498 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[June 24, 1905. 
Striped Bass^Near New York. 
Striped bass are the only fish worthy of the angler's 
attention in the rivers about the city. There are other 
excellent species occasionally taken, but the striped bass 
is the only one to be depended upon. The salt water eel, 
the tomcod and small flounders are other city fish, but 
they are the game only of the small boy, and the man 
who fishes for the family frying pan. The tomcod may 
be caught from any pier on either river, and while they 
like sandworms best they will bite at most kinds of bait. 
The little flounder is more plentiful in the East River' 
than in the North. They are caught from piers and boats 
in from twelve to twenty feet of water, flood tide being 
the best time. Use soft clams and sand worms for bait. 
The tackle for the tomcod and small flounder should be 
of the lightest order to afford good sport. 
All the city fish named are running now, and many 
good catches are reported from nearly all quarters. The 
bass are the spring bass, and are not so plentiful as dur- 
ing the fall months. Bass like as a bait the white sand 
worm and the large red worm, but they are also fond of 
shedder crabs, shrimp and shedder lobster. 
The practical angler carries his own bait and tackle, 
and therefore is never subjected to disappointment at not 
being able to fish after he reaches the objective point. 
Some of the more experienced anglers would even take 
along their boats if it were possible to do so comfortably. 
Bait, boats, tackle and other valuable information may be 
obtained at the fishing grounds at the foot of West io8th 
street, foot of West I26ih street, foot of West I52d street 
and foot of West 154th street. I very often occurs at 
these places that they have run out of bait and have let 
out all their boats and tackle, so it is advisable for he 
who would a-fishing go to take along such paraphernalia 
as it is possible to carry or have carried. 
The best way to take the spring bass is by casting from 
the rocks in the North River lining the shore from 108th 
street up. The slack water, last of the ebb and first of 
the flood, is the best condition of tide. The large fellows 
are taken in wate«. varying from two to fifteen feet in 
depth. Of course, boats may be used if one does not care 
to fish from the rocks. Walley's Rock is a famous spot, 
reached from the foot of io8th street, and near 118th 
street is Kerrigan's Rock, another noted striped bass 
ground. Old Split Rock is about 150 yards above 126th 
street. It is fifty feet from he shore, and has long been 
a well known first of the ebb-tide bass location. Prob- 
ably one of the best striped bass spots on the North 
River is along the rocks just above the railroad cut at 
Fort Washington, two miles above I52d street. 
At the seed oyster beds at Spuyten Duyvil there is 
good striped bass fishing, probably better than at any 
other point below, but the fish run smaller. Riverdale, 
two miles above, is another popular point. Boats and bait 
for fishing may be had from the man who tends the rail- 
way bridge crossing. The Harlem River used to be one 
of the great resorts for the striped bass fishermen, but it 
has long since failed to yield a fair creel of bass, though 
"between Randall's Island and Kingsbridge eels are still 
caught in good quantities. 
Along the East River it is at Hell Gate that striped 
bass are caught with greatest success. Unlike the fishing 
on the North River, the best time, especially for still fish- 
ing at Hell Gate, is during flood tide. White sand worms 
are the favorite bait here as elsewhere. The favorite 
places are Hallet's Cove on the Astoria shore, A/[ill Rock 
Reef below Ward's Island, Big Hell Gate, Little Hell 
Gate, between Ward's and Randall's islands; the Harlem 
Kills, north of Randall's Island, and all about the Coffin 
Rock in the Middle Ground or Sunken Meadow. The 
season is later here than on the North River grounds. 
Little and Big Hell Gates are a quarter of a mile from 
the foot of iioih street. Little Hell Gate is a few hun- 
dred yards from the foot of 121st street, and the Harlem 
Kills and the Sunken Meadows, two noted bass spots, 
are less than a mile away. The Kills, Sunken Meadows 
and Middle Grounds may also be easily reached from 
the foot of 125th street. Ferry Point, at the mouth of 
Westchester Creek, the mouth of the Bronx River, two 
fine striped bass spots, and the Middle Ground localities 
are all within easy rowing distance from the foot of 138th 
street, old Port Morris, North Brother, South Brother 
and Riker's islands are opposite. 
