The first bass that struck my fly made a swift run 
directly toward the boat. There was a high wind blowing, 
which bellied out the line far to one side. The bass did 
not improve this, but made it worse, as he ran directly 
toward us, and by the time I got to the place where I 
^ould strike him he was a mile away down stream. I 
have, never seen anything sHcker and quicker than this 
particular bass. Spicer did not say anything, but he 
looked a 'bit thoughtful when the same thing happened 
over again a little further along.. This time I did not thmk 
the fish was pricked, so I asked him to put me in there 
again, and at the next cast I raised the fish a second 
time and hooked him fair. He went for deep water like 
a flash, and at once I was in one of the prettiest fights I 
had ever seen. Spicer, a bit concerned at first, as all 
'guides are as to the quality of their charges for the time, 
watched the circus quietly for a few minutes, and then 
remarked: "Well, I see you have fished bass before now," 
a matter which apparently hitherto had been in doubt 
in his mind. 
I fought this fish all over the rivet for a long while. 
He jumped seven times, high out of the water, of his own 
accord, not counting the times he sprang when we tried 
-to get him in the landing net. He went deep and far, and 
was still full of fight when I yielded to Spicer's urging and 
forced him- within reach of the net. In the whole two 
days I never did get one of these bass worn out, or get 
him to roll over on his side and give up. I was hurried 
and anxious to get along, and did not take the time that 
I should on another occasion to fight each fish to an 
actual finish. I am sure it would be better fun to use 
lighter tackle and to take longer time. The bass are too 
grand fellows to be hustled through and hauled out, as 
they practically would be on a bait rod. 
.A.fter my first bass had been triumphantly landed — and 
tc my surprise I found he would weigh less than slbs. — 
T missed four strikes in succession, the bass coming to 
me so quickly that I could not strike them. We were 
fishing up stream then, and the motion of Uie boat, com- 
bined with the wind, made the line belly out badly. The 
best way is to cast at a little angle down stream, keeping 
the line straight, so that the fish may be struck quickly. 
At last we came to a nice looking bank, which we fished 
two or three times back and forth. We tied up here 
and ate our lunch, and as we sat there we saw min- 
nows jumping along the bank, and noted the surges where 
the bass were working close in shore. _ At last I saw some 
minnows jumping in a little pocket just inside of a sub- 
merged bunch of willows. I cast in here, and we plainly 
saw a grand bass take the fly. I struck and fastened 
him, and like a flash Spicer shot the boat back, so that 
the fish swung free of the willows. This was before the 
bass knew what had happened, and when he found out 
what it meant he was a plenty mad fish. He led out 
directly for the deep water and swift current, and there, in 
midstream, Ave fought it out, absolutely the hottest and 
prettiest fight I ever had with any fish in all my life. I 
disregarded Spicer's advice to get the fish close to the 
boat, and fought him 40ft. away. He sprang clear of the 
water seven times, and each time keeping the tip close 
down to the water, as one docs in muscallunge fishing, I 
forced the spring of the rod .to bring his head down when 
•he sprang, so that he could not shake free. I do not 
know how long I played this fish, but he was by no means 
whipped when Spicer caught him in the net as he 
swung by the boat. This was sport to set one on fire, 
and I admit I never saw its like on any water. We could 
see. that this bass was a large one, and were not sur- 
prised when we got him in the boat to find his weight 
just short of 4lbs. He Avas thick, fat and smooth as a 
seal, a grand fish in every way. I think I shall remember 
that bass about as long as I live. 
I heed not repeat the story of the many encounters of 
similar sort which we had during our hurried trip, but 
I need onty add that the sport is there and it is mag- 
nificent in every particular. Spicer tells me that the bass 
seem to be about as abundant as they ever were, although 
there is more and more of this fly-fishing every year. We 
had a great deal of wind and bad weather in our two days 
on the river, and Spicer complained that the fishing was 
very poor, but I had quite enough fun to satisfy me, and 
saw that the sport of this favored locality has not been in 
the least exaggerated in the few stories that seem to have 
gotten out about it. It seems to m_e that I would like to 
try it again some time with lighter tackle, just to see 
those bass smash me up and have fun with me, but as it 
was I did not break a leader and did not lose a fly. Had 
the fishing been a little better I would have asked Ash's 
permission to use the little rod, but he begged me not to 
do so, as I would surely break it, and as moreover he 
wanted to get some fish to show at the dock when we went 
in! "You fight them fish too blamed long," said he. 'T 
ain't no steamboat, to pull half a mile up the river every 
time you catch a bass. There's more bass lost oh a long 
line than a short one, and the right way to do is to get 
■'em close in. They won't hurt you if you do reel them 
close up." The philosophy of all this will appeal to 
different persons according as they are in a hurry or not, 
whether they want a good many bass or not, and whether 
or npt they like to lose a bass now and then, just to 
show that the game is an even one. However one may 
nlioose to fish that water, whether Avith light tackle or 
■ 'rong, I simply want to say that I believe it is the best 
bass fishing in America to-day. 
