362 
Sept 11,1875. 
FiSH AND FiSHiNS. 
Fishing in the McClond Birer. 
For years past it has been the impression of European 
and Eastern anglers that salmon fishing on this coast 
•was a failure with rod and hook, for the fish would not 
take anything in the shape of artificial bait. The Ad- 
miral of the English squadron when settling a boundary 
line years ago, said: “Oh, let them have the twenty: 
its worth nothing. Why, the salmon won’t even bite.” 
This has been a by-word with sporting visitors for a long 
time, but the following letter from Sir Ross Price to 
Charles Kaeding proves that not only do the fish take 
artificial bait, but that the sport is equal to any in Eng- 
land, Scotland, Ireland or even Norway. Sir Rose is an 
experienced salmon fisher, who has thrown a line in all 
these waters: 
SoD.x Springs, Siskiyou Co., Aug. 13. 
Dear Sir — I returned yesterdaj’ with Mr. and ilrs. 
Goodman from a week’s fishing on the McCloud, and 
will very gladly give you an account of our sport, as a 
small return for the obligation 1 owe you for putting me 
in tbe way of it. To commence with the fishing in the 
Sacramento, I give you the result of my last six days, 
as under. Mr. Goodman only fished one day for .sal- 
mon, on which he caught twelve, weighing altog' ther 
166 pounds, but brought in the largest baskets of trout 
that are ever seen here, culminating in a catch of 200 in 
one day, without any undue labor, or ever having ren- 
dered his pleasure a toil. 
I confined myself entirely to catching salmon, and 
scored as follows: July 23, four salmon — 12, 1^, 71 
and pounds each. July 24, seven sal non — 22, 9, 7, 
17, 12, loi and 17 pounds ea'-h. July 26, seven salmon 
— 13, 1.5, 61, 23i, 11, 21 and 10 pounds each. July 27, 
fifteen salmon — 3, 8, 14, 10 4, 151. 7, 91, 174, I84, 12, 
24, 16 and 16 pounds each. July 29, twenty-seven sal- 
m'on— 7, 19i, 9, 15, 14, 13, 13, 9^, 15, lO, 11, 15, 141, 
151, ’^1, 15. 61, 15, 13, 91. 15. 21, 121, 'h 13 and 13 
pounds each. August 2, six salmon — 13, 18, 17, 13, 20 
and 15 pounds each. 
The McCloud river was swarming with salmon. We 
killed a good many “Dolley Vardens” (the local name 
for a large species of trout), the average run of which 
were about 41 pounds, and found they took both spoon 
and minnow greedily. The Salmon, notwithstanding 
their want of condition, averaged at the very lea.st 7 
pounds more than those of the Sacramento, and became 
a perfect nuisance from the persistent manner with 
which they seized spoon, phantom, bait, or anything 
they could get hold of. I have fished in most of the 
best rivers of Scotland and Ireland, as well as in Nova 
Scotia and Norway, and consider the rivers here as 
equal to any, and superior to most of them. As in Scot- 
land, Ireland and Norway, a man has to pay Irom ^00 
to :?1,000 for a single season’s fi.shing; the Californians 
are to be congratulated on having such sport for noth 
ing, though possibly for that very reason they do not 
value it as highly as they ought. The ordinary- trout- 
fishing in the McChmd is superb. I leave this for the 
Tosemite on the 16th, and hope to be at Laramie for my 
shootinn; by the end of the month. If this account of 
the fishing in the Sacramento and .McCloud is likely to 
be of any use to any brother anglers, you are welcome 
to publish this, and again thanking you for getting me 
the best day’s sa.mon fishing 1 ever bad, believe me, 
yours sincerely. Rose Price. 
[This is something for the anglers who boast of Adi- 
rondack and European fishing to ponder on.] — Ed. 
A Day at the Caledonia Ponds, Tt. 
[From the Ratland Mirror.] 
