June 3, 1899.] 
FORJiST AND STREAM. 
431 
wild fox squirrels eat with us mornings in Ann Arbor, in 
our dining room. I guess the sawbills and we might have 
somehow managed to become "introduced." Now, if 
you see a sawbill at all you will do the searching, the fowl 
will not. I have once this week heard the loon's voice at 
evening — I have seen none yet. This is "spring" shoot- 
ing. I am moved to further inquiry. Is there no one in 
the State but "spring shooters" that they must be so care- 
fully provided for? 
I have been reflecting on game laws and the Plank a 
little lately, and it appears to me in this shape. The wild 
creatures, by law I understand, belong to the Common- 
wealth. Then game law reduces to this : Let tlie person 
who wants game go and get it himself, or herself, and let 
that person take only what their needs require — no more. 
Their needs may include the sick, properly, I think. But 
no sale, no slaughter, no catching fish bV the hundred- 
weight and burying them in the ground behind the house, 
as has been done on this lake. I am told. To the above 
add just provision for the non-resident and for big 
game, and quit. The real game law is like the Kingdom 
of Heaven— it is within. The statute must be otherwise, 
as that applies to the coercion of those who must be con- 
trolled. 
P. S.— I have not "jumped" Kingfisher's "claim," and 
should he call, there will be a welcome and a cup o' tea 
for him. T. B D 
Proprietors of fishing and hunting resorts will find it profitable 
to advertise them in Forest and Stream. 
• 
Where to go. 
One important, useful and considerable part of the Forest and 
Stream's service to the sportsmen's community is the information 
given inquirers for shooting and fishing resorts. We make it our 
business to knovy where to send the sportsman for large or small 
game, or in quest of his favorite fish, and this knowledge is freely 
imparted on request. 
On the other hand, we are constantly seeking information of this 
character for the benefit of our patrons, and we invite sportsmen, 
hotel proprietors and others to communicate to us whatever may be 
of advantage to the sportsman tourist. 
On the Shenandoah. 
' When reading the pages of Forest and Stream (al- 
ways mteresting, by the way), one. often sees the remark 
that it is seldom one writes of his trips when his kill or 
catch is not up to the usual standard— aye, beyond the 
usual; for it's one's successes that are usually given to the 
public, his failures are kept for his own silent meditation. 
But being one of those who believe it is not all fishing to 
catch fish; who, if his trip is otherwise satisfactory, is 
content that his catch is small (though hoping that the 
next time it will be larger), I want to tell you of an en- 
joyable trip I have just had to the Shenandoah, at River- 
ton, Va. 
I am one of those who would be listed in your iournal 
as "chained to business" ; for that reason the more fully 
appreciate an outing, and when business, water and 
weather combine to make it possible to reach Riverton on 
the 15th of May, the opening of the bass season, I feel 
Kenner Dam," North' River. 
that I am particularly fortunate, and, indeed, the en- 
gagement must be most pressing to keep me away. 
Riverton, itself, is a pretty little town, about eighty 
miles from Washington, situated on both sides of the 
Shenandoah, but that portion most]y seen by the fisher- 
man is built upon high ground just between the North 
and South Branches of the Shenandoah River, which join 
here and thus form one river. Two railroads, the South- 
ern and the N. & W. pass the town, and within a stone's 
throw of the Southe'rn depot is the Kenner House, a fish- 
erman's haven, kept by a most genial host, Joe Kenner. 
ably assisted by that better half, a help-mate indeed. Here 
a fisherman has a hearty welcome. Good rooms, an ex- 
cellent table, bait and boat (if notified in time), and what 
one appreciates much, an earnest eflFort to please. If Joe 
Kenner and that estimable wife of his do not make you 
soon feel at home, then you are hard indeed to satisfy. ' 
About equi-distant from the hotel are two dams, the 
one across the North and the other across the South 
rivers. That on the North River is known as the Kenner 
dam; the other, the larger, is the dam to the Riverton 
Mills, a large flouring establishment, owned largely by 
Northern capitalists, and doing a most thriving business, 
as can be readily seen from the enlarged capacity and 
new buildings erected in recent years. Here also is the 
Carson Lime Works, running night and day, "and Sunday 
for a variety," as one might say; and woe to the fisher- 
man who is just opposite at noon or 6 P. M., when the 
blasting is done, for the rocks that then rain around are 
somewhat harder than hail — at least, they used to be. 
