210 
FOREST AND STREAM 
{Sept. 13, 1902. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Very Large Small-Moolh Bass. 
Chicago, III., Sept. 6. — ^Mr. H. C. Sefton, of Mt. Ver- 
non, O., incloses a clipping from a local newspaper with 
this comment: "This is taken from yesterday's Mt. Ver- 
non Republican. I know the man and saw the fish, and 
the accoimt is true, and therefore Avorthy publication in 
the Forest and Stre.'VM. The bass was 'a small-month. 
There are no large-mouth bass in the crock here." The 
clipping referred to reads as follo'«^s, and the racord 
seems to be authentic: 
"The largest black bass ever caught from a stream in 
this part of the State was landed by Mr. John Bunnell, 
Thursday morning, from the Kokosing. The fish, which 
tipped the scales at seven pounds and fourteen ounces, 
was pulled out of the water near the Slidey Bridge. Mr. 
Bunnell is A^ery proud of his fine catch and has been ex- 
hibiting the fish at the Bunnell shop on W. Front street. 
Many persons who heard of the fish being landed doubted 
its weight until they saw its size. 
"A number of persons who are interested in fish and who 
read much in regard to the finny tribe, state that they 
nearer saw any account of a larger black bass than this 
one being caught in Ohio waters. Mr. Bunnell had the 
big fellow photographed Thursday afternoon. 
"The fish was caught on a hook and line, the bait being 
a minnow. Bunnell set several poles and lines Wednesday 
night. The big bass had floundered alx)ut in the water 
and tangled all the lines in a mass. It was still alive when 
Bunnell pulled the lines in Thursday morning. The 
lucky fisherman was so much excited, however, that he 
let the fish fall from the bridge, the fall Idlling it." 
Tfotit on ihe Two-Heart. 
Messrs. J. M. Oliver and son, F. N. Wood, John B. 
Knight, Edgar M. SnoAV and B. N. Schumacher, all of 
Chicago, have recently returned from a two weeks' trout- 
ing trip on the Two Heart River of Michigan, Upper 
Peninsula. Mr. Wood is a newspaper man who does not 
go fishing as often as he would like to. He tells me 
that he had a most delightful time, and that the party 
were successful quite up to their expectations. They 
did fly-fishing altogether, and had grand sport, this being 
one of the streams fed largely by the brook trout which 
run up from Lake Michigan late in the summer. Mr. 
Wood took one trout which weighed 3>4 pounds, the fly 
being silver-doctor. He says the party did not kill their 
fish, but kept them in live boxes, and on coming out 
turned loose something like sixty or seventy-five pounds 
of trout, which were living and unhurt. 
Chicago Fly-Castisg Club. 
Opportimity will be given this afternoon and to-morrow 
morning to all members of the Chicago Fly-Casting Club 
to bring up all their unfinished records. This is the last 
opportunity for re-entries this summer, and should appeal 
tc those members who have not completed their scores. 
Hair Leaders. 
Mr. John Norman, of Montreal, writes to me about my 
experience with the Mississippi River bass, saying: "If 
you had used some of my hair leaders you would have 
secured nearly every bass you hooked. The advantage of 
the hair leader is that it will stretch when wet and this 
relieves the strain on the hook. I caught six small-mouth 
bass this month at Round Lake, on trailing flies, the first 
on record caught on the fly in that lake. These were the 
only bites I had, and I missed none." 
I am obliged to Mr. Norman for the sample of the hair 
leader, but I very much fear that it would not wholly 
solve the problem of the Mississippi River small-mouths, 
although it might materially aid therein, 
Fishing in Iowa- 
Mr. R. L. Blair, of Dcs Moines, la., writes pleasantly 
and with the spirit of an angler in his letter, which 
follows : , , <l 
"I don't think you ought to publish such articles as the 
one in this week's Forest and Stream about that trip 
after grayling. It will make many men wild because they 
cannot go and do likewise. It's a sin to excite envious 
feelings in others. 
"What pleasure tliat trip must have been — -good com- 
pany, good weather, plenty of the rarest fish, good camp 
and everything fine! I'll wager you didn't feel tired, 
didn't know you were wet. What are city pleasures or 
enjoyments compared with such an excursion as that? 
"I also enjoyed the story about Mississippi River bass, 
and know something about that myself, for fifty years 
ago as a thirteen-year-old lad I began yanking bass and 
wall-eyed pike out of that stream with- a cane pole. I 
didn't know anything about a jointed rod then. Our best 
time was in earlj-- spring, when the fish were running up 
stream. Taking our stand on a point of rocks jutting into 
the river, where the water ran swiftly, the fish ran by in 
schools, and bit eagerly, so it was no trick at all to get a 
good string. In September and October the fish went 
down stream, fat and luscious. 
