88^ 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[May 6, 1899, 
.upon which they dart swiftly by a single stroke of the 
powerful tail. Fishes and young waterbirds are destroyed 
by them in great numbers, and still more victims would 
fall before their voracious appetite, but for the huge and 
somewhat unwieldy bulk of the pursuer. In Chautauqua 
Lake the mascalonge frequents nearly the same feeding 
grounds in summer and winter, and is always found in or 
near water weeds. In February, when the water be- 
comes very clear, the fish range into greater depths; in 
fact they prefer the depths for perm.anent quarters, except 
at spawning time. They are said to feed freely after sun- 
down, and on bright moonlight nights. Warm water ap- 
pears to have an enervating effect upon them, but when 
the nights are crisp and cold, as in October and No- 
vember, they are particularly active and vigorous. 
De Witt Clinton wrote to Mitchill of the "muscalinga" 
as a species of pike which is greatly esteemed. Dr. 
Kirtland considered the fish one of the best for eating pro- 
duced by the western waters. Rev. Zadock Thompson 
described the Vermont "masquallonge" under the specific 
name nobilior, "believing it to attain to a larger size and 
to be a more excellent fish for the table than any other 
species of the pike family found in the United States. It 
is a fish which is eagerly sought, and commands the 
highest price in market." Mr. James Annin, Jr., stated to 
me that he had never tasted a mascalonge, or any of the 
pike family, from other waters that would compare favor- 
ably with the Chautauqua Lake mascalonge. The writer 
cannot claim much experience with the mascalonge as a 
food fish. While at Trout Lake, Wisconsin, in 1893. we 
had it on the table of a U. S. Fish Commission car. The 
flesh was tough and string}^ and poor in flavor; but 
the weather was warm and something may have gone 
wrong in the cooking. The finest fish of the pike family, 
in m.y judgment, is the little banded pickerel, which is 
found in its best condition in streams of Long Island, 
whose lower waters become brackish on flood tide. It is 
almost free from small bones, the flesh is firm, and the 
flavor is exquisite, and especially so in October. 
The mascalonge has not the dash and activity of the 
bass, nor the impetuous rush of the salmon and trout; it 
may nibble at live bait, play with it, and leave it in- 
stantly when alarmed by a suspicious movement or an 
imnatural appearance of the lure. It does not always 
strike with the regularity and frequency so much desired 
by the patient angler, and, even when it takes the bait, it 
must be allowed to hook itself as a rule. Sometimes it 
will strike with a rush and leap out of the water when 
hooked, shaking its head fiercely to remove the hook, and 
again, it may sulk at the bottom as persistently as a 
salmon, or it may give slack line faster than the reel can 
take it up. In summer the mascalonge loses its vigor 
to a large extent, strikes the live bait or trolling spoon 
with little energy, and offers only slight resistance when 
hooked; but in October and November, when the nights 
are crisp with frost, it fights vigorously, especially after 
sundown and on bright moonlight nights. 
Owing to its habit of lying in wait for its prey, the mas- 
calonge is usually caught by trolling with hand line or rod 
and line near the reeds or lilypads in which it is concealed. 
A moderately stiff rod, Syi or 9ft. long, and weighing 8 
to looz., with about 300ft. of No. 9 Cutty hunk Ime, and 
spoons of the sizes 7 and 8, meet the usual requirements 
of mascalonge anglers. A live chub of good size, a sucker 
or a frog will be found suitable for bait, and one of these 
may be used effectively in combination with a spinner. 
With about 50ft. of line out the cast should be made as 
close as possible to the edge of the reeds or lilypads, the 
boatman rowing along about 20ft. from the edge. It is 
important to let the fish hook itself, and to play it until it 
is completely tired out. When the fish leaps out of water 
the tip of the road must be lowered and the rod held 
parallel with the surface of the water, to prevent the huge 
body from falling on the line, and to keep the hook firm- 
ly set. The line is to be kept taut, holding the fish on the 
spring of the rod. 
