418 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
(May 27, 1905. 
qualities. He carried a leather hand-bag and a handful 
of rods in a case. The village quidnuncs said he was a 
surveyor. He allowed he was from Troy and had "come 
to go a-fishing." From that stranger I took my first les- 
son in fly-fishing. 
As he stood upon the tavern steps he gazed across the 
barren waste of ground to the meeting house opposite— 
the same meeting house where my revered grandfather 
ministered with grace "for forty years— a meeting house 
quaint and ancient, rooster-crowned, with its horse-block 
and horse-sheds at hand, and its square pews inside, its 
lofty galleries and pulpit, its deacon-seats and its sound- 
ing-board, long since things of the past. He gazed and 
seemed to meditate, then shook his head and remarked, 
"To-morrow will be Sunday. I shall have to wait till the 
following day. Sonny, can you tell me if there is any 
trout-fishing about here?" Trout-fishing! to me there 
was magic in the sound. Of course my Sunday-school 
lesson lapsed next day. Appetite deserted me— I even re- 
fused the golden gingerbread that my aunt supplied at 
noon from the family lunch-basket. But you should have 
seen that stranger fish on Monday ! It was not that he 
took so very many fish, but the way in which he did it. 
In the first place, his rod was so constructed in different 
pieces that he could joint it together, and it was nicely 
varnished, too, and stiffer and more supple than our long 
hickory poles. I did not see what kind of bait he used — 
I didn't see him use any— but he gave a flourish of his 
arm, and tossed his line every time, far, far beyond the 
most ambitious attempts of ours; and nearly every time 
a fish took his hook. Big fellows they were, too, I can 
tell you. We always knew they were out there in that 
deep water under the alders, for we had seen them break 
there, often. We never tried to fish there; we could not 
reach them from this side, and upon the other the bushes 
were so thick it was useless to attempt it. All day long, 
while fishing with him, I employed my nicest art. I took 
only a few big ones — any dozen of his would have out- 
weighed my whole string. It aggravated me awfully. 
He said I was an excellent bait fisher, but thought I 
would learn to prefer a fly. Before he went away he gave 
me some instructions and a few flies. Since then I have 
always used a fly, except in certain contingencies. 
Canadian Fishing. 
American Anglers are Flocking to Canada. 
Almost every train from American points running into 
New Brunswick and the Province of Quebec carries at 
this time a greater or less number of sportsmen on their 
way to enjoy the spring fishing for trout. Under ordi- 
nary circumstances the visitors would be none too early 
in arriving. But this is, so far, a very late and backward 
season, and though the water is lower than usual at this 
time of the year, owing to the absence of rain during the 
winter and the very gradual thawing of the snow, it is 
still, like the atmosphere, exceptionally cold. Fontinalis 
is not, therefore, rising very freely at surface lures as 
yet, though a couple of days' warmth would do the trick. 
Trolling and bait-fishing are reported good, but the best 
of the spring fly-fishing is yet to come in our northern 
Canadian waters. A change in the weather may be ex- 
pected any day now, but so disagreeably cold and back- 
ward was it in Quebec during the greater part of the 
third week of May that New England anglers who ar- 
rived there early in the week preferred remaining several 
days in their comfortable quarters at the Chateau Fron- 
tenac to an immediate departure for their respective 
camps. 
Quite a number of visitors, besides many members of 
Canadian fishing clubs are now encamped upon their 
preserves along the line of the Quebec and Lake St. John 
Railway, while many who have no fishing rights of their 
own are now fishing Lake Edward and the neighboring 
waters. Not many reports have so far reached Quebec of 
the success of the fly-fishers, though at the outlet of Lake 
Kiskisink there has already been some very fair sport, 
and the next few days is likely to be productive of any 
number of fish stories. 
The different parties of American sportsmen who have 
passed through Quebec during the last few days for the 
spring fishing include the following: Samuel Dodd, 
president of the International Silver Company, Meriden, 
Conn. ; ex-Governor Chamberlain, of Connecticut ; C. 
Berry Peets, director of the International Silver Com- 
pany; Frank Furlong, cashier of the Hartford National 
Bank; Robert M. Wilcox, the husband of Mrs. Ella 
Wheeler Wilcox; Judge George M. Gunn, Milford, 
Conn. ; General Phelps, of New Haven, Conn. ; John W. 
Coe, of Meriden, Conn., vice-president of the Meta- 
betchouan Fish and Game Club; Francis Stevenson Coe 
and Dr. John W. Coe, of New York. Most of these gen-_ 
tlemen are now at the club house of the Metabetchouan' 
Fish and Game Club, which controls the fishing in Lake 
Kiskisink and neighboring waters, as well as a beautiful 
stretch of the Metabetchouan River. 
