Apmi. 6, rgoi.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
269 
keep your reel from tangling so much as it will if the 
line does not run out smoothly and evenly. 
Now remember this one thing absolutely. Think of it 
over arid over again before^ you begin to cast, and sit 
down and think over it again after you have made fail- 
ures in casting. Remember this, your thumb is your 
trigger finger. You do not grip with it, you do not push 
with it; 3'ou only regulate the reel by it. The push of the 
side of your forefinger will come on the side of the rod 
parallel with the face of the reel, and the reel, as you 
deliver your cast, will be standing on its end, the handle 
revolving on top of the reel, so that your thumb will be 
turned in toward your body. This will seem to you a 
most awkward sort of position, and so it will be for a 
long time,- but it is the position which has been deter- 
mined to be the best and most scientific one for bait 
casting with the reel. 
It will be advisable for you to take lessons in the use 
of the casting reel of some man who knows how to cast. 
It is no use trying to get a good style without good tools 
for this kind of sport. Do not try to get a cheap casting 
outfit, but save your money and wait until you can get 
a good one, for you can never learn to do it properly 
with a bad outfit. Your rod can be bought for as low 
as $5 or $6, but see that it is selected by a man who 
knows what a casting rod is. .Your reel will probably 
cost you not less tban $io, and the best casting reels run 
from $20 to $30. Such a reel will last you all your life. 
Ybu may take lessons with your outfit after you get 
it, casting with a lead bullet which weighs a half ounce 
Or so. You will at once observe that your reel has a 
most frightful facultj^ of tangling up the line. You start 
out a cast splendidly, and your bait goes over your head 
and flies on as though it would never stop. Then all at 
once it jerks and drops down. You look at your reel, 
and there is yOur line all bunched up and tangled, so that 
it may take you several mimttes to get it straight again. 
The troixble was in that thumb. You forgot to think in 
your thumb. You pressed a little too hard, or let the line 
run a little too freely, instead of using just a gentle easy 
pressure all the time. Perhaps you were guilty of the 
verj? common fault of using too much force with your 
arm, The way to do is to make the rod do most of the 
work. Don't swing your arm too hard, but use your wrist 
and make the rod switch steadily from your wrist clear 
to the tip. This will give the bait all the force it needs 
and leave you a little more room to think of that thumb 
and to think with it. 
Some men who have taken up bait casting late in life, 
have never been able to master it. It is far better to begin 
this, as all other manly sports, in youth. A boy will 
get the hang of this sort of thing before a man will. The 
art of bait casting, properly practiced, is one of the most 
skillful and beautiful forms of angling. It is very much 
more diflicult to learn than fly casting. - When you have 
'learned how to cast a bait for bass, you may call your- 
self a bass fisherman, and you will then be able to take 
more bass thaji cao be done in any other way with rod 
and reel. 
Now we will suppose that we are in our boat, rowing 
along the edge of the lake some time of a summer after- 
noon. AH around the edge of the lake there is a fringe 
of rushes, and we know that where these rushes cease 
and the open water begins, there is apt to be a drop off 
into deep water. At the edge of this bar the bass are apt 
to lie during the day. When they get hungry and want 
to go frog himting, they move in among the rushes, and 
lie around keeping a sharp eye out for their food. 
We will keep our boat 50 feet outside the line of the 
'•ushes as we begin our work. A good bait caster can 
cast 75 to xco feet without any trouble, and at that distance 
can hit within eight or ten feet of his mark with fair regu- 
laritj'. Now, since you have learned to cast a bait, you 
begin at this sport. 
Your frog makes a long, low flight, and lands in among 
■the rushes. As he hghts. the tip of 3'our rod flies up just, 
a- little, .so that he seems to make a little jump in the 
water. At the very instant that the frog drops and you 
twitch your rod, you transfer your rod to your left hand 
and begin' to reel up with the right, not very fast, but 
just fast enough to make the frog move nicely in the 
water. As you reek up, you give the tip of the rod little 
bobs up and down, which jerk the frog a little in the 
water and make him look as though he were swimming. 
Yqu cannot see all this, for your frog is away out there 
30 or 60 feet away, and all you can see is the little 
ripple he makes on the water as he comes in toward you 
among the rushes. Then all at once you see a tremendous 
splash in the water right where the ripple of your frog 
was showing! With a jerk your line runs out under your 
thumb. Y ou see the rushes bend where the great fish 
is dragging the line across them. 
