^ 
Swccessftil Outingfs. 
California^ Jan. 8.— In its varied gleanings, Forest 
AND Stream unavoidably collects peculiar sentiments. The 
correspondent who contributes the item "Two Successful 
Outings" to the journal of Jan. S must be an am'ateur 
sportsman of very indifferent attainnients, or there are no 
contrasts in life. 
According to his subscribed testimony he went to New- 
foundland on his successful outing No. i and killed three 
caribou, having to put "five shots apiece into the bodies" 
of the first two. 
In successful outing No. 2, in New Brunswick, with a 
guide, he shot three moose and three caribou, securing 
one moose and one caribou. 
Now it seems to me that this is about as unsuccessful 
a showing as a man should make public or be permitted 
to contribute to Forest and Stream. 
Who writes the headlines? 
T-here is a sermon behind such successes, but I am not 
patient enough to attempt it. Of course the performance 
is not a new one, and it is a pity it is not. Cannot some 
real sportsman devote a few hours to the topic? 
Ransacker. 
100 $t)ort$men'$ Tinas. 
Some 0 the Qaeer Discoveries Made by Those Who Are 
Looking for Game or Fish, 
40. 
John Roberts, the fish dealer, received a channel cat- 
fish yesterday evening from Hickman, Ky., weighing 
114 pounds. The monster measured 14 inches 
across the head and came alive and kicking. Roberts 
called in many customers to see the monster, and pro- 
ceeded to skin, dissect, etc., in the presence of Mr. Ster- 
ling Neblett, of the Chronicle, Stickacre and others. 
The reporter -will give the facts as told him by Mr. 
Neblett, who never wabbles, even in a fish story, and we 
will swear to anything Sterling Neblett says, also Stick- 
acre, who was brought up by Sterling in the Greenwood 
prayer meeting, and can't tell a lie. Says Neblett: "I 
saw him cut the fish open, take out the entrails and open 
the masticating sack, from which was taken a piece of 
candle, a bunch of six keys, and a rag carefully rolled 
up and securely tied, in which was found two $20 gold 
pieces, two $5 gold pieces and $5.50 in silver, making 
S55.50, and I tell you, sir, I never would have believed it 
if I had not seen it with my own eyes." — The Savannah 
News. . 
— ® — 
Notice. 
All communications intended for Forest and StrKam should 
always be addressed to the Forest and Stream Publishing Co., and 
not to any individual connected with the paper. 
Proprietors of fishing resorts will find it profitable to advertise 
them in Forest and Stream, 
One Morning. 
The fishing was rank; in fact there seemed to be no 
trout in the lakes, and the experts with rod and reel who 
had made the summer pilgrimage to the Mastigouche 
were filled with disgust and doubts of there being any 
trout in the famous waters of the club. It was the last 
of August and hot — just an' ideal time for camping, and 
though the midday sun was too warm for comfort, the 
nights were chilly enough to call for blankets. More for 
the enjoyment of an excursion than for the hope of any 
change of luck, our party, taking tents and supplies for 
two days, made the trip of about ten miles from the club 
house to a group of three small lakes, where we arrived 
quite late in the afternoon and pitched camp. 
By the time we had the tents up and camp in good 
shape it was time for the evening meal and those de- 
lightful two hours of loafing around the camp-fii;e before 
turning in on the spruce bough beds. The guides had 
cut a beautiful supply of fire wood, and when our fire 
had become a bed of glowing coals we piled on the big 
logs and getting under the blankets were soon in the 
land of dreams. From the shack of the guides and from 
the tents came volleys of snores and from the great 
northwest came a fullgrown frost. Shortly after mid- 
night we were cold enough to appreciate the comforts of 
a warm day and spent the rest of the night in feeding the 
fire and getting an occasional forty winks between its 
frequent demands. 
At last the morning came, and while the guides were 
preparing breakfast we made a dash for the lake for the 
morning ablution. A heavy fog hung over the water and 
the teniperature of the water was so much higher than 
that of the air that it really felt like a warin bath. That 
phenomenon, however, received little notice. More in- 
teresting things than fogs and warm water were in sight. 
The f'-ost had chilled the flies so that they were on the 
M'ater in swarms and the trout were taking breakfast just 
as fast as they could jump. It looked as if there was a 
rismg fish in every square foot of the whole lake, and 
out in the fog beyond our range of vision we could hear 
the splash of what seemed countless thousands of them. 
