410 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[May 25, igoi. 
scene in an enchanted land, as though a magician had 
touched nature with a wand and transformed the land- 
scape in shades and shapes of finest delicacy. We had 
two miles to go down the river to reach the fishing 
grounds, and as we drifted with the lazy current of the 
clear, low water the fog clouds were slowly dissipated 
into a blue and purple haze that stayed with us through- 
out the day. As our boats drifted we trolled, but, 
though we had some success, we did not get down to 
business until wc reached the deep water at the head of 
Eagle Island — that is to say, a half to a quarter of a mile 
above the island. We had a nice supply; of helgramites. 
miimows and stone catfish. It was some time before we 
located the game. At this late day in the season the 
angler who "knows" the river Icnows also that the con- 
ditions for successful fishing have very materially changed 
from those of a month before. The bass are now in their 
winter quarters and have sought the verj' deepest portions 
of the water. While thej^ have not gone into hybernating 
and still swim out upon the rocks to sun themselves and 
feed; they do not roam the river, but stay close to the 
spot where they expect to spend the winter months. 
We located the fish that day along a ledge of sub- 
merged rocks that ran parallel with and about lOO feet 
from the Pennsylvania shore. Some of the rocks almost 
reached the surface. On the shore side of the ledge 
there was not more than eight or ten feet of water; on 
the side nei^t to the channel it slanted abruptly to an 
unknown depth, probably 20 to 30 feet. Anchoring upon 
this rocky ledge^ our boats being about 300 yards apart, 
we cast into the deep water and soon each boat had sev- 
eral nice fish, weighing from three-quarters of a pound 
to two pounds. The bass struck w^ell until about 12:30 
o'clock, when there was a cessation, and with our baited 
hooks bobbing around in the current, we took out our 
lunch baskets for a bite ourselves. While discussing the 
merits of a hard-boiled egg and a Schweitzer cheese sand- 
wich, my companion and I noticed a commotion in the 
boat below us. One of our friends in that boat was 
frantically tugging at his reel, while the tip of his beth- 
abara fairly touched the surface of the water. The other 
friend, standing upright in the boat, with landing net 
balanced in his hand, eagerly watched the contest and 
dropped a word of counsel now and then to the man 
handling the fish. Wc could catch bits of their conver- 
sation: "Play him carefully, now!" "Great Scott! he's 
a dandy," and the like. Then there was a break in the 
placid river surface and three or four rods from the boat 
the big bass leaped into the air and shook his head in a 
vain effort to dislodge the hook. With the river birch 
and sycamores on Eagle Island for a background, that 
was a picture of color and action to delight a sports- 
man's heart. You could not help but feel sympathy and 
admiration for the noble fish in the gamy struggle he 
was making for freedom. But the hook was in his hard 
mouth to stay; the contest began to tell upon the big 
fellow's powers of endurance, and gradual^ the circle? 
and rushes he made grew shorter and shorter, he was 
guided gently nearer and nearer the boat, and with a last 
leap into the air he dropped back into the landing net, 
exhausted and conquered. He was a famous fish, weigh- 
ing, as we found out afterward, nearly five pounds; the 
largest taken from that pool during the season. 
At the close of the afternoon's fishing at sundown, each 
boat had a dozen nice bass, a coiiple of pickerel and sev- 
eral large river sunfish, the last named taken with the 
helgramites. The row back to the landing furnished new- 
delights in the way of scenery. Every particle of breeze 
had died away and the .<;urface of the river was like a 
mirror. The deep, dark reflections of the hills at the 
bends contrasted strangely with the strong lights of sky 
reflections, making a weirdly beautiful picture that lasted 
fully half an hour and that we were loath to see fade into 
the darker night that it was when we pulled our boats 
up on the river bank, tired, but elated' with the finest 
catch we had made in the season. It was with an air 
of extreme satisfaction that two hours later we drove 
into town and exhibited our trophies to admiring, won- 
dering, and, we regret so say, incredulous friends. 
Geo. MacReynolds. 
San Francisco Fly-Casting- Club. 
