270 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[April 4, 1903. 
joke of my loss, and to tease me about it. In my ex- 
cited grief I had foolishly appealed to him for sympathy. 
The woes of childhood and youth are not always short- 
lived. 
Trout were numerous in all cold brooks in those days, 
but even in the large streams a pound specimen was a 
large fish. I remember seeing but one two-pound trout 
during my boyhood; this seems rather remarkable, as T 
was familiar with some of the big limestone streams in 
Pennsylvania. They were deep and rich in food for 
trout; a peculiar moss which was common in them was 
filled with larvas, snails, shrimps, etc. Many flies ap- 
peared on the water and the evening rise of trout was 
something to be remembered. Very little fishing was 
done after the early part of the season, which began then 
on "All Fool's Day." 
According to my recollection the trout were in good 
condition, and on one opening day I made a basket of 38 
good fish during a snow storm; the temperature could 
not have been low, as the snow melted as fast as it fell. 
Glancing over a book called "Sixty-three Years' 
Angling" recently, reminded me. of a fine old salmon 
fisher, now gone to his rest, as the views of the author 
and my friend agreed and in some respects were uncom- 
mon. They believed that the salmon takes the fly in 
anger, because he is tantalized and annoyed by it. The 
author of the work goes so far as to say that the pattern 
of fly used for salmon is not of the slightest consequence. 
"Why the salmon takes the fly" has been the subject of 
much discussion and argument for many years, and all 
that we can do is to form our own opinions from such 
reliable evidence as we have before us. After learning 
from books how to tie trout flies, I became ambitious and 
devoted much of my leisure to the more complicated 
insects, or rather lures, used for salmon. 
It is very difficult to obtain the requisite materials in 
this country, but those necessary to tie a few of the 
standard patterns were imported, and after working for 
three hours on a single Jock-Scot, I succeeded in turning 
out quite a pretty fly. In an account of the fishing season 
in the river Eden, in North Britain, a new fly was men- 
tioned as having proved very killing that year, one salmon 
of pounds and another of 43 pounds having been 
taken with it. The formula of the fly w;as given and I 
copied it. It proved to be a very harmonious creation of 
blue and silver, orange and black, golden pheasant top- 
pings, etc., and I gave one or two to each of my salmon- 
fishing friends. One of these gentlemen was on the Resti- 
gouche in June of that year fishing the club waters on 
the invitation of a friend. 
On a bright, hot day many rods were at work, but the 
fish were not inclined to rise, and none were taken until 
one of the guides, an Indian, I think, in looking over my 
friend's stock of flies, noticed the Eden fly I had given 
him. He attached it to the leader and casting over the 
same water five large salmon were risen and hooked. The 
best fish weighed thirty-eight pounds. Were those salmon 
made angry by the Eden fly and not by the Jock-Scots, 
silver-doctors, Durham-rangers, black-doses and other 
flies presented to them? My friend was the only one 
among many who had any sport on that day. By the way, 
the form of the Pennell hook, a plain tapered shank with 
gut loop (not an eyed hook), was disliked by all the 
guides at that time. The hook was rather slender, and 
Mr. Pennell has since brought out a much heavier hook, 
with a returned eye for salmon flies. 
Later in the season another friend, of no experience 
v/hatever, was given a few days on private water some 
distance up the same river. He had very little tackle and 
scarcely any flies, except a few I had given him. These 
flies had been tied before my materials arrived, and 
could hardly be called salmon flies at all. 
Among them was a thing on a No. 1V2 Pennell hook 
resembling a coachman trout fly, if anj^hing. It was tied 
with two stiff white wings, made of whole feathers, up- 
right on the hook, peacock herl body, yellow butt, golden 
pheasant tail, silver tag, and a very full long brown 
hackle. After two days without sport the Indian guide 
put this strange salmon fly in action in the evening. It 
was cast straight out, and, as my friend said, sat on the 
river like a sail boat, with its wings cocked up. As it 
floated down, a salmon of 1414 pounds rose quietly and 
tried to absorb it. The big wings and general stiffness of 
the fly were against him, however, and it was only after 
three separate and distinct efforts that he got it. My 
friend, never having fished with a fly in his life, became 
wildly excited, struck very hard and broke his, or rather 
the owner's rod, for it was borrowed. In spite of this 
the fish was landed with the assistance of the guide ni 
two hours and a half. With the same fly two more 
salmon were taken. This I consider a very interesting 
case, as it is one of the few recorded instances where a 
salmon has risen at and taken a dry fly floating on the 
water; and the natural inference is that it was taken as 
a fly or moth, certainly not in anger. 