When the gaff is to be used, insert it securely back of 
the gills and bring the fish aboard with a strong and 
quick motion, unless you prefer to kill it in the water 
with a stout club or by shooting it in the head. It is ex- 
tremely risky to attempt to handle the mascalonge, even 
when apparently exhausted, instances being on record 
of severe injuries inflicted by the fish upon the hands of 
unsuspecting fishermen, when placed in the water in front 
of its jaws. 
For trolling astern, isoft. of fine silk line may be used 
where the fish are not very large. When the fish is 
hooked it is best to row out into deep water, where line 
can be freely given without danger of fouling in the 
weeds. In the lake region about Georgian Bay a small 
spoon with two blades and two swivels is often used.^ 
In central Ontario, the lakes and connecting rivers 
from Kingston, on Lake Ontario, to Georgian Bay, cover- 
ing more than 300 miles, mascalonge and black bass are 
still abundant. Stony Lake offers celebrated ground. 
Lake Cameron and its tributary, Balsam River, are well- 
known mascalonge waters. Lindsay and Peterboro are 
noted headquarters for the fishing. From Lindsay parties 
go out to Sturgeon Lake, Bobcaygeon, and Fenelon Falls. 
In the rapids of the Balsam, form.ed below a low log 
slide, big fish live and thrive. In this region minnows, 
green frogs and crawfish are used for bait. 
In the pine woods region of upper Michigan and, Wis- 
consin there are series of lakes and connecting streams 
extending for hundreds of miles. "Below the low range 
of hills called the Iron Divide the streams flow to the 
Mississippi, the chief rivers being the Wisconsin, Flam- 
beau and Chippewa. The Manitowish waters are tribu- 
tary to the main branch of the Chippewa, and from these 
are separated by a low divide the Turtle waters. Each 
' of these is a connected series of lakes, the streams uniting 
them being in many cases mere sluggish creeks called 
-'thoroughfares.' The mascalonge is found in all these 
lakes and streams which are tributary to the Mississippi. 
Chautauqua Lake. New York, and Conneaut Lake, 
Pennsylvania, especially the former, are famous for their 
mascalonge and for the superior quahties of the fish as 
game and food. On account of its size and the esteem m 
which it is held, the fish has steadily diminished m num^ 
bers with the increase of population, but with the aid 
of protective legislation and artificial reproduction it 
may long continue as a distinguished member of the so- 
ciety of American game fishes. 
^ . Tarleton H. Bean. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Chicago Fly-Casting Club, 
Mr. H. G. Hascall, captain of the Chicago Fly-Casting 
Club, issues the following card: 
"The regular contests of this club will be held during 
the summer of 1899 at the North Lagoon in Garfield 
Park, upon the following Saturday afternoons: 
"May 13 and 27, June 10 and 24, July 22, Aug. 5 and 
19, Sept. 2, with extra contests for re-entries upon July 
8 and Sept. 16. 
"Entries for any one of the four events will be re- 
ceived up to the time the last man is at the score in each 
event. Late arrivals will be allowed to cast in each event 
after all the contests are finished. 
"The time for calling the events shall be as follows: 
Long distance fly, 1:30; distance and accuracy fly, 3; bait 
and dry fly, 4. The captain to state which of the latter 
shall be called first." 
The secretary of the Chicago Fly-Casting Club is Mr. 
George Murrell, room 2, 161 La Salle street, Chicago. 
A Good Role. 
It was at Kabekona Camp, in Minnesota, that the rule 
was first established among the guests of the resort that 
all fish above the legal daily limit, or above the amount 
which could be readily used by the taker, must be re- 
turned alive to the water. In practically all cases this 
rule was cheerfully complied with. I am glad to see that 
a resort at State Line, Wis., follows suit by pubhshing 
this also as a rule of their establishment. It is a good 
rule, and should be followed by all summer hotels. 
Trout, 
Mr. Charles Antoine, of Von Longerke & x^ntoine, of 
this city, will start within the week for the Prairie River 
of Wisconsin. He will be accompanied by Mr. Edward 
Taylor, originator of the "Taylor system," of which we 
have heard so much. 
Bass, 
The weather is bright and warm here now, and tlie 
trees and grass show all the marks of advancing spring- 
time, yet this change has been a sudden one, and the sea- 
son, so far as fishing is concerned, is fully two weeks late. 
