June 15, 1901.] 
FOREST AJNi-i STREAM. 
467 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Tfool "Waters and Eel Pots. 
The Forest, Fish and Game Law provides, in Section 
61, as follows: "Eel weirs, the latter oi which are not 
less than one inch apart, may be maintained in waters 
not inhabited by trout or lake trout. * * * Eel pots 
of such form as may be prescribed by rules of the Com- 
mission may be used in waters not inhabited by trout 
or lake trout." Waters inhabited by trout are the very 
waters from which eels should be removed, and the For- 
est, Fish and Game Commissioners were apparently of 
this opinion, for, in their first annual report to the Legis- 
lature (1895), they said: "Eels are notorious spawn- 
eaters, and, as such, seriously interfere with the propa- 
gation of better food fishes by natural processes, and if 
the commissioners had power to set eel baskets in waters 
containing Salmonidce for the purpose of taking eels that 
come onto the spawning beds to eat the spawn 
of trout, it would aid materially in minimizing the 
■devastation from this cause." Nb action having been 
taken by the Legislature to give the Commissioners the 
power they sought, in their report for 1896 they referred 
to It again : 
"Many of the fresh water fishes are spawn-eaters to a 
greater or less degree, but the eel is more destructive 
of spawn than any other fish, as it does not spawn in 
fresh water and is ready to prey upon both fall and spring 
spawning fishes, as it has no fasting season at the spawn- 
ing time. * * * At night, when lake trout are spawn- 
ing on a shoal in mid-lake, the eels are present in vast 
numbers to eat the spawn as fast as it is deposited by the 
trout. * * * We would ask that the Commission 
have power to use or authorize the use of eel pots in all 
waters, whether inhabited by trout or not, for it is in 
trout waters particularly that eels are proving destructive 
of yoving fish," 
The Commissioners, as I understand, have contended 
that trout would not be taken in eel pots if they were set 
in trout waters, and the only argument i have heard 
against this position was that it was theory only because 
it had not been tried and it was illegal to try it in public 
waters, and it would be a risk to try it even for experi- 
mental purposes. Manifestly absurd as this arg^iment is, 
it has prevailed apparently, for the law still remains on the 
books as I have quoted it, and the eels prey_ upon the 
spawning beds without let or hindrance, for it is com- 
paratively a rare tiling to catch eels in trout waters with 
hook and line. In one lake that I am_ familiar with that 
the S.ate has stocked with a lavish hand, planting several 
species of the salmon family, there are mills on the out- 
let stream, and it is not uncommon, when eels are leav- 
ing this lake to go down to the sea, for them to so clog 
the mill wheels a,s to cause a shut down to clear the 
wheels. Last fall an employee of the State spent some time 
on the lake examining the spawning beds of lake trout 
and he reported eels, eels everywhere in abundance 
wlierever the fish congregated for spawning. 
Early in the month of May I made a visit to Mr, Au- 
gust Belmont, at Babylon, L. L, where he has a trout 
preserve. While we were wading one of the inlet streams 
he asked the superintendent something about eels, and 
the man replied that he had taken a certain number, and 
T then found that eel pots were set in the pond (there 
were six set when T was there, and Mr. Belmont gave 
directions to set six more), and upon returning to the 
house we rowed across the pond and lifted two of the 
pots, finding one eel, one bullfrog and one small pickerel 
( Lucius reticulaius) . The pond is shallow and is devoted 
i xclusively to trout, but small pickerel have found their 
way into it, and, of course, eels cannot be kept out of/ 
it, although they are kept doAvn by using the pots, and 
in all the history of the pond no trout have been' taken 
in the eel pots. It simply confirms the position of those 
who think the State law should be amended to permit, 
under restrictions if necessary, the use of eel pots in 
waters inhabited by trout. Eels are excellent food, and 
if pots should be permitted by law a sufficient number 
would be taken to materially reduce the hordes of eels 
that are, under the present law, devastating the spawn- 
ing beds of trout. Another theory: If eel pots will take 
bullfrogs and pickerel, by all means set them in trout 
waters that have become infested with pickerel, and the 
bullfrog is a spawn destroyer and is much more orna- 
mental and useful served minus his body than alive in 
a trout pond. So that eel pots will serve several good 
purposes if placed in waters that contain trout, and work 
110 injury whatever to the trout themselves. 
First Report from the Salmon Rivers. 
