186 
FOREST AND STREAM 
has a touch of gentle spring, its balmy breezes have not reached 
the Adirondack yet , and I do not think but that we will have 
to wait until about May 10 before we can seek the trout safely’ 
without freezing to death. As usual, I will notify the im- 
patient readers of the Forest and Stream when I learn that 
the fee is out of the Sarauac. Dr. J. R. Romeyn. 
The Trout Season Faibly Opened. — Ludlow Trout Co., 
in Ludlow, McKean County, Pa. Forest and Stream 
Publishing Co., in New York city. Express. Box of trout. 
Thanks. 
Virginia— Leesburg, April 3. — Bass are being taken now 
daily with red worm uud with the minnow by men fishing for 
suckers. T. W. 
Strasburg, April 3.— Bass are thick ten miles below here. 
One man caught forty, but they often catoh (t. <., one person), 
fifty or sixty. D. F. E. 
How they Suffer in Kentucky.— Our Stanford, Ken., 
correspondent gives this diagnosis of the afflicted ones in his 
vicinity : 
“Angling has broken out in these “regions round about ” 
in a form of mania, which is startling to the old front-door 
loafers, whose energy rarely inspires b rash venture into the 
wilds (?) beyond the town limits. Balmy west and south 
winds, accompanied by sunshine, have produced an epidemic 
of spring fever, which would, without doubt, result fatally in 
many cases, but for heroic treatment— large doses of country ( 
air being specifio and inevitable — rod and minnow-bucket be- 
tray an intent to blend fun with physic. A few nice strings 
of small fish have been exhibited, but a large majority of the 
sportsmen find the rear entry more convenient on return, and 
have carefully deposited their taokle and doffed old clothes 
before exhibiting themselves. While a party of young anglers 
were lunching to-day, their valet, a negro lad, chanced to be 
convenient to a rod when a black bass seized the bait, and he 
yanked out a fourteen incher— by far the largest catch of the 
day. One of another party submitted to our inspection a tin- 
mouth which measured sixteen inches, and weighed two 
pounds— the largest we ever 6aw, save one captured from 
Cumberland River. Kkntookian. 
Tennessee —Nashville, April 4.— Rain fell last Wednesday, 
and the rivers and creeks are in first rate condition for fishing, 
parties are putting out. Big Harpeth, Turnbull and* White 
Oak are excellent localities. The latter stream is said to be 
well stocked with trout (bass) and black perch, and from its 
inaccessibility is but little fished. There have been some good 
catches in the South Harpeth, including a trout weighing 2J 
pounds and one of 3J pouods. Our market is abundantly sup- 
plied with buffalo, drum, suckers and catfish from the Cum- 
berland, and bass and perch from Reelfoot Lake, besides a 
good supply of salt water fish. J. D. H. 
Knoxville, April 6.— Our principal sport hereabouts is 
with black or striped bass, which abound in the tributaries of 
the Tennessee River. Wo have mountain, or speckled trout, 
in the little mountain streams on the border of North Carolina, 
but the fish are too small to afford much sport. Mr. E. S. 
Sanford, of this city, and myself, spent three days in the 
mountains last June, and captured upward of 800, varying 
from 2J to 13 inches long, We take black bass (fishing with 
line bait) from one to five and six pounds. MoC. 
Columbia, March 30.— The creels taken of trout at 
AslUhn’s Dam, in Duck River, half mile north of city, 
are unusually large and numerous. In three morniDgs’ fish- 
ing (about two hours) there were taken somewhere between 
thirty and fifty trout, one gent catching eight, another seven, 
another six, weighing from one to two and a-half pounds. 
Val. 
Florida— 8t. Augustine , April 4.— Drum fishing lias been 
the sport for two weeks past. Other finny prey give us much 
their eggs, and the young larva will make their appearance in 
ten or twelve days, the incubation being hastened or retarded 
as the weather is w arm or cold. They should be fed for some 
time in the pasteboard boxes, hut after they attain consider- 
able size they may be placed on such trees as you intend they 
shall feed on. I much prefer the plum tree. Just before 
they spin their cocoons, they cease to feed, which is the time 
to spin, or draw, the silk gut, the process being the same as 
in drawing it from the ordinary Italian silk-worm. That pro 
cess has already been described in your paper. 
Very truly yours, T. Garliok. 
Bedford, O., March 30, 1878. 
THE BLACK BASS ROD. 
sport. 
W. 
—Mr. S. B. Miller has taken charge of the Minnewanken 
House, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, and offers extra inducements to 
sportsmen to visit him. Good fishing and shooting all around. 
—The bone of international conention is a fish bone.— 
Boston Post. 
