April 21, 1900.] 
318 
work being done experimentally by the State. It would 
prove of great value. 
H. A. Surface, 
Chairman of the Biological Committee N. Y. State Fish 
and Game League. 
Ithaca, N. Y. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Destruction of Mississippi Rivet Bass. 
Chicago, 111., April 12. — Readers of the Forest and 
StreaMj as I know very well from many letters received, 
took interest in the story printed last August in the For- 
est and Stream describing the magnificent sport of fly- 
fishing for black bass along the Mississippi River near 
La Crosse, Wis. This sti^e of flj^-fi^hing is so unique 
and of so great a sporting interest that it is worthy of 
attention for all reasons, and certainly it is a sport which 
ought to receive at least decent opporunity for perpetua- 
tion, since it is something which has more than a local 
reputation and in which more than a local pride is taken. 
It is therefore with grave regret that I read in a current 
issue of the La Crosse Press that the market fisher has 
begun his work among the small-mouths of that neigh- 
borhood — a fish so noble in every quality as to be worthy 
of a better death. 
Our friend A. Booth, the big market fisherman of this 
city, seems to be the purchaser of the La Crosse bass. 
There has been a regular fishery established by a certain 
party near La Crosse, which has been kept up pretty much 
all winter, trammel nets being the means used for taking 
the bass. The fish were shipped each week. One week 
the shipment was 950 pounds, another was 600 pounds, 
while many weeks saw over 400 pounds shipped. The 
total was in the thousands of pounds, and this of bass 
which are without doubt the gamest fish of all America, 
far outclassing the bass of any other waters of the West. 
The fish warden seems to have been hibernating. The 
market fisher and the market buyer never hibernate. 
What the result will be next summer when we go up 
there for a try at these grand small-mouths is something 
to be seen, though it is not far to go in the supposition 
that the tons of fish taken away will not improve the fish- 
ing. La Crosse will get much more out of her bass if she 
will take a shotgun and chase her net fisher out of the 
county and her warden out of the State. 
E. Hough. 
300 BoYGE Building, Chicago, 111. 
A Day with Florida Kingfish. 
We had been laying off to go kingfishing all winter, but 
one thing or another prevented. Last week an old-time 
friend from the North happening along on the final 
wind-up of his once-in-a-lifetime trip, Ave resolved to 
go anyhow, and show him that Florida fishing is not all 
on paper. Accordingly, the next A. M., with fair wind 
and tide, and a rousrag breeze from the northwest, we 
left the wharf at Miami, in the snug little schooner 
Rosina, bound for the fishing grounds off the reef, be- 
tween Cape Florida and Fowey Rocks Light. 
Getting into deeper water opposite Bears Cut, we put 
out the lines for Spanish mackerel, but with little suc- 
cess, though there has been lively sport trolling for the 
speckled beauties all winter. A delightful sail of an hour 
and we run out the Cormorant Channel, between the 
long lines of black and red buoys that mark the entrance 
into Biscayne Bay, over the bar and out onto the 
ocean, where the bright green rollers warn a man to get 
his sea legs in proper working order. 
Now for his nibs, the kingfish, who run in schools, and 
are always ready for business. A 3-16-inch cotton line 
SO yards long is the proper thing, with largest size hook 
and heavy copper wire leader. A piece of red and white 
flannel or large trolling squid is all the bait necessary. 
Tliis fishing with a hand line may not meet with the 
approval of your scientific angler, but with all the sur- 
roundings, a jumping schooner, tearing through the green 
seas, the'balrhy air and blue sky that^ are ever typical of 
Florida, and the voracious kingfish, . constantly strik- 
ing at your bait and frequently' jumping 6 to 
10 feet into the air, makes, sport enough for most 
any man. One well-known fisherman, ex-resident of the 
White House, who fishes here, prefers to take them with 
reel and tarpon tackle, and some roj^al sport he has of it. 
Your patient and enthusiastic tarpon hunter may fish 
for days and never get a strike, but for the man who 
wants sport and lots of it, let him try the kingfish off the 
Florida Keys. 
