Aug. 25, 1900.J 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
Perce, the resident oi the club, was only 5 inches off 
on the 70-foot buoy, Lippincott missed the 8o-foot buoy 
once by a scant 2 inches, Letterman did nice work also, 
and indeed it seemed as though everybody in it was 
doing good work. It was not known for some minutes 
after the close of the contest who was the winner, Mr. 
Hascall being thought first so far as the spectators could 
tell. It was a near enough thing to leave every man 
plenty of comfort. Judges, W. H. Babcock, A, Stuart; 
referee. Geo. M. Lee. The scores : 
Fifth Event— Accuracy bait-casting at buoys 60. 70. 80, 90 and lOO 
feet. Three oasts shall be made at each buoy with half-ounce rub- 
ber frog-. The order of buoys to be announced by the captain. 
All contestants to finish casting at first buoy before the next is 
announced by the captain, and a like precedure throughout the 
contest. If frog falls witnin 1 foot of buoy cast at, it shall be 
considered perfect; for each additional foot cr fraction thereof that 
frog drops from such buoy a demerit of 1 shall be made; the sum 
total of such demerits, divided by 15, shall be considered the 
demerit per cent. ; the demerit per cent, dedticted from 100 shall 
be the accuracy per cent. Fre^-rtmning reel only allowed: 
J. B. Armstrong 75 2-5. I. D. Belasco 96 11-15, L. I. Blackmau 
88 2-5, e. F. Brown 89 1-15, H. Greenwood 96 2-3, H. G. Hascall 98, 
N. C. Heston 80 2-5, E. R. Letterman 96 2-3, C. A. Lippincott 
94 3-5, F. N. Peet 98 2-15, H. W. Perce 82 2-3, G. W. Salter 96 2-15, 
A, C. Smith 98 2-5, H. H. Ainsworth 91 14-15, A. E. Lovett 96 4-5, 
G, Hinterleitney 941-5. C. B. Kelsey 97, T. Waddell 79 8-15, D. 
Berry 85 13-15, H. Parker 93, I. H. Bellows 95 1-3. 
First prize, diamond medal, Chicago Fly-Casting Club : A. C, 
Smith, 98 2-5 per cent. 
Second prize, Talbot reel, value $28, W, H, Talbqt: F. N. Peet, 
98 2-15 per cent. 
Third prize, spiral fiy-rod, value ?20, F. D. Devine Co. ! H, G. 
Hascall 98 per cent. 
Fourth prize, Gayle reel, value $15, Geo. W. Gayle & Son; C. B, 
Kelsey, 97 per cent. 
Fifth prize, split bamboo fly-rod, value $15; two dozen flies, value 
$2; total value $17; Montgomery Ward & Co.: A. E. Lovett, 96 4-5 
per cent. 
Sixth prize, one Lenson fly-book and four dozen assorted flies, 
value $12, Wm. Mills & Son; one All Right reel, value $1.75. A. 
F. Meisselbach & Brother; total value sixth prize, $13.75: I. L. 
Belasco, 96 11-15 per cent. 
Seventh prize, one dozen Burtis flies, value $2; one-half dozen 
leaders, value $3; Yawman & Erbe automatic reel, value $8, Yaw- 
man & Erbe Mfg. Co.; total value seventh prize $13: E. R. Letter- 
man and H. Greenwood, 96 2-3 per cent. 
Eighth prize, tapered fly-line and half-dozen leaders, value $6.25, 
W.J. Cummins; two dozen flies, value $2; total value eighth prize, 
$8.25: H. Greenwood won tie on 7. 
Ninth prize, Burtis baits, value $2. Geo. H. Burtis; two artificial 
minnows, value $1, F. A. Pardee & Co.; total value ninth prize, 
$4: G. W. Salter 96 2-5 per cent. 
Tenth prize, two alligator lines, value $2, J. L. Van Uxem; 
bait, value $1; total value tenth prize, $3: I. D. Belasco 
95 1-3 per cent. 
Fourth Event, Long Distance Fly. 
Only ten men qualified, Mr. Mansfield at the last mo- 
ment deciding not to compete. A rather hollow victory 
was won by the husky and fit looking Lovett, who cast 
as though his future happiness depended on reaching the 
further shore with his fiy, and who distanced all com- 
petitors, Fred Peet being nearest to him with 102 to his 
105 feet. 
