Aug. II, T<x»o.i 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
109 
and Its dark brother is A regular silver-doctor salniou 
lly. surmounted with an enameled or silver spoon. We 
Iiavc. mentioned a plentiful supply of these baits, because, 
hoiiig uiounted on gut, a muskallouge's teeth will cut the 
snrlbhg if it ge(.s acroso tlieiii, which we have found to 
be quite often the case if we get off. the bass grounds. 
These bails npixiar to. be about the most tempting thing 
for little nmskalloiigc of about 2 to 5 pound;? that could 
ever be thought of. 
The possibilities in Ciiautauqua Lake are always great, 
whatever you may be fishing for, for on rounding a point 
in a reef or getting a little off from a rocky shore, you 
are just as likely, to strike a snark or a boojum in the 
shape of a 25-pound uruskallonge as the .=;-pound bass 
\vhich you are after.. .Always take along a good gaff and 
club, although the latter is somewhat dispensable if you 
happen to get a guide as full of resource as one we once 
had. We landed a beautjs 18 or 20 pounds, but the club 
wherewith to kill it had been forgotten. The guide, 
however, was equal to the occasion, for he pulled off 
one of his boots, the heel of which, was heavily mounted 
with steel or iron. A couple of cracks 011 the fish's head 
and it was dead. 
During the morning's fishing we offered this same 
guide a cigar. He took it and placed it in his pocket, 
TACKLE. 
saying that he could not smokc and row at the same time. 
\\ hen ask^'-d Ui;.' reasml lie replied that a few days be- 
fote he .was fishi^ug alone, holding the line between his 
teeth. A muskailonge struck so quick and strong that Uie 
Ime pulled out ail his front teeth before he could open 
his mouth to release it. His toothless jaws verified the 
assertion. The fish weighed 35 pounds, and goes to 
show that no one should take any chances iii Lake Chau- 
tauqua. 
Chautatiqua Lake is about twenty miles long. The best 
fishing is found in the lower half, between Bemus Point 
and Lakewood, a distance of about seven miles. We 
give herewith a birds'-eye view of this stretch of water 
and have marked the fishing grounds as follows: 
Muskallonge, Bass, x x x x 
We will now take a tour of the fishing grounds shown 
in our chart Starting at the Kent House dock, the first 
important grounds arc the two reefs jutting out into 
. JO 0N3 y3M01 
CHAUTAUQUA LAKE FISHING GROUNDS. , 
Sherman's Bay at Waldemere House Point. Thes« two 
reefs run out about 1,000 feet and lie only a foot or two 
under water. It is a first-class piece of bass water, the 
bass fishing .extendin.g all along the southern shore of 
.Sherman's Bay. It is marked on the chart with crosses, 
thus: X X X" X 
We must now take in our bass rigs and put out 
stronger tackle for muskallonge.' From the point of the 
outside reef take a direct line for Maple Point, a dis 
tance of about one niile. At the point of the reef we 
once took a 28-pomid_ muskallonge. All over the center 
and mouth of the bay is Ai muskallonge water. We 
always make a catch here, generally about tnidway be- 
tween the reef and Maple Point, An exceptionally cood 
run is close to shore under Maple Point, the jvater nere 
being quite deep close up to the busltes, and tnany \ nj.sh 
has an old bouncer made from these bushes to a passing 
spoon. All around Maple Point is good ground. 
.\shville Bay is full of weeds close to shore. The 
angler must skirt this weed bed; he cannot go over it. 
Use Nos. 4^ or 6 spoons up to the present time. The 
outside of Bly's Bay can also be trolled with the same 
spoons, but we have ncyer had nnich luck here. All 
along the shores of Bly's Bay are numerous li^)' pads and 
first class bass grounds. 
At Cheeney's Point work along about 500 to i.ooo feet 
from shore for muskallonge as far up as Bemus Point 
witli No. 6 spoons. After , the ground has been gone 
Over two or three times with No. 6 change to No. 8 and 
go over again three or four times. This is our favorite 
bit of water in Chautauqua Lake. The possibilities here 
are great. You may strike a lo-pound muskallonge, but 
you are just as likely to get an old terror of 30 to 50 
pounds. 
