488 
FOREST AND . STREAM, 
[June 20, 1903. 
Maine Fishing. 
BangoRj Me., June 13. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Early in the present week there were several smart 
showers, in some cases amounting to storms almost, so 
that the fires were subdued and put out on the surface, 
although without a good downpour the flames might 
readily be fanned into activity by a good wind; but here 
in Bangor it began to rain- last night and, at this writ- 
ing, is coming down in a good, steady, wholesotne 
drenching that is welcomed by everybody. 
It is very interesting to note that not a single sports- 
men's resort has been burned out during all these dis- 
astrous fires, although hundreds of thousands of dol- 
lars' worth of valuable timber has been burned. Some 
private camps, situated in isolated localities, with no 
persons at hand to watch for fire and extinguish it be- 
for it gained great headway, have been burned; but the 
presence on timberland of a registered sportsmen's 
camp, under the direction of a man whose whole liv- 
ing was tied up there, and who had agreed in his lease 
to look out for fires on the tract under his care, 
had a very important bearing on the lack of loss to 
those townships and section so occupied; and in the 
camp-owner the landowners had on the spot, all the 
time, one who would look faithfully after their mutual 
interests, and not only warn his guests against care- 
lessness in fires, but put out any blaze that might start. 
Among the queer things to he recorded against the 
last Legislature, was not only the taking away of all 
protection from the big game of the State — so far as 
appropriating money for its protection goes — but the 
establishing of a bounty on hedge hogs, or as the 
statiite has it, "porcupines, so-called." This bounty, 
although small, being, in fact, only 25 cents, has proved 
a stimulus to a great number of young fellows not yet 
arrived at years of discretion, and a swarm of those 
improvident, impecunious, careless and reckless men, 
who have for generations formed the bulk of the army 
of pot-hunters against whom game protective legislation 
has been aimed. 
Too poor or unwilling to spend a cent for non-in- 
flammable wadding for their guns, they have used cot- 
ton batting, old wasps' nests and other wadding equally 
combustible, and the result has been a fire, starting 
after they passed that way, and, of course, not their 
fault, for they didn't set it and knew nothing of it. 
Could it be brought home to them there is no law that 
defines the kind of wadding to be used in hunting, and 
the stimulus of 25 cents encourages them to keep on. 
Hedge hogs may be clubbed by an active man, and 
it is reported that one man, during the worst of the 
drought, actually set fire to a tree to burn out two 
hedge hogs in its branches, and caused one of the most 
extensive of the fires. And then some of those unfor- 
tunate landowners, robbed of the profits of years of 
investment, turn around and laj' the blame on fisher- 
men, who "must have been careless about their fires." 
It is estimated that it will cost Maine this year from 
$40,000 to $50,000 in bounties on these little animals — 
and she couldn't afford to pay $25,000 to keep wardens 
patrolling the game regions to protect the game, and 
incidentally to protect the forests. It has been a cost- 
ly lesson; it is to be booed it has been learned so well 
that another session will see proper protection given 
to Maine's big game. 
One of the successful trips reported lately was that 
of James A. Boardman and Everett C. Rich, of this 
city, who were stopping at the former's camp at 
Schoodic Lake, a few miles above Brownville. They 
went to Camp Moosehorns on Northwest Pond, where 
they spent the night, and started in good season the 
next morning for Cedar Pond, a little trout pond lying 
among the hills, but literally alive with trout. That 
afternoon they caught enough for supper, and later 
went out upon the pond and fished, catching no in 
what time remained; although when they stopped fish- 
ing it was so dark they could not see the tips of their 
rods- — and the trout were biting as freely as ever. It 
was great sport, such as they seldom enjoy. On their 
way home they took in Little Jo Mary Lake, staying 
there over night, and saw a whole family of moose and 
more deer than they managed to keep a record of. The 
bull was an enormous fellow, and Mr. Boardman stood 
and Avatched him for 25 minues by his watch before he 
moved away. 
The writer had the pleasaure of meeting, at the sta- 
tion in this city Thursday evening, Edward Spaeth, of 
Newark, N. J., who had such a remarkable fight with a 
landlocked salmon in the Fish River system of lakes. 