D not try to stop him. Do not get up and shout. Do 
not move your rod at all. Just gently feel the spool of 
the reel with your thunab, and let the line run on out. 
The' old bass has caught your frog, but he has not swal- 
lowed it. For 10, 20, 30, 40 feet he runs, as swift as an 
arrow. Then your reel stops turning. Then your rod 
tip' twitches gently, two or three times. Wait then, just 
a '.moment yet. Don't be in a hurry. That bass has 
never seen ycu, he does not see the line, and he does not 
care .for the- hook. If you leave him alone, he is going 
to' swkllow that frog, hook and all. I have sat and waited 
two minutes by 'the Svatch for a bass to swallw the frog 
before I would strike him. If after this little wait he 
starts oft' again, you will know that he is on his second 
run, and that he has probably swallowed the bait. Now 
strike hard! Don't remember any foolishness about 
hooking a fish with a fly rod with a 'turn of the wrist. 
This is an altogether different thing. Your fish is far 
away arid your line may be bowed over the rushes. Reel 
up. quickly until the line is as nearly tight as possible, 
then 'fake a stiff, strong sweep of the rod upward with 
yOtti" whole arm, so that you will strike the hook home, 
deet) into the hard mouth of the fish. 
The instant you strike you feel the blood bound in 
your veins. The fish now knows that he has been the 
victim of a trap. The wit of man has outwitted him! 
He feels fright, terror, surprise' and anger all in one — 
sometimes you will think more anger than anything else. 
He is not.-'hurt verj-^ much by the hook, for he is used 
to the sharp fins of the perch and other fish, and his 
jaws are n'ot sensitive,- Yet he wants to get away from 
|,hat restraininsr.hOQK and^ine' He nishe^ |pr the weeds, 
springs into the air, shakes his head, and is all over the 
place in an instant. Keep a steady line on; him, but do 
not try to hold him yet. When he is well hooked, back 
him out into the open water, if you can, and then let him 
swing on the rod. He will get enough of it after a while, 
and then you can reel him in slowly. When he sees the 
boat he will probably run again two or three times, but 
at last he will stick his mouth out of the water, and that 
means he is whipped. Now reel him in and pass the 
landing net gentl}' under him. 
Kill your bass at once with the thrust of a shaii> knife 
through the back of the neck. If the day is warm, re- 
move the gills and entrails and throw your fish on top of 
a chunk of ice, if you have any ice along. If you want 
to keep the fish alive on a string, pass the stringing needle 
through both lips of the fish, and never through the 
gills, as that will kill it almost at once. A nice string of 
these grand game fish following along by the side of the 
boat as you come into camp at night will seem a prize 
worth having, and you will even think it repays you for 
all the trouble you had in learning to cast the bait. 
A Pair of Bass. 
I WA.s heels ove^ head in work at my desk one Satur- 
day morning, when Lou, my angling chum, came in with 
a cheery smile, which I knew boded good fish news. 
"I received word from Joe this morning and he wishes 
us to come down to the station to-night, as there is a 
school of bass outside." 
Joe was one of the crew of the life-saving sta- 
tion, who had few equals as a boatman, and who was 
above all a thorough sportsman and angler. Under his 
guidance we had enjoyed many a day's good sport. 
We packed our traps that evening, and arrived at the 
Beach about ten o'clock; the hotels were closed for the 
season, and the watchman on beat was the only mortal 
we met as we left the train. 
It was a bri.ght moonlight night in October, and as we 
walked along the beach toward the station we speculated 
about oitr chances for the morrow, and reminiscences of 
our last successful trip were gone over again. 
- As we neared the house Joe's dog Pepper announced 
our arrival, and after a cursory examination, having 
recognized us as old friends, led the way to the house. 
Alost of the crew were enjoying their pipes and read- 
ing, while a party of four, including Joe, were engaged 
in a partner game of pinochle, in which Joe and the 
cook seemed to be getting the worst of it. 
After the custom arjr greetings we saw to it that our 
traps were carefully stowed away, and then we sat down 
to a chat regarding the luck during the week past, and 
were told that weather conditions had beeen such as to 
make trolling impossible. Joe promised good weather 
for the morning, and Lou and I had learned to have great 
confidence in his predictions. 
After a good night's sleep we were awakened by Joe 
about six o'clock, and were soon sitting down to a break- 
fast of bacon and eggs and steaming hot coffee. Joe in 
the meantime had gotten everything ready, and putting 
our traps in the boat were were soon off for the grounds. 
