86 
FOREST ANE) STREAM, 
[Aug. 3, i$oi. 
It seems to be pretty, well established that the steelhead 
trout is a very game fish : that it thrive^ in ponds or lakes 
as M^ell as in streams ; that it takes the fly in streams quite 
as readily as the brook trout, and in ponds quite as well 
as the landlocked salmon; that it spawns in fresh water 
where it is cut off from access to the sea, and that it has 
not the disappearing habit of the rainbow trout, though 
it has a family connection with the rainbow. In the State 
ponds it is often difficult to separate the yearling steelhead 
from the red throat (Neykess) and the rainbow, but the 
more mature steelhead is spotted from head to tail, dorsal, 
adipose, caudal, anal and ventral fins (all fins except the 
pectoral), with black spots, but not so round as the 
spots on the other two species. Just now we desire to 
know all that can be known about the fish in waters where 
it has been planted, particularly in Eastern waters. The 
point that Mr. Kent makes that the eggs from confined 
fish are smaller and whiter than the eggs of wild fish is 
also true of other species of trout, and I wrote of a 
marked case of this sort which came under my observation 
last fall, and it will be of interest to know the results of 
hatching the steelhead in some of the Western hatcheries. 
I regret to say that in one instance I have known that 
hatchery fish did not produce strong fry, but this may 
have been an exception. Nevertheless we wish to know 
all that we can about the steelhead. 
Sequel to a Fishing Accident. 
Thp daily newspapers have had a more or less accurate 
account in brief of a fishing accident on Lake George, 
July i8. Mr. E. Burgess Warren, of Philadelphia, owner 
of the fast steam yacht Ellide, has another steam yacht 
on Lake George nam.ed Cyric, and both are used for 
fishing, the latter being about 6oft. long. Mr. Warren, 
his fisherman and pilot, Alec Taylor, his engineer and 
his valet, Avere on board the Cyric fishing for lake trout. 
Dinner was about to be served when a storm came up. 
The cui'tains on the sides of the boat were fastened down 
to keep out the rain, but the wind was so severe that it 
rolled the boat rmtil the water came in and the steam 
had gotten so low that the boat could not be headed into 
the wind. After twice rolling the boat went down by 
tlie stern, but a water-tight compartment in the bow held 
the bow out- of water. Mr. Warren and his valet in the 
stern of the boat were caught in a trap, but the valet cut 
the curtain and released Mr. Warren and himself, and the 
valet and crew passed a line around Mr. Warren and 
held him on the bow. The men were washed ofl: again 
and again, and were pounded against the boat by the 
wind and waves, and one of Mr. Warren's ribs was 
broken before men in small boats put out from the shore 
and rescued the entire party after they had been in the 
water nearly an hour. I understand that Mr. Warren 
begged the men to let him go and save themselves, but 
all were saved, and the boat afterward towed ashore. I 
cannot yet understand how the Cyric was capsized, al- 
though I know what the wind can do on Lake George, , 
for I cannot comprehend what Alec Taylor was doing ( 
without steam. 
Mr. Warren was about to eat his dinner when the 
storm came, and he had put his waistcoat, containing a 
valuable gold repeater and a pocket knife, which he had 
carried nearly forty years, on one of the seats, where 
there .was a quantity of fishing tackle. Everything that 
went out of the boat went down in more than one hundred 
feet of water, and the waistcoat and contents went down. 
Yesterday, the day after the accident, some fishermen 
saw some' cork fishing floats on the water near where 
the yacht capsized, and they rowed to there and secured 
them, and found they Avere attached to a fishing line or 
lines, for there was a mass of them; pulling them" in, they 
found a weight on one, and this proved to be Mr. War-' 
ren's waistcoat, with the watch and the knife still in the 
pockets, and they were promptly returned to him, 
The cloth of the waistcoat had caught in soine hooks, to 
which were fastened lines with cork floats, and thus the 
watch and knife were saved. Real fishing stories are 
often more extraordinary than imaginary ones. 
Fly Tyefs. 
Much as is said and written about artificial flies, and 
the excellence or killing qualities of one or another, and 
how one pattern differs from another, and so on to the 
end of the chapter, it is fare, indeed, that anythmg is 
said about those who make flies. A few days ago I cut 
an item from a newspaper that I was reading on a radway 
car, which is intended to pay a fitting compliment to 
those who dress the flies that anglers use. It is quaint 
enough to have come down fi-om Walton's time; and, in 
fact, the phraseology seems to have been borrowed from 
a period earlier than the present, but none the less it is 
a tribute to the fly-dresser that should have greater cur- 
rency than an obscure corner of an evening paper: 
The trade of artificial flv-making is the lightest-fingered 
business in the world, and it is not one man or woman 
out of 5,000 who can learn to tie flies. These tyers are 
remarkable for the beauty and delicacy of their hands, 
and onlv the cleverest of fingers can deal with the " 'wig- 
o-ling' work of knotting hairs that can hardly be seen. 
