May 20, 1905.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
S97 
Fishing in Maine Waters. 
Cornish, Me., May 12. — Anglers in this section are in- 
deed having a feast this season, especially with respect 
to pond and lake fishing. Not within many years, it is 
generally asserted, have so many fine red-spots been taken 
from the ponds of York, Oxford and Cumberland coun- 
ties, while the salmon fishing has been something phe- 
nomenal. Hundreds of this gamy species have been cap- 
tured on Sebago Lake alone, some of the largest weigh- 
ing in the neighborhood of eighteen pounds. Twenty-five 
were known to be taken in a single day. Ponds of this 
same system in the vicinity of Bridgton, Denmark and 
Harrison have also yielded record-breaking catches of 
this fish, the extraordinarily low water being generally 
assigned as the condition favoring the sport. 
As examples of the quality of the trout fishing we sub- 
mit the following catches by local anglers : Melvin Ricker 
and Percy Douglass, seven ranging in weight from 114 
to three pounds ; Dr. W. S. Fogg and Bion Bradley, five 
from two to pounds ; E. E. Brackett, Will and Pres- 
ton Parker, four aggregating thirteen pounds; Stephen 
Rounds and E. L. Watson, three each averaging about 
the same— all taken on Horn Pond, Leamington, within 
ten days, and as handsome red-spots as one often sees. 
W. H. Hatch, registered guide and taxidermist, also took 
some good trout from this pond, as well as four salmon 
at Sebago Lake reaching a total of thirty-six pounds. 
The brook fishing has hardly been on a level with the 
above, the scantiness of water so conducive (if the theory 
be correct) to good results in the larger bodies, seemingly 
havmg a contrary effect on the smaller streams. A few 
warm rains are necessary it is believed to favor this 
branch of the sport. Yet a considerable number of good 
strings have been made, particularly on Little River, 
which, all things considered, is perhaps one of the most 
remarkable trout streams in the State. For a distance of 
four miles it runs through meadow lands, within sight 
of the highway for the most part, and is fished almost 
constantly in season, yet annually yields scores of trout 
ranging in weight from one-half to pounds. With 
a tardy recognition of the worth of this stream, the resi- 
dents of this town in which it is situated, have secured a 
law from the Fish and Game Commission fixing the be- 
ginning of close season at June i instead of October i 
as heretofore. This move, we think, can safely be taken 
as indicative of a growing sentiment in our midst in favor 
of the_ better protection of fish and game. Many of our 
best citizens are manifesting the deepest interest in the 
subject, which is the case generally, we are confident 
throughout the State. Let the good cause flourish and 
spread until it has secured to the people of the entire 
country, now and forever, their most pleasurable and 
healthful form of recreation. Templar. 
New England Waters. 
One ex-president of the Massachusetts Fish and Game 
Protection Association who has every year an invitation 
to fish on several private streams, says he derives more 
satisfaction in taking a few trout from public waters than 
in getting a basketful from any brook from which the 
general public is excluded. He recently returned from 
the Cape, where he fished an open stream for about two 
miles, and secured in one day fourteen trout averaging 
half a pound and fifteen pickerel. He pronounced it one 
of the most enjoyable days of his long period of angling 
in Massachusetts waters and elsewhere. 
On the Tihonet Club brooks Messrs. A. G. Weeks, Dr. 
M. H. Richardson, the noted surgeon, and Luther Little 
have taken a good number of trout since the opening of 
the season (April i). Messrs. Noble and Wheeler, of 
Hyde Park, have been well rewarded for their skillful 
■ efforts on some brooks within about twelve miles of Bos- 
ton, in Norfolk county. 