It is unfortunate that so few fishermen keep a record 
of their sport, with the attending circumstances, as much 
interesting and often valuable information is lost forever. 
Experience is the great teacher, and if that of many 
could be brought together, we would know far more than 
we do of many things bearing upon our art. The man 
v/ho keeps everything he learns locked up in his own 
breast will know far less than he who compares notes 
with his fellows. My reason for writing these random 
notes and recollections is that they may remind other 
men of their interesting experiences, and perhaps induce 
them to write also. 
There are a great many amateur fly tyers in this coun- 
try, but they have no medium of communication.^ In the 
course of years one learns of many wrinkles — in addi- 
tion to those printed on his face— new materials are dis- 
covered, and if he is a fair observer he picks up a little 
practical information about entomology. 
I am surprised that more ladies do not take an interest 
in fly-fishing. It is well within their powers, and those 
accustomed to exercise soon become enthusiastic. Eight 
years ago a young lady was my fishing companion quite 
frequently, and although we had to tramp four or five 
miles to reach the best part of the river, she never became 
too tired to enjoy the sport. She wore a Tarn O'Shanter, 
sweater, short jacket and skirts, with stout shoes and 
leggings and waded, as I did, without waterproofs, which 
are only a nuisance in warm weather. The constant ex- 
ercise prevents one from taking cold, care being taken 
not to li« afeQut lopp; enough at lunch time to become 
chilled, though there is little chance of that when the 
summer sun is high in the heavens. 
This girl soon learned to cast a fly quite well, in spite 
of the fact that her rod was a poor one (a split bamboo 
nine feet in length and weighing four and a half ounces 
is just the thing for a lady). She saw portions of a most 
beautiful trout stream never before visited by a woman, 
and had many interesting experiences. An involuntary 
bath was the only misfortune she experienced, and she did 
not suffer from that. No one man or woman who has 
once taken an interest in fly-fishing ever becomes indif- 
ferent to it. A fresh source of pleasure in life has been 
gained and one that will continue to afford enjoyment 
until the end of the longest life. 
The inhabitants of New York and vicinity are greatly 
favored in their opportunities for sport. Good salt water 
fishing is near at hand and owing to the excellent facili- 
ties for travel a man can leave the city by the Newspaper 
train at four o'clock on any spring morning, spend a long 
day on good water a hundred miles away, and return in 
time for a late supper the same night. Of course, it is 
better and more agreeable to spend a night in the coun- 
try, but it is not really necessary. 
Business is so absorbing that many ardent fishermen 
can only steal a day now and then, in the early part of 
the season, while fishing is at its best. The clubs on 
Long Island are largely patronized, but are beyond the 
means of the majority. Also a desire is felt to visit wild 
unpreserved waters, to get "among the mountains and the 
evergreens. The angling fever is a very real disease, and 
can only be cured by the application of cold water and 
fresh untainted air. I know a man eighty years of age 
who used to visit the Restigouche every year as soon as 
the ice was out. He often descended from hi.s car at 
Metapedia to find himself in a snow bank, but his ardor 
was never chilled. On one trip he traveled many hundred 
miles, spent one day in a wet boat, caught one 25-pound 
salmon and a bad attack of influenza and was shipped 
home in spile of himself. He was quite as eager the next 
spring. 
I am one of those who believe that all the vagaries of 
trout that seem so incomprehensible are capable of a 
rational explanation. For one thing, the eyesight of 
round-eyed creatures is not as good as that of almond- 
eyed human beings in some respects, although better In 
others. They are deficient in the sense of form, keen to 
detect motion and shades of color. A deer will not notice 
you if you are absolutely still, but the slightest motion 
sends him off at once. Trout are the same, only more 
so, if anything. A shadow alarms them greatly, and the 
position of the sun has much to do with our success, or 
the lack of it. If the rays of light are reflected from the 
water in a certain way, you can stand within easy casting 
distance of a school of shy trout in even the shallowest 
water ; they cannot see you, nor can you see them. Prove 
this the next time you have an opportunity. 