Mr. Feet was first at the score. It was blazing hot, and 
he was drippinig with perspiration from the hard work 
with the big rod. He cihanged rods twice and seemed to 
have rather hard luck in keeping control of his line 
sometimes. The air was heavy and dead. Mr. Peet was 
irregular, part of the time away from the floats, but his 
pluck and strength brought him in for two or three long 
ones, and he came in second. 
Mr. Kelsey followed Mr. Peet. A fine high back cast, 
but he lacked driving power to the font, reaching the 
end of the float line rarely and weakening in the ordeal 
of heat and stifling air. 
Dr. Brown, third at the score, made hard work of it 
and did not get on the floats more than once or twice. 
Mr. Smith followed. He handled his back cast with 
a sweep that kept it high and he showed good control 
of his line, though tiring at the hard work. 
Mr. Bellows was next and showed good form with 
the big tournament rod, as is his custom, but he said 
it seemed impossible for him to get his leader straight- 
ened out. It may have been that a slight air met the 
fly at that part of the course. 
Mr. Mocker was next. He showed much strength 
and carried a nice back line. He went to the floats at 
once and repeatedli', showing a very good control over 
his line. 
Mr. Hascall was next and made a good impression, 
though slight for such heavy work. He knows the game 
and was soon along the buoys, with three very nice lies 
and a very jair average of direction- and control. 
Mr. Belasco also made a good impression. Mr. Lovett 
says he could teach Mr. Belasco to do 115 feet in a week. 
He is large and strong, though yet shy in a few points 
of the game. His work improved under Mr. Lovett's 
coaching. 
Mr. Waddell again played rather in hard luck, though 
he. showed a mastery of his tools and knew the game 
nicely. He could not account for the folding up of his 
best casts and retired with a puzzled look. It may have 
been that the air was now freshening against the score. 
Mr. Lovett was picked for winner before he had done 
a half dozen casts. He was not there for any other 
purpose, either, and was eager, indeed a bit nervous. He 
was on the point of asking for a change of direction in 
the line of the buoys, for a faint air could be plainly 
felt coming in now and then toward the score, though 
it was baffling and shifty. Mr. Lovett at once went 
along the buoy line and clung there handsomely, his win 
being very decisive. The scores : 
Fourth Event. — Long-distance fly-casting: No limit to rod or 
line. Ten minutes shall be allowed to extend fly to greatest 
possible distance. No time allowance for replacing fly. 
Judges, E. R. Letterman. Douglas Berry; referee, E. E. Critch- 
field; timer. C. H. Chad wick. 
L D. Belasco 91 feet, I. H. Bellows lOO feet, C. F. Brown 80 
feet, H. G. Hascall 100 feet, F. N. Peet 102 feet, A. C. Smith 93 
feet, C. B. Kelsey 92 feet, E. A. Mocker 95 feet, J. Waddell 75 
feet, A. E. Lovett 105 feet. 
First prize, diamond medal, Chicago Fly-Casting Club: A. E. 
Lovett 105 feet. 
Second prize, Silkine fly-rod, value $30, John M. Kenyon: F. 
N. Peet, 102 feet. 
Third prize, Emeric fly-book, value $,">, Clabrough, Golcher & 
Co.; Mackinzie box. with one dozen leaders, value $10, A. Carter 
& Co.; total value third prize, $15: H. G. Hascall 100 feet. 
Fourth prize, one dozen leaders, value $5; two dozen flies, value 
$2; total value fourth prize, $7: I. H. Bellows 100 feet— lost on tie 
with Hascall, 
Fifth prize, two artificial minnows, four dozen flies: E. A. 
Mocker 95 feet 
Sfsrth prlie, tw-alHgator baft lines, valtie $2, I. L, Van Uxem : 
A. C. Smith 98 feet. 
Eveoiflg Meeting. 