Mr. Spaeth and Judge Coult, of Newark, went to 
Square Lake in a party, arranged by President Cram, 
of the Bangor & Aroostook, and all the members of 
the party vouch for the truth of the story, which has 
been sent in detail to Fore.st and Stream by another 
correspondent. Mr. Spaeth does admit, however, that 
if he knew that fish was going to fight from 3:10 P. M. 
to 6:15 A. M., he doubts if he would have been willing 
to see the fight out — "but," he concluded, "it does very 
well for once, just for a novelty." And, by the way, 
Judge Coult carried off Aroostook county records 
when he landed a big 71/^-pound square-tailed trout, 
which, if it had been fat instead of almost a racer, 
would have weighed 10 pounds. This trout and his 10- 
pound salmon he is having inounted, so that doubters 
may see the proof. 
Judge L. B. Coult. Judge Brown, Edward A. Barrows 
and Samuel P. Colt, of Providence, have returned 
from Hunt's Kidnej' Pond camps, where they had 
grand fishing in Kidney and adjacent ponds for ten 
days. A Mr. Parsons and two friends from Boston 
came out at the same time from the same place, and 
reported an abundance of success, never having en- 
joyed better fishing. 
E. B. Burgess, of Somerville, and C. H. Smith, of 
Cambridge, have just gone home after a great outing 
of three weeks in the St. Croix system, going and re- 
turning by way of Grand Lake stream. They enjoyed 
their trip immensely and had great sport in all the 
various lakes they visited. At Grand Lake they caught 
fish on the troll, and going up the system found splen- 
did sport with the fly in Dobsis Lake, where thej^ took 
8 salmon in an afternoon off the boat landing at Pine 
Point. One day they went to Fifth Lake stream, on 
the Machias system, and caught all the trout they 
wanted. In Pleasant Lake they cornered several deer 
swirnming in the water, and had a lot of fun with them, 
making them tow them about, heading them off and 
otherwise amusing themselves with two old bucks that, 
they say, were perfectly immense. It was a great trip. 
O. H. Pfersdorf and P. J. Claussen, of Chicago, and 
E. D. and G. S. Pettengill, of Portland, returned yes- 
terday from Long Pond in the Katahdin Iron Works 
region, where they had put in several days of fun. Trout 
were plenty, salmon, too, bit well in Long Pond, and 
they simply caught all they wanted to. 
W. R. Hunnewell, of Pittsfieid, is a good deal of a 
pioneer, and is ever trying some new place where he 
won't have to contend with the "other fellow." This 
week he took a couple of days off, joined Ed. Duplisse, 
of Kingman, and G. R. Weatherbee, of Lee, and the 
three went to Madagascal Lake, a small lake that 
empties into the famous Passadumkeag stream. In the 
lake are some big trout, as well as perch and pickerel, 
for they caught some there; but when one can secure, 
in such a small stream, trout weighing 2j/2 pounds, 
the possibilities of the lake proper make one want 
to stay and see what he can do. They took 14 trout 
in one day's fishing, all good size. 
Swan Lake every year furnishes some splendid fish- 
ing, particularly since it was stocked with salmon by 
the State and supplied with smelts for their food. The 
first of this week there were several anglers on the 
lake and a lot of fish taken, the number being estimated 
at between 50 and 75 salmon during Sunday and Mon- 
daJ^ Augustin Colburne, of Belfast, is said to be high 
line, having caught 8. 
Fred LeFrancis and wife, of Cambridge, Mass., have 
returned from a trip to Deer Island, Moosehead Lake, 
where they had the best fishing of their lives. Mr. 
LeFrancis says that he never saw such fly-fishing at 
Moosehead as he enjoyed during stay of almost three 
Aveeks. Big fish and lots of them was the rule, the 
June weather bringing them right up. E. M. Hersey, 
of this city; J. R. Glover, C. O. Montgomery and W. 
G. Alden, of Camden, are others who have lately re- 
turned from Deer Island after successful visits. 
J. K. Manning, of Medford, Mass., one of the most 
enthusiastic members of the club, owning Castle Har- 
mony on the shore of Moose Pond, has been at the 
Castle for a visit, entertaining George B. Warren and 
wife, of San Francisco, Cal. Mr. Warren was for over 
twenty years the manager of the Palace Hotel, and is 
spending the season at Intervale. He caught two sal- 
mon of good size, while Mr. Manning established a new 
record, taking a 6y^ pounder, the largest salmon ever 
caught in Moose Pond. Mr. Manning immediately 
forwarded the fish to his brother in Boston, who is 
president of the Union Club. 