Trout take a fly when it is all chewed up sometimes. 
It does not look like anything to us, but to them it may 
be the exact color of a fly that is or has been hatching 
out, and they take it as larvse or nymph just emerging 
from its case. I have, when not able to make a really 
good imitation of a fly upon which the trout were feeding, 
contented myself with a body of the right color and a few 
turns of almost any feathers of the right shade. This will 
kill better than a well formed fly of the wrong color, 
though greater accuracy is desirable. 
Theodore Gordon. 
Chickamauga Fishing Club. 
Twenty-six Chattanooga citizens are the exclusive 
owners of fishing privileges in the lake which runs for 
two and a half miles from Crawfish Springs to West 
Chickamauga Creek. 
The club has existed for a number of years, but it is 
now probably at its best, having a larger membership and 
better facilities than ever before for enjoying the sport. 
The membership list is full, and there is quite a waiting 
list anxious to take up any vacancy that may occur, but 
it is not likely that the number of active members will be 
materially increased soon. 
The immense volume of water pouring out of Crawfish 
Spring makes a small river, furnishing about one-third of 
the water in South Chickamauga Creek. At the mouth 
of the spring stream is a strong dam, which creates a lake 
two miles and a half long, as picturesque as any water 
course in the South. The clear, blue depths are fairly 
alive with game fish. There is scarcely a.ny current in the 
lake, and if one were floating down, without the aid of 
wind or paddle, it would require twelve hours to make 
the distance. This is an advantage, of course, making the 
rowing in any direction easy and delightful. 
Each season during the past few years the Government 
fish car has left game minnows in this lake, and it is 
stocked now with a number of varieties which afford all 
kinds of sport for the members of the club. Among the 
best varieties are the black bass, the rainbow trout, the 
crappie and the bream. These respond readily to live bait, 
trolling spoon and fly. In addition there are sun perch, 
white perch and even the despised blue and yellow cat- 
fish, but the "cats" are seldom caught, although it is said 
that they are about as fine dish as any coming from the 
pure waters of the spring lake. Already this season the 
Government has put into the lake one thousand black 
bass and 700 crappies. 
It is estimated that the members of the club catch one 
fish to eight which are put into the lake. This can be 
easily figured out, as each fisherman, at the close of his 
day's sport, makes a report of the number and kind of 
fish he caught. These reports are turned over to the 
secretary, who incorporates the aggregate figures for each 
member in his annual report. 
The largest fish last year weighed about six and one- 
half pounds. It was a black bass. The largest so far this 
jear was four and one-fourth pounds, also of the black 
bass variety. 
The club has just aompleted a new club house at a cost 
of $600, and will build a boathouse at once. The club 
house is near the old Crawfish Springs hotel, and is a 
convenient, neat cottage, capable of accommodating any 
number of the members. There are lockers for each mem- 
ber, a spacious club room, kitchen and dining room, and 
sleeping apartments provided with C9ts for those who 
wish to spend the night there. It is understood that 
quite a number of the members contemplate spending their 
vacations this summer in that way, sleeping in the club 
house and fishing early in the morning and late in the 
evening, which will not interfere with their daily work 
in the city. 
The lake, club house, minnows, boats, etc., are all 
looked after by R. N. Phipps, the game keeper, who is 
employed by the club at a salary. Mr. Phipps not only 
knows the places where the fish can be found, but he 
knows how to entice and land the big fellows as well as 
any member of the club, this fact no doubt proving a 
great convenience to many an unlucky fisherman in time 
of need. "Admiral" Phipps keeps thousands of minnows 
all the time, ready for the members of the club when- 
ever they want them, the club paying for the minnows 
from one cent to one and a half cents each, according to 
the size, which must be from three and a half to six 
inches in length. Many of the minnows are brought con- 
siderable distance, usually by express. 
The ultra-exclusiveness of the Chickamauga Fishing 
Club is seen from the fact that no permits are issued to 
anyone to fish on the preserves of the club, which include 
all the running streams on the Lee estate. Each member 
of the club is entitled to invite ten visitors in twelve 
months, and the expenses incurred by the visit must be 
charged to the member who invited him. 