We thought we were in for a day of great sport, hurried 
through our breakfast and as soon as possible were out 
\n the canoes. 
But what a disappointment ! We had had our breakfast 
and so had the fish. The fog had disappeared before the ris- 
ing sun, the flies warmed up to new life, and fishing 
for that morning, at least, had settled down to the nor- 
mal conditions. Nothing in the way of fly or bait would 
tempt them. 
Perhaps some older and wiser angler can explain why 
it is that at irregular periods the brook trout stops feed- 
ing. Not once or twice, but many times the writer has 
known this to happen, and during these seasons of fast- 
'ing the fish grow thin and have the appearance of being- 
starved. To ti\^ t^out fisherm,9,^ the QQn.tetitsi Qf X^<^ 
F0R^:ST And stream. 
stomach of the fish is always a guide to the bait. During 
these periods of non-feeding, however, there is no guide, 
for they are found to be empty, except for small quanti- 
ties of vegetable matter. Then suddenly the conditions 
change and for a day or two they appear to be ravenous 
and fill up with anything in the way of food and then 
settle down again into deep water and another period of 
starvation. The strange part of it is the fact that these 
fastings seem to occur when insect food is plentiful, and, 
so far as we can see, all conditions are favorable for in- 
dulging in meals at all hours. 
Then, again, what trout fisherman has failed to notice 
that often when the fish are rising freely to the flies and 
the sport is all that one could desire, it will stop as sud- 
denly as if an alarm had been sounded and no amount 
of skill will tempt them? It is the uncertainty that 
makes the angling art the more fascinating and teaches 
how little we really know of the philosophy of these in- 
habitants of the water. What trout fisherman has failed 
to note that often the greatest skill is required to tempt 
the fish when they are absolutely void of food? And, on 
the other hand, how often do we find them dashing at 
the bait and when landed discover them to be so filled 
that there is no room inside for another mouthful? One 
old Indian who was one of the best guides we ever had, and 
who was regarded as quite an oracle by all who knew 
him, summed up the subject about as follows when he 
was asked what luck might be expected for the day: "No 
can tell ; may be so catch lot ; may be so no have bite ; 
try hard any way; plenty fish, but no tell about catch 'em." 
The laws of men are doing much toward preserving 
the species, but it is a blessed thing for the anglers of 
coming generations that kind Providence has established 
laws of nature, of which we know but little, whereby the 
trout are somewhat defended against the temptations of 
bait which are constantly placed before them. 
B. 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Oldest Active Angler. 
My friend Mr. Archibald Mitchell sends me a leaflet 
which describes the "oldest active Scotch angler," and 
also gives a portrait of the man. "George Thomson, 
working joiner, of Lovers Lane. Cupar, was born at Nut- 
hill, Falkland, in April, 1807, and is thus in his ninety- 
fourth vear." 
Mr. Mitchell says : "The inclosed, which will tell its 
own story, has just been received from an old angling 
friend of mine, who is President of the Cupar Eden 
Angling Club, and thought it might interest you, for I am 
not sure but Mr. Thomson may be the oldest active angler 
in the world. At any event. I do not know of one who is 
nearly as old as he. Had Mr. Habersham been still 
alive, he would have been at least ten years younger than 
this man. Do you know of an angler who goes fishing in 
his ninety-fourth year?" Indeed I do not, but I wish 
there was a^ company that insured a man's life to that 
degree of certainty that he would live to be active and 
fond of fishing when he arrived at ninetv-four, and I 
would take out a policy to-night. That would be the one 
thing that would tempt a man to live to the age of ninety- 
four— that he could call himself an "active angler" and 
enjoy angling, but I suppose really if an angler lives to be 
ninety-four and retains any of his senses he would enjoy 
angling as a matter of course. 
Mr. "Mitchell writes: "This sketch of Thomson's life 
is interesting, to me, because I had my first experience 
of angling on the Eden, and know all the places men- 
tioned in the sketch. I hope he may round out the century 
and still be able to fish, but it is doubtful, as he has now 
lived far beyond the usual limit of human life." 
The picture of Mr. Thomson shows a nigged old 
man with bright eyes and a strong face and a head 
crowned with white hair, and if one can judge from a 
picture, he .seems good for six years more of angling. 