Boats, bait and tackle are available at the foot of East 
92d street, foot of East iioth street, foot of East 121st 
street, foot of East 124th street, Third avenue bridge over 
the Harlem River, and at the foot of East 138th street. 
The striped bass is more timid and wary than other salt 
water game fish, although from his humpback, square jaw 
and bad eyes it might be supposed that he was afraid of 
nothing. The angler must be able to throw a light, strong 
line to a good distance from his boat, or he will fish in 
vain. The striped bass has acute hearing, and a scratch . 
of the angler's boot on the bottom of the boat, the drop- 
ping of an oar or landing net on the thwart send all the 
bass in the neighborhood away. 
Surf fishing has been practiced little near New York, 
largely owing to the hard work involved. It is done by 
men in pairs— the angler and his hired helper. The 
helper carries a basket of menhaden for bait, and a long- 
handled gaff, while the angler carries a rod, stout and 
thick. The helper scales the menhaden and two slashes 
of his knife on either side of the backbone bring off two 
long strips of flesh which are cut into chunks and are 
used for bait. The refuse and some unsealed menhaden 
chopped up fine are cast far out into the surf. 
This "chum" attracts the bass to the shore. While the 
helper is repeating this operation the angler, by unreeling 
and then reeling up again a hundred feet or more of line 
makes sure there are no knots or kinks in it, and wades 
snto the surf hip deep, and makes his cast. 
It is a pretty sight to see an angler struggling with a 
big striped bass in the surf. The bass tacks this way and 
that and beats his nose against the bottom trying to work 
the hook out. Sometimes, when nearly exhausted, he will 
run out nearly two hundred feet of line in a bolt to sea- 
ward. The angler has retreated to firm footing and slow- 
ly works in the fish until the helper can gaff him. 
At the many fishing clubs on the shores of Staten 
Island and southern New England an easier way than 
this is in use. Long plank walks are built out from land, 
high oyer the water, and on the end of these walks are 
chairs in which fishermen may sit and cast. 
_ The sport may be heightened immensely by fishing with 
light tackle. Let the rod be not more than eight ounces 
in weight— six ounces would be better — and use an 
O'Shaughnessy hand-forged hook three inches long, or a 
i.o sproat hook. Many who fish from boats or from pro- 
jecting rocks over deep water along the North River 
prefer to fish with a fly. A red or a red and white- ibis 
may be used for a stretcher, and a white miller for a 
dropper. If the flies, without sinkers, are permitted to 
drop six inches below the surface and are then drawn 
through the water repeatedly and carefully, the chances 
are good for a rise. A striped bass of a pound weight 
will fight harder than a speckled trout, and make his 
captor's muscles ache. 
Sludge acid, refuse oils from factories, etc., and waste 
products from manufactories of chemicals have played 
havoc with the striped bass grounds in the upper bay. 
The acid sinks to the bottom, covering and killing the 
marine worms and small creatures on which the fish feed. 
The oils destroy such life as centers around the river 
grasses, including shrimps, etc. The other abominations 
either drive the bass away, poisoning them outright, or, 
in the case of the few persistent and hardy fellows who 
refuse to vacate, so impregnate their flesh as to render 
them uneatable. Such a fish is liable to taste as if it had 
been pickled in kerosene or had dieted on coal tar. 
The fish landed in Jamaica Bay, from the surf at Rock- 
away and Coney Island piers, are fresh from their winter 
stay in the ocean, and hence are eminently desirable from 
a culinary standpoint. 
In the Sound you may, a little later, get some excellent 
fishing with a spoon and a bunch of white worms. The 
Sound fish are usually big chaps. Not infrequently a 
forty, fifty or even sixty-pounder is persuaded to go 'way 
back and lie down in the bottom of the boat. But my! 
V/hat an amount of persuasion they do- need. Remember, 
that in general the fish are night feeders and are hungriest 
at late dusk. 
New England Fishing. 
Boston, June 17. — In the eastern part of our State 
trout fishing has been poor for several weeks on account 
of the streams being very low. The rains of the past 
week may help them to^ a limited extent, but not much. 