At St. Charles, on the Fox River, 'suckers are running 
and some pickerel are taken now and then, but hardly a 
bass has been seen, or at least had not a few daj'S ago. 
By the almanac it is time the sucker run was over and 
the bass should be up in force. I should expect to hear 
of the bass run at that pomt within a week at latest. 
Speaking of bass, and speaking of St. Charles, reminds 
me that I was once told by Ed. Rock, a local fisherman, 
that he has very often seen both bass and pickerel go up 
over the fishway at that point. He has seen them nearly 
succeed in going up over a sheer fall of water at the 
dam, at one side of the fishway, where the water drops 
nearly Toft. straight down or with but little pitch. Many 
men think that bass will not ascend a fishway, as I re- 
member was the assertion of Mr. Avery, of Port Huron, 
at Lansing, Mich,, last winter. 
Trout Tims. 
It IS getting very close to trout time now. I should 
not be surprised, from all I hear, if the trout season in 
Wisconsin were relatively more advanced than the bass 
season here. The middle of May will be late enough and 
the first of May will do. 
The best time in the year to take big trout on the fly 
is just at "the turn," when with a leap winter changes 
into summer in the pine woods. At that time the big 
fish are moving and they are less wary than they will be 
soon after the streams begin to be whipped and plugged 
by fishermen of all sorts. 
E. Hough, 
4S0 C.\xTO>.' Bi;iLDiNG, Chicago, III. 
New England Early Fishing. 
Boston, April 29. — The movement of sportsmen toward 
Sebago Lake for landlocked salmon fishing is a fairly 
good one, though the ice was eighteen days later than 
last year in getting out. Reports say that the fishing is 
to be good, though up to this writing there are no ac- 
counts of big catches. The Sebago Club party is off for 
their beautiful location near the mouth of Northwest 
River, but the numbers are a little reduced by the fact 
that the ice was so long in getting out, putting members 
into other engagements. In the party are Henry S. 
Fisher manager of the excursion, and pioneer of the 
Sebago Club; W. T. Farley, S. A. Bolster, C. A. Dean 
and two or three others. The party really carries con- 
siderable weight, as Mr. Bolster is judge of the Roxbury 
Municipal Court, while Mr. Dean is one of the most suc- 
cessful of Florida tarpon fishermen. Mr. Farley has a 
reputation of a 61b. trout at the Rangeleys. Messrs. 
Brackett and Clark are also about starting for Sebago 
for salmon, I use their names together because they 
have fished together so many seasons that among fisher- 
men, especially at the Rangeleys, they are always named 
together as a firm. Later they will go to the Upper Dam, 
at^which point they have fished for a great many spring 
trips. Mr. Kendrick is also getting ready for Sebago. 
Mr L Dana Chapman, secretary and treasurer of the 
Megantic Club, with W. K. Moody and Mr. Jones, edi- 
tor of the New England Sportsman, are off for Sebago. 
Mr. Chapman has fished there for a number of seasons. 
He has his son. a youth of twelve, with sporting pro- 
clivities with him on this trip, and he is expected to 
take a big salmon. They go to Fitches, near the North- 
west River, and will doubtless fish the mouth of the Songo 
and Muddv River besides. , , . , 
Later a Portland dispatch says that thirty salmon were 
taken at Sebago Friday. Mr. Pinkham, of Portland, 
look one of i81bs. . 
East Sebago, Me., Mav i — This is a queer httle town, 
tour miles through the pine woods irorn Mattock's Sta- 
tion on the M R; R., and on the southeasterly shore 
of Sebago Lake. It is here that a good many landlocked 
salmon fishermen gather in the springtime, while there 
have sprung up a number of ideal camps, to which tired 
Boston and Portland fishermen resort as often as busi- 
ness will permit during the summer and autum.n. Fish 
and Game Commissioners Carleton, Stanley and Oak, 
with Supt. of Hatcheries Carr, were here yesterday. I 
understand that they did not fish at all, there being some 
ice still left in parts of the lake, and the new law reading, 
"When the ice is out." Evidently the Legislature did not 
make the law plain enough. But others are fishing. A 
young man by the name of Field took a salmon Saturday 
weighing I7lbs. Mr. W. D. Brackett, of the Brackett 
and Clark party, took three salmon the same day, one of 
3lbs., one of sj^lbs. and one of 81bs. A party of sports- 
men, some from Boston and Portland, is at the Anco- 
cisco Club. Frank Ferdinand, of Roxbury, is in the 
party. They came in Friday night. I have not yet heard 
of their success with salmon. A number of Portland 
sportsmen have gone up to the Sanyo River. 