Several Boston men. have secured fair strings from 
. brooks in Burlington, Billerica and other towns to the 
. north of the city. Men engaged in the sale of fishing 
j tackle say they have had more than the usual calls from 
' customers, and just now many are buying preparatory to 
trips into Maine and New Hampshire, and even the sal- 
mon fishermen who go to New Brunswick are securing 
their outfits. 
i Messrs. Joseph Gridley, of Washington street, with 
!: three companions, recently returned from Dan Hole 
I Pond, N. H., where they landed several salmon from 
! eight to twelve pounds in weight. This party in a few 
days will leave for Grand Lake Stream, Me. Another 
party that will leave Boston May 27 for the same place is 
composed of Dr. Morris, of Charlestown, the celebrated 
mioose hunter, with Mrs. Morris; Dr. E. W. Branigan 
and Mr. Nathan Tufts. Commissioner Wentworth, of 
New Hampshire, informe me that they are having "great 
luck" with lake trout and salmon in the large lakes of the 
State. He says Judge Aldrich at Penacook Lake landed 
a_ salmon that weighed sixteen pounds. Sunapee, too, has 
yielded several large fish. 
The same is true of Newfound Lake. Last week Mr. 
George W. Tenney, of Boston, secured a 221^-pound 
trout frorn Lake Winnisquam — the largest of the season, 
though it is claimed a larger one has been captured. One 
Barnet Smith, of Sanbornton, in 1859, with a spear killed 
one that weighed twenty-eight pounds. In the struggle 
Smith lost his jack-light overboard. This is believed to 
be the largest ever taken from the lake. The biggest trout 
ever secured by hook and line was captured some eight 
years ago and weighed 21^ pounds, being about three 
pounds heavier than any that had been taken by angling 
prior to that time; so in the opinion of resident sports- 
men Mr. Tenney's catch beats all previous records by 
}iook-and-line fishing. 
Cc)mmissioneF Wentwortlj says the Comroissioti i§ ^oy; 
planting half a million brook trout fry for the reason that 
they have not room to keep them till they reach the 
fingerling stage. The Colebrook hatchery has 1,000,000 
fry, the one at Laconia 1,500,000. They are salmon, lake 
trout and brook trout. The Commissioners propose to 
raise all the salmon and about half a million of the brook 
trout fry to fingerlings. When it is remembered that the 
Granite State has a hatchery run by the Federal Govern- 
ment it would seem that in this department she is doing 
vastly more toward keeping up the supply of game fish 
in her streams and lakes than Massachusetts is doing for 
hers. The same is true of Maine, probably of Vermont. 
Will the Old Bay State ever catch up? With us there 
is a loud call for more fingerling trout. In point of size 
of the fish taken from their lakes this season. New Hamp- 
shire and Maine are running a very close race. Both Clear- 
water and Sebago continue to give up big salmon to the 
large number of fishermen who are reported as enjoying 
royal sport. 
In our State there is need of further educational work 
before the sportsmen can secure a right-of-search law 
adequate for the securing of the best results from the 
labors of game wardens. 
In the report of the Massachusetts Fish and Game Com- 
mission for 1904 the following recommendation is made: 
"That the Commissioners and their deputies be empow- 
ered to approach any person who appears to be hunting 
01-^ fishing or killing or snaring birds or mammals illegal- 
ly" after making explanations and showing evidence of 
authority to demand "in the name of the Commonwealth" 
that said person display all the game, fish, etc., protected 
by law then in his possession, and in case of refusal the 
officer should have the right to take the suspected party 
to the nearest police station or before a justice where the 
search may be made, and that in doing this the officer 
should not incur personal liability, whatever the search 
might reveal. A bill embodying this plan was favorably 
reported by the committee but was voted down in the 
Senate on Thursday by a substantial majority. The late 
chairman of the board repeatedly stated to your corre- 
spondent that he would never desist from urging this ex- 
tension of the right-of-search law as enacted in 1904 so 
long as he held the position of chairman of the board. 
This measure was deemed by him as of the highest im- 
portance in order that the deputies should be able to ac- 
complish the work for which they were employed. He 
declared that it was a common occurrence for a warden 
to report finding persons out with every appurtenance 
for killing game and when he was absolutely sure they 
had birds in their possession, but because the officer had 
not witnessed the act of killing he was powerless. The 
captain had no patience with legislators who made the 
objection that a search law was "liable to be abused." 
His wardens, he said, "could be trusted" to apply the 
law judiciously in the interest of protection. He took 
the ground that the honest hunter or fisherman would 
not object to showing his fish or game. Central. 