But to get back to my narrative. We take the dinghy 
on board and get out the lines, and no sooner overboard 
when the bait is eagerly snapped up, and now the fun 
begins. The kingfish behave much after the fashion of 
their larger neighbor, jumping high in the air, in an 
endeavor to shake out the hook. 
It was worth going 100 miles to see our friend B. enjoy 
the sport. Seated flat on the deck, with his feet braced 
against the taffrail, and shouting like a schoolboy, he 
would fight it out, hand over hand, with these savage 
beauties, regardless of blistered hands, and finally bringing 
his prize alongside. Nor was the lady of "the party 
far behind, for she pluckily hooked and brought to rail 
the largest fish caught, which pulled the spring- balance 
down to 28 pounds. 
Well, we trolled for four hours, standing out to sea. 
for a mile or so, then back in shore. Iiooking and losing 
many more than we landed, until all hands were willing 
to cry enough. The total day's catch .footed up nineteen 
fish, ranging in weight from 15 to 28 pounds — a total of 
nearly 400 pounds, enough to satisfy any reasonable man, 
Our otherwise perfect day was slightly marred by a 
dead calm, when four miles from home, but our clever 
captain promptly got out his lantern and dinghv, and 
furnished a white ash breeze, which soon landed us 
alongside the wharf. 
Of all the souvenirs which our friend took back north 
with him, I doubt if there is any wTiich he prizes more 
than the photograph of that catch of kingfish from Bis- 
cayne Bay. Cameramblee, 
New England Waters. 
BostoNj Apfii 16. — Still the ice lingers in all the Maine 
and New Hampshire trout and salmon lakes. A special 
from Weirs Saturday night said that the ice was not out 
of Winnepesaukee and Winnesquam, and would doubtless 
linger for some days longer. These lakes are usually the 
first of the New Hampshire trout lakes to clear. Still, a 
good many fishermen are on the ground and have tried 
trolling in the open bays, but without success. Some fish- 
ing through the ice is still being clone, though the sport 
is getting dangerous. Neither Sebago Lake nor Lake 
Auburn, in Maine, is clear, and they are always the first 
of the Maine lakes to open. Considerable disappoint- 
ment will be felt if the telegraph does not announce the 
clearing of Sebago before the 19th, Patriots' Day, a legal 
holidaj'- in Massachusetts. A number of fishermen have 
planned to spend that day and the remainder of the week 
at Sebago, if the ice is out, including several members of 
the Sebago Club. Last year Sebago was not clear till 
April 23, and in 1898 it cleared April 19. Both these years 
were very late, as the ice is sometimes out there before 
the first of April. 
Fishermen from Boston continue to 'go down to their 
fishing preserves Saturday and return Monday morning. 
"They do not fish Sunday," so the saying goes, but they 
bring home strings of trout, indicating that the fish must 
bite remarkably well Monday morning. Claude H. Tarbox 
and R. H. Jenkins fished the brooks in Byfield a week 
ago Monday morning. Mr. Jenkins did not get a strike. 
Tarbox got one good trout. Dr. Maynandier fished the 
brooks at Lakeside again Saturday or Monday, and 
brought back a string of twenty-six trout. He is one 
of the most successful fishermen that go down to the Cape 
preserves, having taken over thirty trout on his first trip. 
On the whole, trout fishing has been pretty good at the 
Cape preserves, but very poor on the country brooks, 
doubtless because they were so badly dried up last year. 
Al Tompkins is a fisherman all over. He was up to 
Concord a week ago Saturday, but found the brooks full 
of snow water. In many places it was impossible to tell 
where the Sudbury River actually was, the meadows and 
marshes were so badly overflown. The conditions were 
not good for trout fishing, but he got a dozen good ones. 
Special. 
Bemis, Me., April 10.— Editor Forest and Stream: In 
answer to innumerable questions as to when the ice is 
going out of the lakes, I would like space in your columns 
to say that at present it is beyond the power of man 
to tell. The ice is as firm now as it has been during the 
winter. The snow has melted a very little in the woods, 
and yesterday was as rough on the lake as it has been this 
winter. At times one could see only a few rods, the snow 
was blowing so thick. Notwithstanding this, it is thought 
the ice will be out by the middle of May at the latest. 