When this ground has been fished thoroughly take in 
all lines and row across the lake to the northern or rather 
the northeastern shore. Commence fishing at the head 
of Arnold's Bay for bass, hugging the shore all the way 
down to and including Bellevue Bay. The fishing is 
oyer a hard bottom and extends out from ioo to 200 
feet only. 
When you have finished with the bass put out muskal- 
longe rigs, using No. 6 spoons. Their ground com- 
mences at the edge of the bass grounds and extends out 
about 1,000 to 1,200 feet. The muskallonge fishing is 
good all the way down to Griffith's Dock. About three- 
quarters of a mile away from shore are three or four 
big clumps of weeds. There are always some big fish 
in these if you can catch them on the feed. We gener- 
ally put in an hour fishing these clumps of weeds and 
seldom come away unrewarded. 
What wc have described we consider the best parts 
of the lower end of the lake; but it by no means says that 
tliere are no fish elsewhere. To be absolutely correct, we 
can say there are muskallonge everywhere, but the 
chances are you would do better following the lines we . 
have laid down rather than to fish the center. 
On very bright days it is always advisable to get out 
as long lines as possible. We then take a beer bottle 
cork split in half, and i)Ut it on the line about 20 to 25 
feet from the spoon. In this way we can increase the 
length of the line 15 to 20 feet without the .spoon sink- 
ing into the weeds. ' 
Chautauqua Lake can be reached from all quarters. 
The main line of the Erie Railroad reaches Lakewood 
from New York, Cincinnati and Chicago, and by a few 
hours only from Buffalo and Cleveland. Lakewood is 
on the western bank at the lower end of the lake, and 
viglit in the heart of the best fishing. To reach Chautau- 
qua from New York, take train No. 7, Erie R. R., in the 
evening, get a good night's sleep and arise in time to 
tret breakfast in the cafe car before reaching Lakewood at 
7 A. M. Go to your hotel, see your things put straight, 
lake your boat and be struggling with your first mighty 
victim by 0 A. M. Wc have accomplished this many a 
time. 
The palatial hotels, Kent House and Waldemere, arc 
tlie best to stop at. They give special rates to- fishermen 
during ihe early part of the season, and also in the fall. 
To finish this article it )nus( have an end. Nothiug 
lo(.)ks well without a good finish, and "all's well that 
ends well." When at Lakewood place yourself in the. 
hands of our old and esteemed friend Steve. He has a 
first-class boat livery, will supply you with the best 
guides on the lake and bait if necessary. He is him- 
self a thorough sportsman and has a warm heart and 
fellow feeling for brother sportsmen. 
Jamks Churchward. 
Anglers of the St. Lawrence. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The seventeenth annual meeting of the .Anglers' As- 
sociation of the St. Lawrence River was held at Gan- 
anoque. Out.. Aug. i. This large and influential or- 
.ganization is made up chiefly of prominent citizens of 
Clayton, Alexandria Bay, Gananoque and Brockville 
and wealthy men from various parts of the country who 
own summer homes at the Thousand Islands. During 
\\y existence the .'Vssociation has accomplished a vast 
amount of good in the wa}^ of ridding the river of net 
fishermen, in securing the enactment of protective meas- 
ures, in stocking the waters with fish, in furthering the 
establishment of an international park and various other 
movements calculated to promote the interests of the 
Thousand Islands region. There was a good attendance 
at the annual meeting, and all present manifested great 
interest in the business matters which came up for con- 
sideration. Among those in attendance were: 
Hon. Cliarles R. S!<inner, of Albany, State Superintendent of 
Public Instruction; Maj. J. \\. Pond, Albany, Chief State Game 
Proteclor; Hon. B. M. Britten, M. P., Kingston, Ont.; W. H. 