At La Crosse I met Mr. Bacon, of the John Fall 
^ iim.ber Co., Avho Avas the host of Mr. Bissell and Mr. 
I\IcFarland, of Chicago, last summer. He told me that he 
expected to see both of these gentlemen the latter part 
of this week, and since my arrival home Avith the report 
of the sport I had, I have heard of three other gentlemen 
A^'ho have expressed an intention of going out there. 
Granted any ordinary sort of luck, they ought on almost 
any day for the next month to have good enough sport 
tc satisfy anj reasonable man. 
Movements of Western Anglers. 
Chicago, 111., Aug. 12. — For some im.accountable reason 
•the muscallunge of the Minnesota 'lunge district seem to 
have Avaked up this past Aveek, and there is hope that the 
season will noAV proAre more faA^orable. I am in better 
touch Avith the Woman Lake region around Kabekona 
Camp than with any other of the Minnesota 'lunge coun- 
try, and Avord just at hand from that locality states that 
the fun for the fall seems about to begin. At oresent there 
ure si.xte.en guests at the camp, and this week Messrs. T. D 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
Adams and Geo. F. Davie, of Chicago, and W. Peppard 
and family, of Kansas City, are going out for a trip of 
some days. Messrs. Callahan and Clendenning, of this 
city, earlier mentioned as having gone out to Kabekona. 
made a little side trip this week, and had something in 
the nature of experience. The former killed one 'lunge 
weighing 281bs., and the latter got one of i81bs. On the 
next day they got into trouble and lost all their tackle on 
fish so big and strong that they could not stop them. They 
report great disgust over their hard luck, and by the same 
mail that brings the story, sent back to Chicago for a 
dozen No. 9 spoons, with a lot o£ extra strong line. It 
would appear that they got among the big ones and Avere 
received with joy. 
Mr. Francis T, Simmons, a prominent wholesale glove 
merchant of this city, with his son, Master W. B. Sim- 
mons, and his friend, Mr. Wm. Dickinson, are lately back 
from a trip after bass on Butternut Lake, in the Eagle' 
Chain district of Wisconsin. They took in a short time 
126 smalUiuouth bass Avhich weighed Tg2lbs., replacing all 
fish that weighed less than lib. They had one bass that 
scaled 4lbs., three of 4lbs. each, two Avhich weighed 3^ 
and 4lbs., and very many over 3lbs. each. They were all 
the red-eyed small-mouth bass. 
Rev. W. A. Horan, of Freeport, III, outfitted here this 
week for a Northern trip, 
Mr. D. Schilling, of Morgan Park, Cook county, is ab- 
sent North on a little trip, 
Mr. E. L. Caldwell, of Chicago, is absent at State Line, 
Wis,, after bass and Avhat else may offer. 
Mr. W. FI. Whitehead, of this city, and also Mr. H. _S. 
Dale, haAi^e gone up to Gajdord Club house, in Wisconsin, 
after trout and bass. 
From Colorado. 
Mr. Jos. Irwin, of Little Rock, Ark., writes me under 
date of Aug, 4 from the South Fork of the White River, 
fifty-eight miles north of Glenwood, Colo., where he seems 
well located and improving in health: 'T am enjoying the 
mountain air and catching all the trout we can use. Heavy 
snows last Avinter have made the fishing late, and it will 
not be at its best for two weeks _ yet. Myself and 
friend caught sixty beauties yesterday in about two hours, 
supplying our camp for a day or tAvo. The royal-coach- 
man is the most killing fly by day and the brown-hackle 
at cA'ening time. 
'T am splendidly located here — plenty of milk, cream, 
butter, eggs and a fine mineral spring at our door. Letters 
from home say it is 95 in the shade. Here I sleep under 
blankets at night and wear Avinter clothes at all times." 
I have to-day at hand, too late for verification, the fol- 
lowing clipping sent by Mr. D. J. Hotchkiss, of Fox 
Lake, Wis. It is very interesting to note these increasing- 
ly numerous accounts of the appearance of the Avild 
pigeon, some of Avhich haA^e been proved to be accurate 
and truthful, though no doubt others are loose and in- 
accurate. This time the telegram comes from ColdAvater, 
Mich., and reads : "Thousands of pigeons roo.st nightly 
antong the tamaracks on Cedar Point, on the river just 
north of the cemetery. Beginning an hour before .sunset, a 
steady stream of the birds pours into the Point front 
every direction, but principally from the northwest. A 
peculiar feature of the evening flight is the apparently 
identical route taken by each flock as it Avings toward the 
roost. From the manner of their flying some of the 
older residents thjnk perhaps it is a return of the wild 
pigeons which at one time visited Michigan in countless 
millions, darkening the sun with their numbers, Their 
roost on Cedar Point is impregnable to hunters, as it is 
surrounded by swamps and quicksands, impassable except 
in the most rigorotts winters. Wild pigeons have also 
reappeared in Minnesota after an absence of many years. 