Before the end of the month it is expected that most 
of the club houses along the line of the railway will be 
pretty well crowded with anglers and their friends. 
To-day (the 20th of May) I have a message from Lake 
St. John, telling me that the water of the lake is in good 
condition for ouananiche fishing and that the residents 
there are taking the gamy fish very freely by means of 
such coarse bait as salt pork and pieces of ouitouche 
or chub. My experience has always been that these fish 
rise very freely to the fly in the bays of the lake and the 
mouths of the rivers, at least a fortnight earlier than the 
opening of the season in the Grand Discharge, and I have 
had excellent sport in the mouth of the Ouiatchouan 
River as early as the 24th of May. But the season was 
an earlier one that year than the present spring is. Those 
who care to try this sport should bring large size flies 
with thetn, the best for the purpose being medium-sized 
salmon flies of any of the more favorite patterns. 
Another Big Fish and Game Preserve. 
It will be good news to those who take an interest in 
the matter of forest, fish and game protection to learn 
that another very large preserve has just been created 
by the new Minister of Lands, Mines and Fisheries of the 
Province of Quebec, the Hon. Adelard Turgeon, who 
succeeded the Hon. S. N, Parent in that position a few 
weeks ago. The new preserve is over 2,500 square miles 
in extent, or in the neighborhood of a million and a half 
of acres. It is situated in the very heart of the Gaspe 
Peninsula, an enormous plateau of considerable elevation, 
crowned by the famous Shick-Shock Mountains, and cov- 
ered with a luxuriant growth of forest. From a glance at 
the map of this part of Canada it will quickly be seen how 
essential it is to the protection of the inland fisheries of 
the Gaspe country that the forests of the interior should 
be carefully protected. From a dozen to twenty large 
rivers take their rise in or near these mountains, and flow 
therefrom in every direction toward the sea, those run- 
ning toward the. north and east emptying themselves 
into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a;id those toward the 
south mingling their waters with tliose of the Bale des 
Chaleurs. With the exception of the Ristigouche and its 
tributaries, these rivers include almost all the south shore 
salmon streams of any value in the Province of Quebec, 
and many important trout waters as well. Among them 
may be mentioned the Matane, the Cap Chat, the Ste. 
Anne, the Magdalen, the Dartmouth, the York, the St. 
John, the Bonaventure, the Little Cascapedia, the Grand 
and Little Pabos, the Grand River, the Grand Cascapedia, 
the Nouvelle, the Escumenac and the Caucupscull. Many 
of us have revisited the scenes of fishing exploits of a 
number of years ago, only to find that since the disap- 
pearance of forests we were unable lo discover the brooks 
and streams in which we fished in early youth, nothing 
now being observable but dry, or almost dry, beds, partly 
grown over with weeds. It is true tliat there is no imme- 
diate danger to be apprehended of the disappearance of 
wood and water from the Gaspe Peninsula, but it is sure- 
ly the part of prudence to take precautionary measures 
in time, especially as the territory in question is about 
to be opened up by a railway. Should the sources of the 
valuable rivers already mentioned become denuded of 
forest growth, the natural result would be disastrous 
floods in the spring, owing to the too rapid thaw of the 
exposed snow, nearly dry streams in summer, the carry- 
ing away of the soil from the declivities in immense quan- 
tities by the freshets, and finally the transformation of the 
whole country into a desert waste. All these possibilities 
are fully dealt with in the report of the special officer 
of Mr. Turgeon's department— Mr. Hall— in accordance 
with which the reserve in question has been created. Mr. 
Hall supported his recommendation with the following 
reference to the fish and game of the new preserve: 
"As a matter secondary in importance only to the pre- 
servation of the forests and water supplv, I would re- 
mark that the said territory furnishes a magnificent op- 
portunity to create a hunting and fishing reserve, which 
would be of the greatest possible annual value to the resi- 
dents. Were this tract properly protected, I venture to 
say that in a comparatively short time it would become 
as well patronized by sportsmen as the northern part of 
the State of Maine is to-day, and we are all familiar with 
the statistics respecting those interests there, since it re- 
quires more than six figures to represent the direct and 
indirect revenue annually derived from this source." 