So we went a-fishing. Ike had finished his haying 
and overhauled his fishing gear for a few days’ sport ; 
Cyrus had come down out of the wilderness, armed to the 
teeth with tackle of all sorts, and they were ready for me 
on my arrival from the upper part of the county. It is 
a great county for fishing. Caledonia County has about 
forty fair ponds chucked in among the hills, varying in 
size from forty to a thousand acres, and containing 
pickerel, perch, horn-pouts, trout and eel in varying 
abundance. In old times these ponds were crammed 
with trout, but in after days perch and pickerel became 
more abundant. 
In company with Jesse and Bart, who had come all 
the way from Minnesota to have some sport in the an- 
cestral waters, we had a good day’s sport at Harvey’s 
pond among the perch. They- bite with a greedy care- 
lessness which makes their landing too certain to amuse 
a really expert fisherman, yet we had a lively lime and 
went home well satisfied, and slept late in the morning. 
The morning was rainy. After a square meal of 
skinned perch, Cyrus jumped up from tilt table and 
declared it was the best pickerel weather in Vermont, 
and putting on his hat with a slam, said he was an inde- 
pendent candidate for Simms’ pond. Ike was in his 
glory. Off came the hay-rack from the four wheels to 
make room for the newly-repaired boat ; Maria and 
Mary Jane put up a day’s rations, and seated flat in the 
bottom of the boat, surrounded with hay, fishing tackle, 
dinner buckets and umbrellas, we put out for a fifteen-mile 
ride away into the heart of the Ryegate hills. They are 
hills, too, and when we had climbed them up, down and 
around for three or four hours, the boat was un wheeled 
and launched upon as fine pickerel water as you would 
care to drop a hook in. There were acres of lily pads 
all around in the broad waters, with bottom grass and 
tussocks all about — just the place for pickerel. But you 
can’t just always tell. The theory was that this pond 
was but little fished. The facts were different. Two 
boats were already upon the water when we got there, 
but the fl.sh were not all gone. A few hours’ work pro- 
vided a very fine lot, but Ike wasn’t satisfied. Finding 
that over through the bottom there was another pond 
to which the boat could be floated and dragged by means 
of a small creek, he determined to make the trial. Row- 
ing in as far as possible, it became lime to strip and 
wade. A proposition on the part of the subscriber to 
let Cy and Ike do the stripping and wading, and con- 
sider me a pa.ssenger into the unexplored country before 
us, was not received with that degree of satisfaction that 
was hoped for. The idea of becoming an apprentice to 
the white Nile exploration business, and wade about 
bare-footed and bare legged among unexplored swamps 
filled with pads and thick grass, stubs, and sharp gravel, 
to say nothing of snakes, frogs and blood-suckers, was 
not at all harmonious with my ideas of personal comfort. 
Besides, there was no telling how far away the promised 
land might be. Neither of the party had ever explored 
the way, and it might lake hours — all night; might meet 
with some di.saster, and without victuals or drink, go 
wandering about in the thick swamp even unto starva- 
tion. 
No use. They were bound to go at all hazards. 
Some timel}’ sugge?tioo on Ike’s part, as he stood out in 
the deep, dark waters — he at one end and Kuros at the 
other — rather convinced me that I wanteil to strip like- 
wise. What they said had some quiet allusion to cap- 
sizing the craft right in that hlack-bntiomed locality. 
It was then that 1 enlisted in the hare-legged brigade 
for the exploration. Suffering Jloses, but it was aw- 
ful! Have you read Captain 'amuel Baker’s ‘ ‘Ismulia?” 
How he ■wrought hi« way up the vegeiable-jammc-d pas- 
sages of the White Nile? Buy it then, and read it, and 
you will learn a good deal, and know how to pity a fel- 
low in like .situation. Out into the mud and slime! 
Ugh! Weeds, stubs, sharp stones, scratched legs, 
bruised feet, hungry mosquitoes, flag of truce; stumbling 
about — now into deep boles, now on all fours — bauds 
full of mud — naked, alone, and almo'^t forsaken, in that 
everlasting, bush-fringed, mud. stub and graveled bot- 
tomed stream — all for fish! Now this way and now 
that; then almost bare ground, heaving the old boat 
over the bad places; dragging it with anchor ropes — 
pushing, hauling, ■warping it through the mud to the 
unknown pond somewhere beyond. After a while 
Kuros went ahead to explore, and then returned again. 