The day for fishing was all that could be desired, bright, 
crisp and clear, and hardly any swell on. By the time 
Joe had reached the grounds Lou and I had rigged up, 
and each putting a couple of large sand worms in our 
gang hooks we dropped them over, working the line out 
.slowly until we had reached the lOO-foot mark. 
Joe headed for the first row of spiles, and in a few 
minutes I had the first strike, and soon landed a bass of 
about two pounds weight. 
We went over the same ground again several times, but 
it seems it was the only bass in that locality. 
Joe then started for the broken jetty, which as a rule 
turned out some nice bass. 
Here we caught four, Lou getting one weighing 2j4 
pounds, and although we went over this ground again a 
half-dozen times, we failed to get another strike. 
The bracing air had again sharpened our appetites, and 
when I proposed a little lunch with a smoke afterward the 
others agreed willingly. 
"There were quite a number of bass at that jetty," re- 
marked Joe, "and if something hadn't scared them away 
we would probably have caught a dozen more." 
"There they are now," suddenly said Joe, pointing 
toward the old jettty. Lou and I couldn't see anything, 
but Joe's practiced eye had caught sight of the school, and 
hurriedly arranging our baits, Joe rowed silently toward 
the spot. 
"I've got one," I cried, suddenly. "So have I," an^ 
swered Lou. "and he's bigger than any we've got." Mine 
being a small bass, was soon in the boat, and Joe then 
turned his attention to Lou, w-ho was having his hands 
full with his i2-punce rod. Several times he brought 
him close to the boat, only to let him go again, when 
he became "contrary," as Joe caHed it. When finally 
brought to the net and safe in the boat Joe estimated 
his weight at a little over five pounds, but from the way 
he fought Lou and I expected him to be larger. 
We were still talking about his game fight, when Joe. 
admoni.shed. us to hurry, having no time lose, as in 
another hour t.h^ tide would be flood and the fishing 
over. 
On the way back it was the same story over again, two 
strikes and two bass; Lou again getting the larger one 
of about four pounds. We now had nine, and as they 
lay in the bottom of the boat they were a pretty sight with 
their beautiful striped sides. 
As we had plenty of worms, Joe urged us to put on 
nice fresh baits, and on the next troll I hooked one, 
which from the strike he gave rather disappointed me, 
as I was now anxious to also catch a large one. Suddenly 
he started to run out my hne at a liveb^ rate, and I made 
up my mind he wasn't so> small after all. I tried to turn 
him several times, but it was no use, and before I knew 
it he had over 300 feet of my line out. 
"Careful now, don't hurry him," warned Joe, and as- 
he rowed .slowly toward him I commenced to reel in 
and gradually worked him to within about fifty feet of 
the boat. Then he made another run, and after this he 
was rather easy, and slowly but surely he was coming 
toward the boat.. ■ 
Lqu was ot) hjs knees, on the stern seat, ready to land 
him when the opportunity came. "Be careful," cried 
Lou, suddenly; "yot|V§ got a ^m" sure 6TlQligt| 
there were two bass, which Lou netted skillfully, and 
were soon safe in the boat. One was a mate to Lou's 
largest one, and the other was about two and a half 
pounds. 
It seem,s I had first hooked the smaller one on the 
unper hook, and the larger one had then taken the trail- 
ing worms on the lower hook, and he it was that had 
suddenly run my h„e out after I had the first strike. 
irJefore the change of tide we caught three more all of 
'-'L >° ^"^5 ^""^ ^ ^'^'f Po^-^s, and Joe then hoisted 
his spilt sail and we started for the station. We arrived 
"V"^ down to a dinner of roast beef, 
aked potatoes and cranberries, and which was enjoyed 
Th. ^"1 ^"o^'^than any dinner we have since eaten. 
The scales were then brought out and the catch was 
found to weigh 38 pounds. 
After bidding the crew good-by, Lou and I wended 
our way back to the railroad, where we took the train 
tor home, but agreeing that for ma.iy days to come we 
would remember that day in October with Joe 
. Argus. 
Camp-Fire Storks from Canadian 
Woods.— in. 
The Commodore and the Judge. 