Sportsmen will be glad to know that they are not to be 
kept out of the new reserve. Neither resident nor non- 
resident sportsmen will, however, in all probability be 
under some Government restrictions as to payment of 
license fees for hunting or fishing within the limits of the 
Gaspe National Park. Many of the lakes and streams 
in the heart of this Gaspe Peninsula afford some of the 
finest trout fishing in the country, and having been up to 
the present more or less inaccessible, many of these in- 
land waters are more or less virgin ones. Much of the 
country was recently traversed by the surveyors for the 
new railway, who report that large game of all kinds 
IS exceedingly plentiful in- the fastnesses of the pictur- 
esque and rugged interior of the peninsula. All the big 
rivers already referred to form so many highways for 
reaching the interior by canoe, though of course the sal- 
mon pools which many of them contain can only be fished 
by their lessees, or those to whom they may have given 
permission. 
It is understood that Mr. Turgeon has decided upon 
the policy of leasing a limited number of fish and game 
preserves within the territory of the Gaspe reservation. 
E. T. D. Chambers. 
Grilse and Parr. 
Ediior Forest and Stream: 
In your issue of May 15 your correspondent "Dixmont," 
whose frequent contributions I read with much interest, 
quotes from the late Dean Sage's book, "Salmon and 
Trout," what, on the authority of Mr. Cholmondeley Pen- 
nell, he calls "Proven Facts in the History of the Sal- 
mon," the following statements, in which he concurs: 
"Up to - the period of migration there is no difference 
whatever in fry bred between salmon only, between grilse 
only, between salmon and parr, or between grilse and 
parr. The female parr cannot spawn, but the male parr 
possesses and constantly exercises the power of vivifying 
salmon and grilse eggs." . 
Mr. Pennell, I understand, writes of salmon in Eng- 
lish, Scotch and Irish rivers, and Mr. Sage's concurrence, 
I infer, is based on his own experience in the rivers of 
North America, especially in those of Quebec, New 
Brunswick and Nova Scotia, since he says that "on the 
Godbout female grilse are frequently taken with as well 
developed spawn as salmon at the same time." The scien- 
tific inquirer cannot but regret that the weight of these 
grilse was not given. 
As I know nothing of the salmon of Great Britain, ex- 
cept from reading, I am not in a position to deny any of 
the statements made by Mr. Pennell and concurred in 
by Mr. Sage; but in an experience of over sixty years on 
.the rivers of Maine, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and 
the Quebec side of the Bay Chaleur, I have been unable 
to find a grilse with any visible ova, and I had the as- 
sistance of coast fishermen, fishery officers, managers of 
hatching houses and a large circle or brother anglers. As 
for the male parr— a samlet of a year's growth, weighing 
three to four ounces, which has never been to salt water- 
possessing the power to vivify the ova of adult salmon 
weighing from ten to forty pounds, whether in European 
or American rivers — Credat JudcBus Appella — non ego! 
There must be, among your numerous readers, many 
anglers who have had -as much experience with salmon 
as the late Mr. Sage, and if there be in North American 
rivers female grilse of four to six pounds with matured 
ova, and male parr of three to four ounces with ma- 
tured milt — some of these sportsmen must have seen 
them._ If any such there be they will do a real service to 
scientific inquiry by recording their experience in your 
columns, and stating the waters from which such grilse 
and parr were taken. . The Old Angler. 
Maine Waters Full of Fish. 
Boston, May ig.~Editor Forest and Stream: The 
Belgrade Lakes have long been known as yielding large 
numbers of black bass, and have furnished a moderate 
amount of trout fishing. Messalouskie (formerly known 
as Snow Pond), the last of the chain, bids fair to be 
a close rival of Clearwater and Sebago for early fish- 
ing. Ten years ago Hon. Wm. T. Haines, of Water- 
ville, who has been for years a generous patron of 
sportsmen's interests in Maine, planted in the lake 
several thousand square-tail trout. They had a hard 
struggle for life against the bass and pickerel for some 
years, but many of them "won out" and are now furnish- 
ing good sport. Three years ago a 3-pound square- 
tail was taken, and two years ago a few were caught 
weighing five pounds each, furnishing strong evidence 
that some of Mr. Llaines' small trout had survived the 
race war. Last week Mrs. S. L. Preble, of Waterville, 
while fishing on the west shore netted a square-tail of 
7J4 pounds. Mr. Preble at the same time captured a 
couple of 3-pounders. Mr. Glenn Blake, of Oakland 
took one weighing 7^ pounds. Another angler secured 
two s-pounders and others were taken from 3 to 4^ 
pounds. Another day Mr. Henry Williams, of Portland, 
took two 5-pounders. Several others caught trout 
enough to make a handsome lay-out — all of the genuine 
square-tail species. Good catches of bass and salmon 
have been taken from Great Pond, which has hereto- 
fore out-classed all the others of the Belgrade Chain. 
