so 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[July is, 1899. 
pulled down the tent and loaded our wagon. It was 
nearly dark when we were ready to start, and with a last 
adieu to the place where we had had such delightful 
pieasure pulled out for Winchester. 
Alf. T. Cone. 
New England Fishing. 
, Bos'fONi July 8.— Pickerel fishing is constantly in favor 
with those who can hardlj^ find time to go for trout or 
salmon fishing further from home, and indeed there are 
■ portsmcn who have a great liking for capturing the 
spiteful fresh-water demons. Mr. E. C. Stevens, of Bos- 
ton, is fond of fishing for pickerel in Lake Dunmore, 
SaulsburVj Vt. lie had as his guests, over the Fourth, 
Mr. Edward Thayer, Mr. Edward Hardy, Mr. W. F. 
Scott and ladies. Though the weather was hot the fish- 
ing w'as not badly neglected. They took over 6olbs. of 
pickerel and trout. One pickerel, a monster, weighing 
gibs., was taken by Mr. Hardy. It was immediately 
.shipped to Boston and shown in Appleton & Bassett's 
window, where it attracted a good deal of attention. 
Though called a pickerel, sportsmen are inclined to regard 
it as not of the same class as the smaller pickerel of our 
ponds and rivers, being much lighter in coloring and 
without the yellowish tinge peculiar to the ordinary 
pickerel. Perhaps the Forest and Stream will throw 
some light on this question. 
Bass fishing continues in vogue. Mr. Frank N. Gan- 
nong and Mr. A. J. Fassit, of Boston, spent the Fourth 
fishing for bass on a pond in Northfield. They had good 
success, talcing one bass that weighed almost 4lbs. They 
found the sun \ery hot most of the time. Fishing for 
pickerel or perch was unsatisfactoiy. On the Maine lakes 
and ponds bass fishing continues very satisfactory, 
especially the Belgrade and Winthrop ponds. White 
perch fishing on the same waters is nearly due. The 
close time of several years on white perch on the Mon- 
mouth Pond is ended this summer, and the fishing 
promises to be excellent. 
Senator W. P. Frye, of Maine, has returned from 
his salmon fishing trip to the Restigouche. He suc- 
ceeded in capturing seven salmon weighing nearly 2olbs. 
■ each, and what is even better, he got ab.solute rest, not a 
letter reaching him while at the salmon waters. Col. 
Convers J. Smith, of the U. S. Treasur}-, has recently 
been on a trip to the Pacific Coast, under instructions 
from Secretary Gage to look into customs affairs. He 
reached the Catalina Islands about May i, and after look- 
ing after business till about the loth he took a day off for 
fishing. He caught seven or eight big sea bass weighing 
38 to 40lbs. each, and a lot of "yellowtails," so called — he 
does not have the scientific name handy — weighing 15 or 
2olbs. each. The Colonel considers that he had a great 
day's sport. The tackle used by himself. Special Agent 
Graham and the boatman, Hugo, consisted of 20ft. sal- 
mon rods and the regulation salmon reels and lines. Much 
depended upon the strength of the tackle and the skill of 
the fisherman. At the best, some monsters would get 
away. 
July iC^Fishing at the Rangeleys continues better than 
usual after hot weather, although there is some complaint 
that the trout do not rise to the fly as readily as in former 
seasons. Still there has been some fair fly-fishing at the 
Upper Dam, the Middle Dam and other points. Last 
week some fair catches were made at the Upper Dam. 
.Mr. L. O. Crane is back in Boston, from an enjoyable out- 
ing at the Upper Dam. He took but few large fish, 
though having fair success with small ones. Mr. T. B. 
Stewart, of New York, is fishing there as usual, his 
rdcord being over many seasons. He loves that spot. Mr. 
R. N. Parish is also fishing there, and Mr. Rowe, Mr. 
Dougherty and Mr. Bearse have just been there. One 
has only to be a fisherman and go to the Upper Dam when 
Mr. Stewart or Mr. Parish are there to be pretty sure of 
a fine trout to take home, even if he does not catch one 
himself. These gentlemen put their fish into the "common 
stock" if above 3lbs. — under that size they are allowed 
to escape, unless injured in capturing — and if they are not 
needed for the table, the unlucky sportsman is expected to 
take one or two home. The record recently opened at 
the Upper Dam includes no fish under 3lbs.,"and no fish 
not taken with the fly is allowed to be entered. This 
record is as follows: June 9, T. S. Potter, salmon, 4lbs. 
120Z. ; 15th, Eugene Lynch, salmon, slbs. 40Z. ; 15th, T. A. 