The water was very low in the fall, and as soon as the 
snow melts to raise the lake the ice will have lots of 
chance to work from shore to shore, which will have a 
.'strong tendeny to break it up. 
Capt. Barker has a large force at work now getting the 
camps and boats read.y^ for the summer. The Upper Dam 
house, which has been partially rebuilt since last season, is 
nearly completed, and will be ready for the spring fishing. 
A cow moose appeared at one of the logging camps near 
here a few days ago. and appeared to be not the least 
frightened. She would allow people to approach within 
a few feet, when she would begin to bristle up, which was 
enough to send the cold "shivers" up the ordinary mortal's 
spine. The Game Commissioners ordered her captured, 
and at present she is in a stable ten miles below here. 
She will be taken to a game park in the southern part of 
the State. W. W. Small. 
man strenuous for the strict enforcement of all fish and 
game laws save some particular one which hits him or liis 
friends. I am astonished and chagrined thus to find that 
our Boston stickler for Maine game export regulation 
leaves his principles behind him when he gets doT\'n on to 
the Cape of a Sunday. 
The true way to enforce respect for law is to be law- 
abidmg one's self. If I reserve the right to violate laws of 
which I disapprove, though approved by others then 
others have an equal right to violate laws to which thev 
object, though I may be a stickler for the observance o"f 
Lucius Andrews Childress. 
'he Mennel 
Fixtufes. 
FIELD TRIALS. 
Nov. 13.~Cliathain, pnt.-Twelfth annual field trials of the In 
ternational Field Trials Club. W. B. Wells, Hon. Sec'y 
Nov. 18.-Newton, N. C.-Eastern Field Trial Club's twenty 
second annual field trials. S, C. Bradley, Sec'y, Greenfield Hill 
Conn. 
Points and Flushes. 
The premium list of the fourth annual dog show of the 
San Francisco Kennel Club, San Francisco, Cal., Mav 
2-5, is now ready for distribution. Entries close April 
22. Office, 238 Montgomery street, H. H. Carlton, Sec.'y. 
The Atlanta Kennel Club, Atlanta, Ga., has issued ils 
premium list for its show on May 9-12. Mr. E M Old- 
ham is superintendent. Mr. S. E. Taylor, box 700, At- 
lanta, Ga., IS secretary. The judges are Major J. M Tay- 
lor, of Rutherford, N. J„ and Mr. Henry Jarrett, of- Phil- 
adelphia. Georgia foxhounds will be judged by a well- 
known Southerner, Special railroad rates have been 
granted by the South Eastern Passenger Association. 
Entries colse April 30. 
The third of the new 70-footers will be named Virginia 
by her owner, W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr. Mr. Cornelius Van- 
derbilt has named his yacht Rainbow, while Vice- Cora. 
Belmont's is Mineola II. 
It is reported that Mr. Will Fife, Jr., is now at work 
on plans for rebuilding Shamrock, and that he has fitted 
up a model testing tank. Though Mr. Watson has not 
confirmed it, the English papers give the story of a new 
yacht from his designs for Sir Thomas Lipton, and Capt. 
Sycamore, who steered Valkyrie III. at New York in 
189s, is mentioned as the probable skipper. Nothing has 
been heard from Sir Thomas Lipton, and it is probable 
that the new challenge for igoi will not be sent until 
midsummer. 
We learn with regret from our English exchanges of the 
death of Mr. J. A. Brand, of the Minima Y. C. the first 
challenger for the Seawanhaka cup im 1895. No particu- 
lars are given, but as Mr. Brand was a young man and 
in good health, his death was apparently very sudden. 
The Eastern Y. C. will give a $100 cup for a series of 
three races in the 2Sft. , class of the Y. R. A. of Massa- 
chusetts, to, be sailed on June 16, June 29 and July 21, pro- 
vided ten entries are received for the series. 
As to Sticklers. 
Philadelphia, Pa, — Editor Forest and Stream: I have 
made a point of reading the interesting and instructive 
matter presented each week in the columns of Forest and 
Stream for months and years back, and expect to do so 
for months and years to come. 