Twelve bass taken by Mr. and Mrs. Turner weighed 
38 pounds. The largest salmon taken weighed 5^ 
pounds. Some of the other lakes of the series have 
made a creditable showing. 
Another comparatively new candidate for public 
favor is Sweet's Pond in New Vineyard. Salmon 
weighing 5 to 6 pounds and lakers weighing from 3 to 
8 pounds have been recently taken by several anglers 
of the town, and from Kingfield and Avon. An angler 
from Strong has taken a salmon weighing pounds, 
and another fisherman took two in an hour's fish- 
ing that weighed_6 pounds each— these were taken by 
Mr. W. E. McLain, who has been active in stocking the 
lakes. Several new cottages are in process of con- 
struction on the lake and eligible sites are in demand- 
all this the direct result of good fishing. 
Sebec, which is a favorite resort for sportsmen of the 
twin towns, Dover and Foxcroft, is furnishing good 
early fishing. L. W. Gilbert, of Bath has taken an 
8-pound salmon. A party of twelve from Portland has 
just arrived at the Lake House for an outing of several 
days. 
At Weld Pond Dr. Walter I. Hoyt, of Waltham, has 
taken twenty-one trout and two salmon. Hon. S. W. 
Carr, insurance commissioner, of Augusta, has captured 
a 6-pound salmon from Cobbosseecontee. Three 
Bostonians, Messrs. H. Lawton, L. H. Fitch and 
George Singleton, who have visited Square Lake in far- 
off Aroostook regularly for five years are enjoying 
royal sport there. One afternoon Mr. Lawton in two 
hours' fishing took two salmon and three square-tail 
trout whose total weight was 26^ pounds — the largest 
salmon 71^ and the largest trout 5^ pounds. This lake 
is noted for its large square-tails. 
Mr. E. O. Noyes, a well-known Brockton fisherman, 
has taken several 3 to 4-pound fish from Rangeley Lake, 
Mr. Ray L. Averill with seven other gentlemen has 
gone to Moosehead. The Megantic club house on 
Spider lake was opened for guests on the 15th, Mr. W. 
L. Jones, steward. Big Island Camps are in charge of 
John Parnell, those at Chain of Ponds, of E. S. Sprague. 
In a few days several of the club members are ex- 
pected to arrive. 
Several Massachusetts anglers are already at Carry 
Ponds and other resorts reached from Bingham. Mr. 
F. W. Mason and wife, of New York, have taken pos- 
session of their camp at Gull Pond which has been 
bountifully stocked the past few years with trout and 
salmon. Mr. Walter Clark, of Attleboro, is at Bald 
Mountain Camps. Increased accommodations are the 
order of the day all through the Rangeley and the 
Dead River country. At the Barker six new camps 
have been built the past winter; several have been added 
at Round Mountain Lake. 
Two Cambridge fishermeu who have just returned 
from Sebago with five salmon, whose aggregate weight 
is 41 pounds, say they are at least five years younger 
than when they left Boston a week ago. 
It is claimed that 200 Maine lakes now contain 
salmon. So assiduously has the work of stocking been 
carried on that every year the discovery is made that 
excellent fishing may be had in lakes never before 
brought to public notice. Such results must be a source 
of great satisfaction to ex-Commissioner Stanley under 
whose skilful guidance this great work has been carried 
on. In this connection should be noted the faithful ef- 
forts of Maine Congressmen in securing the necessary 
appropriations from the General Government to es- 
tablish and maintain the three stations of the U. S. 
Fisheries Bureau in the Pine Tree State. These have 
proved valuable auxiliaries to the hatcheries main- 
tained by the State, of which there are eight; a very 
large one at Sebago Lake in Raymond (20 miles from 
Portland) ; the Rangeley at Oquossoc, which is the 
Indian name for Rangeley; the Cobbosseecontee at 
Monmoufii; the Carlton Brook at Winthrop; the 
Moosehead Lake at Squaw Brook; the Cold Stream at 
Enfield on the Penobscot, 35 miles from Bangor; the 
Lake Auburn near Lewiston; the Caribou at the town 
of that name in Aroostook county. Besides these, the 
U. S. Government maintains two extensive ones and 
a station in the eastern part of the State. The streams 
and lakes of the State received not less than a million 
trout and salmon as the planting of the past year.. 
In no less than seventy-five lakes and ponds the U, 
