278 
'.1F0REST AND STREAM 
probably for “chowder” purposes.— MorUauk {L. L) As- 
Umither. 
' Nkw Jersey. Kinky's Ashley House, June 1st, 1875. — 
We are catching blueflsh by the hundreds. Not less than 
9,000 pounds have been taken to-day by the squid alone. 
C Parker and J. W. Kinsey caught 202 from 10 A. M. to 1 
p jvl The first fish of the season was taken by Js>. 11. 
Miller on the 31st At time of writing herrings are being 
driven ashore by the bushel. It is a sight to see the shore; 
for the space of 1,000 yards the sand is covered with them. 
Three other yachts have just landed, and report from 100 to 
175 blucflsh each. Over 275 have been taken off the shore 
by throwing the squid. Mr. 8. King reports over seventy- 
five with one line. 
Forked Hirer, Ocean County, June 1*/, 1875. — The first 
blucflsh caught on a squid line this season in Barnegat Bay 
■was taken by my boat— the Mattie— to day. The catch 
amounted to 083 pounds, and averaged five pounds to the 
fish. Ed. H. F. 
Maine. — Machine, June 3d, 1875.— Black flies and trout 
are now ripe here. Roamer. 
Calais, June. 2d, 1875.— I have just returned from up 
Grand Lake, fishing the Little Salmon. There are the usual 
number of fishermen. When 1 left yesterday there were 
twenty bark canoes, seven boats, and seventy meu. About 
two hundred salmon were taken each day, besides some 
large brook and lake trout, by the fly fishermen. Fish do 
not appear to be half as plenty as last year, but may soon 
come along. I did not hear from the Dobsis club; they 
have but just got along. G. A. B. 
—Bangor, May 31.it.— 1 The fresh water salmon fish- 
ing (land locked salmon) is now in its prime at Sebec 
Lake. The line of country opened by the European and 
North American Railroad from Bangor to the 8t. John 
River is teeming with glorious trout brooks and lakes. The 
sportsman can’t go amiss here. Every man on the railroad 
is a sportsman and a gentleman, from the President and 
Superintendent to the brakesman. The postal clerks are 
all anglers, and will take pleasure in imparting information 
to visitors in search of a few days’ recreation. Iu a few 
days the black flies will begin to be troublesome. 
E. M. Stillwell. 
— A society known as the Androscoggin Fish and Game 
League, having for its object the enforcement of the State 
Game laws and the eucouragement of gaming interests, has 
been organized In Gorham with the following officers: 
President, Andrew J. Graham; Vice Presidents, B. F. Os- 
good, Warren Noyes, P. G. Evans, James A. Callahan, 
Henry C. Harmon, Emlyn W. Evans, and R. Evans, Secre- 
tary and Treasurer. 
—The Bedford (Pa.) Ornette, published June 9th, 1807, 
nearly three-quarters of a century ago, has this item: 
“Twenty-seven fine shad were caught at one haul a short 
distance above the Dunning’s Creek bridge; also 224 shad 
were bagged yesterday at a place called ‘The Widow 
China’s Pond,’ about two miles below the Crossings." 
The “Dunning’s Creek bridge” is only two miles north 
of Bedford, and the “Crossings" is fourteen miles east of 
Bedford, on the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River. 
—According to what we believe to be the last enactment, 
black bass cau be taken with the ordinary rod and line, 
commonly called angling, from June 1st to March 1st in 
each year, the close season being only the months of March, 
April, and May. The Schuylkill River contains already a 
vast number of these fish, the first hatching now weighing 
from three-fourilis to one and a half pounds. The river, 
however, is now too low for successful fishing. — German- 
tenon Telegraph. 
—A fish and game protective club has just been organ- 
ized iu Lawrenceville, Virginia, with Cap. D. T. Poyner, 
for President, and Warner Lewis, Secretary. 
California. — San Francisco , May 29th, 1875. — Anglers 
this season are beginning to enjoy some good sport in Lake 
San Andreas, the preserved fish there lieing under the aus- 
pices of the California Acclimatizing Society. Many large 
trout as well as young salmon have been captured by troll- 
ing from a boat with a small sized spinning spoon bait. 
The society have placed in this lake, from time to lime, 
the following amount of fish, according to the statement 
of W. A. Newell, Esq., the President; Native trout, 2(10,- 
000; Lake Tahoe, 150,000; Eastern trout, 500, and salmon, 
20,000, making a total of 430,500. The society did not 
place any fish ova in the waters of the lake, but liberated 
the young fry when able to lake care of themselves. The 
growth and development of the fish have been remarkable. 