Tfie casting was concluded a trifle after sundown, m 
heavy, murky, dead air. The handshakings of farewell 
soon began and the pleasant party dispersed, the greater 
part to assemble a little later at the Park refectory, 
where a little collation had been prepared by the Chicago 
Fly-Casting Club. Freshened up by the change of sur- 
rounding, a pleasant hour was passed by the members 
and visitors, speeches and presentation of prizes being the 
closing order of the day and of the tournament. The 
prizes were awarded as hereinbefore mentioned, the San 
Francisco special prize going to Mr. Lovett on a score 
of 98 at distance and accuracy with the fly and of 
96 4-5 in accuracy with bait, a total of 97 2-5" per cent. 
Mr. Salter took the bait average on 99 89-120, receiving 
the Van Uxeiii ;rod. At an early hour the meeting ad- 
journed. _ E. LIouGTi. 
Habti-orij Bifixurae, Chicago, III. 
A Boy and a Salmon. 
Quebec, Aug. 16.— Editor Forest and Stream: Ofiicial 
business recently called me away for a few days below 
Quebec. I spent July 23 and 24 at Matane, about 200 
miles below Quebec, on the south shore of the estuary 
of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 
A little over a mile up the Matane River is a large 
saw mill belonging to the firm of Price Brothers, of 
Quebec, and at the foot of the dam of this mill begin the 
salmon pools belonging to the Matane Fish and Game 
A POMPEIIAN WALL FRESCO. 
Club, composed of a few gentlemen residing in Quebec, 
Ottawa and other cities. The fly-fishing having been 
very satisfactory this season and the people not poaching 
nor otherwise causing any trouble, the club rewarded 
them by throwing open the fishing to the villagers, who 
all thoroughly enjoyed it while I was there. Unfortu- 
nately, I did not bring my salmon rod with me. Had I 
done so I should have had capital sport. 
I saw one fine salmon killed by a man who had only an 
ordinary bamboo pole and line, with no reel. I saw 
another party, who had a fine salmon rod and reel, lose 
three salmon running. But the strangest fish capture was 
by a young boy, who had a rather long common bamboo 
pole with a line tied at the top. He fastened a good- 
sized salmon fly to the line, without leader, and tried his 
luck for sea trout. After two or three casts he found his 
fly taken by a fresh-run 15-pound salmon, which, after 
leaping twice, made a dash and broke the line off at the 
top of the pole. The boy felt awfully cut up at losing 
his fish and his line and fly. After thinking over his 
misfortunes for a few moments, he decided he would 
take a boat, row out, and try and recover his line and 
fly. He soon discovered his line floating on the water, 
caught it and began hauling it in, when the salmon, which 
was still fast, showed decided resistance. The boy, fear- 
ing to lose his line again, quickly took a turn around the 
thwart or seat of the boat, which stopped the salmon 
from going any_ further. He then rowed ashore, towing 
his salmon, which was fortunately well hooked by the 
big fly-hook well fastened back of the tongue. Then the 
boy triumphantly hauled the fish ashore. 
When I returned here, I told this story to some of my 
friends at the Garrison Club, who appeared to think I 
somcAvhat exaggerated. I therefore wrote my friend, Mr. 
John H. Patton, the Collector of H. M. Customs at 
Matane, and asked him whether what I related was really 
the truth and nothing but the truth. I inclose Mr. 
Patton' s letter, giving the age and name of the boy and 
vouching for the truthfulness of my story, and add'ng 
another, which you are welcome to publish if you think 
they interest brother anglers, fish stories beinjr iti.st now 
fashionable and in order. J. U. Gregory. 
Matane, Aug. 13.— My Dear Mr. Gregory; T duly 
received yours of the 3a inst. The circumstances you 
allude to respecting the boy catching a salmon with a 
bamboo rod and no reel is a fact. He is a son of Mr. Jos, 
Lavasseur, fourteen years old, and an expert fisher. 
A rather singular circumstance happened, when I was 
present, many years ago on a salmon fishing excursion up 
the River Matane with the late Sir A. T. Gait and his 
son, John (now one of the firm of Gait & Gait, of Winni- 
peg). We were up in two canoes, and arriving at a 
salmon pool named Boncannien. We told Jack Gait to 
put up his trout rod to see if there were any fish in the 
pool while we were camp making. After fishing a short 
time, he called out, "I have hooked a fish." We at once 
joined him and witnessed as hard a fight between fisher- 
man and fish as could be wished; it lasted over one hour, 
and when the fish was played out one of our boatmen 
waded out and took up the fish, and to his astonishment 
could not find the fly in the fish's mouth, but after further 
inspection found that the gut had made a half-hitch 
around the salmon's tail, and Gait had been playing him 
m that extraordinary position, the fly hangng about 6 
mches below the tail of the fish. Yours sincerely, 
John H. Patton. 