Medal contests, series 1901,. Saturday, contest No. 5, 
held at Stow Lake, May 11. Wind, strong west; weather, 
foggy : 
Event Event Event 
No. 1, No. 2 No. 4, 
Distance, Accuracy, , Event No. 8, , Lure 
Feet. Per cent. Acc. % Del. % Net % Casting^ 
Battu -92 80.4 89.8 74.2 81.11 
Brooks 91 89.8 91.8 80 85.10 .... 
Brotherton... 113 91.8 87 78.4 62.8 
Everett 114 89.4 92 83.4 87.8 
Golcher ..... 120 88 93.4 78.4 86 
Mansfield 90.4 9(5 81.8 88.10 
Muller 106 91.4 83.4 81.8 82.6 
Skinner ..... 94 89 91.4 80.10 86.1 
Smyth 83 92.8 S4.2 88.5 
Young ......100 86 96.8 84.2 90.5 
Finest average in delicacy event ever made by ten men, 
86 2-12. 
Judges, Mansfield and Brotherton; .referee, Muller; 
clerk, Smyth. 
Medal contests, series 1901, Sunday, contest No. 5, held 
at Stow Lake, May 12. Wind, light southwest; weather, 
foggy : 
Brooks 100 92 88.4 76.8 82.6 
Blade 80 73.4 69.8 75 72.4 
Brotherton ..114 , 93.8 90.4 80.10 85.1 
Daverkosen.. 106 87 92 68.4 80 2 
Dinkelspiel .. 87 82.4 72 74.2 73 1 
Everett 106 89 87.8 80.10 84.4 
Foulks 89 81.8 83 65 74 
Golcher 127 92 91 75 83 
Grant 107 89 
Haight 87 88 84.4 78.4 81.4 
Hiller 81 90 76 80.10 78.5 
Huyck 96 91 92 73.4 82.8 
J B Kenniff.. 95 88 87 65.10 76.5 
CRKenniff.. 85 92.8 77.4 70.10 74 1 
UTKieruff.. 77 71.8 86.4 70 78 2 
C T KierufF. . 78 62.8 70.4 72.6 71 5 
Mansfield - 93 96.4 84.2 90 3 
Muller 106 95 87 82.6 84 9 
Smyth 85 92.8 79.2 85.11 
Turner ...... 90 87 91.4 74.2 82.9 
Reed 106 90.4 96.4 80.10 88.7 
Vogelsang . , . 101 
Young ....... 97 91.4 90.4 78.4 84.4 .'.!! 
Judges, Mansfield and Yonn^; referee, Mul]er: plerk, 
i The IVermont Pike Hatchery* 
The work of hatching pike eggs of the State hatchery 
here will be completed this week and a brief resume of 
the work and the results obtained should be of interest. 
The State appropriation of $1,500 to establish the 
hatchery w^as largely used in the purchase of the large 
two-story building on York street, where the hatchery is 
located. The remainder of the appropriation, together 
with the $550 derived from seining licenses — the generous 
allowance by the State for running the hatchery — was 
mainh' spent in necessary repairs on the building and 
equipping it for the work of hatching. All this, while it 
gave the State a splendid plant, left practically no funds 
to run it, and coupled with the fact that the hatchery bill 
was passed so late last fall there was no time to clean a 
seining ground in the river made it necessary to co-oper- 
ate with the United States Fish Commission to obtain any 
eggs. This arrangement was made by Commissioner Gil- 
more with Commisioner Stone, in charge of the Govern- 
ment work here, on a per cent, basis. The result was 
that of the fifty million eggs hatched the State obtained 
twenty million. These twenty million fry have been about 
all distributed, and have been placed in the following 
waters Missisquoi River, Lamoille River, Winooski 
River, Otter Creek, Lake Cliamplain at St. Albans Bay. 
Fairfield Pond, Elmore Pond, Nelson Pond, Ticklenaked 
Pond. Island Pond, Groton Pond and Berlin Pond. 
The work at the hatchery has been in charge of Mr. 
Mason, of the Cape Vincent, N. Y., hatchery, assisted 
by H. W. Carman. Myron Green has been the overseer 
of the work down the river, while Commissioners Stone 
and Gilmore have had the general oversight. 