This gives promise of becoming a formidable rival to 
the best fishing grounds in the South, and the present 
club, having a lease of the fishing privileges until 1910, 
can afford to anticipate a long period of enjoyment in 
the pastime. Being so near Chattanooga, and on the line 
of the Central of Georgia railroad, the grounds are al- 
ready proving a veritable health resort and a sure cure 
for "that tired feeling" that takes possession of all men 
at some time. Members of the club have fished all the 
winter with success, and they find that the weather makes 
no difference, as far as the fish are concerned. 
There is some talk of adding the hunting feature to the 
province of the club, in which event the hunting privileges 
will be secured on a large tract of adjacent land, which 
will be stocked and preserved. — Chattanooga News, 
Foreign Fishing Notes. 
The Rhine Salmon. 
According to a late report the salmon caught in the 
river Rhine numbered 27,477 in igoo, 31,811 in 1901, and 
373303 in 1902; the improvement not being remarkable in 
view of the fact that the average catch between 1871 and 
1900 was 54,630. The report recommends, in order to in- 
sure a continuance of the improvement, that the follow- 
ing of disregarded recommendations be adopted and 
stringently enforced. First, the fishery to be absolutely 
prohibited from September i to January I. Second, to 
maintain a weekly close time from Saturday to Sunday 
evening. Third, a daily suspension of six hours from 
9 P. M. to 3 A. M., to be enforced in all portions of the 
river beyond its tidal flow. Fourth, no salmon spawn 
or fry to be disturbed or taken save by authorized fish 
culturists. Fifth, more liberal stocking of the stream with 
fry. Sixth, strict regulations against fouling waters to 
be rigidly enforced. Much of the decline is attributed to 
improvements in river navigation and to the multiplica- 
tion of industrial establishments upon its banks. The 
stream is doubtless of far greater value as an artery of 
trade than as a fish nursery, and inasmuch as its develop- 
ment in the one direction is seemingly incompatible with 
that in the other, the salmon will probably have to go. 
It is doubtful, in view of American experience, whether 
a more liberal stocking of the river with fry would accom- 
plish the result hoped for. 
Norway's Fish Indostfy. 
Norway's export of fish in 1901 was $13,100,000, or 
nearly si.x dollars per head of the total population. Al- 
most one-third of the country's entire export was of 
fish and fish products, and this, her leading industry, has 
become such largely by reason of its furtherance by 
Government aid exerted with the most praiseworthy intel- 
ligence and discretion. Among the more notable exports 
are fish meal, fish tongues and fish stomachs. Of fish roe 
there was exported 96,000 pounds and 656,000 pounds of 
fish glue. 
Norway now makes a very fine table oil from herrings, 
and employs it in her fish canning industry as an accept- 
able sulDstitute for the more expensive Italian olive oil. 
Among new fish preparations offered are boneless warm 
smoked herrings, cold smoked turbots, fish sausages, and 
codfish ingeniously dried without heat in three or four 
days, whereby, it is asserted, that the fishy taste of the 
product is abated and the color, general appearance and 
taste of the fresh fish closely approximated. Toward this 
particular line of experiment the Government contributed 
ove five hundred dollars. Much progress has also been 
accomplished in the economical production and refining of 
the coarser fish oils. An ingenious apparatus has been 
devised by which it is claimed the proportion of oil in a 
specimen of fish can be ascertained with ease and cer- 
tainty in a few minutes, and thus the proper and most 
economical disposition of a catch of herring, or other fish, 
can be readily determined. 
Japanese Fishery Schools. 
Among the many wonderful events of the last century 
there was none more startling than the entry of Japan, 
almost fully armed and panoplied, into the circle of 
civilized nations. With an equipment in most respects 
equal, and in some superior to her sister peoples, she will 
soon occupy the competitive arena thoroughly prepared to 
struggle for her share of the world's markets. Her fore- 
sight, energy and industry have, in no line of effort, been 
so marked as in the development of her fisheries. As 
early as 1882 the fisheries of the empire underwent asso- 
ciated direction, and it became the concern of the leading 
men of the then infant industry to further its expansion 
by a system of enlightened instruction. In 1888 the Min- 
ister of Agriculture established the first school at Tokio, 
and to-day there are in the empire the following: One 
school of instruction in marine and freshwater products, 
sustained without Government aid; twenty-five experi- 
ment stations under State subvention i three fishery 