A good steady rain of two or three days would raise the 
water and improve the fishing. Probably conditions in 
the central and western portions of the State have been 
similar, but the fun still goes on. 
From Grand Lake Stream come reports that there is 
no falling off in fishermen's luck, and that there is a per- 
ceptible gain in the willingness of the salmon to take 
the fly. Among the many enjoying the sport are Messrs. 
William G, and C. G. Peck, of Boston, and several from 
both Portland and Bangor. 
At North Pond of the Belgrade chain the bass are now 
rising to the flies, cast by several visitors from Water- 
ville and other cities. At Clearwater, A. J. Lewis and 
wife and J. K. Freeley, of Boston; George H. Cross and 
wife, of Maiden, and E, B. Hough, of Providence, are 
taking good fish, .Mr. Cross being especially fortunate. in 
landing a togue that weighed 7I/2 pounds. 
At Chain of Ponds, on the Megantic preserve, the 
camps have been crowded. All are getting good sport. 
Mr. John T. Sherman, of Brooklyn, took a togue weigh- 
ing over 7 pounds, and Mr. Tibbetts one of 8 pounds. 
The small trout will soon rise to the fly on the other 
ponds of the preserve. 
The treasurer, Mr. P. B. Wiggin, of Boston, is taking 
a run through the preserve. 
Mr. George A. Gibson and party, of Medford, have 
been in several days. Fishing is reported good at Blakes- 
lee, reached from Eustis. Here fly-fishing sometimes 
continues throughout the summer. Blakeslee trout are 
not quite so capricious as those of some waters. The fun 
is on at Loon Lake, easily reached from Rangeley. The 
proprietor, Mr. York, has had some brown trout planted 
in the lake, and they are now from 2 to 4 pounds in 
weight, and are great fighters. J. R. Marble, of Wor- 
cester, Dr. F. O. Cobb and wife, of Portland, and C. A. 
Mentzer and wife, of Somerville, Mass., are a few of the 
guests. Mrs. Mentzer has taken a 2^-pound trout and a 
4/4-pound salmon. Mr. Wells got a 4^-pound trout. 
At Pleasant Island camps on the Cupsuptic fishermen 
from New York, Boston and many other localities have 
taken good numbers of trout and salmon. Mr. H. A. 
Haskell, of Wakefield, Mass., has leased the well known 
Munyon Springs Hotel and camps on Rangeley Lake. Mr. 
and Mrs. J. Parker Whitney and friends are in Camp 
Whitney on Richardson Lake. Mr. Benj. Pierson, of 
Byfield, Mass., with friends, is now occupying Deer Park 
Lodge, recently purchased of Lewis Parkhurst, of the 
publishing house of Ginn & Co. A resort not so general- 
ly known as the Rangeleys and likely to gain in popu- 
larity is Brown's Camps, in Lowell. Commissioner Stan- 
ley gave me a forecast of the probabilities of the lakes 
in that town last summer. His predictions are verified 
already. A 13-pound salmon has been taken within a few 
days by Mr. L. H. Godder, of Winchester, Mass., after a 
grand fight in v^hich the fish rnade $jx leaps into the air. 
Commissioner Carleton secured, one fish of 9^2 pounds, 
and Colonel Littlefield has to his credit six that weighed 
7, 7V2, 8%, 8l'4, 8^ and lo^ pounds, besides several' of 
less weight. Who says stocking doesn't pay? 
A lively party of Bostonians recently made the trip 
from the Hub in two autos, and for several days occu- 
pied Cabin Springfield at the Birches. In the party were 
Mr. and Mrs. George H. Gibby, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Gore, 
Messrs. Wm. H. Wyman and Fred Hodgkins and Mrs. 
G. E. Warren. On June 26, 27 and 28 occurs the annual 
meeting of the Maine Sportsmen's Association at Moun- 
tain View House, Rangeley. As the railroads give half 
rates from stations in Maine a large attendance is as- 
sured. 
The latest from Bangor is to the effect that all records 
have been broken at the pool this season, although the 
best of the sport came late. It is believed that twice as 
many sea salmon have been taken this year than there 
were last year. 