Considering the difficulties to be overcome in starting 
the hatchery and the small amount of money to work 
with, the result of the first year's work is a great success 
and fully demonstrates that a hatchery can be operated 
here which will be of great benefit to the State. — Swanton, 
Vt., Courier, May 16. 
Trottt in West Vifgfinia. 
Washington, D. C. — The legal season for taking 
speckled or brook trout in West Virginia is from Jan. i 
to Sept. I. It is not lawful to catch trout less than 4 
inches long. 
The mountain region of West Virginia affords the most 
convenient trout fishing waters for sportsmen in New 
York, Philadelphia or Washington. The fishermen can 
leave New York at 4:55 o'clock in the afternoon on the 
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway train over the Pennsylvania 
Railroad and arrive the next morning at 7:25 o'clock at 
the Hot Springs, take a team and drive thirty miles 
through a most picturesque mountain country to the 
waters of the Cherry River, W. Va., and there find trout 
in great numbers ; or a more direct, nearly all rail, route is 
direct to Roncevert and there take the Greenbrier River 
branch road to Serbert or Marlinton, W. Va., at which 
points they will arrive before noon — walk or go on horse- 
back over Black Mountain on a good trail, twelve miles 
to the forks of the Cranberry River in the heart of the 
troitt region. I spent a charming vacation of one week 
there last May. The trout took my flies beautifully. 
Geo, Henderson. 
New Bfttnswick Salmon Rivets. 
Chatham, N, B., May 15. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Inquiries as to the appearance of salmon and sea trout in 
New Brunswick rivers are coming in in considerable num- 
bers, and I presume many anglers look to your colunms 
for information on the subject. I beg, therefore, to say 
that salmon have come into the northern rivers — such as 
the Ristigouche, Jacquet, Nepisguit and Miramichi about a 
week earlier than the average, and no mistake will be 
made by those who fish those rivers if they are upon 
them, say, June I. 
I may also say that the lessee of the Nepisguit from 
Eleven-Mile Tree up to Great Falls will not fish his 
leasehold this season owing to engagements elsewhere, and 
parties desiring to secure that water can do so by com- 
municating with me. 
D. G. Smith, Fishery Commissioner. 
An Antidote to Mosquito Poison. 
Consul-General Guenther writes from Frankfort, 
April 16, 1901 : Prof. Dr. Voges, the Director of the Na- 
tional Board of Health at Buenos Ayres, according to 
German papers, has found a remedy for mosquito bites. 
He states that he discovered it by accident during his trip 
to Paragttay to study the pest. He had been supplied 
with all sort-s of remedies, among them "naphthalene," an 
article of no value whatever against the pest ; but on using 
it for mosquito bites, he found it of surprising eifect. It 
neutralizes the poison, even when the spot bitten is 
greatly inflamed. If fresh bites are rubbed with naphtha- 
lene, no swelling follows. The professor considers 
-naphthalene almost a specific against mosquito poison. 
Wisconsin Trottt Fishing. 
La Crosse, Wis., May ig. — The trout season opened 
up April IS, and some fine strings have been caught. The 
25th inst. the open season commences for pike and bass. 
The Mississippi and other streams are falling, and the 
water is clearing up. By the time the season opens, un- 
less heavy rains come, fishing for them will be good, as 
they are reported to be quite numerous, of which we can 
report later. O. S. S. 
Penalty for Seining. 
James Lemming, who was arrested by Deputy Game 
Warden Rayborn for seining in the waters of the Little 
Miami, was yesterday tried for the second time before 
Squire Herrick, and was found guilty and fined $50 and 
costs, the latter amounting to $277.60. In default of pay- 
ment he was committed to jail, — Cincinnati Commercial- 
Tribune, May II. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each week on Tuesday. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach ua at the 
A Fitst Day Experience. 
Hartford, Mich. — Editor Forest and Stream: The 
first of May ushered in the trout season, and early morn 
found your scribe on the road to Cow Creek, seven miles 
southwest of Hartford. I struck the stream below two or 
three saw mills of ancient date, and did not get a rise 
until I got above the mills, and then both banks were 
lined wdth tracks, which made me wish I had commenced 
to fish above the mills. Just then two men with trout 
poles and creels came out of the brush just above me 
and were dropping their flies or worms, for the stream 
is so small that casting is out of the question; the brook 
vvill not average 20 inches wide, and brush and dry weeds 
line both banks. I did not see them catch a single fish, and 
as they passed me. I went up stream, and the first 
place the water made a swirl around an old log I 
presented a nice angleworm in the most delicate man- 
ner, and was surprised to see the line dart under the Ic^. 