The society has now at its fish ponds at Point San Pedro 
60,000 young trout fry, which will soou be liberated in 
Lake Merced. It is the intention of the society to make 
this lake one of the best fishing grounds, perhaps, in the 
United States. And by the late successful catches it really 
looks very much like it. At Liddle & Kaediug’s sporting 
store I lately saw several fine fish from these waters; among 
them were two salmon and two trout, the largest of which 
weighed five and u half and the smallest two aud a half 
pounds. The salmon were placed in the lake about sixteen 
months ago from the Sacramento River. The largest trout 
is just four years old. There have been a large number of 
different species of salmon taken this season from this lake, 
and the prospects are splendid. E. J. II. 
— The Canadian fisheries report shows the following as 
the comparative value of the catch in the provinces men- 
tioned for the past two years: 
1874. 
Nova Scotia $G, 652,301 
New Brunswick 2.685.793 
Oilebec 1,608.660 
Ontario 1(6,207 
I'rlnce Edward leluud 288.803 
1873. 
$6 677,800 
2,285 601 
1,391, 56 1 
298.091 
207.595 
Total $11,681,884 $10,754,098 
—A steamer is now running from St. John, New Bruns- 
wick, to the island of Grand Manan. 
The Fisheries.— The number of fishing arrivals for the 
week ending dune 3d was sixty— twenty-nine from Georges, 
twenty-one from (lie Banks, and ten from Southern muck- 
ereling trips. The amount of Georges cod brought in was 
500.000 pounds, and 60,000 pounds halibut. Bank cod, 
1.475.000 ,*oumls; halibut, 130,000 pounds. Total receipls 
of mackerel, 2.200 barrels. Mackerel have sold for $5* 
per barrel in the pickle, und halibut from $4 to $52 per 
cwt. The porgy seiners are meeting with fair success, and 
the fish are selling from $1.50 to $2 per barrel. The licet 
is small this seasou, comprising four slciimers and some 
tlozea schooners .— Cape Ann Advertiser, June 4 Ui, 
BLACK BASS FISHING. 
Editor Foiikst and Stream:— 
The season for black buss fl-hlng having commenced. It may not be in- 
opportune to describe the various modes of angling for the black bass, 
ns practiced in the Northwest. As our base fishing is almost universally 
done in lakes and nnvlgablc streams, it will bo understood that boats 
are employed iu all of the different methods about to be described. 
TROLLING WITH THE SPOON. 
This ts u very successful way of catching buss, and is very popular 
with those unfortunates who cannot or will not learn to handle the rod; 
but when considered In the light of sport it is only one remove from 
shooting or spearing bass on their spawning grounds Still, the “murder- 
ous spoon" has its devotees, who are quite enthusiastic upon the 
subject, and who apparently enjoy this very questionable style of sport; 
but they belong to that class of ijuaM sportsmen who would not hesitate 
to shoot into a bevy of quail or a covey of pinnated grouse when hud- 
dled together on the ground, and afterward display their "bag” with 
feelings of the most evident satisfaction and gratification. 
The necessary tackle for this mode of fishing in this State (AVisconsIn) 
and throughout the Northwest generally, consists of a strong hand lino 
of linen or cotton, and from twenty-five to seventy-five yards long; a me- 
dium sized swivel, und a spoon hook, or one of the multitudinous urray 
of spinning baits, trolling spoons, propellers, &c , with the usual ac- 
companiments of red and white feathers and group of hooks so exten- 
sively advertised throughout tho land. The ordinary, original tin or 
brass spoon, with single hook soldered on, with a swivel, will be found 
to be equal to if not better than any of the later inventions; the single 
hook is certainly far superior to the group of two or three hooks usually 
found on the so-called improved trolling baits. 
The outfit for trolling is very simple, and early in the reason, before 
the weeds are folly grown, this style of fishing Is very successful. The 
method is equally us simple. The angler sits in the stern of the boar, 
und while the oarsman propels the boat along and over the feeding 
grounds, the angler lets out forty or fifty yards of line, and the spoon, re- 
volving gracefully benenth the surface of the water, proves an effective 
lure. The angler uow has nothing to do but to hold the hue and wait, 
Micawber like, for something to turn up, when finally a bass "hooks 
hiiusclf.” He is hauled in, band overhand, ami ihe deluded victim de- 
posited in tho bottom of the boat, and so on ad Jiium, ad gustum, ad 
nauseam. 