Pratt, salmon, slbs. 1302.; i6th, John M. Niles, salmon, 
5lbs. 80Z. ; 17th, Eugene Lynch, salmon, 61bs. 8oz. ; 17th, 
R. N. Parish, trout, 3lbs. 5oz. ; 19th, H. A. Pratt, trout, 
3lbs. loz.; 20th, William Tureh, salmon, 4lbs. Boz. ; 21st, 
T. B. Stewart, trout, 4lbs. 40Z. ; 21st, H.A.Pratt, trout, 4lbs. 
40Z. ; 26th, R. N. Parish, salmon, 4lbs. 30Z. ; 29th, R. N. 
Parish, trout, 4hs. 30Z. ; 29th, J. PL Dougherty, salmon, 
3lbs. 30Z.; 2gth, R. N. Parish, trout, slbs.; 30th, T. B. 
Stewart, salmon, 3lbs. 130Z. ; 30th, R. N. Parish, trout, 
3lbs. 60Z. 
Mr. and Mrs. George B. Bearse, of Lewiston, Me., have 
been at the Upper Dam, and at other points among the 
Rangeleys. A part of the time they were accompanied by 
Mr. and Mrs. H. W. True, of Boston. They had some 
very fair fly-fishing. J. J. Leviseur, of Boston, and Otto 
M. Stanfield, of New York, have been on quite an ex- 
tended fishing trip to the Rangeleys. Mr. Leviseur is re- 
ported to have caught over thirty trout in one day from 
the Richardson Ponds. If the report is true, he has had 
the best success there of any fisherman this season. 
Others are finding the fishing there very poor. 
At the Rangeley Lake House, Rangeley, Me., a record 
of the salmon taken is being kept this season. From May 
14. to June 25 the record was sixty-four salmon, aggregat- 
ing 303lbs., average weight 4lbs. i2oz. The largest salmon 
weighed lolbs., and was taken by Mr. Eugene Atwood, of 
Williamantic, Conn., June 2. 
Reports from the Rangeleys suggest that the test case of 
Mr. Elmer Snowman is pretty sure to be brought before 
the Maine courts, on the question of the constitutionality 
of the guide license law. It will be remembered that Mr. 
Snowman has persisted in guiding without a license, 
chough twice arrested for the same and brought on trial! 
His cases have been appealed to the full bench. Mr. 
Snowman is a gentleman and an honest, straightforward 
citizen of the town in which he lives. As a guide he is 
iiniversally liked. I know of men who have employed him 
for years with great satisf-actioji to themselves, He be- 
lieves that he has a right to earn Ms living as a guide 
v/ithout any interference from the State or Fish Commis- 
sion. He has the sympathy of almost every one of the 
guides of his section, and the^ have contributed such sums 
as they are able to aid him in carrying forward his case. 
A Maine daily paper of good authority says : 
"The Rangeley Lakes Guides' Association has as yet 
taken no action in his behalf, but before long President 
Freeeman Tibbetts will call a tneeting for such purpose. 
It is understood on both sides that if Snowman holds his 
present position and does not weaken, every guide in the 
Association will contribute $5 to pay lawyers' bills and 
support him during enforced idleness. This means a 
matter of $200." 
Outside of Rangeley, papers are in circulation for the 
relief of Mr. Snowman. Sportsmen of means have also 
contributed to aid him. The Maine Fish and Game Com- 
missioners are much interested in the outcome of his 
case, since it decides the constitutionality of the whole 
guide license business. Special. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST 
Western Anglbg Season. 
Chxcago, 111., July 7. — The Western- angling season thus 
far has been a disappointment, this fact being due largely 
to a season of great high water and many storms. Our 
bass season for this immediate section is now practically 
over, or rather we might naturally expect it to be over at 
this date, though really there has been no definite bass 
season at all worth mentioning. The trout season is to be 
considered past its prime by the first of July, and I pre- 
sume we shall not hear of much heavy trout fishing until 
the grasshopper days of August. I am inclined to think 
that Adichigan has furnished better trout fishing this spring 
than Wisconsin, the latter State having been visited with 
a series of freshets which ruined some of the best streams. 
Our three varieties of game fish most prized are the bass, 
trout and muscallunge, and of the three I am dispdsed to 
think the latter has mat^e the best showing this year thus 
far. I have heard of some few nice fish being taken in 
Wisconsin, and think the average weight greater than it 
has. been for two or three years in that section. July we 
do not call a good fishing month, but thus far the weather 
has been cool and cloudy, about what the middle of May 
ought to show, so I think the spawning will be late this 
year for the bass and would not be surprised to hear of 
very decent bass and 'lunge fishing in this despised mid- 
summer month. • , 
Movements of the Anglers. 
Mr. I. D. Belasco and Mr. H. Greenwood are recently 
back from Cedar Lake, 111., where they had but indifferent 
success with the bass. This lake is right at the edge of 
Lake Villa, one of the greatest summer resort points along 
the_ Wisconsin Central line, and it is fished so much that 
it is a wonder even these two skillful anglers could get 
much return. 