F. M. Montell and F. M. Montell, Jr., of Montclair, 
N. J., were in the city to-day on their way home from 
Chairback Mt. camps, from which point they visited 
West Chairback, the Wilders and other ponds, besides 
fishing on Long Pond, where they took some very nice 
fish. They fished only with the fly, and caught some 
splendid strings, running in weight to 2 pounds. 
J. W. Whelpley, of Washington, D. C, John F. Rus- 
sell, of New York City, and C. P. Russell, of Green- 
field, Mass., have returned from an outing at Kineo, 
where they had a fine time and caught a lot of trout. 
Several of their trout were large ones, some running 
as high as 3^ pounds, while the togue they captured 
looked very large to them; but they observed that the 
fishermen there thought they were not so big after 
all. Such things go by comparisons, and when fisher- 
men have been bringing in great numbers of fish 
weighing from 10 to 20 pounds, some about every day, 
anything under the lesser weight seems small. 
Reports from Kineo are that Thomas J. ODonohue. 
Jr., who is there with his father for the summer, is 
making that expert angler hustle _ to keep ahead of 
"Tommie," as he has been called by Kineo visitors for 
so many years. The other day he brought in a 4^- 
pound square tail trout, and is looking for a bigger 
one before he goes back to his desk in New York. 
George H. Rimbach, W. H. Mitchell, Albert D. and 
R. R. Rogers, of Boston, are out from Moosehead 
Lake, where they caught in their week's stay 125 
,.)Ounds of fish, including a silver laker that weighed 
9 pounds and 4 ounces. They caught several that 
weighed between 4 and 6 pounds, and trout as large 
as 4 pounds. 
Fred S. Parker, of Bedford. Mass., and family, ac- 
companied by his partner, S. F. Hanson, and his wife, 
have been doing some great fishing on the Kineo, 
which Mr. Parker has chartered for his entire stay. 
One day they were fishing, Mr. Parker being off with 
the fly rod and the others using bait, and at noon it 
developed that just 84 trout and togue had been taken, 
an enormous catch for so short a time. When he 
learned the true state of affairs Mr. Parker forbade 
anyone from leaving the steamer again that day with :% 
baited hook, but told them they might cast with the 
fly all they wanted to. Their forenoon's catch was the 
biggest of the week by any party for an entire day. 
W. H. Wesson and party, of Springfield, Mass., the 
members of which were given in a previous letter, have 
left the Moodies for home, after a delightful outing of 
between two and three weeks. Not the least of their 
fun was, when, with excitement at fever heat, they cast 
off from the Greenville wharf the lines of the steamer 
Eulalia, Mr. W^esson's new boat, and starting several 
rods behind the Rebecca, beat her a half mile to Deer 
Island. Talk is still "cheap" betwen the rival crews, 
and a hot race is looked for before the summer is over. 
Charles C. Emerson, of Bangor, had a successful, al- 
though brief visit, to Kineo, fishing one day and catch- 
ing some nice ones, including a 3j4-pound trout and a 
7-pound togue. 
Arthur J. Bigelow, of Worcester, Mass., who is at 
the Outlet, and who is one of the most successful ang- 
lers coming to-that resort, is taking all he cares to each 
day, of good size, saving only for the table the large 
fish and returning to the water those he cannot use. 
James S. Murphy, Benjamin F. Wild and William 
W. Spring have gone home to Boston after a success- 
ful visit at Kineo. taking in the week over 80 trout and 
togue of good size, over half being at least up to the 
3-pound notch. 
E. S. Farmer, of Arlington, Mass., came down from 
Moosehead the other evening, after such a trip as 
would make some anglers green with envy. He went 
to Pittston Farms, and beginning his trip in a canoe, 
ended it on a tote sled. The fishing was so good that 
he simply got sick of catching trout, as he told the 
writer, and when all under a fair size were thrown 
back, he was forced to stop, because they could not use 
any more. Herbert W. Rowe. 
Rensselaer County Rod and Gun 
Club. 
The president's report of the work of the Rensselaer 
County Rod and Gun Club runs as follows : 
As president, I wish to report the following work ac- 
complished by the various committees during the year 
ending May 31 : 
At the request of the Legislative Committee, Assembly- 
man Reynolds introduced a bill making the close season 
on woodcock, grouse and quail in this county from De- 
cember I to September 30. which was passed and signed 
by the Governor. This law, with the squirrel law passed 
at the previous session of the Legislature, makes the 
season for fall shooting (squirrel, grouse, woodcock and 
quail) uniform throughout the county. 