Under date of May 26 Mr. Archibald Mitchell writes 
me from Runnvmede, P. Q., on the Ristigouche River, 
a personal letter, which I quote in part: "In my last 
letter I told you of my plans for this year; that I would 
not be able to stay long on the river on account of going 
to Europe. Archie [his son] and I arrived here May 
24, We got to work at once and fished all day. I did 
not get a rise, not even from a kelt, but I hooked two 
very large and healthy-looking parr, which somewhat 
surprised me, as in past years, so far as my recollection 
goes, ihey have not risen to the fly until the season was 
pretty well advanced. Archie killed a fresh run fish of 17 
pounds near where you killed ybm first fish last year. 
For the past tliree seasons Archie has been fortunate 
enough to get the first fish on our waters. I had heard 
of fine strings of large trout being taken dowii at Side 
Head, and for years I have been trying to hit it right and 
get a little trout fishing. I left our salmon pools and 
went down to Side Head to fish for trout on Saturday, 
but this trip, like all the otheis I have taken down there 
for trout, was simply "a delusion and a snare." I got 
nothing. The smelts had been running a day or two, and 
had gone to parts unknown, and the 2 to 4 pound trout 
had evidently followed them. When I returned up river 
Saturday evening I was agreeablv surprised to find that 
A.rchie had killed another fine fresh run fish of 22 pounds. 
It put up a good fight, and although it did not jump once, 
It made several very long rises and took out much line. 
These two are the first fish taken with the fly on the Ris- 
tigouche this year, as far as I can learn, and the earliest 
ever taken on the river so far as my record goes. James 
Wheieler informs tne that "Mr. James Bryan, of New York. 
killed a salmon some years ago on the same water on May 
21. The water is extremely low for this season of the year. 
The snow is all melted and the water is still dropping 
very fast. If copious rains do not come soon we will 
have very low water in June, and poor fishing, I think, on 
all the early or high water pools.. Note that we arrived 
on May 24, which is very early. Club house [Ristigouche 
Salmon Club, at Metapedia] not open, and no other fish- 
ermen here. Last year we reached here June 3. At Run- 
nymede the river was then full from bank to bank, and 
the snow in the woods not all melted. I beached a kelt 
standing and casting from shore outside and just above 
where the Alford gate stands." (This is almost directly 
opposite the Capt. Sweny cottage, and below Camp 
Harmony, where the Upsalquitch comes in.) "This 
year, with all the snow melted, one has to walk about 
150 feet to reach -the edg.e of the water." 
One of the greatest charms of salmon fishing is, that 
no two seasons are ever exactly alike, and one never • 
knows what kind of fishing he is going to have any year 
until he gets to the river and tries it. The water may be 
right and the fish not there. The fish may be there and 
the water all wrong, and it is only once in a number of 
years that the combinations come right, as they did in 
'96. But fishing as good as it was that season would 
spoil any fisherman in a few years, and soon take the 
romance all out of it. As our friend the late Mr. John 
Mowat used to say, "It would not be angling; simply 
'Pull, Dick; pull. Devil.' " But. after all, nowadays, there 
is really not much danger of our becoming bloated on 
account of too luxurious salmon fishing, and in my 
opinion it will take something very like eternal vigi- 
lance and not a little expenditure of money to keep the 
fishing for years to come as good as it is now. I sup- 
pose you must have noticed that they had excellent fish- 
ing on the Penobscot this year. It appears that by some 
unforeseen and fortunate combination of conditions that 
does not occur often, a school of salmon happened to 
get past the nets. I was busy and did not get a chance 
to go there and try my luck, but when I heard of the 
good fishing, through Mr. Ayer, and received a fine sal- 
mon by express, it started up some of the old time en- 
thusiasm, and I wished very much to be at Bangor pool. 
I met your friend Mr. Wilson and another gentleman 
who is with him (Mr. Williams, of Salem, N. Y.), at 
Metapedia yesterday, on their way to Deeside, and I 
hope they will meet with success this year. Alexander 
Mowat Avrote me that the po®l was very much changed 
bv an ice jam, which formed last winter at Maclan 
Island, and I hope the change has improved the pool, as 
very likely it has. You will remember that this is the 
pool where I killed salmon of 22^ pounds last year on 
June 13. I shall return home on June ip this year, so 
I will not get much fishing." 
Mr. Mitchell is nothing if not philosophical. It is rare 
to find an angler more so; and he is a living exemplifi- 
cation of the late George Dawson's maxim (which I 
once borrow-ed unwillingly), that it is "not all of fishing 
to fish." Anglers are not numerous who would see dan- 
ger in salmon fishing that was of a superior order, be- 
cause it would take the romance out of angling; but if 
this sentiment coidd be cultivated it would aid much in 
the preservation of our game fishes. 
Catch or Kill. 
