312 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
'[Oct. 20, 1900. 
■ ,!UHe, brj^€|;ie, proclaim ther' victory, tp. the 'Relighted ..better- 
half on' -shore. One gentleman aft(sr Hays of patient ^ 
trolling struck a tuna, and while he was playing it a huge 
shark bit immense chunks frotn the fighting fish which 
was reeled in minus some 25 pounds of flesh. The un- 
.explained rule, viz., to square the girth of the fish, multi- 
■ piy by the length and divide by 800, which has proved to 
be' reliable in getting at the weight of a fish, carne to his 
rescue, and it was proved beyond all question . that the 
fish, when intact, had exceeded 100 pounds, and the but- 
ton was awarded, to the great satisfaction of the gentleman 
and his friends. During these days the fish displayed 
many peculiarities. At t'mes they would put up a tremen- 
dous fight and again were landed comparatively easy, but 
. it was demonstrated that with up-to-date tackle the fish 
could be brought to gaff in much quicker time than has 
been supposed heretofore possible. 
For a number of days, owing to the condition of my 
hands. I could only look on and witness the sport, but 
later I got fast to several tuna only to part line or leader 
by forcing the fish too liard. Then followed several 
weeks, during which no bait would tempt the fish, though 
they were seen in larger schools swimming with fins and 
tails above the surface during the middle of the day, and 
leaping high in early morning. Disappointed, but by no 
means discouraged, I left the island for a few weeks. 
Then again the fish began to strike and I returned to 
Avalon. In a few days, with Bert Neal as boatman, I took 
a 116-pound tuna, bringing it to gaff in forty-five minutes; 
and again with Art. as he is familiarly called, for galfsman 
and boatman, I landed one of 126 pounds in thirty-five 
minutes, and therefore obtained the coveted blue button of 
the Tuna Club. 
Now a word to anglers in regard to Santa Catalina. 
The fishing is so unlike our Atlantic coast angling, it 
will prove a delightful novelty to an Eastern man. By 
all means try it if possible. The island is unique. There 
one's fish'ng is the perfection of ease unjl the fish 
strikes, then look out. One sits in a comfortable chair 
with a back in the stern of the launch with a com- 
panion beside one if desired ; but if after tuna don't both 
troll at the same time. You are more than liable to lose 
one or both fish. In these waters no anxiety need be felt 
in regard to sudden squalls or storms, for it is a per- 
petual summer sea. As one glides out of the little curved 
hay of Avalon past Sugar Loaf on the port and a rugged, 
picturesque promontory on the starboard, one cannot but 
be charmed by the lovely view of Avalon, backed by 
mountains so entirely unlike any seen in the East, One 
notices the varying shades of brown, gray, ash and ,pink, ' 
Then one is amazed at the wonderful colors of the sea — 
indigo, purple, opal and endless shades of blue and green. 
Extremely interesting is the marine life, which is very 
much like that of the Mediterranean. Toward sunset 
the mounta'ns, which perhaps at noon one had pronounced 
barren, harsh and uninteresting, change in appearance. 
The rugged outlines become softened, and as the shadows 
deepen, the gorgeous hues of the sunset sky mingle with 
the sea tints. Away to the east the coast range shows clear 
and blue, at times snow-tipped. At this hour one is 
apt to forget the trolHng bait astern, and to be lost in 
admiration. Here sea birds and seals are undi.sturbed and 
are very fearless, and add greatly to the .scene. The 
launches are well equipped as to rods, reels, etc., though 
to use one's own tackle is a source of mxic\\ greater 
satisfact'on. The men 1 have mentioned also several; 
others, are reliable, well posted and up to all the various 
peculiarities of the fish, and will do all possil^l^ iqr the 
visitor. i':s''V' 
As the fishing for black sea bass, also called jewfisii, has 
been recently so abl}^ described by Prof. Charles T. 
Holder in the Forest and Stream, I will only mention 
that in a recent issue of the Los Angeles Times the cap- 
ttire of a 405-pound jewfish is recorded. The fish, how- 
ever, cannot be recorded in the tournament of the Tuna 
Club, for the genlleman who struck the fish, in the gen- 
eros'ty of his heart handed the rod to his less fortunate 
companion to land the fish. May such a spirit alway.s 
prevail among all true anglers. Fishing for the yellowtail 
has also been well described, and I will only add as my 
humble opinion that if a 150-pound fish possessed the pro- 
portiona'e strength, .speed, and dash of a 2S-pound yellow- 
tail, the rod and line is yet to be devised to hold such a 
fish. 
Among my angling memories I shall always look back 
to the haopy davs passed on the island aT)tly called the 
Magic Isle, amid summer seas, Santa Catalina. 