Thomp.son, G. O. Mclntyre, Tosepli Northrup. Alexandria Bay; 
R. P. Grant. Clavton; E. G. \Vyckoff, Ithaca: Royal E. Dean, A. 
Costello, Joseph Tait. Thos. H. Gillespie, T. P, Smith, New York 
city: Gen. J. B. Van Petten, Claverack; John R. Miller, Phila- 
delphia, Pa.; Thomas B. Kerr, Englewciod, N. J.; Chas, A. 
.Sterling, New York; D. C. McEwan. Brooklyn; O, J. Parker, 
T'ittsburg. Pa.; O. F. Oti.<;, Thousand Islands Park; G. H. Seiple, 
,St. Lawrence Park; .\Iaj. J. H. Durham, Round Island; E. D. 
Sherwood, J. S. Munro. Earl S. Ellis, Syracuse; W. E. Wolcott, 
Utica; O. C. Allen, Warren. Pa.: T. C. Judd, Morton; F. A. 
Gandell, Richmond, Va.; R. V. Horton, Hon. E. B. Moles, A. 
Fullernm. A. J. McCarlev. F. C. Lalonde, E. H. Bissett, M. V. W. 
Bird, R. Bow ie, F. E. Cloyes, .A.. L. Murray, Hon. Daniel Berbv- 
shire, Brockville. Ont.; G. W. Henry, Point Vivian: G. E. Asble'y. 
F. A. MacNee, Kingston, Ont.; Hon. Chas. E. Britton. Hon. W; 
B. Carroll, Gananoqnes Olft., and others. 
Hon. Charles Sktfmer, second vice-president of the 
•Association, presidet^ President W. C. Browning being 
unable to attend owing to sickness in his family, and 
First y^ice- President Henry R. Heath being in Europe. 
Mr. Skinner said: "For seventeen years the Anglers' 
Association has been doing what it could to promote 
the interests of every admirer of nature and all who 
seek recreation on this beautiful river. This Association 
is entitled to credit for the movement which established 
the reservation on the St. Lawrence. The State has set 
aside twelve different points and islands where j^ll people 
have the right to take their recreation. In this move- 
ment we had the sympathy of our friends in Canada; and 
assurances that they wotdd seek to establish similar 
reser('ations on the Canadian side, and to hartnotjize the 
fishing laws on both sides o.f the river. I for one am al- 
ways ready to welcome a Canadian on the American 
side. There is no reason for discrimination. If our Cana- 
dian members wTll come to Albany or to Washingtpn 
we will show them how to change the fiihing laws;' ' T 
think it, is the general sentiment that no barbed-wire 
feucc .sjioiild be erected on the international line. The 
two cotmtries have common interests. We are working 
in harmony in certain lines, especially to civilize and 
Christianize the world. God bless them in that endeavor.-! 
We do not want e-X])ansion so much as good citizenship, 
whether in Cuba, China or elsewhere." 
W, E. Wolcott, of Utica, was elected secretary of ttie 
meeting. Eleven new members were elected,^ and Hon. 
B. M. Britton,' of Kingston, Ont., and the New York 
State Commissioners of Forests, Fish and Game were 
made honorary members. 
Treasurer R. P. Grant presented his annual report, 
which was as follows: Cash on hand one year ago, 
$350.23; received for dues, %i2i7-7y, total receipts $487.96; 
disbursements, $90.88; cash on hand, $397.08. 
W. H. Thompson submitted his annual repoi-t as sec- 
retary, which was as follows: "A review of the work of 
the Anglers' Association of the St. Lawrence River fof 
the year 1899 would say that the most earnest efforts 
have been made by our fish and game protector, Josepfi 
Northrup, to enforce the game laws applying to the 
reservation of the St. Lawrence River and he has cap-^ 
tured many illegal devices used for the capture of fiste 
We can hardly appreciate the great amount of care and 
labor which comes upon the protector, and it is through 
the assistance of our Association that he has been so. 
successful. In looking over the work of the Association 
for the past year we should congratulate ourselves upon 
the great improvements and work done on the river; 
Since we met last we have had built on the State lands 
nine pavilions and fifteen cooking ovens for the use 
of visitors. We have had furnished by the State Fisb 
Commission fifty buoys and anchors for buoying out 
the passages to the landings of the State docks for the 
many yachts that frequent these places for dining and 
shelter, We find that we need many more cooking- 
ovens, to accommodate the vast crowds who occupy these 
State lands,, and we also need several more places for 
dining. purposes, as the number now is insufficient. We ' 
are in hopes, to have our Canadian neighbors fulfill their 
promises to set apart several islands and points for the 
same use that we have ours. 