Messrs. C. P. Hodgkins, of Bangor, and C. E. Bissell, 
of Brewer, have been fly-fishing in company this season, 
and have landed fifty-one fish, many of them weighing 
over 20 pounds each. Commissioner Delano tells me that 
some miscreants who were taking trout at night from one 
of the ponds at the Sutton hatchery were pursued by. the 
assistant superintendent, who fired a charge of shot after 
them as they were running away, and he is confident his 
charge went, to the right spot. One of the offenders has 
been arrested and others will be. * Central. 
Tale of a Man Eite Shark. 
St. Louis, Mo., June lo.' — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Soon after my arrival at Miami, Fla., on my cruise 
south from New Smyrna, about the middle of Novem- 
ber last, I met Capt. Jack Graham, of the schooner 
Buccaneer, who told me that a Capt. Henry L. Gregg 
from Philadelphia was in town, and that he would like 
to get us two Greggs together. 
He did so a day or two later, and we found at once 
we were cousins in the fourtli degree. 
The Captain had been a seafaring man until middle 
life, when he went into the ship brokerage business in 
Philadelphia, from which he retired in his old age. 
During the winter he told me a shark story, in which 
he personally figured, and which interested me very 
much, as I had written some pages about sharks in my 
fish book, especially as to whether or not they will 
attack a live man in the water. As the Captain's nar- 
rative seems to settle the question in the affirmative, I 
liave thought it well to offer it to you for publication. , 
Capt. Gregg's father was also a seafaring man all his 
business life, his home port having been Portland, Me. 
He was finally lost while on a voyage from there, none 
of the crew or the vessel ever having been heard from. 
Portland was also the Captain's home port. 
By the way, I have recently seen in the Florida papers 
that a shark recently attacked a man at Pablo Beach, 
biting him twice while he was swimming in water over 
liis depth. 
I will now let the Captain tell his story. 
W. H. Gregg, Sr. 
In July, 1859, I was chief officer of the American 
clipper ship F. W. Bailey. We were in the harbor of 
Leghorn, Italy, loading for New York, our cargo con- 
sisting of marble in blocks and in statuary, bales of 
rags, cases of straw goods, olive oil, Castile soap, etc. 
Shortly before we were ready for sea a poor fellow 
applied for a passage to New York for himself and son, 
a lad of about ten years. He was an American, a car- 
penter by trade; had come to Italy about a year be- 
fore to erect an American cottage for an Italian noble- 
man, and had with him a complete set of tools, includ- 
ing a small grindstone in an iron frame and tray. It was 
the first of its kind I had ever seen, and I took quite a 
fancy to it. A few months after his arrival in Italy he 
was taken sick, grew worse, and after spending all his 
ready money, applied to the American Consul for a 
passage home, which resulted in his securing passage 
on our ship. He and his son occupied a room in the 
forward house, and very soon after leaving port, he 
failed so rapidly that it was very apparent he would not 
live to see his native land again. 
We had the usual passage across the Mediterranean, 
and out through the Strait of Gibraltar, and in about a 
week were in the Trades, coming along with a free 
wind and moderate sea; everything was going smoothly, 
when one day we observed an enormous shark followin.g 
the ship, and he kept company with us for several days.^ 
Now, it is a well-known superstition among sailors that 
when a shark follows a ship like that, there will soon 
be a death on board, and the shark is waiting for the 
body. Sometimes the shark would disappear for a 
while, and we would think he had given us up, but 
he always came back. The sick man had heard the 
superstition, and it had a very depressing effect upon 
him. He failed fast, and in a few days was found life- 
less in his berth. We sewed the body. up in canvas, and 
in order to sink it rapidly, hoping it would escape the 
shark, we sewed at the feet all the man's heaviest tools, 
and including, to my disgust, the little grindstone, frame 
and tray, then laid him on a plank, resting on the rail, 
and the Captain read the burial service, and on looking 
around we found that shark had disappeared. We 
quickly hove the ship to, tilted up the plank, and the 
body slid into the water and into the ominous jaws 
of the shark, who had been quietly keeping himself 
right under the ship. As the shark's jaws were three 
feet across, and his body nine feet in circumference, he 
did not need to bite, but simply swallowed the body 
whole, The carpenter's little son excitedly sprang upon 
