254 
THE PISHING GAZETTE 
[April 8, 1893 
ponds. At the foot of the lakelet is a small 
angler’s rest, at which sportsmen will find com¬ 
fortable quarters at moderate rates. Leaving 
Little Tupper Lake, we continue our wanderings 
by a chain of ponds, which takes us to Long 
Lake, at the lower end of which is Clear Pond, 
famous for its trout. From here we steer south¬ 
west, and passing by Forked Lake, a tramp of 
about twelve miles, brings us to Raquette Lake, 
which is the last of the great chain of “ ponds ” 
we have been following. Altering out course 
once more we turn east, and following the banks 
of the Marion or East Inlet River at a distance of 
about twelve miles, we arrive on the shores of the 
Blue IMountain Lake, near to which are several 
ponds that are well stocked with trout and other 
fish. Having enjoyed the hospitality for a few 
days afforded at the Prospect House, we take the 
coach, and after a drive of thirty miles, we alight 
at the terminus of the Adirondack Railway at 
North Creek. 
Taking the train, we proceed to Newbridge at 
which point, if time permits, the tourist should 
alight and take the stage to Pottersville, which 
is only one mile distant from the Schroon Lake. 
This is a splendid sheet of water, ten miles long 
and about two-and-a-half wide. The scenery is 
magnificent, and many of the lakelets in the 
immediate vicinity afford capital angling. 
The above are only a few of the many beautiful 
localities in the Adirondacks where both sport 
and healthful recreation can be enjoyed, and 
although the chances of big bags and heavy 
baskets will scarcely compare with those attainable 
a few years ago, a ramble of a few weeks through 
this splendid region by boat, coach, steamer, 
canoe, and “ all sorts ” of conveyances, will well 
repay the visitor. Regaining the railway at New 
Bridge, we bid the Adirondack wilderness adieu, 
and return again to Vanity Pair at Saratoga. 
Our stay is short, and continuing our journey, 
we proceed to Shenectady. At this point we 
catch the train coming from Boston, and are soon 
once more galloping over the iron way westward 
to Binghampton, thence to Buffalo. Prom this 
latter town, there are several routes by which the 
traveller can proceed to his final destination, but 
the pleasantest trip will be found by either taking 
the Lake Erie steamer from Buffalo to Detroit, and 
from there travel by the Grand Trunk as already 
described, or else by the Lake Shore line, passing 
through Cleveland and Toledo to Chicago. This 
latter route, traversing as it does an immense 
extent of fresh water, affords every opportunity 
of catching fish, which are certainly abundant in 
Lake Erie, but I very much doubt if the sport to 
be obtained will quite meet with the approbation 
of the scientific past-master in the gentle craft. 
Hotels, I understand, are to be as plentiful on 
the Lake Michigan shore as vehicles on Epsom 
Downs on a Derby Day. In a late issue of the 
London Times, I read an account of the Andreas 
Hotel, which is nearing its completion, and is to 
be run on the principle of a clubhouse, with 
bedrooms attached. At an interview I had with 
the London agent, I was informed that the huge 
building is to accommodate 6,000 people, and that 
the subscription to become a member of the club 
is one guinea, for which sum visitors are guar¬ 
anteed a comfortable room for §1 per night, 
and meals, a la carte, at fifty cents each. These 
prices certainly beat all previous records during 
International Exhibibition carnivals. The writer 
can only impart the information as he received it, 
but those interested in the matter would do well 
to communicate with the secretary, care of City 
Press Agency, 51, Coleman-street, London, E.C. 
