The question now agitating the minds of 
anglers in the Tuna Club is, Does Mr. Rider's catch of 
a 3271b. black sea bass on light rod and 21-thread line 
entitle him to the real championship of the world? I 
have a strong suspicion that my friend proposes to 
claim it. In fact, he has claimed it, and I confess that 
he has me at a disadvantage at the outset, as, while I have 
caught on a hand line many black sea bass ranging from 
20olbs to an estimated 500-pounder, I have so far failed 
to land one with rod and reel. 
I believe it is the consensus of opinion in the Tuna 
Club that the leaping tuna stands alone and unequal in 
the world as the hardest fighting game fish known, not 
excepting the tarpon. The record fish which I had the 
honor to take (weighing i83lbs.) fought me four hours, 
and I do not believe Mr. Rider, who is a very powerful 
angler, could have killed the fish in less than two; yet 
he brought his record 3271b. bass to gaff in fifty-five 
minutes. This very fact, Mr. Editor, tells the story. 
The black sea bass, for half an hour or twenty minutes, 
is perhaps the equal of the tuna; but if he is fought 
vigorously for that time he is soon worn out; in a 
word, he has in no sense the staying or fighting qualities 
or the strength of the tuna, in which expression, I think 
Mr. Beard, who took the first 20olb. black sea bass, will 
bear me out. 
On the other hand, I do not believe the man lives who 
will take a 3271b. tuna with rod and reel and 21-thread 
line. Such a large fish has been known to jerk a man 
overboard and drown him with a hand line. It is true 
that I have not taken a black sea bass with the rod, but 
I played a monster during the past season for twenty 
minutes who certainly must have weighed 200 or 30olbs. 
Yet I had him very badly demoralized in twenty min- 
utes, and not being very well, I did not have the strength 
to push the fighting; so he towed our boat to a kelp 
bed half a mile off short, and I lost him by fouling the 
weeds. If I had had clear water and could have hus- 
banded my strength, or taken my time. I am confident 
I could have brought my fish to gaff in at least three- 
quarters of an hour. When I hooked the 1831b. tuna, I 
was in fair condition physically, and fought the fish as 
hard as I could for four hours; and during the fourth 
hour the tuna, still full of life and vigor, towed the boat 
at least four miles. To my mind there is no comparison 
between the two fishes. I believe any strong man, who, 
like Mr, Rider, is a skillful rod fishti man, t an kill a 400lb. 
black sea bass in an hour, or less, with 21-thread line. 1 
do not believe it possible to take a 3001b. tuna, much less 
a 4001b fish, at all on the same tackle. I believe the 
20olb. tuna is very near the limit of possibilities, though 
I should hot be surprised to see the gold medal of the 
Tuna Club go to the catcher of a larger fish, especially 
if Mr. Vom Hofe can provide a reel that will fes5d 
1,500ft. of 21-thread line, 
By the above I do not wish to detract from Mr. Rider's 
catch or belittle it. Many men have "gone to pieces" 
during the past season in trying to land a smaller bla k 
sea bass. But I wish to record my opinion that the 
king of the bass, though a magnificent fighter, is entirely 
outclassed by the leaping tuna, size for size, pound for 
pound. Chas. F. Holder. 
Santa Catalina Island, Gal,, Nov. 9. 
New Jersey Legislation. 
[From the Report of the Fish and Game Commission ] 
The Fish Law. 
The present law does not permit the use of eel baskets 
anchored on the bottom of streams. Some years ago 
the law of New Jersey did recognize these wicker eel 
baskets as lawful contrievances, but for some incon- 
ceivable reason this law was repealed. There is no 
greater enemy to fish life than the eel, and its extermina- 
tion would be of benefit to fish of all other kinds; wicker 
eel baskets anchored on the bottom of streams and 
ponds take no fish but eels, and there seems to be no 
reason why their use should be forbidden. 
Under the present law the use of small perch by the 
angler is prevented, the statute having apparently been 
framed on the law of some State where baitfish are more 
plentiful than they are in New Jersey. As a matter of 
fact, small perch form the food to a great extent of the 
larger fish, and consequently there seems to be no reason 
why these small perch should not be used as lures by 
the angler. For this reason the word "perch" has been 
dropped from the list of fish which the law requires to 
be released from the minnow net. 