The communication in the Forest and Stream from 
Mr. Terry Smith upon the subject of killing fish induces 
me to suggest to him that some kinds of fish are very 
properly kdled, while others are caught; and as to the 
latter I think his argument good that they should not 
be killed in type after they are caught with a hook. 
For instance, the fish I have written about in the pre- 
ceding note, the salmon, is not reduced -to possession 
until it is killed. The salmon takes the fly and may be 
securely hooked, but he is not caught until brought with- 
in the embrace of the gaff and then the fish is killed with 
a club by a blow, or several of them, on the head. No 
salmon fisherman would claim that he had cavtght a sal- 
mon merely because he had hooked it. The late Billy 
Florence always vigorously protested against "catching 
salmon" as a misn^omer. and that the hall mark of a 
salmon fi.sherman was when he declared that he had 
"killed salmon." It is quite a dif?erent matter with 
brook trout or black bass, which are also lured with the 
fly. When- thev are securely hooked and played to the 
inside of a landing net they are caught, but they are not 
necessarily killed, for they may be returned alive to the 
water. Fresh run salmon are never returned alive to the 
water and they must be killed if they are possessed, and 
it may be equally fitting to "kill" tarpon, but it would 
not, in my judgment, be a fitting term to apply to the 
taking of small fish that may be secured in the landing 
net, alive, after being caught on the fly. 
J Development of the Broofc Trout. 
It was in May that I reaceived from Dr. R. Ellsworth 
Call a letter, from which I naake the following extract: 
"At the suggestion of Hon. Eugene G. Blackford, which is 
heartily seconded by my wish, I have prepared an exhibi- 
tion of the stages of development of the common brook 
trout, the material coming from the Cold Spring Harbor 
hatchery. This is arranged in two glass jars and will be 
left for you to-day at the Madison avenue office of the 
Forest, Fish and 'Game Commission, in New York. It 
is the wish of the trustees of the Brooklyn Institute of 
Arts and Sciences that you will accept these jars and 
contents with their compliments. I trust that the exhibit 
will prove of interest to you. At the next sportsrnan's 
exhibition at Madison Square Garden I shall try to illus- 
trate a whole series of these developing forms as a part 
of the exhibition." 
It was at the Sportsmen's show in New York last 
spring that Mr. Blackford first told me of the exhibit of 
the development of fishes as prepared by the Brooklyn 
Institute, and he said that it was nearer to perfection 
than anv similar display he had seen. Early in this 
month of June I brought the jars with me frorn New 
York to Albany, as great care had to be exercised in 
, their transportation, and they could not be intrusted to 
a transportation company Mr. Blackford's praise of the 
exhibit I can now indorse in similar terms. Each jar 
contains a glass slide in alcohol, and on the slide the de- 
velopment of the trout is shown, each stage bearing ^ 
legend. The alcoholic mixture has apparently been 
filtered, for it is as clear as crystal. One jar contains 
the following stages: Eggs just taken, eggs at thirty 
days (showing eye spots), eggs at sixty days, fry just 
hatched, fry three weeks old, fry six weeks old (sac nearly 
absorbed), fr.V three months old, monstrosities (double- 
headed fry. The second jar contains fingerlings six 
months old and fingerlings nine months old. Altogether 
it makes a most interesting and instructive exhibit of the 
development of the common or native brook trout Salve- 
liiius fontinalis, and tells the story of the growth of this 
fish much better than pa.ges of printed matter. Within 
twenty-four hours after the jars reached the capitol in 
Albany the question was asked a score of times, "What 
holds the eggs and fish to the glass slides that the alco- 
hol does not dissolve it?" And on each occasion I have 
replied with truth. "I do not know." I never make it a 
practice of looking a gift horse in the mouth, particu- 
larly if it is a very fine specimen of a horse. 
A. N. Cheney. 
In New England Waters. 
BosTON-j June 8. — Returning fishermen report cold 
weather, east winds and rain the most of last week. Such 
conditions are not only against fly-fishing, but detri- 
mental to enjoyment in the woods and on the Avaters. 