Mr. H. H. Miner and Mr. W. La Parle returned a few 
days since from a trip to Two Rivers, Mifch. On one day 
they took fortj^-six bass, many of them small-mouths, and 
on the whole they report a very pleasant trip. 
Mr. H. W. Perce will leave next Monday for Hudson 
Lake, Mich,, where he will remain for six weeks or so and 
have his fill of angling for bass. There are some small- 
mouths in those waters. 
Mr. John Watson and Mr. William Haskell spent the 
Fourth at Maksawba Club, on the Kankakee River. Mr. 
Watson caught one wall-eyed pike which weighed 7lbs., a 
very fine specimen. He also caught while casting frog 
for bass, four blue catfish, whose total weight was over 
25lbs. Bass were scarce and but few were taken, though 
Mr. Haskell had some sport with wall-eyed pike. These 
gentlemen report the Kankakee River overrun with 
carp. 
Two gentlemen, by name of Boden and Kreuger, of 
lioricon. Wis., had good fortune at Fox Lake, Wis., re- 
cently, taking twenty-nine black bass, six pike and three 
pickerel. On the same lake there has been considerable 
heavy fishing this season. Friend Hitchcock, of the Repre- 
sentative, states that Dr. Forbes on one day caught forty 
black bass on Fox Lake. John Lauermann on one day 
caught 104 bass and pickerel. Dick Hoover caught fifty- 
seven black bass on one daj', and others claim catches of 
sixty to eighty. One of these days anglers will say Fox 
Lake used to be a good fishing place. 
Messrs. Fred Gardner, W. C. Gillett, E. C. Smith and L. 
G. Stiles, all of Chicago, left Friday a week ago for an 
extended exploitation of the muscallunge waters of Wis- 
consin. They have not yet returned, but will soon be 
back, and I should expect them to report good luck. 
Messrs. H. L. Stanton, Frank Willard, James Hall, Col. 
Young and Mr. Marble, all of Chicago, are recently back 
from a couple of weeks' trip after muscallunge on Squirrel 
Lake, Wis. They had very good luck, taking all the fish 
tJiey cared for and more than they cared to keep. They 
had them in weights of 281bs., 22lbs., i81bs., i61bs., and so 
on down to 7lbs'. They put back a great many small fish. 
Of bass they took a great many, on one da}' twenty, which 
averaged sH^hs. 
Mr. and Mrs. Schaffer, of the Colonial Hotel, Chicago, 
have returned from a fishing trip to Plum Lake, Wis., 
where they had very fine success. Their heaviest mus- 
callunge were 15 and i61bs. They caught all the bass 
they cared for. 
Mr. J. E. Strong, of Selz, Schwab & Co., is just back 
from a fronting trip to Wisconsin. I have not seen him, 
but understand that he reports rather poor success, 
Mr. Edward G. Taylor has returned from his long stay 
on the Prairie River, Wisconsin. He reports the season 
rather a failure, owing to long continued high water. 
I presume the happiest man in town is Mr. F. N. Peet, 
whose proposed trip with his friends, Chadwick, Hascall, 
Smith and Tinthoff, I mentioned some weeks ago. They 
went to the Pere Marquette, in Michigan, and Mr. Peet 
saw his dreams come true. He landed a 3^1b. rainbow 
trout, and so accomplished a great ambition of his life. 
To-day Mr._ George Murrell, speaking of these rainbow 
trout of Michigan, said: "They are not rainbow trout at 
all, but are the Mt. Shasta trout, a very much, more gamy 
fish," As to this I cannot sav, as 1 have rieyer ^ngled fof 
the Michigan rainbows or been along when any were taken 
of any great size. 
We have had within the past few weeks a number of 
distinguished anglers in this portion of the country. Hon. 
George D. Meikeljohn, Assistant Secretary of War, out- 
fitted here for an extended fishing trip on Lake Winne- 
bago, Wis., where he was at last accounts this week. 
Mr. J. Edward Addicks, sometimes irreverently termed 
"Gas Addicks," of Claymont, Del, outfitted here heavily 
with guns and fishing tackle, preparatory for a long trip 
in Arizona, where he contemplates purchasing a large body 
of land. 
Mr. Charles W. Deering, of this city, has been for 
several months at Glenw'ood Springs, Colo., shooting and 
fishing; and continually sends back for more tackle. He 
seems intent upon having a busy summer with the trout. 
Poison in the Fox, 
The factories along the Fox River have been discharging 
poisonous waste into that stream, and great numbers of 
bass and pike have been killed, wagon loads of them 
having been gathered along the banks. Yesterday the 
State Fish Commissioner visited the town of Batavia to 
look into this matter, and it is to be hoped the abuse will 
be corrected. 