AVlth a good “mackerel breeze,” a “wet sheet and a flowing sea, with 
hund line and squid, trolling for bluetlsh is exciting and excellent sport; 
but on the bosom of a quiet luke, surrounded with charming rural scen- 
ery. trolling with the spoon for black bass becomes wanton destruction 
of a noble fish, and is a cruel pastime, aud only excusable when iu 
camping out without suitable tackle, aud when, like the boy digging at 
the leimuiless woodchuck hole, one is “out of meat." In the absence 
of a spoon hook, the floor of the mouth of the pickerel cut into the 
semblance of a fish, Is tough, white, and glistening, and is a capital 
bait; a similar bait cut from the beily of the dogfish also answers a good 
purpose. 
STILL PISHING. 
This mode of angling is very popular, and is the one generally prac- 
ticed by the average angler of the Northwest. The rod and reel here 
come into play, but as 1 have heretofoie, in the Forest and Stream, 
fully described tho bass rod, reel, line, and hook, any further description 
of them at this time is unnecessary. I will simply remark that the liner 
and more delicate the tackle employed, the greater will be the sport ex- 
perienced; but os a rule still fishers use clumsy tackle. 
The angler mnst provide himself for still flshiug with a snitahlo roil 
and reel, and fifty yards of approved Hue, together with hooks, swivels, 
Milkers, lauding net, and bait; the latter should be minnows or crawfish. 
Minuows are far the best, und if shiners, arc the very best bait that cau 
be used. Chub come next, and small yellow perch are also good, es- 
pecially if the dorsal fins are clipped off with n strong pair of scissors. 
It (he minnows are lively and strong, und there is u sufficient depth of 
water, a float is not necessaty; but if the ground Is weedy, aud the water 
rather shallow, or if crawfish are used for buil, a cork float must be used. 
If the minnows are large, insert the hook through the lower lip and out 
at the noelril; if small, hook them under the dorsal fin. 
Our mill fisher being fully equipped proceeds to the fishing ground, 
anchors his boat, and prepares for the fray. Having oaited his hook and 
cost his liBe, his thumb must be kept upou the coil of line upon the reel; 
as the line slackens he must reel it iu. AVhen a bass takes the bail let 
him have It for a short time, say from five to ten seconds, according to 
the mood of the fish, whether they ure on or off their feed, whether 
eager or shy; aud by using the thumb as a drag give him line as he needs 
It, but not too freely, alwuys keeping it taut enough to give o slight bend 
to the rod, so as to be able to feel every motion jf the fish. At tho 
proper time our angler must check him by pressing the thumb a little 
harder upon the reel, and if he gives a succession of short tugs or slight 
jerks, let him go for a few moments longer; but If he seems to feel the 
steel,’ or if he pulls steadily aud strongly, hook him by a slight "twist of 
the wrist" — not by jerking or "yanking" the rod, for in the latter case 
there is a stronger probability of breaking the rod, or at least of tearing 
out the book, than of hooking the fish. When the bass is housed the 
angler must never, under any circumstances, give him slack line. If be 
breaks water, merely let the rod straighten as he fulls buck; aud never, 
under any circumstances . must be grasp his rod ubove Hie reel— at most 
not more than several iuches above— for by so doing he destroys the 
spring und bulunce of the rod, and it is liable to become broken by any 
sudden movement of the fish. The bass must be killed "on the rod,” 
then reeled in aud taken into tho lauding net. 
trollinq with the minnow. 
This method of fishing is very popular with our best anglers, and is 
more the thing than still fishing. The some tackle can be used here us 
In the last mode described, though almost without exception it will be 
found to be much superior, muiiy using trout fly rods. The oarsinau 
rows the boat quietly and slowly over the fishing grounds, just outside 
of the bulrush patches, ulong the edges of bars and shoals, or between 
deep aud shallow water. The angler reels off from thirty to fifty yards 
of line, and with bis thumb upou the reel aud rod slightly bent, must be 
ever on the alert; for in this style of fishing with moving bait the buss 
bites very "wickedly," and with forty yards of line out he must be kept 
well in hand and not given on inch more than is necessary; he must be 
reeled in at every opportunity until be is within prouer bounds, when the 
angler can take muttters more easily and kill him at his leisure. A heavy 
buss breaking water and leaping three feet into the air at the end of fifty 
yards of line and a light rod, is a sensation which once experienced will 
not be soon forgotten. And herein lies the advantage of this method 
over still flshiug. One can get out more line, even though indifferent at 
casting; for as the boat moves along the line cun be pulled off the reel, 
ynnl by yard, with the hand, while the resistance of the minnow in the 
water takes it frern the rod. 