"People of the inland districts of Iowa have not enjoyed 
any fishing at all so far this season. When the close of 
the season expired May 15, the rains began, and have 
kept it up all summer, our rivers have been high and 
muddy ever since; no game fishing at all. Catching mud 
cats isn't much sporf. The rivers being high all summer, 
fish have had a good chance to get over numerous ob- 
structing dams, so that when the summer rains are all 
over and our streams have become clear, we anticipate 
having good times after bass, wall-eyes and pickerel, not 
excluding channel cats nor game fish. 
"W>. do not in Central Iowa expect much quail hunting, 
as the excessive rains all summer have doubtless drowned 
the young broods. Very few are seen except old birds 
left over from last winter. I suppose we will have our 
greatest fun the coming winter after cottontails-" 
I have often had occasion to deplore the deterioration 
in the angling streams of Iowa, Avhere many years ago I 
used to fish with great success. Since then the close 
farming of the State and the absolute disregard of the 
average Iowa citizen for the fish and game laws has made 
Iowa pretty near a wilderness so far as her game re- 
sources are concerned; that is to say, a wilderness where 
fhere i§ nothing but thp abomin^tioB pf (JesoIatiojTi, caused. 
as Mr. Blair says, by dynamite, spears and all uncleanli- 
ness. 
A Colorado Bass Lake. 
Mr. Vernon McKelvey, of New Windsor, Colo., writes 
to call attention to the fishing place which he has upon 
Windsor Lalce, Colo., adjacent to Windsor. This lake 
v,'as stocked with black bass some years ago, and fish are 
now taken there weighing as much as fiv« pounds. Mr. 
"McKelvey adds that the finest bass fishing in Colorado 
can be had here, and it is the intention to keep up the 
stock of fish. It is stated that the yellow perch planted 
in this lake some years ago have attained- a .size really 
enormous for that species, some of them having been 
taken sixteen inches in length. Windsor Lake is within 
a couple of hours of Denver, and is still closer to other 
centers of population. One would hardly expect to hear 
of bass fishing in Colorado, but this is a progressive age. 
Luck on the Flambeati- 
I\[r. Byron S. Veatch, of this city, is just back from a 
trip on the Flambeau River of Wisconsin, which he made 
with his friends, Mr. Jones, of Louisville, Ky., and Dr. 
Benze, of St. Paul, Minn. They ran the Flambeau for 
about fifty miles, including three or four pretty stitt 
rapids, and had splendid success in fishing for small-mouth 
black bass. Mr. Veatch took some muscallunge also while 
casting for bass, nothing over 11^ pounds, however. He 
says the Flambeau is an ideal stream for a trip, the woods 
being almost unbroken by lumbering operations, the pine 
hardly being missed in the various groAvth of oak. maple, 
spruce, birch, etc., which now lines the high bluff banks. 
One can start in near Fifield, on the Wisconsin Central 
line, and run down to Ladysmith on the Soo, making a 
trip of about seventy miles ; or he can keep right on down 
the Flambeau into the Chippewa, running that stream 
down to Chippewa Falls, or to its mouth near Wabasha, 
INfinn. The Chippewa and Flambeau drain a great part 
of the Wisconsin muscallunge cotmtry ; indeed, all of that 
nndrained by the Wisconsin, these two systems being the 
only ones by which the muscallunge ascend into these 
lakes from the Mississippi River. Mr. Veatch says he i'i 
going up in November for a deer hunt, as deer are very 
abimdant in that region. He has a cottage on the Mason 
chain of lakes near Fifield, and thinks this the best place 
in the State for a cottage, since shooting, fishing and 
pleasant scenery ai'c all directly at hand. He says the 
Flambeau small-mouths are fighters from the word, and 
make him disgusted with lake fishing for big-mouths. He 
caught seventy-two big-mouths in a Minnesota lake one 
day, but says a half-dozen river small-mouths are worth 
the lot. E. Hough. 
Hartford Building, Chicago, III. 
New England Waters. 
Boston, Sept. 6. — The big-game season is open at the 
Megantic Preserve. D. D. Davis, of New York, brought 
in the first deer, reaching the club house at i :40 o'clock 
on the opening day, Sept. r. A. B. Kellog, who got the 
first deer last year at the preserve, played Mr. Davis a 
good second. The camps are full of members and guests, 
all anxious to get a good share of the first shooting, and 
the late fishing as well; the jjarticularly fortunate posi- 
tion of the preserve permitting both, being partly in 
Maine and partly in Canada. At the preserve are the 
following nimrods: William B. Lawrence and family, of 
Medford; A. W. Gleason. Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Camp and 
D. D. Davis, of New York; John E. Crowley and W. R. 
Buckminster, Boston ; Mr. and Mrs. Gaston Sherer, 
Newton; Dr. and Mrs. T. J. Smith, Valley Falls, R. I.; 
Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Briggs, Pawtucket, R. I.; D. S. 