Although there are many other roads available 
for the tourist to the World’s Pair, those detailed 
in Zig-Zag Routes to Chicago embrace the cream 
of the country for scenery and sport, both in 
Canada and the Dnited States. Having spent 
some time in the Lake Michigan Metropolis, 
I feel pretty certain that British anglers will 
receive a hearty welcome from the fraternity 
who dwell across the Atlantic. It is probable 
that rods will be little used during the visitors’ 
sojourn in Chicago, their piscatorial owners 
being fully engaged in a minute inspection of the 
Fishery Department in the leviathan Columbian 
Exhibition. But no matter, the reel will sing 
like a cricket on our way to the show, and when 
the tun of the fair is over, it will be rather “ hard 
lines ” if there is not many a clean run Home¬ 
ward Bound. 
A MOST wonderful and almost unique Easter. 
So far as angling was concerned, next door to hope¬ 
less of course, but for a lazy holiday such as is, 
perhans, best for most busy men, what could 
have been better ? A few Thames and Kennet 
trout have been caught. Hold way—or “ Rush,” as 
he is more commonly called—the clever Reading 
fisherman, having landed a fine brace of these 
most excellent fish for a customer of his. 
In such weather as we have been having, it is 
not much use to fish for Thames trout between 
eleven and five. In the morning there is a chance 
of a fish in the weir pools, though these places, as 
I explained last week, are not as yet well tenanted. 
In the evening, particularly just about dusk, 
some large fish may be seen feeding in the 
deep slow water, and one or more may be taken 
by those who can place a bait properly before 
them. The finer the water and brighter the day 
the smaller the bait should be, but just as even¬ 
ing falls a bleak of some size will be more visible 
to the fish than anything smaller. After all, the 
great thing is to know where the fish are, and 
the times at which they feed. 
I LOOK forward to the day when the Thames 
will be so full of trout that the fly-fisher may 
reasonably expect his brace of two-pounders in 
an evening’s fishing. A two-pound Thames trout 
does not seem a very large one, but as the fish 
grow more numerous they will probably run 
smaller than they do now. To stock the Thames 
as it ought to be stocked, about three thousand 
large two-year-olds should be put in for every 
mile of the river. Yearly stockings are necessary 
in the Thames, for there is so small a natural in¬ 
crease of fish. In the Thames itself the fish do not 
and cannot breed. There is too much sediment from 
the water. This chokes the eggs, which soon die. 
If trout spawned in summer when the water is 
fairly clear, I have no doubt that their eggs 
would hatch. But in winter the water is more 
often than not coloured, and depositing mud just 
at the time that the eggs are in the gravel. 
Possibly in one winter out of ten a certain per¬ 
centage of eggs hatch, but of the resulting fry 
few survive co be large fish owing to the number 
of enemies the little beings encounter. What 
natural increase of trout there may be is owing 
chiefly to certain of the small tributary brooks 
being more or less suitable for trout breeding.. 
Up these a few fish push, and, if they have the^ 
good luck to escape destruction by the farm 
labourers, deposit their eggs. 
It somewhat surprises me that none of the 
angling clubs and societies advised the conserva¬ 
tors to make a bye-law to the effect that no swan, 
duck, or other domesticated water fowl, should, 
be allowed access to the Thames, say from the 
1st of April to the Ist of June. The ravages 
these birds commit is something truly terrible, 
and a marked increase of fish would most certainly 
result from the enforcement of some such bye¬ 
law as I have suggested. It is not too late in the' 
day to move in the matter, and I would suggest- 
that the Anglers’ Association, and the Central 
Association, would be well advised to make the' 
recommendation to the conservators, some time 
before the 16th. There would be little or nO' 
difficulty about shutting up the birds for the 
period mentioned. The owners of the birds 
would have to feed them, but considering that 
the swans, &c., have the free run of the river and 
are little or no expense to their owners during the 
rest of the season, no objection ought to be made' 
to such a trifling expense. Many times has the 
injury these birds do to the brood and spawn of 
fish been pointed out, and it is surprising that the 
conservators as guardians of the fisheries have 
not dealt with the (juestion. Anglers are not- 
l)ermitted to fish at this time of year, why should 
swans and ducks be allowed the privilege? 