Two rock-crushing establishments are also here in 
active operation, grinding rock for railroad ballast. 
And one must not forget the Duck Farm. It will pay 
you to visit it. When I was there they had 4,000 ducks 
within the enclosure, and it was not a good day for 
ducks either, for I was informed that if the eggs, soon to 
hatch, turned out as was expected, 10,000 ducks would 
be on hand. Just think of it ! 
But what about your trip, I hear someone ask. In fact 
I had gotten off from that, hadn't I? 
Shenandoah is supposed to be governed by a special 
law, I use the term "supposed" advisedly, for you hear 
some doubt expressed, and then again it would appear 
that whatever the law, it is not enforced as it ought to 
be. To my mind the special act clearly governs. Its 
open season commences the 15th of May, the date that 
the majority of the other streams in the State are closed 
This is the picture which Mr. \\ bite sent us, not necessarily lor 
publication, but as a guarantee ot good faitn. it shows hmi on 
the abutment of the Kenner Mill. 
to bass fishermen. That the date is a good one. I have 
serious doubts ; that the fish had not then finished spawn- 
ing was shown by those I caught and that they were then 
spawning I attribute, in part, my small catcli. My wife 
and the little girl had gone ahead of me. She had friends 
near by to visit, and was to join me at Riverton on Sun- 
day, the i4tlT. This she did. My friend. T. C. Pilcher, 
farmer, legislator and good fellow generally, is wont to 
say, in speaking of a trip from home, "If you want to 
have a nice time take your wife with you, but if you want 
to have a good time, go by yourself." This time I not 
only took her, but had a good time also. Well, there are 
exceptions, you know, and doesn't it depend somewhat on 
the kind of wife she is? 
My friend and fishing companion, M. B. Payne, as good 
a fellow as ever lived, had talked over this trip far more 
than once. But a few seasons before I had initiated him 
into the joy of feeling a bass at the end of j'our rod, and 
thenceforth he became an ardent disciple of Walton. 
There lives at Strasburg, not many miles above Riverton. 
a most successful bass fisherman. In fact, his reputation 
is widespread. I am informed that he is of the Baptist 
faith — of the old school or hardshell kind; that he him- 
self sometimes preaches, as well as fishes, and I am in- 
formed that amongst his trueisms is the following, "That 
a man isn't worth a till he catches a bass, and after 
that he isn't worth a for anything else." Now. I 
never heard him say this, but it is nearer the mark than 
much that passes tor truth, and in this. I think Podgers, 
whose Commentaries so often appear in your columns 
and are as often enjoj^ed. will, judging by his commentary 
of May 3, agree with me. While the whole of the quota- 
tion above could not be applied to friend ]\Iarkham, still 
that fish with a few others added to the string, was the 
prime cause of his expending some thirty-odd dollars of 
these worldly goods (and he gets his tackle at wholesale 
too) in the necessary equipments for a successful trip — 
if the fish had bitten. Was it the newness of all this 
tackle; the fear of this mighty angler that confined his 
catch to one and mine to ten on that trip ? Who knows ? 
But this is digression. My wife and the little one had 
gone ahead; the oldest boy off at school, and only my- 
self and the other boy at home. When Pajme and I drove 
off Sunday morning to Marshall, twelve miles, to take the 
train for Riverton and thus save a much greater distance 
around by train, didn't the little fellow look on longingly 
for the trip, and the day before he had been disappointed 
on account of rain in taking a promised and much-talked 
of fish wdth some of his boy friends. 
Riverton was reached in safety, and I was hardly out 
of the train before the arms of that little girl were around 
my neck, even if I did have to get on my knees for her to 
reach me. The day was an .ideal one. How enticing the 
water looked ! One could imagine that in yonder pool a 
bass was only waiting to be hooked, and one asked him- 
self if under such circumstances one might be excused 
for breaking the Sabbath and tlie law as well bv then and 
there trying his luck. The day was spent in viewing the 
beautiful scenery in and around Riverton. Some of the 
views are lovely; the mountains grand. The climb of 
the very high hill just across North River and opposite 
the lime works will well repay the effort. During the 
trip the camera was brought into play and some beautiful 
views obtained. 