CASTING WITH THE MINNOW. 
This is the most scientific wuy, and the very acme of black bass fishing. 
It Is the mode adopted by our most expert bass anglers, and combines ull 
the best features of still fishing and trolling with the minnow, besides 
possessing udvanluges which those methods do not . The very beet rode, 
reels, and lineB must be used, such as I described in a former number of 
Fouest and Stream, The angler proceeds in his boat on the outside, 
or deep water side, of the fishing grounds, and casts in toward the feed- 
ing grounds, the oarsmuu rowing along rapidly or slowly, or holding the 
boat stationary, us circumstances demand. The bout being iu deep 
water the U»h arc not so apt to see it, which is a great advantage. Tho 
angler can cost In any direction and to uny distance, greater or lesser, 
within the length of his line as he may desire. Ho cau cast astern und 
proceed as In trolling, or cast to either side, or forward, and by reeling in 
the line keep the bait In motion. It can readily be imagined how expert 
casting baa so gnat an advantage over any other method of bass fishing, 
a ud that when ouce ucquirsd it will never be relinquished for any other 
mode. This is the best method to follow when fishing from the banks 
of a stream, where there are no trees or bushes to interfere; it Is also 
the best method to pursue when wading the stream is practiced— it Is, In 
fact, the "comiug mode of block bass fishing,” and will, before many 
year’s, bo tho only recognized artistic method. 
GENBRAL REMARKS. 
In trolling or casting with the minnow, when a fish Is hooked let the 
oarsman pull out at once to deep water, so ns to give tho fish better play 
and more room, and also to prevent his taking to the weeds. 
The angler should never bo in too great u hurry to land his fish; for 
If he Is well hooked he cannot get away, hut if he is hooked In a thin or 
weak part of the mouth, ihere is a greater necessity that ho should he 
gingerly played and tenderly handled, until he is completely "tuckered 
out," and turns up his belly to the sun. There 1s never unythlng 
gained by too groat a hurry In bass fishing. On the contrary, "the 
inoro haste tho less speed," is a maxim particularly applicable in this 
case, 
In landing a bass the oarsman should, at tho proper Mine, hold the net 
Jnst under the surface of the water, and hold It perfectly still while the 
angler brings the fish Into or Immediately over tho net, when the oars- 
man should lift it up quickly und with one motion. He should never be 
suffered to follow tho fish with tho net. or by sudden lunges attempt to 
secure him; for this only serves to frighten the fish and put your tncklo 
in Jeopardy . Remember that the larged bass always escapes when near- 
est the boat, and when about to land him. You will therefore take due 
notice and act accordingly, and resolve that hereafter none shall he lost 
thiough undue baste on your own part, or through auy awkwardness of 
i lie boatman, if in your powei to prevent . 
I shall reserve my remarks ou “Fly-fishing for Boss" for another com- 
munication. Oconomowoc. 
BLUEFISHING. 
Editor Fobkst and Stream:— 
Tho near approach of this exciting sport induces mo to give n few 
hints and a little persoual experience for the benefit of your renders. 
My fishing grounds for blueflsh for the past year have been Barnegat 
Bay. Blueflsh make their appearance in Ihe above waters on or about 
the 20th of May. never, fo: seven years past, varying six days from that 
date. The flret run are always the largest, lusting some two or three 
weeks; they run from six to twelvo pounds. The past two years I have 
always been on hand for them and have captured as high as 1,300 pounds 
per day. As soon as the fish make their appearance I am notified. I 
prefer stopping at the Inlet; when once there I am on the ground and 
enn be among them in five minutes’ time, whereas from the main land 
you arc often delayed for hours; and not unfrequently all day by calms 
or flood tide. Another cousidernllon Is, that should there bo no wind to 
Ball after them, you can have fine sport catching them from the beach. 
Very frequently they come in from sea and only remain for an hour or 
two during the flood tide. If not on the spot you miss this fishing. As 
an example: Ou my way over on the 21st day of May lust year, I was 
becalmed at the tnrn of the channel. I could see the gulls in the Inlet 
near tho lighthouse, which indicated the presence of fish. We were de- 
tained until near sunset, and when I reached the house I found two gen- 
tlemen from Jersey City with some 1. 700 pounds of blueflsh taken from 
the beach and in row boats, As I did uot expect to fish on the first day 
of my arrival I was not much disappointed; still, It was provoking to sit 
in the boat within half a mile of such sport aud nor. take a hand In it. 