Tarpon Fishing. 
New York, May i2.~Editor Forest and Stream: I 
have read with much interest the letter of your correspon- 
dent, Mr. J. A. L. Waddell, on tarpon tackle in the cur- 
rent issue of your paper. Taking the headings in the 
same order that he does, I give my experiences on a trip 
from which I have just returned in the hope that these 
may be of some use to others, for it is certainly only 
through such experiences that one learns what to avoid. 
Hooks.— I have not seen the large Van Vleck hook 
sold by William Mills & Son, as recommended by 
Mr. Waddell as the best, those I used were the large 
Van Vleck hook sold by Mr. E. Vom Hofe. The only 
large tarpon hooks by Messrs. Mills that I ever saw 
were lighter and slightly too long in the barb for my 
liking; I think what is needed is a shorter barb with a 
sharp cutting edge on the inside, as on the Van Vleck 
hook. I always used to file the points to a three-corner 
or bayonet point, and I fancy on hitting a bone they are 
more apt to hold in like a peg. The Vom Hofe Van Yltck 
hook IS galvanized and I think would be better of a 
darker color, especially for night fishing. I certainly hAd 
many more strikes than either of my two friends had, the 
only difference in our fishing being that I used the dark 
hook. We fished the same places at the same time and 
with the same bait. 
Chains.— There is no doubt the idea of a chain be- 
tween the hook and the piano wire is a good one, for 
it reduces the danger of a snap through the wire kinking. 
My personal experience with these chains, however, was 
most unfortunate, as I lost five hooks through the link 
connecting the chain to the eye of the hook giving way. 
Examination of some new ones showed that many had 
not heen brazed at all, but were simply pinched together. 
As the maker happened to be fishing next to me, I took 
the opportunity to point out this to him and return him 
a few of them. This fault is therefore not likely to 
occur again, though this probability by no means ex- 
cuses such carelessness in such very expensive tackle. 
Messrs. Mills I notice use a much larger connecting link 
and it is well brazed. I should think a small split link 
could be made for this purpose on the same principle as 
those used for piecing yachts' chains, and I will cer- 
tainly get some made when I return to England next 
month. 
Wire.— Though I purchased mine from Mr. E. Vom 
Hofe about two months ago, he never mentioned his new- 
rustless wire to which your correspondent refers, and so 
I had no opportunity to try it. Certainly rust is a great 
drawback to the use of ordinary steel wire. I would 
think phosphor bronze wire would do, but personally I 
intend to try having the ordinary steel wire plated with 
silver. It ghouJd not ciuch to the cost, an4 jf it 
answers, as it certainly should do, it would more than 
repay this extra expense. 
Sinkers. — Those at present in use and as at present 
attached could hardly be improved upon. 
Lines. — I quite agree with your correspondent that a 
36 line is the best all-round line to use. In my opinion, 
the "sporting" part of it does not come into the question 
at all. One does not put pressure on a 36 line sufficient 
to break a 27, or even a 24. and if one did systematically, 
many fish would be lost, not from the line breaking, but 
through the hold breaking out. On the othe-r hand, the 
line lasts much longer and a big jewfish or shark can 
be brought up by hand-lining it and at least a lot of line 
saved which otherwise would be taken by these pests. 
Another reason for good strong all-round tackle is that 
when one does hook that 300-pound tarpon, the mortify- 
ing knowledge of having had too light tackle need not 
be added to the ever-ready reasons for not landing it. 
"Fish for the very largest" is my motto. In tuna fish- 
ing at Catalina I understand the heaviest line allowed by 
the club is a 24, and no reel with a handle stopper or 
Rabbeth handle is allowed, and yet with the addition of 
at least one of these, namely, a heavier line, the largest 
fish ever landed on rod and line would not now be avoid- 
ing Catalina. After a fight of eleven hours and twenty- 
three minutes it was lost through the line wearing out 
from the continuous friction. Now tarpon are scarce 
and tuna more so, so why not use the strongest possible 
tackle, of course within reason, say a 30 line? 