GUT FROM NATIVE SILKWORMS. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
I noticed in two of the late numbers of your paper a letter 
from Prof. James H. Richardson, of Totonto, also one from 
Dr. E. Sterling, of Cleveland, in reference to silk gut made 
from native silk-worms, both letters referring to conversations 
with me on this subject. I had entirely -forgotten that I had 
ever spoken to either of these gentlemen on this subject. I 
have drawn silk gut from four to six feet loDg, sufficiently 
strong for salmon fishing, from one of our native silk-worms 
— the larva of the Attimi* cecropia, the largest of our native 
silk-worms. The moth (which is the perfect insect) is very 
large, the female often measuring full six inches across the 
wings when spread out, and of great beauty. As Dr. Ster- 
ling says, the larva? feed on the leaves of the button bush, 
Cephalanthus occidentalis, which is a favorite food for it, no 
doubt, as the cocoons are found in great abundance on these 
shrubs. But it feeds equally well on the leaves of aDy of 
our cultivated or wild plum trees, as it does on the leaves of 
some other shrubs and trees. But the button bush and plum, 
I think, are its favorite food ; but it never feeds on the leaves 
of the sassafras, as stated by Dr. Pterling. It is another 
native silk-worm, and a very tine one, that feeds on the sas- 
safras, the Atlicus prometheus, named after one of the fabled 
Cyclops of the Greeks. The. larva, or worm, of the Atlicus 
cecropia, spins an immense cocoon, the inner shell of which 
could be reeled. The outer shell is rather thin, and the space 
between the outer and inner shell is filled with strong floss 
Bilk. 
This moth baa a wide and extended habitat. I have found 
its cocoons from Vermont to Ohio, and, no doubt, they are 
abundant in Canada, as Dr. Sterling states. In order to rear 
this silk -worm, the cocoon sshould be secured in the fall of 
the year, and kept in a cool room until the leaves of such 
trees as you wish to feed the worms with begin to make 
their appearance, at which time the moths will leave the co- 
coons. As soon as the sexes conjugate — which will take 
place very soon after they leave the co6oons— the females 
(which are known by being the largest, with smaller antennte) 
should be placed in pasteboard boxes, where they will deposit 
Cynthiana, Ky., March 14, 1878. 
Editor Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun: 
Several years ago, while living in Wisconsin, I wrote a 
series of articles on black bass fishing for the Forest and 
Stream over the nom deplume of “ Oconomowoc, ” and I then 
expressed the opinion that the black bass would eventually 
become the game fish of the United States. In order to divest 
the sport of black bass fishing— as it then existed — of some 
of its disagreeable features, and give it a higher place in the 
catalogue of noble sports, I described at some length the proper 
rod, reel, line, hook, etc., and mode of using them in order to 
render this not only feasible but practicable. 
The said articles were afterward revised for Hallock’s 
“ Sportsman’s Gazetteer,’’ under the head of “Black Bass,’ 
in the chapter devoted to Western Fishing, and I am con-’ 
strained to say, right here, in strict justice, that no lover of 
the rod, gun or dog, or student of natural history, should be 
without this invaluable book : it is an inexhaustible mine of 
information pertaining to these subjects, and information, 
moreover, of an entirely practical nature. 
At the time when the articles mentioned were written not 
niucli attention or importance had been given to the subject 
in the various books on fishing, and it was an impossibility to 
purchase a suitable rod at the tackle stores. This was the 
more surprising as the black bass inhabited so many of the 
waters of the Union, from New England to Florida, and from 
Maryland to Missouri. He was, moreover, the acknowleged 
peer of the brook trout for gaminess by those who knew him 
best; and it was “a consummation devoutly to be wished," 
that as much skill should be displayed in his capture, and as 
elegant and suitable tackle employed for the purpose as in the 
case of his speckled rival. I therefore took some pains to de- 
scribe, under the caption of “ The Coming Black Bass Bod,” 
what I considered from long experience to be the proper rod. 
Mr. C. F. Orvis, of Vermont, an atdent fisherman, at once 
saw the point and began the manufacture of the rod from 
those suggestions, and I understand that he has sold a very 
large number of them. Other manufacturers seeing the ne- 
cessity for a “ new departure ” from the old beaten path, also 
began to make a short and light black bass rod, more in ac- 
cordance with the spirit of the age, and the demands of their 
customers. This, I consider a great triumph for the Forest 
and Stream, for to its columns alone is due the credit of 
completely reconstructing the black bass rod and of replacing 
the former long, heavy and clumsy affair by IheelegaDt, light, 
short and pliant rod of the present day. The black bass rod 
for bait fishing should be from 8 to 8$ feet long, and should 
weigh from 8 to 9 ounces— no more, and not much less It 
should be well balanced, pliant (not withy) and elastic. 