The James L. Richards party to the upper waters of the 
West Branch of the Penobscot, Me., has returned. They 
found the weather cold and very rough, but still they 
had pretty good 'fishing. "Only the fly" is used by any of 
the members of this party. Mr. W. J. Follett got twenty- 
nine trout the first evening in, from Foss and Knowlton 
Pond, which is the pond on which the camps of the party 
are located. Mr. George W. Brown says that the fishing 
was all they could ask for. W. J. Leckie is entirely 
satisfied with his catch. They also fished Kidney Pond 
and other waters belonging to the upper waters of the 
Sourdnehunk Stream. The trout run from pound 
up to and even 2 pounds. They are exceedingly 
gamy, biting very freely, frequently even three being 
taken on one cast. Many beautiful trout were returned 
to the waters, because "almost a bucket full" were already 
in camp. Mr, P. S. Allison, the Englishman, was charmed 
with the outing. He had no conception of State of Maine 
fly-fishing, though he had often tramped the Scotch 
moors for sake of a few fingerlings. Even the cold, 
damp weather delighted him, reminding him of "a fine 
Scotch mist." It is evident that the party has visited 
one of the best trout sections in Maine; rather hard to 
reach, requiring a canoe trip up the Twin Lakes from 
Norcross, and thence by land to the upper waters of the 
Sourdnehunk, which flows into the West Branch. The 
canoeing was a decided novelty to the Englishman. It is 
understood that Vice-President Roosevelt is booked for 
a fishing trip to these waters this summer. 
Mr. C. F. Danforth, of Boston, has again surprised 
himself by taking a landlocked salmon of 10 pounds 
weight from Dan Hole Pond, New Llampshire. A friend, 
with loim on the trip also secured one of sVz pounds. It 
win be remembered that Mr. Danforth landed a big one 
from the same pond last year. There has been a week of 
good fishing at Lake Auburn, Me., and some large salmon 
have been taken, mainly by local fishermen, who have 
thronged the pond since the fishing became better. Mr. 
C. H. Jones, of Boston, has good reports from some- 
friends who fished there a week ago. Mr. S. Everett 
Hyde, with his friend Herbert Hall, has just returned 
from a successfid fishing trip to the ponds in the region 
of Holeb, Me. They had remarkable luck and fine sport. 
They caught, trolling, trout up to over 3 pounds — 
square tails, with only a few lakers. But their best sport 
was in fly-fishing. Mr. Hyde remarks that it is a feature 
of some of the ponds in that section that the trout will 
rise to the fly any day in the year when the ice is out. 
Their best day's work was seventy-eight trout, all en the 
fly, and one small salmon. Mr. H}'de owns a camp in 
that part of Maine, and is greatly pleased with his loca- 
tion, both for hunting and fishing. Mr. A. C. Manson 
and son, H. C. Manson. have just returned from a short 
fishing trip to the L^pper Dam. The shortness of their 
stay was about the only trouble they experienced. The 
weather was cold, with a cold, easterly wind and rain, 
but they caught trout every day. Mr. Manson remarks 
that "We caught all the trout we ought to have, and 
greatly enjoyed the outing." Mr. Manson is one of the 
busiest of Boston merchants. The Camp Stewart party 
to Upper Richardson Lake had fair success, though the 
weather was almost too cold and rainy for fly-fishing. 
Mrs. H. C. Day took some good trout, and landed a 
salmon of 3 pounds, the only one taken by the party. Mr. 
C. A. Steams was high line, with the largest trout — 4^ 
pounds. Prof. J. F. Moody took the largest number of 
trout. Mr. H. C. Day had his usual good success. Mrs. 
W. W. Moody lost a "big one," after having him hooked 
three-quarters of an hour. Charlie Roberts, the guide, 
.said that his whole trip was spoiled by losing that trout. 
Still, he was not in the least to blame, the hook having 
evidently worn out. Mrs. F. E. Stanley, who had never 
fished before, caught fourteen handsome trout, and is now 
thoroughly converted to the sport. So it is. Once they 
get a taste of angling, they are anglers ever'after — both 
men and women. 
Boston, June 10. — The fishing trip of Mr. A- S. Wood 
worth, of Boston, was a very successful one. Indeed, he 
carries off the record for salmon for the cold, rainy days 
that he fished. From Rangeley Lake he took his big.gest 
salmon, weighing 7V2 pounds. From Mooselucmaguntic 
he took fourteen salmon, from 2j^ to 4 pounds, and a 
great many trout. From Rangeley he went to Kennebago 
for fly-fishing, where his success was only fair, the weather 
being too cold and rainy. Mr. Woodworth says that he 
attributes the success he always has to the fact that he 
employs a guide who knows where the fish are, and then 
he gives his whole attention to fishing. He does not be- 
lieve that fish are to be caught by sitting around the 
camps and hotels and bragging. There are other good 
reports of salmon caught out of Mooselucmaguntic. Near 
Bald Mountain camps, E. C. Brunelle. of New Bedford, 
landed a salmon the other day that thoroughly tried both 
his skill and his tackle. The salmon weighed g% pounds, 
and it took two hours and a half to bring him to the net 