The next morning we were up and out early, but our 
catch was only three before breakfast. After that we 
went across the North River — it was clearer than the 
other — and fished from the abutment of the Kenner Dam. 
It was not long before I had on my string a medium- 
sized bass. About that time my wife came where we 
were, and as she had not become an expert in this art, I 
wished to see her land a bass, though she would insist 
upon my first hooking the fish. Pretty soon I have a 
strike. At the proper time the hook is fastened where a 
fishennan likes to find it. and I was just turning the 
tackle over to her to land the catch, when, hold! no bass 
such as I had been catching could make that break ; the 
strength of that fish is beyond those already caught; I 
had_ better land that fellow myself. The' water was 
swift: there was a good bit of line out; the tackle was 
light, though strong, and the fish was game to the back- 
bone. If you have been there you know how it is. Per- 
haps the .sensation is not one to be remembered ! Gradu- 
ally I get him closer to the abutment on which I am 
standing. A sluiceway from the inill seems to offer him 
a place of safetj% and it took some good steering to keep 
him away and save the line from fouling. At last Mark 
has him in the net, and a beauty he is. How much did he 
weigh, you ask? Only 2j^lbs.' Can the scales be right? 
He looks larger, truh, but another pair give him the 
same weight. Not so large, for I have caught them in this 
same river double this weight, but when one whose 
landing I enjoyed more? There and then I said I had 
been paid for the trip, come what might thereafter. And 
so I was. Could I fish daily, as many do; could I often 
make record catches, as is sometimes written about, 
doubtless an instance like this Avould hardly be remarked. 
Is it the "unchaining" for a few days that, like sauce, 
gives relish to the sport? The camera was nearby, and it 
had been my intention to get a "snap" when landing 
the fish, but the fish had been landed and was on the 
string before the camera was again thought of. Other fish 
that morning of good size were cauglit, though few in 
number, and this, notwithstanding we both fished indus- 
triously. Poor Payne, never a murmur, or even a "cuss" 
word, but I did want to see him have better luck; indeed 
he deserved it ! The next morning, still full of hope, we 
were up early, indeed earlier than the morning before, 
getting out near 4 A. M. When I got on the river I could 
but think of Mr. Mather, who doesn't believe in early 
rising to the end that the early riser will catch the fish, 
and wondered if we or the fish were to be fooled that 
morning. And I must confess that as I grow older I am 
more than ever inclined to the belief that such early fish- 
ing does no good. My theory seemed to be at fault, at 
least that morning, for ten minutes before 5 I had a fish; 
twenty minutes afterward another, and a third before 6; 
and though I fished almost continuously the rest of the 
day, and in different portions of the river, not another 
one could I get. That these were not all the fish in the 
river was shown by the fact that other fishermen were 
having fair luck, and particularly that veteran fisherman, 
P. B. Law, of Culpeper. who delights to spend a day to 
himself, with gun or rod. as the season allows, though an 
entertaining talker, and, like most true sportsmen, a thor- 
oughly good fellow. 
Wednesday morning was rainy, but one fish was caught 
before train time, and with no unpleasant incident to 
mar the pleasure of the trip, adieux were said, with 
Riverton Dam, South River. 
promises to come again, and as I write I have a longing 
wish to go again and try my luck in that most beautiful 
water. c. M. White. 
Warrenton, Va. 
Cayugfa Lake Fishing. 
Union Springs, N. Y.. May 24.— I believe, and other 
competent judges from Brooklyn and elsewhere, who 
have fished in the Adirondacks and on the St. Lawrence, 
maintain, that the fishing at this point on Cavuga Lake 
is unsurpassed anywhere in the State. We have perch, 
pickerel, muscalionge and black bass in abundance, but it 
is a little early yet for the best success. I send you here- 
with a photograph of the catch of one man. taken in less 
than three hours by trolling one afternoon last summer, 
the four largest being muscalionge and the others 
pickerel, the smallest weighing 2lbs. and the largest 
I2i41bs., and the total weight amounting to 46}.-4lbs. There 
are also salmon trotit in our lake as well as blue pike and 
whitefish. but our local fishermen have had hut little ex- 
perience and poor success in catching these last 
^ F. D. P. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Taesdv 
Correspondence intended for publication should reacf" us at tsU 
htest by Monday and aa much earli«r ai practicable. 