"We have had some charges made that our fishermen , 
were catching bass in Canadian waters and marketing 
same. I at once instituted a vigorous investigation and 
could not find these charges sustained, I sent to Cape-. 
Vincent and got a statement from the fish house that 
such things had not occurred. Protector Northrup was^ 
advised, and he has been on the lookout for anj'' such' 
violations, but cannot find the charges sustained, . 1 
think it was done to deter our fishermen from fre^ 
rutcnting the Canadian waters, they Avanting all the fish 
for market. We find tons of fish from Canadian waters 
put upon our markets. Now, if we coiild have a full and 
free reciprocity in this matter, we would not have to in- 
vestigate charges, etc. I hope we may to-day come to 
a satisfactory understanding, and have it 30 placed upon 
the statutes of the Province that wc will be enabled to. 
call the St. Lawrence River an international reservation. 
Ill order to accomplish this a delegation was sent to 
Brockville last winter. It was met by Hon, S. T . 
Bastedo, Hon. Geo. Graham, Hon. C, E, Britton,: of 
Gananoque, and other notables who were interested in 
bringing about the object sought. The matter was thor- 
oughly discussed, and al! seemed to be inclined to the 
opinion that the whole matter of international reserva- 
tion should be settled b\- the Governments of Ottwa 
and Toronto. The meeting adjourned until the sitting 
of Parliament in Ottawa, when the matter was thor- 
oughly canvassed, and we were assured that everything 
possible would be done at that sitting. Hon. M, Davies 
seemed to concur, and he requested us to make our case 
-with Dr. McKahn, and anything he reported would go. 
We had a conference with the Doctor, and he assured us 
that he could not change his previous report, which was 
to have the open season on the St. Lawrence begin 
June 9; but since then I have been informed that the 
close season could not be changed, and that no effort 
was made to get the islands set apart or an appropriation 
to aid the project. I hope we may be instrumental in 
getting these matters settled for all time, that we may 
enjoy the full freedom of the river. We have spent large 
sums of money and a great amount of time up to date, 
and I trust that our action to-day will go far toward 
bringing about the culmination of our object. Our mem- 
mership is kept nominally full, the new members being 
about equal to those who have died or resigned during 
the year," 
Secretary Thompson, in speaking of the $S license fee 
for Americans fishing on Canadian w-aters, said: "We 
tried to have it arranged so that no man fishing in 
Canadian waters would feel that he Avas violating the 
law, and the edict came that there would be no license 
charged east of Wolf or Snake Island. Our closed season 
for bass was until June i, and the Canadian until June .15. 
A compromise was made on June 9, but I believe this 
has not been carried out on the Canadian side. If our 
people get into Canadian waters on June 10 they are 
violating the law. We want, as an association, interested 
in the St. Lawrence River, to have the Canadian people 
meet us on these points. We allow the Canadians to 
come Oil our side, and their oarsmen can come over and 
get their $3 a day the saine as Americans. I hear that 
some American boatmen came to Gananoque to row 
and were called down and told they must pay for the 
privilege, I do not think this was enforced^, though. 
Our Canadian brothers have said they would meet us 
half way, and that is all we want. We are neighbors, and 
do not want any differences. As our president has said, 
we want no barb-wire fences on the river. I understand 
that American citizens who go back into Canada pay a 
license fee of $5 for fishing, but that we are not interested 
in. We are interested only in the St. Lawrence. In the 
matter of the park there seerns to have been but little 
done. The Hon. I^Ir. Britton, who was at the con- 
ference, can tell us about the matter." - 
Hon. B. M. Britton, in .speaking of matters referred 
to rn the $ccretary's report, said in part: "We !« Canada 
liave a very complete system of goyernm,ent. which fact. 