With a sudden swish of the split bamboo, a 12-inch 
trout was landed on the grass, and the first trout of the 
season was soon flopping in my cresl. I soon caught 
another, and when my- watch told me it was 4 o'clock and 
time to start for home, eleven fish were in the pocket. 
The drive home was very pleasant, for added to the trout 
was the welcome Bob White from across the fields, 
Sullivan Cook. 
New Jersey Coast Fishing. 
Newark, N. J., May 20.— Bass have begun taking the 
hook at a few points along the Jersey coast. They are 
of small size, 2 to pounds in weight. The only one 
of good size which has been heard of was hooked by an 
inexperienced product; result, smashed rod and a dis- 
consolate man. I arrived on the scene a few minutes 
afterward, and he said, "I thought the way was to hold 
them," - That opinion, though, does, sell a lot of cheap 
tackle^ and then results in selling that which is good. 
Kingfish are in evidence, too; a few have been on the 
hook. Weakfish appear to be unusually plentiful along 
the entire coast and fine in size and condition. I have 
been among the market men pretty freely the past three 
weeks and there is a general sentiment that fish of all 
kinds are moving well and fully up to. the standard in 
condition, despite the inclement weather the past several 
weeks. Leonard Htilit. 
100 $t)ommcn'$ finai 
Some of the Queer EMscoverfes Made by Those Who Are 
Looking for Game or Fish. 
63 
Here are ten fishhooks with a mass of horsehair and 
string, matted and intertwined; and it was all found in 
the stomach of a cod. The fish probably had somehow 
or another managed to get hold of haddocks or whiting 
caught on hooks, and in whose bodies the hooks still 
remained. The flesh of the whitings or haddocks had 
been entirely digested by the juices of the cod's stomach; 
the horsehair and metal of the hooks, however, resisted 
its action. That whiting and haddock have frequently 
hooks left in them is well known to all those who have 
the care of seals. Sea fish hooks are very cheap; and 
the fishermen, rather than take the trouble to extract the 
hook from the fish's mouth, very frequently cut off the 
snood or line to which the fish is attached, and let the 
hook remain in situ. The seal swallows the fish, hook 
and all, the hook gets entangled in the poor seal's intes- 
tines, and, of course, proves fatal. "The cod is what is 
generally called a voracious fish. I have now in my 
museum," once wrote Frank Buckland, "a portion of a 
tallow candle, about seven inches long, also a pair of 
sailor's mitts, both taken from a cod's stomach." 
64 
A startling surprise, after the fashion of the story of 
Ginevra, comes from Styria, where a party of hunters in 
the forest of Drommling discovered in a hollow oak a 
skeleton in excellent preservation. Even the boots, which 
came above the knee, were almost perfect. By its side 
was a powder horn, a porcelain pipe bowl, and a silver 
watch, on which was engraved the name, "H. von Krack- 
owitz, 1812." The teeth were perfect. It would seem to 
be the skeleton of a man between thirty and forty years 
of age. It is conjectured that, while engaged in hunt- 
ing, he cUmbed the tree for some purpose, and slipped 
incautiously into the hollow trunk, from which there was 
no release, and he probably died of starvation. — London 
Times. 
65 
While hunting in the Chico Mountains, near the Rio 
Grande, seventy miles south of Alpine, Tex., a party of 
Americans discovered a large cave in which were the 
skeletons of twenty-six men, lying side by side. On 
exnioring the cave further they found several copper 
kettles, two Spanish hatchets, three short swords with 
Spanish inscriptiojis, some stone utensils and crude min- 
ing tools. Deeply cut in one of the stone jars was the 
name "Navaez," and below it the figures, "1526." In 
T528 a Spanish expedition, under the explorer Navaez, 
left Tampa Bay, Fl^., and was never seeo ^gai|i, 