Practically it would, of course, be belter it constructed of one 
entire piece, but this could not be done with any kind of 
wood and preserve the requisite conditions of weight, balance, 
pljancy, strength and elasticity. The natural cane or bamboo 
is the nearest approach to it, in its natural and entire state, 
but this lacks balance, pliancy and elasticity, three of the 
most important factors. The rod for general convenience, 
portability and ease of being repaired, should be made in three 
pieces, with ferruled joints ; the but should be ash, and the 
second piece and tip constructed of lancewood ; this forms 
the best known combination of material for a durable and satis- 
factory rod. The standing guides on the but and second 
piece should be light and made of brass wire, either nickel or 
silver plated ; there may be guides of the same on the tip or 
rings, I incline to the latter. For my own use I prefer a rod 
made of two pieces, each about four feet long, the but of ash 
and the top of lancewood ; this, however, adds somewliat to 
the expense. I am also partial to the spliced joint, but this 
necessitates too much carefulness in putting together for 
most anglers. Mr. Orvis, however, makes the best ferruled 
joint I have seen, in the fitting of which he discards the dowel 
and boring entirely. He is the only rod maker, so far as I 
know who agrees with me in this respect. The boring not 
only weakens the joint, but the tapering dowel, acting like a 
wedge, will cause the joint to separate by the continual spring- 
ing of the rod. 
A few years ago a gentleman in this State, living, I think, 
in Lexington, proposed in the columns of the Forest and 
Stream the “parasol ” joint, which occasioned some sarcastic 
and humorous remarks and comments. This, however, is 
“ not so bad as it seems,” for if the connecting hinge was 
nicely fitted, and the single, investing ferrule properly 
adjusted, it would be as good as any ferrule joint for use; still 
I do not fancy it, and a rod would be rather more difficult to 
repair than with the usual style of joint. 
Mr. Qrvis informs me that some of his customers ordered 
rods, with the but extending below the reel clamps a foot or 
more, so as to reach under the elbow and thus form a point 
d'appui. This demand is founded upon laziness, carelessness, 
or pure cussedness, which was first induced by using the old 
style rods, which were so heavy and long as to require either 
this support, or, what was worse, the holding of the rod with 
both hands. Now, the object of the modern black bass rod is 
to dispense entirely with this ungraceful and clumsy style, 
and enable the rod to be used with the hand alone as in trout 
fishing. I sincerely hope that my brother anglers will not 
thus handicap their skill, nor encourage this needless exten- 
sion of but. It will be well to remember in this connection, 
that no excellence is gained but by great labor, and no skill 
attained but by careful practice. There may be born poets, 
but I doubt if there are born fishermen— the love may be innate, 
but its confirmation requires patience, perseverance and 
elbow grease. J. A Henshall, M. D. 
FISHING REELS. 
Editor Forest and Stream : 
A fishing reel is made in accordance with the special service 
required of it, the objects of said service being two-fold. The 
first and most important is the proper delivery of the bait in a 
manner and at a distance commensurate with the mode of fish- 
ing; and the second is to play and land the fish after he is 
hooked, or to reel the line for another cast. The reel which 
practically fulfills these conditions with the greatest ease and 
facility— in the method of fishing practiced— is the best reel 
to use ; thus in fly-fishing 
the oliok reel 
is unexcelled. It is the simplest form of reel, from the fact 
that the service required of it is simply a slow and gradual 
lengthening of the line with each subsequent cast ; the de- 
hvery of the fly being accomplished by pulling off from the 
reel a few additional feet of the line after each cast until the 
desired or maximum distance is reached, while the click offers 
just enough resistance to the rendering of the line to allow 
this to be done without confusion or over-running The 
handle or crank is connected directly with the axle or thaft 
and, consequently, “reeling in" the line would be slow 
work were it not obviated by the reel being made very narrow 
so that the coil of line upon the shaft enlarges rapidly and 
the reeling is thus accomplished with greater facility. As the 
click reel is intended to “ take care of itself" in casting it is 
very properly placed at the extreme but, in which position it 
adds much to the balance and working of the rod. The click 
reel should always be used underneath the rod. 
the orvis reel. 
This is a click reel, but narrower, and therefore takes up 
line more rapidly. It is perforated freely to make it lighter, 
and to favor the drying of the line and the escape of sand or 
dirt. It answers admirably for fly-fishing, and it is just the 
reel in bait-fishing for black bass for those who cannot con- 
trol the casting of a multiplying reel ; the click exerts just the 
right amount of resistance for short casts, from 30 to 75 feet, 
though the click should be evenly tempered to stand this rapid 
work. I consider it the best reel manufactured for the price. 
the multiplying reel. 