Cazador. 
My First Trout. 
Sitting idly at my desk this sultry afterrioon, having 
disposed of the current business of the day, I, fell into 
a reminiscent mood and in memory went back to home 
and scenes of my boyhood— the old-fashioned country 
house in which I Avas born ; the outbuildings ; the fields 
m wh'ch 1 had essaj^ed to compete with the hired man 
in different branches of farm labor ; the hay field where 
I had spread to dry the swaths of grass cut by the 
mowers' .scythes; the hill pasture from which I had 
gathered the cows and conducted them to the inclosure 
where they were to be milked; the gathering and garner- 
ing of the var-ous products of the farm ; the multifarious 
duties the discharge of which devolved upon the tarmer 
boy. I saw all this, and more : for 1 saw the brook 
meandering through the meadowr the source of which 
was far up in the hills. I saw the very- pool with its 
bordering bushes from which pool I caught my first 
trout — I was the youngest of a trio of brothers, arid had 
been permitted to accompany my elder brother at. times 
on his fishing excursions — could carry his box of worm 
bait! and such fish as he miffht catch- when strung upon 
a forked stick. I had ambition above -this. I wished to 
fish on my own responsibility and judgment. Repetition 
of request finally procured desired permission — -a com- 
mercial transaction with the villatre storekeeper resulted 
in acquiring a fish hook and lead from the lining., of "a 
tea chest for sinker. A cork surreptitiously taken from 
the molasses jug — substituting therefor a corn cob — 
siir>n1ied f^e float. I had an alder branch for a rod: but 
still I lacked a line. This I supolied. by extracting a 
number of long hairs frbm the tail of the family korse, 
twisting them together in a way I had learned, splicing 
by introduction of .additional hairs as I proceeded, until 
the proper letigth' of line had been manufacttJred. ■ With 
exception of bait box- my equipment was now complete. 
A boy of eight years or thereabout does not indefinitely 
postpone his first angling excursion for want of se un- 
essential an article 6'f his equipment as a receptacle for 
bait; my trousers pockets were utilized as a substitute. 
In company with thi elder brother acting as monitor 
we approached the stream. Sheltered ,,by a clump of; 
willows, I quietly, dropped my baited hook into the 
water of. a favorite poot, Salvelinus quickly responded. 
In my excitement I forgot my instructions, an,d failed to 
hook the fish. , Raising my alder sapling, elevating my 
hook and a struggling trout attached two or three feet 
above the water, I joyously called out "I'vjc got one! 
I've got one!" My joy was brief. The „fish, not 
being hooked, dropped back to its , native element. 
My. grief was great, my tears were copious. 
The elder brother soothed tny, perturbed erao^tions, en- 
couraging me to try again. Renewing my baij I again 
dropped my hook into the same water, a bite, quickly 
followed, my excitement was modified. I did not forget 
my admonition to hook the fish; the gentlt jerk I ad- 
ministered sent that i}4-oxvnce trout on an aerial voyage, 
landing it at least fifty feety away in the meadow grass. 
Dropping my angling implements I lost no time in 
retrieving that unfortunate fish. With it in my hands, I 
made all haste to my home, where on arrival I placed 
the still struggling trout on exhibiton, ' receiving con- 
gratulations from the female portion of the family on 
my success as an angler. In fancy I was an expert, and 
from that. moment sought to, obtain an angling outfit' 
conmiensurate with my conceived ability.^ 
Septuagenarian, 
St. Louis, Mo. . 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
The Story of Mr. Washburnc's Troot. 
Chicago, 111., Oct. 13.- — ^A few weeks ago mention was 
made in these columns of a very large brook trout which 
was caught late this summer by Hon. Hempstead Wash- 
burne, of this city, on the Salmon Trout River, and 
within the preserves of the Huron Mountain Club, of 
upper Michigan. Mr. Washburne showed me the skin 
of this trout, which he was having mounted, and its 
length was something like two feet and its weight 5 
pounds pitmip. He was very proud of the fish, and 
chuckled somewhat as he explained that there were 
others who would haA'e been glad to have taken this 
very fish. ,■ 
Mr. Washburne is an occasional attendant upon the 
midday banquets of the Wishininne Club, where there 
are a few choice spirits who now and again round up 
together. At the same place is sometimes to be seen 
Hon. Carter H. Harrison, Mayor of Chicago. I have 
at times spoken of these two Mayors (Mr. Washburne 
is an ex-Mayor of this city) as friends ar^d hunting 
companions. They are both members of the Huron 
Mountain Club and both, very ardent trout fishers, of 
a wide experience, and well proved skill. Sometimes 
they both turn up at the Wishininne meet at the same 
time, and sometimes they do not. The other day they 
did; not, Mayor Harrison being present and Mr. Wash- 
burne absent, which for the purposes in hand was per- 
haps just as well. Some one spoke of this big trout that 
Mr. .Washburne had caught, and the eyes of Mayor Har- 
rison took on the look of war, 
"His trout!" said the Mayor, "his trout! Why, that 
was my troiit; It was a law down trick of Hemp to go 
and catch my trout. Why, I had that fish located down 
to an inch. I knew just where he was lying all the time. 