As a matter of fact the clever fingers do not knot hairs, 
but it is a pitv to criticise the facts or lack of them m 
the compliment. My thoughts go to one woman's fin- 
gers as I have watched them for hours tying flies, and 
they were all the writer of this item would imply, and then 
I think of a veteran Yorkshire fly-dresser, over eighty 
years of age, with his knotted, heavy hands and fingers; 
so there ar'e fly-dressers and fly-dressers 
;: A. N. Cheney. 
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I REPORT YOUR LUCK | 
I With Rod and Gun | 
i To FOREST AND STREAM, | 
= New York City. | 
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The FoKBST AND Stream is put to press each week on Tuetda?. 
Correspondence intended for publication should reach us at the 
latest by Monday and as much earlier aa practicable. 
Two Weeks Among the Thousand 
Islands* — IL 
iConiinwed from page 70.) 
Fifth Day — Western Corner of Grindstone. 
We shall now take the last part of the Grindstone 
Island — the western corner — which is the outer corner, at 
the head, from Clayton. We will commence fishing at 
Hickory Flats lor pickerel. The water is 45 feet deep 
and large fish the result. From Cement Point to the 
outer end of Hickory Island, and from Cement Point to 
Ant Island, there are two large weed beds. These weed 
beds have yielded dozens of muscallonge first and last. 
At the head of Ant Island there is a deep hole along- 
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.side a reef; this is one of our favorite spots for muscal- 
longe. We have nothing now to note except bass fishing 
al! the way down to Seven Tree Island. But the bass 
fishing, as shown in the chart, is exceptionally fine. The 
best result to be obtained is by trolling with Delaware- 
belles. Standing out from the first large island we strike, 
which is Leek Island, is a very small one called Seven 
Tree Island. More muscallonge have been caught around 
this island than any other grounds ten times the size; 
every season it gives its quota. We have distinctly 
marked these grounds, so that no fisherman going there 
shall miss a trick. 
Just below Seven Tree Island is Leek Island Bay. 
The bay is full of pickerel. At the mouth and at the 
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lower point is good muscallonge ground. On one oc- 
casion at the point we had a strike. It stopped the boat, 
smashed a clean ash set-pole lyi inches in diameter, and 
then another rush and a 28-thread linen line broke. What 
fish it was or the size of it has ever been a matter of 
conjecture atid wonder. 
Sfxtfi Day— Cow's Horn Reef. 
This day we are going to devote to muscallonge; there- 
•fpre' set sail at Clayton, run along the head of the Grind- 
• ^tone, shake out the sail a bit and round the western 
Corner and run down before the wind to Huckleberry 
island. As soon as we pass Juniper we will take in sail 
and let out a pair of lines with No. 8 spoons on them; 
if the day is bright, copper and brass; if dull, copper and 
silver. We work and keep in close to the edge of 
Huckleberry until the foot is reached, then turn our boat 
in swiftly and close to the point until we see rocks under 
the boat in about 6 feet of water. We have now located 
the inner end of the reef. Turn out sharply and quickly 
and follow the reef around until it disappears in the 
channel. The two most likely spots (marked by crosses) 
for a strike are when you locate the reef and turn out, and 
again as you round the point at the channel. After 
going over the ground three qr four times without suc- 
cess, follow down the channel from the point close to the 
Hay Island Flat weed bed. They often leave the reef 
and work down there to feed. If one is out on the feed 
you are almost sure to get him. 
After fishing the Florn thoroughly, come back to the 
head of the island and turn in around the upper shoal. 
There is a hollow under this shoal, which is also a good 
spot. 
Take a turn around the little bay and get a couple '"^ 
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pickerel for dinner. Then take a run along the channel 
between Juniper and the reef. This is also good 
muscallonge ground. When this is fished it will be 
dinner time. Have dinner and go over the ground a^ain 
after dinner in the same way as before. You will either 
go back to Clayton with an empty fish box or something 
that you will be mighty proud of. 
Seventh Day — Foot of Sir John's Island. 
From to-day we shall commence and work the fishing 
grounds up river from Clayton, and all of the time in 
Canadian waters. Foot of Sir John's is ten miles from 
Clayton, directly across from the head of Grindstone 
Island. It is essentially a pickerel ground, and they run 
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below the average of St. Lawrence fish in size; but the 
quantity that can be caught is simply determined by th^ 
feeling that you have enough. 
Along the shore, by the Pine Bluff, is a run where a 
great many muscallonge have been taken. 
About three miles above the lighthouse is Chockrow 
Flats. This is a celebrated pickerel water, the fish 
running from 5 to lo and IS pounds. The water is over 
SO feet deep. Bottom large boulders, with long weeds 
growing between them. D^ep water runs up close tc 
shore. It is an easy matter to tell a Chockrow Flat fish 
when you see it — comparatively short, very thick anc^ 
deep; back almost black, and belly and markings yello\M 
instead of white. 
Eighth Day— Back of Sif John's. 
From the foot of Sir John's we will run up alongside 
the Canadian mainland for five miles, which will bring 