He believed the worst of it over, and to work we all 
went again, and in time the mud holes, bars and bar- 
riers Were all passed, the hotherso ne boat floated once 
more in half shin water; then the boys re-arranged 
their raiment, and ■went for the plunder. The newly- 
discovered waters covered about forty acres, and the 
lily pads, grasses and rushes covered ft so thickly that 
fishing was impossible. Of course there was fish there 
— a million of them, but under a vegetable carpeting 
that would baffle the best fishermen in the ■world. 
Back we went. Out of c'oihes and into the water 
again — lifting, pulling, stu.iibling and splashing abrut 
in hours of mortal tribulation until the boat rode tree 
once more on theoriginal pond. Only one fish! Science 
may be benefited by that labor, but as a provision-sup 
plying process it was a fadure. 
There was a dissatisfied air all around. Pulling on 
his breeches again, I-aac looked daggers into the water. 
After a council of war, a half cord of pitch-pine knots 
were contracted for at the nearest house. There was to 
be some harpooning done. As the sun went down and 
the darkness gathered thick, a bright fire appeared in 
the boat’s jack, and business commenced on a new plan. 
Ike took the spear; Kuros fed the flames, and as we 
paddled out upon the clearly-lit waters, both declared 
they could see things no bigger than needles clear down 
upon the bottom. There were fish, too. Excited al- 
most to frenzy, Ike struck out right and left into the 
sleeping beauties, and brought them in numerously. 
Never was a fisherman so excited. In came the pickerel 
as one or the other threw the spear — missing, in their 
excitement, three for everyone they hit; Ike offering 
five dollars to be let alone with the spear until morning; 
Cyrus, with spear in hand, dancing a war-dance at every 
lucky prod; so there was rowing and spearing all night 
upon the bright-lit waters. But it’s a barbarous mode 
of fishing — nothing fair or honorable about it. In the 
day-time you salute your pickerel game wide awake. 
You are aiound, and so is he. You invite him to taste 
of your bait, and he may accept or let it a'one, as he 
ple^s. He had probably better let it alone, but that’s 
his own business, and he acts upon his judgment. At 
all events you put him in the position of a free moral 
agent. You put the tempting bait within his reacli, 
knowing that in all probability he will grab at it, believ- 
ing th-«t his life will pay the penalty if he does. Still 
he has a perfect right to let that allurement alone and 
live; the right to bite it and die. You gi"e him that 
option anyhow, and keep your own conscience clear. 
But this spearing process! Mr. Pickerel goes to bed 
with the sun — just as you ought to; goes to bed and to 
si ep. He expect-s you have done the same thing. But 
instead of tnat you come back to his house, search him 
out with your dark lantern, and in his time of slumber, 
with no thought of defense or escape, the rough barbed 
spear goes crashing through his bodv. It is simph 
barbarous! Let us fish on the square. If Mr. Fish will 
bite and die, let him do it; but give him a chance. 
Mr. a. S. Collixb writes to Land and Water about 
Fish Culture in America as follows : “ Perhaps your 
readers may he interested in some notes about fish-cul 
ture in the United States. At first the only progre.sswas 
made by private individuals in a small way, but within 
the last few years, appropriations have been made from 
the Government funds for the purposes of fish culture. 