No one seems to knoAV Avhere they came from and con- 
sequently Avhere they have kept themselves." 
E. HOTJGH. 
ISO Caxtoj.' BiTTLDiNG, Chicago, 111. 
The Fish We Did Not Catch. 
Just as we were ready to go out, large drops of rain 
began to pelt the black surface of Long Pond. This, our 
guide remarked as Ave disposed ourselves m the two row- 
boats, was ju^st what Cleveland liked when he came OA'er 
from Graj' Gables to fi.sh for bass. To look upon the 
rain as a sportsman did Avas impossible, however, for my 
two girl cousins. I passed a mackintosh to Marian, and 
in the boat ahead the young Doctor wrapped a rubber 
blanket rotmd Edith. The guide pulled doggedly at the 
oar^ until the two boats. Avhich he had roped together, 
drew up alongside a little Avooded island; then he cast 
anchor and baited our hooks. 
Marian got the first bite ; but she was so intent at the 
time on impressing me with the fact that her sister had 
found in the Doctor the best husband in the Avorld, that 
she failed to hook her fish. Consequent^ our boat lost 
the honor of the first catch, for a moment later Edith 
pulled in a perch of about a hand's length. The guide 
took the hook from the mouth of the perch, and stuck 
it into its back and then threw the poor fish overboard. 
Its sides gleamed like silver as it carried the line 15 or 
2oft. down into the black Avater. In a little while each of 
us had caught a perch and Avas watching it tug the line 
deper and deeper. The guide told me to let the perch go 
to the bottom and to wait for a bass to strike. This novel 
way of using bait that was almost large enough to fry, 
made me realize that eA'en if I had landed many a bass 
on the Mi.isconetong RiA^er, there were still tricks in 
the angler's art for me to master. 
Despite this fact, my eyes wandered from the tip of my 
rod to the Doctor. He a few years back had been the 
Harvard pitcher. I love an athlete as well as I do a 
sportsman, I wondered Avhether he AA'Ould handle a rod 
as well as he did a baseball, and so, agog with curiosity, I 
Avatched him. With one eye riveted on his rod, he was 
ansAA'ering most explicitly the eager queries of his wife 
as to hoAv 3 bass should be hooked and how he should be 
played. He told her to be sure not to pull a rnite until 
the bass had swallowed the perch. 
Just at this point, howeA^er, the lesson ended and the 
demonstration began Plash ! went the tip of the Doctor*.^; 
rod into the Avater. "Give him all the line he wants, 
Edith," he cried, switching the brake of the reel so that 
the line ran out by the yard. "He'll stop in a nioment 
[AtTG. 19, iSgig. 
and swallow the perch." Scarcely a rod's length of line 
remained on the reel when the fish did stop. The Doctor 
gave a gasp of relief, and telling the guide to be ready 
with the landing net, waited for the final struggle' as 
Galmly as. on the diamond after two strikes and three 
balls he would have waited the return of the ball. "See, 
Edith," he said, giving his rod a spasmodic upAvard 
twitch. "This fixes the hook in the king of American 
fishes." Then the tussle began. The fish made for the 
boat. I knew only too Avell that if he gained enough to 
double the line it would be good-by bass. The Doctor 
whipped his rod over to the opposite side of the boat, thus 
taking up several yards of slack, and then began to reel in 
at the top of his speed. On and on came the fish — ran 
under the boat. The tip of the rod kissed the reel. 
"What's to be done now, Ned?" cried Edith. "I'll catch 
my fish first," said the Doctor, quickly, "and explain later, 
my dear." The rod snapped back straight again. Away 
went the bass ; the reel sang like a shrill-voiced harvest fly, 
and then screamed as only a reel can scream at a black 
bass. At a distance of seA'eral boat lengths the fish 
turned about and made a lightning spurt toward the 
boats. "Yoti've done lost him," the guide grumbled, as 
the bass sprang into the air. "He'll get the slack now." 