Draper, Wilton, N. H. Mr. L. O. Crane is back to 
Boston, but will soon go to the Upper Dam with Mrs. 
Crane lor the late fall fishing. Mr. C. H. Tarbox, of 
Byfield, who is always interested in shooting affairs, says 
that quail are remarkably plently in his section of the 
State. He remarks that there are numerous flocks, 
which promise good shooting on the opening of the sea- 
son, Oct. I. Word has been sent to the game warden of 
that section to "look out" for such hunters as Avould be 
willing to shot every one of the birds before the opening 
day, if they dared. Some shore-bird shooting is being 
done along the Essex marshes and at Plum Island, but 
so far the bags have been small. Noav the gunners are 
expecting the autumnal storms to set the birds flying. 
Mr. HoAvard W. Brandenburg is getting to be the 
champion bass fisherman of those,- who go out from 
Boston for a day, for lack of time to go further. Labor 
Day he Avent up to Wayland again and caught 23 bass 
and 6 pickerel. There Avere a number of others fishing 
along the riA^er, but they caught, few; or none. Mr. Frank 
H. Stuart has been, up to New Hampshire fishing for 
landlocked salmon again, in some stream. He does not 
say Avhat strea-m, nor where, but says that the small 
salmon are more lively than trout even, rising freely to 
the fly and taking almost any sort of bait. He remarks 
that somebody suggested that it is against the law to 
catch the small salmon where he fished. But he fished 
Avith one of the judges of the Supreme Court, and is will- 
ing to leave the question of legality to him. Mr. W. J. 
Follett is back from the Inglewood, Avith Mrs. Follett 
and his boys. He found rather poor trout and salmon 
fishing; even on the very locations where his son had 
had good sport only a few days before. Late in the day 
the trout would rise occasionally, but generally at ponds 
so far awaj"- from the club camps that the return had to 
be made with lanterns, OA-er uncomfortable trails. One 
evening he got eight good trout, and at another time a 
dozen. None Avere very large. 
At the Maine State Fair this week they showed sev- 
eral curiosities. Mr. J. T. Stanley, who has charge of 
the hatcheries at Lake Auburn, and Commissioner Henry 
O. Stanley Avere in attendance. The latter called atten- 
tion to scA-eral albinos, or fish all white; "a freak of 
nature." Then came the hybrids, a cross between the 
.salmon and the trout. These hybrids Avere represented 
in the tank by a large fish of five or six pounds' Aveight. 
Mr. Stanley says that they are found native only in 
Flood's Pond, in that State. The largest fish in the ex- 
hibit Avere a brown trout and a landlocked salmon, both 
of about 10 pounds' weight, and both raised at the Lake 
Auburn hatchery. 
Boston, Sept. 8.— Some of the returning anglers have 
had good sport, although the late season, as a whole, 
has not been entirely satisfactory. Mr. Walter L. Hill, 
Avho has recently returned from the Pond-in-the-River. 
below the Middle Dam, Richardson Lake, speaks of 
good sport, although he was late and the Aveather rather 
warm. He Avas accompanied by his two boys and little 
girl. One day they started for B Pond, crossing from, 
the Pond-in-the-River camp in a boat.. They had been 
casting Avithout much sticcess, and Mr. Hill suggested , 
to the boys that they let their flies drag on the surface. 
Quickly there was a splash, and the son exclaimed: "I've 
got a big one!" In an instant there Avas another strike 
and a second salmon weht into the air. hooked to the 
same rigging. Then the two salmon commenced leap-' 
ing and darting: over and over each other, and out of 
Avater. Mr. Hill well knew that one or both must be 
lost, though cautioning the excited boy to do his best.' 
Soon one salmon cleared liimself, Avhen the other was 
more easily handled and brought to the net. It was a; 
handsome fish of over three pounds. Mr. Hill says that 
the other was the bigger fish, and that if one wants 
genuine angling sport, he has only to get two good- 
sized salmon on his rigging at once. Earlier in the sea- 
son he had a peculiar experience with trout, when 
camped at Big Richardson Pond. Faithfully he cast 
over the best spot at the Inlet, but not a rise. He kept' 
at it nearly all the forenoon, trying all sorts of flies. 