Commissioners are now appointed from seventeen States, 
with more or less money at their di.spo.sal, for stocking 
and improving the waters. Besides this, so many of our 
streams run through different States, that through neces- 
sity a United States Fish Commissioner is appointed for 
general operations. The appropriations lange from 
1^2,000 to $15,000 (currency) for the Slates, and about 
$50,000 for the general governmenu In a few of ih& 
States the thing is a mere farce, the salary of the com- 
missioners nearly consuming the appropriation ; but in 
most of the States the commissioners serve without pay, 
and hy definite and well-conducted operations are in- 
creasing the food supply. The greatest wonder in con- 
neciion with a business of such recent growth, is the 
number of private establishments which not only exist, 
but make fish-raising a profitable business. There are 
two or three which are nearly as well known in Eng- 
land as in the United State.s, about twenty five more 
Well known here, and two or three hundred engaged in 
fish-culture in some shape. The fish raised are chiefly 
the brook trout, salmon, salmon-trout, white rie-h. Gray- 
ling and goldfish are also raised to a limited extent. Tbe 
returns, however, do not come from the sale of fi-sb for 
market, andtLesuccessof the business dejiend.s just now 
upon the fact that our country is full of natural trout 
streams which have been fishi d out or run OHt, and there 
is a great demand for eggs and young fish or restock- 
ing. So long as this demand lasts (and it is likely to be 
permaneiit) the nursery business will be more profitable 
than raising fish for the table. Thus far all the experi- 
ments have been made by persons with little means. 
.Many of the investigations have been patient and thor- 
ough, yet the need ot a Government establishment for 
the pursuit and study of fish-culture is urgently !clt. 
For instance, I have now in in)' ponds five species of the 
Mlynonida, raised from the egg and of fit age for spawn- 
ing. I would like to cross these and watch the result, 
but have been deterred thus far by the inevitable ex- 
penses. What we need most in our country just now is 
a fish for warm waters, 1. for ponds, lakes and 
streams, whose waters are too warm and sluggish for 
trout. We have several good fish, but none satisfactory 
in all respects. 
The Norristown Fish Association oflers .a reward of 
five dollars for the arrest and conviction of any person 
found fishing with nets or seines, or in any other man- 
ner prohibited by law, in the river Schuylkill, within 
the limits of Montgomery county. 
WISTEI^j^ ITEMS. 
[FBOa OCR OWK CORRESPOKDE5T3.] 
Chicago, Sept. 4. — The activity of the first two weeks 
of the season has, in a measure passed, not because the 
chickens are getting scarce, for they are in as great 
abundance as ever, but because most of our local sports- 
men have done about as much shooting as they care to, 
and though quite a number are yet out, the number is 
small compaied to what it was. Last week Mr. Turrill 
and a party of friends had fair sport out <^n the Vincen- 
nes road, as did Mr. Kinny and Messrs. Decker, Brice 
and Marlin on the Northwestern. The birds, too, are 
getting in better condition, i-ut are somewhat wilder, 
though not so mucii so es to prevent as good bags as 
ever from being made. A few teal are comii g in, and 
I have beard of one er two Wilson snipe being killcfd. 
In le.ss than a month the indications are that we will 
have some of the best duck shooting ever know n. There 
is plenty of water, so much that sloughs and feeding 
grounds for past years, entirely inaccessible, can easily 
be reached; lots of rice, more than I ever knew before, 
and everything as favorable as could be wished. 
Now about that wood ptowder. I have made some 
experiments with the cartridges sent me by Mr. Dittmar, 
but have not had lime to complete my tests, or to get 
into shape what I have done; but I am much more fa- 
vorably disposed toward it than formerly, and think the 
whole trouble with it was, that we all obeyed Mr. D.'s 
printed instructions and “rammed it.” I k.now that 
last Saturday, when suffering severely with headache 
from chicken shooting in tbe hot sun with some cart- 
ridges heavily loaded with black powder, if I had not 
had some Dittmar’s with me, I must have given up, and 
gone home. As it was, 1 finished my day, and was 
much pleased with the fine shooting of the wood pow- 
der, ■which did all its inventor claims, and, it seemed to 
me, even pu a few more shot into the birds than the 
black. But by next week I will be able to give the ex- 
act figures, which is better than “seems to me ’’ 
As for trap-shooting, aside from the “ Stagg Johnson” 
match of last Friday, of which I send score, none has 
been done, for the reason that there were no birds; but 
the last day or two there have been several large arrivals 
from the Michigan woods, and the prospect is good for 
a full supply this fall. 
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