I had raised him Ji' dozen times, and I had hooked him 
twice that very day,' arid pa3'ed him for a while, T was 
out after him that vWy' afternoon', all fixed to take him 
home with me, I was juSt sneaking — whj'. say, vit was 
robbery, pure robbery for Hemp to do that way!" Mayor- 
Harrison's voice showed deep emotion, and .it was plain, 
that he felt that he had an amdivided interest -jn that 
trout. - ■ . ' ' .s; 
"I told Hemp that I had seen that. fish," he continued, 
"and that I had had him on, and. that Iiwas^going out to 
catch him. I showed him the very pool, thei.very log 
where the fish was lying. I told him just where, the trout 
would break and what he would do. Why, I knew that 
trout like a brother. .A.11 I was waiting for was just the 
time to start home. I was going to bring that ifish:home 
with me, just to show what the place could do, , and in- 
cidentally what 1 could do. Now, for that man to, sneak 
in there- — what do you think I ought to do to hinj. any-, 
how? ; -i t.'-" <t 
"I told hira what I was going to dp ,lthat afternboii, and 
we both started out together, gping in above the pool 
where my fish was lying, I had been .rather careless pf 
the exact look of the river just above there, and as we 
fished on down I said to Hemp that I- guessed we must 
be getting pretty close to my bend, where ,ti:e big trout 
was. 'Oh, no, we ain't,' the villian said. *We ain't any- 
where near it yet." So I let him fish on down ahead of 
me and took my own time. 
■"After a little I got down to a place which I recognized 
and knew was just around the bend from the hole where 
my fish was. I thought I would shorten up the distance 
a little by wading across the s'ream and taking to the 
shore so as to cut across the bend and get itUo the river 
at just the right place. I waded on through the sandy 
path across, and took my time to the walk, thinking T 
could not fail to get that trout this time sure. When 
I got up to the bank I parted the brush and looked 
over at the pool. And what do you think I saw? 
"There was that blame robber, stand'ng up pretty near 
to his waist in the water at the head of the pool, with 
-his hat pushed back on his head, and a cigar stuck up 
in the corner of his mouth, and about the broadest smile 
on his face you. ever saw. .Talk about the cat that ate 
the canary! I knew in a wink what he had on out 
there at the end of his line. There was only one trout 
that would bend a rod into that shape. But Hemp was too 
busy to run when he heard me call to hirn and begin to 
abuse him, as the head robber of all robbers. He just 
grunted and kept his finerers on the reel, and. smiled and 
looked hapnv. That's how. he got his trout. He can 
pay the taxidermist's charges on it if he wants to, but it 
is really my fi^h!" 
As £0 Mr. Washburne, he sayeth not. He has the 
fish, and 'it ' vt'eighed 5 pounds plump." "There wasn't a 
box long enough to put it in, and its tail was curled up 
at the end in the' box in which it came. 
It was on this same stream and at about the same time 
that there happened another fishing incident of which 
Mayor Harrison spoke, and in which this same friend 
was concerned. Mayor Harrison said that he was on 
his. way up the river in his boat, when he saw a good 
big trout, 2' or 3 pounds weight, lying under a log 
in a shallow reach about midstream. He came up over 
the fish, and peering down at it saw that it had something 
white sticking out of the side of its head, apparently 
coming from the gills. All at once the fish made a rush 
down stream, and tore around like mad, churning up 
, the water ■ savagely. Then it came back to its ^ place 
under the log, but turned up its side slightly as though 
in distress, of some sort. Thinking that they might be 
able to net the fish. Mayor Harrison told his boatman 
to try for it, and the latter passed the net under the big 
trout without much trouble. At once he called o.ut. 