The dangers of eating tinned fish, particularly 
salmon and lobster, liave been proved again and' 
again by both death and serious illness. If, there- 
I fore, a certain cargo of frozen and salted salmon 
which is on its way from Vancouver, arrive in 
good condition, it may be the beginning of 
better things for those who cannot afford the 
high prices which have hitherto ruled for fresh 
salmon in this country. Possibly the importa¬ 
tion of Canadian salmon might bring about a fall 
in the prices of home grown fish, netting would 
not then be so profitable, and opportunities might 
arise for the purchase of netting rights by 
anglers. This is, perhaps, rather a rosy dream of 
the future, but it seems as if no Government will 
ever legislate to prevent over and too long con¬ 
tinued netting in salmon rivers, and that the only 
chance for the angler is to buy up netting rights 
as has been already done in some Scotch rivers. 
Here is an idea for the owners of the upper 
portions of salmon rivers who are unable to buy 
out the nets owing to the large sums asked for 
netting rights. Buy the right of netting for two 
or three days a week. Indeed, if only the right 
of netting for one day a week was bought, and 
that day was added on to the weekly slap, there 
would on many rivers be a marked improvement in 
the salmon fishing. One day a week should be 
purchased for about one-fifth or one-sixth the sum 
which would have to be paid for all netting rights. 
The idea seems worthy of consideration. 
I ONLY heard recently that Crampton, a well- 
known Thames fishermen is dead. For many- 
years he and the Wyats have been the principal 
fishermen at Wargrave,and many Thames anglers 
will miss him. He was only forty-six when he 
died, and the cause of his death was quinsy. 
Tjieue has been some not unfriendly criticism 
of the British Sea Anglers’ Society in a weekly 
paper. The writer thinks the society would be 
more likely to have the support of the London 
club anglers if it did not meet in gilded halls 
(the Grosvenor Hotel to wit), and did not have 
a number of titled vice-presidents. I believe I 
am correct in saying that the society does not lay 
itself out to provide for the wants of any 
particular class of anglers, but for all, without 
exception, who seek sport in salt water. So far 
from the vice-presidents being gilded figure¬ 
heads, such as are used by company promoters 
to gull the very gullible public, they are gentle¬ 
men who either take a keen interest in sea-fishing, 
and whose advice has been of great benefit to 
the committee, or who are well known in various 
districts outside London, and who, by thus 
countenancing the society, lead a large number 
of anglers residing in the provinces to have confi¬ 
dence in it, and to join it. So far from the club 
angler being neglected, a rule has been made by 
which he can join the society, and get its 
benefits to the full, at just half the subscription 
which ordinary mortals have to pay. The society 
now numbers nearer two hundred than one hundred 
members, an important branch has been formed 
at Bexhill, corres])onding members have been 
appointed at various places on the coast, and 
altogether a wonderful success has been already 
achieved, bearing in mind that the society has 
been in existence less than two months. 
Te.mi>l.yr. 
THE LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL 
AND THE THAMES BYE LAWS. 
To the Editor of the Pishing Gazette. 
Sir,— I have to acknowledge the receipt of your 
letter of the 29th instant, addressed to the Chair¬ 
man of the Council, and to inform you that it will 
be placed before him on his return to the office in 
a few days’ time. In the meantime I may, 
however, state that the Council has no power to 
take any action whatever with respect to the 
bye-laws to which you refer as having been made 
by the Thames Conservancy Board. 
In a Bill now before Parliament, the Council is 
applying for representation on the Thames Con¬ 
servancy Board, and in the event of this being 
granted, the Council would in the future, to the 
extent of its representation, have a voice in 
whatever bye-laws were made by the Conservancy, 
but until such representation is obtained, the 
Council cannot take any action.— I am, Hir, 
Your obedient servant, H. 1)e l.^ Hooke, 
Clerk of the Council. 
Spring Gardens, S.W., March 30, lb93. 