The present law imposes a penalty of fifty dollars for 
violation; in the opinion of your commission twenty dol- 
lars would be sufficient. 
17. Proposed open season for black bass, pike-perch, wTiite 
perch, June 15 to Nov. 30. Pickerel, pike, May 1 to Feb. 20. Un- 
lawful "to take anv of these fish between 9 o'clock at night and 
sunrise. Penalty $10. 
The law at present opens the season for taking black 
bass on May 30. As a matter of fact, in no year are the 
bass through spawning by that date, and a great many 
fish taken in the early part of June are removed from 
their spawning beds. In most of the States the protec- 
tion" to black bass is extended to the middle of June or 
the 1st of July. The difference in dates has frequently 
given rise to annoyances, and this is especially the case 
in Greenwood Lake, one-half of which is situated in 
New York- State, where the law does not open until 
June 15. 
Your commission has during the past two years 
brought considerable numbers of white bass and pike- 
perch to the waters of this State, and perhaps the best 
method of propagating them would be to establish a 
close season for two or three years; the difficulty in the 
way of such an enactment arises in the fact that these 
fish are angled for in the same manner as black bass 
and pickerel; to prohibit taking white bass and pike- 
perch would practically prevent taking the other 'fish. 
To provide for the return to the water of all white bass 
and pike-perch taken would be impracticable, as the fish 
in most cases would be so injured that death would 
follow even their return to their native element. It 
might be argued that this same objection would apply 
to the present law, prohibiting the taking of small trout 
and bass, and it does so to some extent, but this law 
prevents the fishing for these small fish, and consequent- 
ly indicates the use of appliances which the small fish 
will not take. With the adult white bass and pike- 
perch it would be impossible to use contrivances which 
would not be readily taken by them as well as by the 
black bass. The precautions which the lawful angler 
takes to prevent the capture of small bass and trout 
would inure to the benefit of the small white bass and 
pike-perch. In consideration of all these facts your 
commission is satisfied that ample protection would be 
extended to the white bass and pike-perch if they were 
placed in the same category as the black bass. 
The provisions against the taking of fish at night will 
apply to very few persons, and will meet with no ob- 
jections excepting on the part of those who have been 
in the habit of slaughtering fish at night for the pur- 
poses of sale. It will be- observed that the provision 
extends only to the better class of game fish. Such a 
law has been enacted in a number of the States. 
It will also be observed that the penalty for the viola- 
tion of this section has been reduced from twenty dol- 
lars to ten dollars. 
IS. Proposed open season for brook trout, April 1 to July 15. 
Penalty $10. 
This is the law as it now stands on the statute books, 
with the ■ exception that the penalty has been reduced 
from twenty to ten dollars. 
19. Lawful length of black bass, white bass, pike-perch, 9in. 
Trout, 6in. Penalty $10. 
The reason is obvious why the recently introduced 
pike-perch and white bass should be accorded the same 
protection extended to the black bass and trout. The 
penalty attached to the section of the present law is 
twenty dollars, which your commission thinks might be 
reduced by one-half without prejudice to the interests of 
the fish. 
23. It shall be unlawful to put, place, . use or maintain in any 
of the waters of this State inhabited by pickerel, pike r perch, black 
bass, perch or trout, any setline or setlines, or to use upon a line 
for the taking of fish in such waters any contrivance having more 
than three hooks attached thereto, under a penalty of $10 for 
each offense. 
Laws against the use of setlines have been on the 
statute books of this State for a long number of years, 
and this manner of fishing has-been practically put a stop 
to. Little less destructive to fish than the setline is a 
contrivance which has recently been put on the market; 
it fairly bristles with hooks, and on this account its use 
has been prohibited in other States. A law against its 
use in New Jersey would not in the least interfere with 
the sportsmanlike manner of taking fish, and it would 
be welcomed by ne'arly every angler. 
25. It shall be unlawful to remove from this State any quail, 
ruffcd grouse, pinnated grQy§e 3 woodQeeks h^r^ squirrel of 