MoiRA Lake, as its name implies, is an enlargement of 
^le river of that name, but some distance norfhwest o 
Stoco Lying m the northern part of the second tier of 
townships from the Bay of Quinte, it expends aboi^f ten 
o two nirwid? 't?'-'"^ ^'^^^^ ^ -''^ " hS 
10 two miles wide. It is a picturesque sheet of water 
here and there studded with islands and bo?d roJkv 
shores. It possesses some geological imnortanre 
marks the boundary in this l?calitrbetrfn the T;enton 
hmestone and the Archaean or older formations On the 
noith shore lies a valuable bed of talc and of marh^ 
Ci-os? hflak^ind hematite Ind magnath'ir^^ 
^suK^^'^^s^' -^-r^s 
The shores of this lake are dotted with summer cot- 
alf 'the"re n.lllir'^'''''"" ^""^ Comfortably supplied with 
all the lequisites for summer outing, belonging to the 
prosperous and well-to-do families of the towS of M^doc 
lying about two miles to the north. In summer the wS 
affords excellent fishing for black bass, pickerel and 
maskmonge, and is enlivened by steam ykchts launches 
and various other craft. y ^ launcnes 
Coming by rail from the south, as you emerge from 
a rocky cut and skirt the western sho^e ofTbfy hy^ 
high grade you observe a point of rock away to the 
iSv rS' lont^'rT the shore. At low water this soli- 
iJt^.r ''^^ t his ease in a 
water hole. The early settlers, practical in everything. 
%Z f ""^P^li^''"^ of that boulder, gave this beautiful 
sheet of water the unromantic name of Hog Lake, and it 
is so laid down in the early maps of the country 
Ihe island in the center, which is crossed by the rail- 
way as well as by the public road, was settled by one 
tiobert Perry, who at one time kept a tavern here; the old 
building still stands at the end of the first bridge and 
this property is still owned by some of his children 
-t-erry when a young man, while traveling through the 
then Indian woods, now the township of Tyendinaga 
was set upon by some drunken Indians, beaten, robbed 
thrown over a log by the wayside and left for dead He 
was shortly afterward discovered, taken by friendly 
hands to the nearest house and cared for. He recovered 
from his wounds, but was never the same man From 
the beating about the head his mind was affected, which 
made him somewhat eccentric. From this, and from 
his dwelling by the lake, he was facetiously called the 
Commodore— no doubt after that other Commodore 
Lake Lne fame. I am not aware that he ever dis- 
closed a taste for music, or any weakness for the higher 
i-ealm of poetic fancy, but his labors were enlivened and 
his peaceful slumbers soothed by the loudest chorus of 
bullfrogs. The aquatic minstrels were therefore known 
to the Madoc boys as "the Commodore's band." Perry, 
notwithstanding his eccentricities, was no fool. The 
loudest man at a logging bee or a raising, and the noisi- 
est at a political meeting. Many a good story is related 
of Perry and among the rest is the following: 
Years ago old Judge S., who was then county judge, 
being a skillful angler, whenever he had a short court at 
Madoc frequently enlisted the old Commodore to assist 
him in his favorite sport. - In a certain circuit the court 
was unexpectedly short, and it was arranged that the 
two should spend the balance of the day upon the lake. 
The lunch basket was filled and every convenience sup- 
plied which forethought could suggest for a successful 
day's fishing. A horse and wagon was in requisition, 
a;nd they found themselves at the shores of the lake. 
^ Now, it so happened that the Commodore's favorite 
fishing ground was on a bar which ran out from this 
very porcine rock from which the lake had received its 
unsavory name. Thither they rowed, and cautiously 
making fast the boat commenced to fish with encoura- 
ging success. After a time, in looking through the lunch 
basket, however, it was discovered that the one thing 
most needful to a successful day's fishing, alas, was lack- 
ing, being an oversight of mine host at the hotel— there 
was nothing to "grease the rod," and besides, it being dog 
days, dring lake water was not conducive to health 
without diluting by a little of Corby's "family proof." 
It was arranged that the Judge should remain upon the 
rock fishing while the Commodore should row over to 
land, go to the village and return with the needful, as 
fast as his legs could carry him. With strict injunctions 
as to celerity, he started on his errand. When he ar- 
rived at the hotel, Jjeing of convivial habits, the Com- 
u.'Odore found a lot of his boon companions going in for 
a "good time," Of course, he joined in, forgetting his 
mission, and in a short time forgot everything else. He 
was soon overcome, and lay. down on a bench to sleep 
off the fumes of the whisky. After hours of slumber, 
and when the sun was away down in the west, he 
awakened, and it hegar\ to dawn upon him there was 
something wrong. He thought it could hardly be pos- 
sible thjit he ha^ Ifft thg Judf f an that roclq aU ^s^y 