A Long Felt Want. 
I presume all good and truthful anglers have time and 
again beeen pained by the incredulity of friends to whom 
they have told stories of the large fish that got away. A 
great many really truthful men have had scorn and con- 
tumely heaped upon them while they were in the absolutely 
defenseless position of having no proof to support their 
assertions. All such men have long felt the want of some 
sort of appliance to record the weight of the fish which got 
away. I am pleased to observe to-day that my friend, Wil- 
liam Schmedtgen, head artist of fthe Chicago Record, is 
able to record the discovery of such an apparatus as that 
above indicated. The credit for this discovery belongs, 
according to the advertisement, to no less a person than 
Mr. A. Hirth, who runs the tackle department at Spald- 
ing's. The apparatus is described as below: 
"Mr. Hirth, it is said, worked on this instrument for 
twelve years, It was the outgrowth of his vexation at 
being pestered with his friends' stories about the big fish 
which escaped after having been hooked. Being naturally 
bright, he succeeded in completing a most delicately con- 
structed automatic scale, which will tell the weight of a 
fish at once,_ if it is on the hook but a second — in fact, if 
he only strikes and misses. The scales will also show 
when a weed has been caught. A spiral spring runs 
through the center, with space at the top for a number of 
pellets. When a bass weighing, say, I5lbs., is struck, the 
spring gives to the proper section and lets one pellet fall 
into the compartment marked at I5lbs. The fi.sherman 
may have many strikes during the day, and if he has 
several of the same weight the compartment will con- 
tain as many pellets as there were strikes. The scale 
does not register any fish under lolbs., as Mr. Hirth in all 
his experience in listening to his friends never heard of a 
lost bass which did not weigh more than lolbs. The scale 
is about 2in. long and is to be,tied on the line just above 
the hook and cast out with the bait. Mr. Hirth is having 
the scales tixrned out as fast as possible, as there is a great 
demand for them." E. Hough. 
480 Caxton Building, Chicago, II!. 
'*Fish. Stories.'' 
Baltimore, July 5. — Editor Forest and Stream: Re- 
ferring to "Fish Stories," by Mr. Henry Talbott, in 
your issue of the 8th inst. : Yesterday, July 4, wishing 
to celebrate our national holiday in true sportsmanlike 
manner, I went a-fishing on the Susquehanna River for 
bass — small-mouth black bass — with a companion whose 
patriotism ran in the same direction. We had indifferent 
success, but a large amount of piscatorial experience, of 
the which I am about to relate, and will verify. 
Noting that portion of Mr. Talbott's letter where he 
ctuotes Jesse Middleton's experience on the Choppewam- 
sic, I think the experience of two of my friends will dis- 
count Jesse's. First, my companion in the boat with 
me had a wicked strike, and giving the fish a few mo- 
ments to pouch the live bait, he struck, and the line came 
back with leader and snell, but minus the hook. On ex- 
amination we came to the conclusion that the wrapping 
fastening the gut snell to the hook was defective. A half- 
hour after he caught a bass, and on disengaging the hook 
noticed what seemed to be a thread of silk such as is used 
for wrapping the hook to the gut snell. We were not so 
sure of this until we dressed our fish — this we always do 
on the stream, trout, bass or any other fish— when we 
found the hook and the bait in the stomach of the fish. It 
had swallowed the bait and the hook; and after being 
placed on the "string" and was none the worse for the 
dose, as it was very much alive and kicking. 
Another remarkable catch occurred within hailing dis- 
tance of our boat the same day. Two men were fishing, 
one of whorn had two rods out; the one who had two rods 
had a strike, and hooked the fish. While playing it it ran 
over toward the second line, and immediately there was a 
strike on that rod. He called to his companion to take the 
second rod until he could land his fish. His companion 
did so, and they landed the same fish. The bass had taken 
the first bait, gorged it and then run over and taken the 
second bait. Both hooks had fastened, one far down on 
the throat and the other in the mouth. The bass was 
not a large one, possibly lib. or over; and it occasioned 
great merriment when they found they were playing the 
same fish. 
Who will now say that the^ small-mouth bass is ever 
satisfied with the food it has in its stomach? 
E., S. Y. 
Fishingf at Bettetton. 
Betterton'> Md. — ^At the point where the Sassafras 
River enters Chesapeake Bay is a favorite fishing ground 
for Philadelphia and Baltimore anglers, for white perch 
and other species. It is reached by the Ericsson Line of 
steamboats, which ply between the two cities; and Mr. 
Clarence Shriver, agent, 204 Light street, Baltimore, sends 
out an attractive illustrated booklet showing the points of 
intere.st on t|ie route, 