But the Doctor had jumped over his wife into the bow 
of the boat. At the same instant the splash of the bass 
sent a spray into Edith's face, and she uttered a faint 
cry, thinking that her Ned had gone overboard. But 
there he stood in the boAv working the reel like mad, 
Avhile the fish circled round and round, making the water 
fairly boil at the boatside. "Ye gods," he cried, "but my 
Avrist aches as it used to in the ninth inning of a Harvard- 
Yale game ! Thank heaven, though, the bass is getting 
Aveaker. There ! Noav for the landing net." The^ guide 
laid doAvn his pipe deliberately, made one sure scoop and 
lifted the fish out of the water. Just as he was about to 
swing it in to the' Doctor, snap I went the handle, and 
splash! swish! Avent the bass to the bottom of Long 
Fond. ' S. D. J. 
AVashjngt<Sj!,, D. C. 
Hunting the Finback Whale. 
Dk. Frederick W. True, of the Smithsonian Institu-" 
tion, has just started for Newfoundland, where he is 
going to hunt finback whales. His object is to secure 
specimens of these interesting cetaceans for the National 
Museum, but incidentally he will see some of the most 
tremendous sport that can be had in the world. _ Persons 
who have had an opportunity to take part in this species 
of chase declare that tiger hunting is tame by cornpari- 
sbn. Besides, it has the advantage of being something 
entirely new. 
Recently a fishing station has been established on the 
Newfoundland coast for carrying on the finback hunting 
industry, and it is thither that Dr. True has gone. The 
importance of this fact is realized that hitherto this 
species of Avhale has not been recognized at all commer- 
cially. While it yields a valuable oil, as Avell as other 
useful products, it is such a formidable creature to 
tackle that the pur.svtit of it has been regarded as hope- 
lessly improfitable. Besides being one of the largest 
Avhales — it reaches 70ft. in length and a weight of 30 
tons— it is enormously pOAverful and almost incredibly 
active. From a sportsman's point of vieAV, therefore, it is 
typically a game fish, and as such it is now sought. 
Fishermen who haA'e been so lucky as to catch a tarpon 
ncA-er tire of telling about the exciting experience. Im- 
agine a tarpon 70ft. long and Aveighing 30 tons, and you 
haA'e a notion of the finback Avhale Avhen it is cavorting 
on the end of a line. Fortunately, the species is very 
numerous, having not been an object of pursuit by man 
until lately. The chase of it in boats is practically out of 
the question, by reason of the formidable character of 
the animal and its extreme activity. Only within the 
last few years has a method been found by which it may 
be taken Avithout too mtich risk and at a cost of labor 
and material so low as to render its capture commercially 
profitable. 
Last summer Emperor William went to Norway for the. 
purpose of hunting finback whales, and he declared that 
it Avas the greatest fun that he ever had in his life. It 
was mote than exciting ; it was stupendous. No small 
boats are employed for the capture of the animal, which 
is shot Avith a lance fired from a sort of cannon on the 
bow of the Avhaling steamer. To this lance a line is 
attached, and the Avhale, immediately on being .struck, 
starts off for the other end of creation at the rate of 
about sixty miles an hour, dragging the vessel after jt. 
If the lance holds and the line does not part,_ there 
follows some simply gorgeous sport, the fish keeping on 
until its great strength is exhausted, 
NoAV it dives to the bottom of the sea, sinking like a 
stone and bringing an enormous strain upon the bow of 
the steamer, Avhich is actually dragged partly under the 
Avater, so that the Avaves break over her in foam.y sheets; 
again the enraged quarry rises to the surface with in- 
credible velocity, and leaps clear into the air, exposing 
the whole of its great body. This sort of thing goes on 
until the beast is utterly exhausted, when it lies helpless 
and floating, so as to be easily dispatched. This is the 
sort of sport that Dr.' True is going to engage in on the 
Newfoundland coast, and, incidentally, he Avdll secure at 
least tAVO or three of the fi.nbacks for scientific purposes. 
One of them may be .shipped to Washington entire; if 
not, a cast in papier-mache will be made of it. The 
skeletons of the others will be carefully divested of flesh, 
disarticulated, and packed in boxe.s for shipment. — Wash- 
ington Post. 
Daly Stamped* 
North Taekytown, N. Y. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have just read Mr. A. N. Cheney's account of the trout 
taken in. the Adirondacks by Dr. W. M. Aldrich (Forest 
AND Stream, June 10) with a one-cent postage stamp 
sticking to its body near its tail. A similar incident 
occurred to Mr. F. Ahrens, photographer, of Tarry- 
tOAvn, N. Y., who caught, last fall, a blackfish in the 
Sound near Mamaroneck, N. Y,, with a revenue stamp 
sticking to its side. Mr. A. photographed the fish with 
the stamp, and it can be .seen at his art rooms in Tarry,- 
town „ JoHJT A. Lawk, • 