During the last open season several wild deer were shot 
in the county and it was deemed advisable to protect them 
for a term of years if possible. State Protector Pond, at 
the request of the club, had the Dennison bill amended 
so as to include Rensselaer county, which was also passed 
and signed, and prohibits the killing of deer for five years. 
Through the efforts of Special Protector Ferguson and 
members of the club, the following convictions were made 
and fines collected for violations of the game laws : 
J. Carroll, catching bass during close season, $20; 
Emerson Holsapple, illegal shooting of squirrels, $18.90; 
Christian Lapp, snaring grouse, $43.40. 
Efforts were made last October to prevent the snaring 
of grouse. Protector Ferguson and two other members 
were sent through the county. While but one conviction 
was made, numerous illegal devices were destroyed. 
Eighteen shipments of fish have been received and 
planted during the past year from the State and United 
States Commissions: 
Fry. Finger- Year- 
lings, lings. 
Black bass 500 
Perch-pike 300,000 
Rainbow trout 4,500 4,000 
Brook trout 18,000 
300,000 23,000 4,000 
Since the opening of the season this year brown trout 
have been caught weighing over a pound each, and rain- 
bow trout of three-quarters of a pound weight from 
streams stocked two years ago. 
Catches of brook trout which have never been known 
to have been equalled in the history of the streams have 
been made from waters stocked with these fish by the 
club. 
Fish have been planted near the following localities dur- 
ing the past j'ear: Petersburg, Berlin, Center Berlin, 
South Berlin, East Nassau, North and East Greenbush, 
Poestenkill, Grafton and Sand Lake. 
Four pairs more of Mongolian pheasants were received 
from the State Commission in March of this year. The 
pheasants liberated last year are known to have wintered 
well and to have hatched young last season. 
Applications have been granted for a large number of 
fingerling fish to be received this fall and for a goodly 
number of pheasants for next season. 
The thanks of the club are due the State and United 
Slates Commissions for their help in the work. State 
Protector Pond for his assistance, and to Senator Barnes, 
Assembh'men Reynolds, Chambers and McCarthy for 
their work in behalf of fish and game legislation. 
J. R. McLaren, President. 
Fish Killed by Ligfhtningf. 
Albany, N. Y., June 15. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
The foreman of the Caledonia hatcherj'- reports to the 
Commission that during a storm which prevailed on the 
afternoon of the 8th inst., lightning struck in one of 
Ihe large rearing ponds on the hatchery premises and 
destroyed a number of the fish. The pond contained 
brown trout, and a number of the hatcherj'- employes who 
were loading the State fish car at the time witnessed the 
incident. They examined the pond at once and found 
eight of the fish, ranging from one to six pounds in 
weight, lying on their sides in the water, apparently 
stunned. The foreman, in his report, says : "I found the 
fish turned on their sides and apparently unable to right 
themselves. It did not kill them outright, as some of 
them are alive to-day (June 11), but they lay on their 
sides in the bottom of the pond. I opened some of them 
and found the air bladder burst as the result of the shock. 
* * * A number of years ago the same thing hap- 
pened to a pond of brook trout here, and affected most 
all of them the same way. At that time I opened about 
thirty of the fish and found the same condition as in the 
present case." 
This brief account of an actual occurrence at one of the 
Slate hatcheries may be of interest to some of your 
readers. John D. Whish, Secretary, 
Forest, Fish and Game Commission. 
A Greenwood Lake Muscalonge, 
The statement made in a local paper some days ago 
to the effect that a fish had been caught at Greenwood 
Lake, the head of which weighs six pounds, was received 
with incredulity by local anglers. None of the fish known 
to inhabit Greenwood Lake attain such a size, but never- 
theless the story is true. The fish was a muscallonge and 
was caught by Julius Munsch who was for a long time in 
the employ of the Arnold Brothers dye works. The head 
of the fish, which is at present being mounted by Mr. 
Andrew Booth, the well-known taxidermist, of Marshall 
street, weighed six pounds ; the fish itself Aveighed twenty- 
eight pounds and in length it measured fiJty-eight inches. 