Reels.— This question of reels is a difficult one, and 
so far I have not yet come across a reel which, in my 
opinion, is anywhere near perfect. My objections to the 
latest E. Vom Hofe reel, which I got for this trip, are 
several. I think the reel should be larger and while the 
drag on the left hand side, which prevents over-running, 
is excellent for this purpose, it soon wears out. More- 
over, it is not adjustable nor is it mechanically correct, 
as it pushes on one plate and has a tendency to push the 
barrel of the reel over to one side. The check on the 
right or handle side of the reel is actuated by a slide 
which must be lifted by the finger to be put in action and 
depressed by the thumb to be put out of action; this is 
exactly the reverse of what it should be, for it is difficult 
and dangerous to raise this slide with a fish on, and cer- 
tainly if this slide must be there then it should come into 
action by depressing it with the thumb. Next, the stop 
which comes out to prevent the handle revolving is sure- 
ly in the wrong place, situsited as it is in such a position 
that should one miss lifting the slide or get one's fingers 
in between the handle and the stop, a broken or severely 
bruised finger would be the result; all this would be 
avoided by putting this stop on that part of the plate 
which points toward the top of the rod and actuating it 
by a similar arrangement to that on the left side. The 
handle piece also could be made somewhat longer with 
advantage, so as to allow of two fingers at least being 
employed in winding. As for the drag itself, I am by 
no means in favor of its use for tarpon or any fish that 
breaks water. I know the makers would say: "Don't use 
it till the fish has done jumping," but when has a tarpon 
made his last jump? And I lost so many fish with it that 
I gave up using it altogether. For deep water fighting 
fish such as jewfish, shark, and I have no doubt tuna, it 
is excellent, but what is wanted is an adjustable drag 
which can be worked by the thumb, but not working by 
rubbing on the line as at present. I have in my mind a 
device which should answbr this purpose and which I 
will have fitted to my reels if possible for next season. 
_ Rods. — There are so many good rods made now that 
It is hard 10 avoid a good one. I used a greenheart rod 
made seven years ago in Ireland and found it answered 
perfectly. 
Butt Sockets.— I think a cup or ball of phosphor 
bronze would be better than the leather now used, as it 
would allow of more movement. 
Of leg pads I know nothing, nor for what purpose they 
are employed, but would like to hear what they are for. 
This exhausts the points referred to by Mr. Waddell, 
and I shall look forward to reading what hints he and 
others have to give us in the future. While fishing at- Boca 
Grande this season I noticed one old English sportsman 
had devised an idea for preventing the line coming in as 
wet as it generally does, by winding some cord or bath 
towel round the rod between the first and second guides. 
The idea seemed to me excellent, but I fear with the use 
of the leather thumb break it would not work, as plenty 
of water is necessary to prevent the burning of the 
eather. Referring back to the question of reels, I would 
like to see another cog wheel put in, to allow of the reel 
running in the same direction as the handle, and so get- 
ting a better lead for the line. I find with the last guide 
so far from the reel, when the rod bends the line is apt 
to corne below it. By this arrangement the line would 
come in with a much better lead to the reel. 
And now as to the question of tarpon fishing gener- 
ally and the best time and place to fish for big fish. It 
would seem to me that the surest places for big fish are 
m those passes which lead to large rivers, such as Boca 
Grande, Captiva and others. This year the season was 
very late and but few fish had been caught in these passes 
when I was there. I say surest, for undoubtedly when the 
fish are there absolutely certain sport is to be had on each 
tide. The fish are evidently bound for these rivers to 
breed, and once they taste the fresh water and are sure 
of their breeding ground they hover about in these passes 
ready at any moment to go up, whereas at Indian Key, 
Baie Hundy and such places, many miles from any rivers' 
while fish are often to be got there, there is no certainty 
about It, and I believe they are only fish passing in from 
the sea on their way to the shore. Such a school came 
into Indian Key when we were there, and we had a won- 
derful night's fishing. Everyone had as much fishing as 
he could Stand. Tbey struck at everything; wnforttmately 