One paragraph of the sketch I must quote: "From 
the far-off day when he 'bocht a ha'penny wand frae Blind 
Danvid at the Hedging Close' and helped the other urchins 
of the town to denude the tail of any passing gray horse 
to make lines, George Thomson has ever been a persistent, 
enthusiastic and successful angler. Up to the close of 
this season, he has plied the gentle art with success, and 
even now he says he is looking forward to the time 
when the hedges bud and the swallow returns, so that he 
may resume his loved craft. All will re-echo the hope of 
this 'hero of a thousand fights' — with trout — that his hun- 
dredth birthday will find him, rod in hand, on the banks; 
of the Eden." 
Spawning of Rainbow Trout. 
The rainbow trout is called a spring spawning trout, as 
indeed it is on the Pacific coast, where it is native, but 
since it has been transplanted to Atlantic coast waters its 
spawning season has been of an earlier date as the years 
pas.sed. until now it may be called a winter spawning fish 
in New York. When the rainbow was first introduced 
into New York State, a special season was provided for 
it by law, buL now no distinction js made in the season 
when it can be taken legally. A few days ago I was at the 
Pleasant Valley hatchery of the Forest, Fish and Game 
Commission in Steuben county, and while there rainbow 
trout eggs were taken for the first time this season, and 
the date was Dec. 10, or eight days earlier than ever 
before known at this hatchery. On Long Island it is com- 
mon to take rainbow trout eggs in January, but never so 
early as in December. At Pleasant Valley brown trout 
eggs were taken on Dec. Ii, and quite a number of native 
brook trout had not spawned on that date. On Dec. 12 
I was at Cold Spring Harbor, on Long Island, and on that 
date the men at the State hatchery were taking eggs 
from brook trout, and the brown trout had finished 
spawning. This evening I opened the Manual of Fish- 
culture published by the United States Fish Commission, 
and this is what is said of the spawning of the rainbow 
trout at the Wytheville, Va., station of the U. S. Fish 
Commission: "In the ponds at Wytheville the spawning 
fish may be found any time after the first of November; 
the season is well started by> Nov. 15, and generally closes 
about March I. December and January are the best 
months. In California the season extends from the first 
of Februaiy to May, and in Colorado begins early in 
that in California the rainbow trout spawns in each 
month of the year somewhere, depending upon the eleva- 
tion at which it is found, which means that in waters of 
different temperatures the fish has different spawning 
seasons. One of the objections urged against tne rain- 
bow trout in the East was that it was a spring spawning 
fish, and consequently it was soft of flesh at the season 
when the native brook trout season opened. No longer is 
it true to say the rainbow is a spring spawning fish in 
Eastern waters. A. N. Cheney. 
i The Massachusetts Association. 
Boston, Jan. 10. — Editor Forest and Stream: Another 
year has rolled round — an exceedingly active and im- 
portant one for the Massachusetts Fish and Game Pro- 
tective Association. The sportsmen of the State have 
taken hold of the game question in such a manner and 
put in such an amount of work before the last Legis- 
lature that a law prohibiting the sale of game birds is 
now on the statute books, and the occupation of the 
market-hunter is gone. The State Commission, with 
Capt. Collins at its head, has shown its fitness to live — no 
longer are complaints of the violation of fish and game 
laws ignored or pigeon holed, as in the old days, but 
strong, active measures are taken to see that the laws 
are properly enforced. All this, and more, were matters 
for congratulation among the members of the Associa- 
tion at their annual meeting at the Copley Square Hotel 
last evening, at which there was a good attendance. 
President Wiggin was in the chair, and after dinner a 
good amount of business was transacted. Messrs. Herbert 
Merriam, I. S. Adams, A. H. Whipple, George Nichols, 
John C. Clark, Jr., and Dr. D. S. Woodworth were elected 
to membership, and applications from fprty-two gentle- 
men were received and referred to be acted upon at the 
next meeting. The report of Treasurer Kimball showed 
a balance to the new year of $429.81, and that the invested 
fund amounts to $2,180.11. Mr. Kimball also presented 
jhis report as Secretary, dwelling at some length upon 
the movement that led up to the crowning mark of the 
year — the enactment of the new game law, before re- 
ferred to. The election of officers followed, resulting in 
the unanimous choice of the following gentlemen to serve 
•for the current year: 