His guide avs discouraged, and Mr. Hill suggested that; 
he go ashore and prepare dinner. This Avas done, but 
Mr. Hill Avas not to be beaten too easily, andl went back', 
to the same spot to try Avhile the dinner was under prep- 
aration. Almost the first cast he made a handsome trout 
took the fl}^ AA'ith a vigorous leap out of water. He was' 
soon brought to the net, and Aveighed about 214 pounds. 
Casting was resumed, and quickly there Avas another 
rise, and soon another fine trout was landed and killed. 
"All we could eat," Mr. Hill remarks. He is an angler 
with the fly only, and never kills any fish not Avanted for 
food immediately. But the fishing was too good to be 
abandoned just then, although the guide was calling- him 
to dinner. He made a few more casts, when there Avas' 
another splash, with a big trout hooked. This one itj 
took more time to conquer, and Avhen brought to the 
net it AA'eighed plump four pounds. But this noble fish 
was not to be killed; only shoAvn to the guide. The net 
was tied around it. put over the side of the boat, and the 
angler started to show his guide what he had done, while: 
that functionary Avas getting dinner. The guide came 
down to the boat: "Wail, you've done well!" — seeingj 
the two dead trout in the boat. "But," said Mr. Hill, 
as he held up the big trout struggling in the net, "you/ 
hoodooed me completely. I cannot catch trout with 
you in the boat." The guide took this good-naturedly, 
and the big trout was allowed to depart, for some other 
fellow to catch. "They had fried trout for dinner. 
There are stories of great bass fishing at Belgrade 
Lake. New York sportsmen seem to be most in evi- 
dence there. Frederic D. Moore, Dr. Fellows Davis,, 
Jr., and Girard Thompson make up one of the most suc- 
cessful parties; the smallest number of bass they have 
taken in one day being 58. On Thursday the party 
caught 88, the largest weighing 3^4 pounds. Of course, 
most of these fish are returned to the Avater. 
Fly-fishing has changed for the better at the Range- 
leys and Moosehead. R. N. Parish, the champion ang-' 
ler of the Pool at the Upper Dam. is back there again,' 
for the late September fishing. Since his arrival this 
time he has landed salmon up to 5 pounds. At Haines 
Landing, A. J. Wormclsdorf, of Philadelphia, made al 
good catch the other day, including 15 trout and sal- 
mon, running from to 3 pounds weight. All were 
taken on the fly. G. P. Lupcr, of Ncav York, has also' 
taken a salmon of 3 pounds on the fly. Special. 
Three Twists of the "Wrist, 
Cool water can be carried all day and plenty of it in a: 
can two feet long and five inches wide clipped to the 
middle reach of a wagon, Avhere it is out of the way. In-, 
closed in a leg of old trousers, with a case made of 
Avooden slats put in a spigot, Avet the woolen and drive on. 
Always cool and out of the way. } 
The gun falls doAvn in the wagon and rolls all over the 
boat. Make a socket like a heel pad used to lengthen , 
stocks out. Make it of stiff leather; rivet thongs on it 
on the bottom or tic side fast. Presto ! you never mar 
the stock and the gun stays right Avhere you put it, and 
you can slip it out in a flash if the socket is made right. 
Put a Dietz carriage lamp on spur dashboard, boat or 
camp. Result, a big light that Avill not blow out that burns 
common oil. No globes to break or chimney to clean; a, 
light you can see as far as an engine headlight. These 
things are all most mighty good and handy, and cost little. 
Pink Edge. ■ 
Otters and Carp. 
KissiMMEE, Fla., Sept. 5.— Editor Forest and Stream: 
Your issue of this Aveek has an article on "Carp in the 
Susquehanna," Mr. England asking for a remedy. It 
naight be of interest to him to know that others would' 
readily find a good use for those same carp. 
In fact, in looking for a food supply for otter farm-; 
ing, I selected the scale and leather carp, and had the' 
United States Fish Commission to send a supply of both 
kind, which Averc placed in tAvo lakes. 
The otters, of course, do their own fishing, and are' 
content with eating the clipiqe parts where the supply of 
food is abundant. J. M. WiLLSON, Jr. 
Her Bigfgfest Catch. 
The Mutual Friend (to athletic woman) — Now, Mrs, 
Stebbins, what Avas the largest fish you ever caught? 
Mrs. Stebbins — It weighed 140 pounds, but I dou'li 
remember its name. 
Mr. Stebbins (feelingly) — I do; it was John Stebbins. 
— Colorado Springs Gazette. 
Points and Flushes. 
Mr. Geo. Raper, of All-England, arrived in NeM 
York on Thursday o£ last week, his object being to judg< 
at the Toronto bench shoAv. He contemplates a return ti 
the Unite4 States later to judge at the Ladies' KenneP 
A?sgciatio|i show, Madison S(jua,re Q^rden, in October , 