However, we made up for it the day following, myself und friend cntch- 
ing 87, averaging seven pounds. If any of your readers are dcsirious of 
having a few days of capital sport, engage your yacht, write for infor- 
mation when to start, and on receipt op answer, go. SqriD. 
MATERIAL FOR FLY RODS— HORNBEAM. 
Boston, Mass., May 28th, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Hornbeam, Carpinus beiulus. Tupello tree. Ihj'ssaiuuUijlnra (Walk- 
er). Culled Hornbeam from the extreme toughness of the wood— a tree 
widely disseminated throughout the New England, Middle, and South- 
ern States, with various synonyms. If a straight grained, well seasoned 
piece of this timber is worked properly, and well filled with artist’s oil, 
carefully applied with a soft rag for several times, it will make a very 
fine elastic tip or a complete rod. We know of one. that Ims been used 
on the Saco, and other rivers of New Hampshire, by one of the old 
school of experts, for trout a number of years, und Is now ns good ns 
ever, resisting the heaviest strains required from a rod while trout fish- 
ing. Mr. C. Harding, a former well known artist of Boston, procured 
some of the hornbeam wood from Dr. B., a resident of the White Moun- 
tains, and took it to England for manufacture into n shIiiioii aud lly rod. 
This was probably when there wen* not as niauy artists in rod making 
here as at the present time. The result, however, proved very ratisfnc 
lory during tho balance of his fishing days, as reported; for If there ever 
was an untiring disciple of the red, it was Mr. Harding— sort of Wizard of 
the North on river, lake, or stream, a perfect terror to all the snlmo fam- 
ily. You may hove heard of him. 
The difficulty is to gel the wood straight grained and properly seasoned 
for the purpose asked for. We have never known buckthorn to be used 
in this branch of the business, but do know that it makes a first -class 
hedge, if kept in order. Woodup. 
GREENHEART FOR RODS. 
New York, June 2d, 1875. 
Editor Forest and Stream:— 
Allow me, through the c damns of your valuable paper, to state my 
opinion of the material suitable for a lly rod, und how it should bo 
made. Having been in tho business for the lust forty years, I have tried 
all kinds of wood, but have never found out until within the Inst five 
years the wood that will answer ull tho requirements Hint a fly rod Is sup- 
posed to possess. About five years ago, Mr. Blossom of this city, a 
thorough angler, brought to my store two salmon rods to bo cleaned and 
varnished, and I was so thoroughly pleased ut finding the wood so stiff 
and light, but very powerful. Hint I asked him whul kind of muterlul 
they were made of, and ho told mo It was greenheart. 1 tried everywhere 
to got some of it, but could not, and finally I sent to Liverpool and Imd a 
log shipped to me; but it did not turn out as I expected. It was tho 
dark color und very cross grained. It got to late iu the season to get any 
more, but in the following year I sent again, and told the agent to he 
sure and send me light color. It did come, and I have been making rods 
up to this time, and I can say without fear of criticism that it is tho only 
wood suitable for a rod. Now, for the Jointing aud mounting of rodH; 
my expertcuce is that the less joluts you have iu a rod the more strength 
you get. I have ou hand uow a sample of rods made nil In one piece 
without splice or ferrule, for a Mr. Bolrner of this city, to bo used on 
Moosehead Luke, Iu Maine, u thorough angler, who Ims fished there for 
the last fifteen yeats, aud Is known by everybody us the “Commodore." 
He leaves his rods there from season to season. Ills theory Is that ho 
can kill as large fish with a greenheart rod weighing o/.., all In one 
piece, as a person can with a 10 oz. usli and lancewood one. The next 
thing to get— for everybody does uot fish in the sumo manner— is a 
jointed rod. I am in favor of the splice joint, for It is stronger than the 
ferrule joint, and the ferrules will not bend with tho action of the rod 
the same ns the splice, but will stiffen your rod for seven or eight In- 
ches. The Castle Connell rod Is made of greenheart, splice Joint In two 
pieces; weight, seven to eight ounces, und just the rod to take to Maine 
mid Canada. There have been a great many rods Imported from Eng- 
land and Scotland for the market, made of greenlteari; but the rods are 
heavy, some fly rods weighing fourteen to sixteen ounces, which will not 
suit our fishermen. I believe a rod weighing from seven to ten ounce*, 
about eleven feet six Inches long, is strong onongb to go for trout uny 
where, provided the rod is balanced properly, and I think Iu a few sea- 
sons— for fishermen are very hard to he convinced -that tho greenheart 
will supercede all other woods for salmon, trout, and black bass «>*«• 