President. James Russell Reed; Vice-Presidents, 
■George W. Wiggin, Horace T. Rockwell, William S. Hin- 
man. Dr. Heber Bishop, Dr. A. R. Brown, Dr. Maurice 
H. Richardson, Benjamin C. Clark, Robert S. Gray, Ed- 
ward J. Brown, Dr. George H. Payne, Dr. B. V. Howe, 
A. W. Robinson, A. B. F. Kinne}% of Worcester; C. H. 
Moulton, of Waltham; A. C. Sylvester, of North 
Attleboro; Dr, J. T. Herrick, of Springfield; Dr. 
D. S. Woodworth, of Fitchburg, Secretary and 
Treasurer, Henry H. Kimball: Librarian, Dr. E. 
W. Branigan ; Executive Committee, J. N. Roberts, 
Charles Stewart, C. G. Gibson. Dr. Eben C. Norton, W. 
C. Prescott, George H. Moore. C. M. Bryant. Rollin 
Jones. William B. Smart, A. C. Risteen, N. Le Roy. 
Loring Crocker; Membership Committee, Thomas H. 
Hall, Waldron B. Hastings, Richard V. Joyce ; Fund 
Committee. George W. Wiggin, William S. Hinman, 
Adelbert D. Thayer. 
President Reed on taking the chair thanked the mem- 
ibers for the compliment paid him. and promised his best 
efforts to promote the objects of the Association. The 
health of Mr. Daniel T. Curtis, one of the charter mem- 
hers. was drank with all the honors, and he briefly re- 
sponded, Mr. Curtis reached the age of eighty-six years 
on that day, and he is still quite active, and rarely misses 
a meeting of the Association. 
A committee was authorized to make arrangements for 
the annual banquet — always a very important affair — and 
then there was a little bouquet-throwing by ex-Presidents 
Clark and Rockwell— entirely deserved — to ex-President 
Wiggin. in the form of a vote of thanks for his services 
as President. Mr. Wiggin is a pretty busy man in his 
law business, but he has always found time to devote to 
the best interests of the A.ssociation. 
Dr. Peckham, Bird Commissioner of Rhode Island, 
spoke of the havoc made among game birds by the pot- 
hunter, and complimented the Association upon the splen- 
did work it had done in the direction of proper protection. 
Capt. Collins, the efficient chairman of the State Com- 
mission, always a welcome guest at our board, declared 
that the good results of the recent legislation were al- 
ready apparent, and that it was true beyond question that 
game birds were on the increase in the State. There was 
still much to be done, however, and he felt sure the 
State Board would receive the hearty support of all true 
sportsmen throughout the commonwealth. Ex-President 
Clark spoke of the recent death of ex-Governor Wol- 
cott, who always took a lively interest in the objects of the 
Association, and one of whose last ofificial acts was the ap- 
pointment of Capt. Collins to the State Board. In con- 
clusion, let me say that in Mr. Reed the Association has a 
President who is a sportsman in the best sense — he uses 
both rod and gun, and uses them well. He is a lawyer in 
active practice, and has served as counsel for the Associa- 
tion for many years. He is a worthy successor to such 
men as Benj. C, Clark, Horace T. Rockwell and George 
W. Wiggin. The old Association enters upon another 
year with satisfaction for its labors of the past and great 
hope for the future. Wm. B. Smart. 
Tfout Jump at Flies. 
Chicago, 111., Jan. 8.-— In answer to Mr, R. B. Marston, 
in London Fishing Gazette, let me relate: In fishing a 
trout stream in northern Michigan I was using a cast of 
a Parmachenee-belle and a brown-hackle. I was wading 
down stream, and I came to a place where a tree had 
fallen into the stream, and after several casts I noticed 
some small trout following my flies. I cast again, and 
while my flies were 5 or 6 inches from the water a small 
trout 4 or 5 indhes long jumped clear out of the water, 
grabbed my Partnachenee-belle and immediately dove with 
It in its moutlj. I believe the same trout did the same 
thing several times while I was fishing there. These 
were brook trout, and they were not jumping except when 
they jumped at my flies. They were so small that I did 
not take anjf from tlmt place. I have fished in that -same 
stream every summer foir five ^^%!f^,, ^ji^d thi^s was my only 