Tarpon Fishing. 
Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 7. —Editor Forest and Stream: 
li you will fijrnish the necessary space in your columns 
i shall write a series of letters on "Tarpon Fishing," ad- 
dressed to the readers of your -aper, with the intention 
of starting a discussion on the subject, for the purpose 
of making more popular this finest of piscatorial sport 
and providing all necessary information for those who 
purpose giving it a trial. 
Tarpon fishing has obtained among fishermen in gen- 
eral a reputation of being rather slow sport, involving a 
great deal of long and tedious waiting for few if any 
strikes. This is due to the fact that the fishing has gen- 
erally been done in a wrong manner and in wrong places. 
It has often been told to me that certain parties have 
spent two or three weeks in Florida in winter, fishing 
every day and all day long for tarpon, with the result 
that they caught either none at all or only one or two 
fish. Such an experience as this no tarpon fisherman 
or even would-be tarpon fisherman need ever again an- 
ticipate, for there are times and places where the silver 
king bites often and fiercely, and where a man who knows 
how to do it can land several fine fish per day. 
The series of letters that I purpose writing will be upon 
the following subjects: 
First — Where to go. 
Second — Tackle and outfit. 
Third — How to fish for tarpon. 
Fourth — Allied fishing. 
Before commencing this task, I am going to ask each 
tarpon fisherman who reads your paper to contribute his 
quota of information to the general fund by taking a hand 
in the discussion of these papers, criticising whatever he 
may disagree with, and supplementing them wherever 
possible with data from his own experience or from thai 
of others upon whose word he can rely. 
The information thus amassed would prove of great 
interest and usefulness to anglers for the "grande 
ccaille," consequently I would ask the privilege of col- 
lecting It later on into book form, so as to make it 
available for everybody. 
Tarpon fishing is only in its infancy; and no matter 
how popular it may become it will for the following 
reasons never be exhausted: 
First— The supply of fish is practically unlimited. 
Second — Tarpon fishing is recreation for only the well- 
to-do, as the expense that it incurs is comparatively 
great. 
Third — This fishing involves nearly always a long 
journey to and fro; and 
Fourth— The fish is unsalable in the market, and only 
the very small ones are really fit for food. 
Such being the case, no one need fear that, by making 
public what he knows about tarpon haunts, he will be ruin- 
ing good fishing grounds and spoiling his future sport, 
as would be the case were one dealing with bass fishing 
in a small lake or district. 
Before beginning my labors on the proposed series 
of letters I would like to obtain some encouragement 
from a few of your readers by having them notify me, 
preferably through your columns, that they will help me 
otit on the work by taking part in the dis.cussion. 
J. A. L. Waddell. 
Megfanttc Qluh* 
Reports from the Megantic preserve continue to note 
the best of fishing, with members and guests well satis- 
fied. The latest reports say that bass fishing is good in 
Megantic Lake, in the vicinity of the club house. F. A. 
Nichols has taken a black bass of 4^/2 pounds there. The 
same reports say that partridges are really very plenty, 
and excellent shooting is promised as soon as the season 
opens. Special. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
Canoeing in South America. 
Sooner — An Unordinary Dog. 
The .Sliding Rock of Papase'ea. 
In a Sonora Camp. 
Sportsmen's Finds. 
What Cows Were These? 
Cranes. 
Duck Shooting with Fred Mather. 
Nebraska Prairie Chickens. 
Chicago Fly-Casting Tournament. 
A Boy AND a Salmon. 
Tarpon Fishing on Bay-ou Teche. 
Angling Notes, by A. N, Cheney. 
Barnegat Fishing. 
Cruise op the Crescent. 
Yacht Race Reports. 
Trap Handicaps. 
Trapshooting Past akd Present. 