The contributions of your Boston correspondent. 
Special, I have read with much interest. If my memory ■ 
serves me correctly he has been a stickler, uncompromis- • 
ing, vehem.ent and denunciatory, in respect to principles , 
and enforcement of the game laws of Maine — uncompro- 
mising for game preservation, vehement in urging en- . 
forcement of the game laws and denunciatory of law 
breakers; in short, a stickler of sticklers for law and 
order. 
The law-abiding citizen is the foundation of society. 
He concedes that the laws of the land are the laws for 
all_ its citizens. There is hardly a law but what is a hard- 
ship to some man or some men, but all laws are on the 
basic principle that they confer the greatest good on the 
greatest number. 
I am glad to note that Special is so ardent in the in- 
terests of game protection; in the enforcement of law; in • 
denouncing those who break the laws. I am glad he is a 4- 
stickler. -t^' 
But let us pause a moment. In Forest and Stream of^sf 
April 14, under an article bearing the caption "New Eng- 
land Fishing," Special seems to cast a rather peevish fling 
at Simday laws as follows: "Members of the Tihonet 
and the Monument Club Avent down from Boston in good 
numbers Saturday last, and if the sticklers for the en- 
forcement of the Sunday law want to interfere, they 
shoiald have their officers on these club grounds every 
Saturday night to remain over Sunday." 
Is Special sincere in his advocacy of law enforcement in 
Maine, or is he talking after the manner of the dema- 
gogue? Is he earnest for game law enforcement accord- 
ing to his own personal inclination, and with merited 
reservation about all other law which is personally ob- 
noxious or objectionable to him? Is he to be com- 
mended for being a stickler? Are others to be held in 
contempt for being sticklers' 
Read in the light of other previous remarks by Special 
about this Massachusetts Sunday law, this is to be in- 
terpreted as indicating that your correspondent does not 
approve of the Sunday law and is therefore inclined to 
ridicule its enforcement. This appears to be another , 
illustration of the very couimon phenomenon of a sports- 
The Yacht Masters and Engineers' Association has de- 
cided that all yacht captains associated with it shall give 
discharge papers to such seamen as have served faithfully 
under them. 
The executive committee of the Y. R. A. of Massa- 
chusetts held a special meeting on April 12, at which 
the question of the 2Sft. class championship was' settled in 
a manner which promises to be satisfactory to all parties. 
By this plan the territory of the Association has been 
divided into, three circuits, one north of House Island, 
Manchester, one between House Island and' Minot's 
Ledge,, Light, and one south of the latter point. The 
three series will be known as the North Shore, Boston 
Bay and South Shore championships. A series of non- 
conflicting dates for the three circuits will be arranged for 
all championship races, so that it will be possible for an 
owner to sail in all races of the class. To win the cham- 
pionship of the whole class it will be necessary for a yacht 
to sail at least five races in the Boston Bay series and 
three in_ each ^f the ot hers. Those owners who do not 
wish to^make the eiitire~afcuit'TiWe' the' To'cal" series to 
fight for. The Duxbury Y. C. has already promised a 
$150 cup for the charn'pionship of the South Shpre circuit. 
; Hew Factors, in Yacht Measttrement. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The editorial comments in the Forest and Stream of 
April 7, on the new measurement rule, proposed by 
Thalassa, leave little to be said - the objections there raised 
seem to be fatal. A new rule which encourages or even 
permits the building of fin-keels with unlimited draft and 
beam is not needed in the United States. 
The other notable features of Thalassa's article are the 
abandonment of the single-formula type of rule (which is 
encouraging), and the absence of any reasons for basing 
classification and time allowance uoon L.W.L., which has 
no causal relation to soeed. It would have been interesting 
had it been stated ,why the relations were not fixed be- 
tween D. and L.W.L. instead of between D. and S : and 
why time allowance was not made to depend upon S., 
which is the direct and only cause of soeed. 
The unw^ilMngness of most makers of neVv rules- to dis- 
cuss the philosophical basis of their rules has been m.arked. 
The only reason that has generally been given for ex- 
pectij:^ good results from a proposed new- rule is that -the 