This reel is a decided improvement on the old single action 
English reel or winch. It is made of metal or vulcanized rubber, 
and of various styles and sizes, from a striped bass reel to a 
perch reel. In shape and construction it differs materially 
from the click reel, having a different office to perform or 
rather the same object— the delivery of the bait— to perform 
in a different manner. Being intended for natural bait-fishing 
it requires an easy running and freely rendering action in order 
to deliver the bait as far as possible at a single cast. As there 
is no click to control the running off of the line, the thumb 
must be used for this purpose, by effecting a gentle and even 
pressure upon the spool, and for this reason the multiplier is 
made much wider than the click reel, or of the barrel or drum 
shape. In its construction a small cog or spur wheel is placed 
at one extremity of the axis or shaft, into which a larger cog 
wheel is fitted, and to the latter is attached the handle or 
crank. One revolution of the handle produces two or more 
revolutions of the central shaft. The reel most generally 
known and used is the “New York Multiplier,’’ which is 
manufactured for the trade in large quantities, with the re- 
tailer’s name stamped on one end. It is called by some of the 
correspondents of the Forest and Stream the “ balance reel ” 
from the fact, I presume, that it has a balanced handle, which by 
some is thought to add to the rapid working of the reel ; but 
this fancied advantage exists in the imagination only- it 
causes the gearing to wear out, and the handle soon becomes 
shaky and wabbling. A simple crank handle is better. 
THE FRANKFORT REEL. 
This reel is made by B. C. Milan at Frankfort, Ky and is 
frequently referred to as the “Meek," “ Meek and Milan" 
and “ Kentucky ” reel. It has been manufactured to a limited 
extent for thirty years, and has been used by many of the best 
anglers of the South and West for that length of time but it 
has only been brought to the general notice of the angling fra 
termty through the columns of the Forest and Stream and 
first, I believe, through a communication of mine a few vear 9 
ago. It is as great an improvement on all multiplying' reels as 
they are upon the old single-action reel. It multiplies four 
times, is perfect in its action, and with it an expert can cast 
a minnow from 75 to 150 feet. In shape it is not a bit too 
wide (as has been suggested) and those who cannot cast with- 
out tangling or snarlmg the line, or who cannot reel the line 
evenly upon the spool, must look for the fault in themselves 
and not in the reel. A fejudice, I consider it the best reel in 
the world. The “alarm ” is intended for an alarm only and 
should not be used as a click to retard the rapidity of the reel's 
action, for this it can do to a very limited extent only, and that to 
to the eventual detriment of the reel. By using the drag or rub- 
ber, it answers tolerably well for fly fishing. Indeed I know 
some veteran anglers in Cincinnati who have frequented the 
Nepigon for the past ten summers, who prefer it to any other 
reel, and they are good fly fishers, too. • 3 
no reel. 
Those who from any cause cannot manage a multiplying 
reel might adopt the “ Nottingham ’’ style of angling, which 
is much in vogue m England, in which the reel Ls dispensed 
with. The line is made fast to the but of the rod, and carried 
through the guides or rings. When ready for cast, the line is 
pulled back through the guides and laid in coils at the feet bf 
the angler, leaving twelve or fifteen feet of line hanging from 
the tip of (he rod. Our angler then grasps the line a few feet 
from the sinker and bait, and gives it a few rapid whirls 
around his head and casts it as far as he can, the rod in the 
meantime being held firmly in the left hand, and pointing to- 
ward the water. Longer casts can be made in this maimer 
and the line retrieved more rapidly, than by the aid of anv 
reel, but to the expert reel angler the game would not be 
worth the candle. We can teach England something in re 
gard to reels as well as rifles. 
POSITION OF THE REEL ON THE ROD. 
In order to allow the thumb to be used in controlling the 
cast, a multiplying reel should never be placed less than six 
inches from the extreme but of the rod, and should be so 
placed as to be underneath when reeling up the line I am 
aware that some prefer it on top, but the former mode is ore 
ferable for th« following reasons : The weight of the reel 
naturally takes it under the rod, enabling the rod to be held 
steadier when reeling the line or playing the fish; the stmin 
of the line falls upon the guides, causing a uniform working 
of the roc. ; the line is more easily reeled up, and it was in- 
tended to be used in this manner. The left hand should grin 
the rod immediately over the reel, the thumb and forefinge? 
embracing the rod above the reel and as close to ,t as possible 
the rmg and little fingers clasping the under surface P of the 
reel, while the middle finger is left free to guide the line on 
the spool and prevent bunching. I have noticed that all an- 
glers who prefer to have the butt of the rod extending a foot 
or more below the reel, always use the reel on top, and when 
reeling in a fish, they invariably rest the but against the 
stoWh. Ohe/jam satis. j. a Henshall, M. D. 
Vyntluana, Ky., April 2, 1878. 