"Why,- here's another fish fast .to this one!" and/ they 
actually took out two trout, the large one first seen, and 
a_ smaller one. The leader had passed out through the 
gills of the big trout, the same trout which had broken 
away from Mr. Washburne at that place earlier in the 
day. The stretcher fly was whipping about in the water 
and the smaller fish took it after the first one was a little 
exhausted by its play on the rod.. The little fellow had 
added to the fatigue of the former, so that the whole 
proposition was about at a standstill when Mayor Har- 
rison came up., He called out to Mr. Washburne that 
they had taken the fish which had broken him there 
earlier in the day. . From all appearances, it would seem 
that Mr. Washburne is a very lucky angler, and one 
hard to tie in a fishing competition. 
I recall that Mr, Chas. T., Hills, a well-known bass 
fisher of this city, once caught two fish with the same 
ho.ok, while casting frog on Fox Lake, 111. A large 
bass ran at the frog, and in , some way the frog and hook 
passed clean through its open gills and out behind, 
where it was seized an instant later by a second bass. 
Mr. Hills played and landed them both, much to his own 
surprise when he learned what was the real state of 
affairs at the ejid, of his line. 
Moscallunge Catch. 
One of the best catches of muscallunge this fall for 
Chicago parties fell to the lot of C. H. Lester and Os- 
wald Von Lengerke this. week. They went to Minocqua 
Lake, a .water by no means new and quite unpromising 
under the weather conditions that prevailed. Mr. Lester 
got..a 30-pound 'lunge the first afternoon, and on the day 
following Mr. Von Lengerke caught one of 28 pounds, 
and another of t6 pounds., , Others of less weight were 
taken later. E. Hough. 
Hartford Building, Chicago. Ill, 
Asbury Park Fishing. 
AsBURY Fa&k, N. J., Oct. J3.— It is really remarkable 
the continued run of bass all along the coast. Since June 
there has been an almost unbroken line of catches. While 
the la^t two months have not produced the larger ones, 
what are familiarly known as school bass have been 
contipually in evidence, running in weight from'2' to 5 
pounds each. Bluefish have been unusually scarce on 
shore throughout ,the season, and but little hope is now 
entertained of much success in that way. The rivers and 
bays are still proHfic of wea.kfish and porgies, and blackfish 
are unusually abundant. Weakfish are beginning to enter- 
tain us now at all the piers, and at favorite points they 
can now be taken direct from the beach. Last autumn 1 
mentioned the fact that the croaker, a fish very abun- 
dant in the lower bays, had condescended to visit us, and 
\vere taken pretty freely from the boats going out to sea. 
This year they have gone it one better, and are be'ng taken 
from the piprs and beach direct. They consort with the 
weakfish,- and are taken either with shedder or clam bait, 
biting both day and night. They are eagerly sought 
after, as they put up a most determined battle, fully 
equaling the striped bass, weight considered. I took five 
fine ones one evening the present week, and cheerfiilly 
subscribe, to their title as a thoroughly game fish. 
Pjekerel are now engag'ng the attention of many who 
are not devotees to salt-water angling, and the fish are 
more than ordinarily inclined to take the hook. Our 
only bass lake has been very unproductive this year. 
Usually many fish are taken, but only three have been 
reported for the present year, and air small ones. What 
the trouble is must be left to conjecture. That the fish 
are there was proven one evening lately by one of 4 
pounds springing into the boat of a pleasure party while 
rowing leisurely along. They have most persistently re- 
fused all baits and lures ; and some folks have been unkind 
enough to say- that politics may be at the bottom of all 
the trouble, and that a m'ghty convention is being held 
in the depths of the lake, from which they refuse to ad- 
journ for dinner. Leonard Hui.it. 
A Day at Oak Swamp. 
Providence^ R. I., Oct. iw.r^A party of three left this 
city early Wednesday morning for a pond about seven 
miles away. They were well supplied with fiddlers (small 
species of crab found on salt-water beaches), salt-water 
shrimp, mummy-changs and about twenty-five small perch 
and pond shiners 3 inches long. Arrived at the lake which 
was very low on account of the dry season for the nast 
two months, we found two pa-rs of oars standing against 
a farmer's barn, and not wishing to rouse him, proceeded 
to the lake, took a boat and got to fi=;hinGr at 4:.m A. M. 
But there was no need of being so early, for no fish were 
caught until after 7 o'clock. The fir.st fish- was, a ba<;s 
which took a perch bait: it was about nonnds. and -^et 
us all going as we had been toM fi^h won'd not,bite with 
northeast winds, but a* this v\'as the only da v M!e, three 
could come together for two weeks, we had risked it. 
Before this fi«h was landed • there was another bite, and 
two of us were busy. AH our rods were pf very light .solit 
bamboo about -6 ounce* and s5ngle-gut leaders. These 
two fish were got aboard all right, and the man who got 
th^ first >tt^ s^Yf hi^ qujU float stowly <3(isappeari' and we 