Special. 
The Moosehead Signs, 
MoosEHEAD Lake, Maine, April 25. — Editor Forest 
and Stream: Tell the boys through your columns that 
they can begin to overhaul their fishing kits and 
look after the old tried rod, for the time approaches 
when there will be fun to be had with our big speckled 
trout and lusty lakers! The black ice is already up, and 
if the extreme warm weather of the past week holds for 
a day or two yet, it will so honeycomb ' the ice that 
the first hard gale will break it up, and fishing will be in 
order. From present indications I venture to predict that 
the ice will be out by May 8. 
I go fishing with a great many parties each season, 
and notice that many gentlemen who come here do not 
use large enough hooks when bait-fishing — that is, troll- 
ing with live minnows. We have lots of trout of 3lbs. 
weight in Moosehead, and even as large as 6]bs: have 
been taken, and when one of those fellows strikes a light 
hook, away' it goes, and the fish is lost. Then, too, 
many of the rods brought here are too light and springy. 
In order to hook a fish securely a good weight, stiff rod 
should be used, and it should not be too long. Our 
earliest fishing is done by trolling with from 60 to Soft, 
of line, and it needs a fairly stiff rod to set the hook 
well home when striking the fish. Our lakers, or lake 
trout, weigh as much as 30lbs., and when one of that size 
catches on, he means business, and it needs good tackle 
to hold him. 
These remarks are intended for those who have never 
fished Moosehead Lake, many such coming here each 
year for the first time. Of course, the oldtimers and 
those who are familiar with our waters, know what 
they are at and come with proper outfits. 
I know the boys are all longing to try the trout, and 
impatiently waiting for the season to open here. The 
fever is in the blood of all good fellows, and 
I even got a spasm myself, so I worked it 
off with poetry flatus— I believe that's what a regular 
poetry feller I was with two years ago, called it. He 
used to set bv a brook and "listen to the water talk," 
as he said, instead of fishing. When the "flatus" hit me 
I was setting by my camp-fire looking at the moon, and 
wondering why it took so long for spring to get into 
the backwoods. Here's how it struck me: 
The snowdrifs, they are a-goin', 
An' the brooks they are a-flowin', 
An' the fish- worm is crawlin' in the ground; 
On the lake the ice is thawin'. 
In the woods the crow is cawin', 
An' the trout fishin' season's comin' 'round; 
An' my blood it is a-b'ilin', 
Fer a tussel I'm a-sp'ilin'. 
At the big trout I must surely have a go. 
"With my rods and reels an' traces," 
I'm a-goin' ter try the places. 
Where the biggest fish of all are lyin' low! 
Ev'ry day the sun gets higher, 
Gettin' warm as my camp-fire, 
Soon the papers they will say, "the ice is out"; 
Then I'll grab my old bamboo, '• 
An' a-killin' fly or two, 
An' be off to Moosehead Lake to try the trout I 
Ed Harlow, Registered Guide No, 92. 
Pennsylvania Trooting, 
A FEW days of the last week in April spent at the 
Spruce Cabin Inn, Canadensis, Pa,, afforded the writer 
the opportunity of again taking up his fly-rod, which 
had been laid aside for two years on account of the cares 
of business. The weather was bright and beautiful, the 
country charming, the trees just beginning to leaf, and- 
the water clear as crystal. The Broadhead and tributary 
streams had run down low from the absence of rain for 
several weeks, making the trout shy. 
Careful fishing, however, gave satisfactory results at 
times. I caught enough fish to eat while there, and nine 
nice ones to bring home. They ran up to I2in., and were 
in fine condition. Seasonable showers are needed to in- 
sure good catches. My outing was altogether pleasant, 
T. H. G. 
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