242 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Feb. 24, 1912 
Trout Planting. 
Recently in answer to some queries from a 
club member as to the best methods of stock¬ 
ing a stream with brook trout for future fishing, 
N. R. Buller, Commissioner of Fisheries, at 
Harrisburg, gave his views on the subject which 
are given below as of interest to the sportsmen 
and fishermen: 
“After having given this matter many years 
of study, I have proven by ocular demonstra¬ 
tion that in this age the only proper method to 
follow is to stock streams with brook trout of 
larger size than fry. I would, therefore, advise 
for this season’s fishing the stocking with seven 
or eight-inch trout, the fish to be placed in the 
streams as soon as weather conditions permit, 
and for future fishing to stock with trout not 
less than from four to six inches in length. 
Practically all clubs follow this plan in order 
to keep their preserves stocked and at the same 
time have some fishing. For this reason the 
Department of Fisheries advises the stocking 
of streams with larger trout than fry. 
“It is not the wish to convey the idea that 
not any of the fry planted survive, but it is 
known that the percentage is so small that it 
does not pay to make the effort. Some of the 
reasons for not planting fry are that there is 
not food supply sufficient in the streams for 
them, while there is usually plenty of food for 
the larger trout, such as crawfish, fresh water 
shrimp, the larvte of the dragon fly and min¬ 
nows, which are all natural food for the larger 
trout. 
“The question is often brought up that years 
ago the streams kept stocked without artificial 
planting, and that fishing was good from the 
hatching of the spawn deposited naturally in 
the stream. They forget, however, that condi¬ 
tions are continually changing, and the same 
conditions do not now prevail that prevailed 
years ' ago. Years ago the mountains and 
meadows were covered with extensive forests, 
the streams were overhung by foliage and fallen 
timber, ■ and : trees in the streams created many 
natural hiding and feeding places for them. 
Under the conditions then prevailing, the con¬ 
tinual dropping of small insects and insect eggs 
from the foliage and brush into the water fur¬ 
nished the food for the baby trout. Time has 
changed all these conditions. The timber is 
about all cleared off and the driftwood has 
practically, disappeared from this cause, thus 
eliminating the feeding grounds, and for that 
reason so. few of the small trout survive. Here 
is where the fish culturist steps in and endeavors 
to help nature, taking , the eggs, hatching them 
and caring for the young trout until they reach 
a suitable age and size to care for themselves. 
The matter of the fish being fed on artificial 
food does not destroy that instinct in the trout 
which impels them to forage for themselves 
when placed in a stream. Such bred trout 
readily take the bait or artificial fly and thrive 
on the natural food mentioned altove In the 
streams. 
“The suggestion that you stock a stream with 
minnows and crawfish and begin the planting 
of grass is a very good one, and it is also sug¬ 
gested that where it is possible to do so to place 
driftwood in the stream and try to restore some 
of the natural conditions which existed hereto¬ 
fore. In doing this you create eddies, larger 
areas of still water and provide a place for the 
dragon fly to deposit its eggs.’’ 
Dry Fly vs. Wet Fly. 
Invitation is extended to all anglers, whether 
members of the club or not, interested in a dis¬ 
cussion of the different methods of fly-fishing, 
to be held by the Anglers’ Club of New York, 
at its rooms at the Hotel Navarre, on the eve¬ 
ning of March 12. 
Walter McGuckin and W. C. Metcalfe will 
speak on the advantages of the use of the dry 
or floating fly, while Dr. R. J. Held and E. B. 
Rice will look after the wet fly method. In¬ 
formal discussion by those present to follow the 
arguments of these gentlemen. 
The meeting will be held at 8 o’clock sharp, 
preceded by an informal dinner at 7, which any 
gentleman may attend upon signifying his desire 
to the secretary of the club, A. B. Hubbell, 
Southern Boulevard and 144th street. New York 
city. 
The cost of the dinner as usual will be $1.75 
per cover. Further information may be ob¬ 
tained by addressing G. M. L. La Branche, 67 
Exchange Place, New York city. 
Temperature^ Zones. 
Alb.^ny, N. Y., Feb. 19.— Editor Forest and 
Stream: Some years of study of and experi¬ 
ence with the inland waters of New York State 
have made me a decided unbeliever in the scheme 
to have a uniform fishing law, such as the new 
Conservation Commission now advocates. It is 
my belief, and on it I ask the judgment of scien¬ 
tific men as well as fishermen, that the territory 
comprised in the State is too great to be covered 
either safely or satisfactorily by a single law. 
The open season for fishing can be governed 
properly only by the temperature of the water, 
and no law based on striking a balance of the 
various dates existing for the several kinds of 
fish, as I am advised the. committee which framed 
the proposed law has done, can be defended. 
It is a sorry fact that the State never has had 
a scientific examination made of its inland 
waters. During my term as secretary of the 
old fish and game commission, the necessity for 
the information which such a survey would fur¬ 
nish was seen almost daily. The data in posses¬ 
sion of the commission consisted in the main of 
reports made fully twenty-five years ago. Much 
of it was known to be valueless. Some lakes 
had been studied in part by experts of the United 
States Commission, and their work was all that 
was reliable. The data as to the stocking of 
the various waters e.xists in the records of the 
several commissions which have had charge of 
this work, but it never has been compiled. Added 
to it there should be many facts which can be 
had only through careful research by qualified 
students. 
It has seemed to me, in view of the situation 
stated, that the only safe fish law is one that is 
“uniform” as to localities. There are at least 
three temperature zones into which the State 
may be divided—the Long Island (warm), the 
middle section (temperate) and th.e northern 
(cold). This proposed division has at least the 
merit of fairness when a fish law is to be con¬ 
sidered. It is also reasonably safe so far as the 
warming up of the waters which governs the 
spawning seasons. Some mountain lakes and 
streams not in the suggested northern zone also 
would require exception from a general law. 
This suggestion is made for the purpose of 
calling forth an expression of opinion from scien¬ 
tific men and fishermen interested in the saving 
and protection of fish life in this State. There 
are none too many game fish now in our waters 
to risk making a general law to govern their 
taking. John D. Whish. 
Fishing in California. 
San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 12.— Editor Forest 
and Stream: The January rains did not mater¬ 
ialize and splendid fishing is still to be enjoyed 
in streams that are usually not visited at all at 
this season. Some fine sport is being enjoyed 
on the Russian River and both steelheads and 
striped bass are being taken. Near Duncan’s 
Mills steelheads have- been landed, several ex¬ 
ceeding fifteen pounds. Hugh Copeland recently 
took an eighteen-pounder. 
A heavy run of striped bass was noted re¬ 
cently on Wingo Slough. Merrel McCrea 
landed a sixty-pound bass. The big fish was 
probably one of the largest striped bass ever 
taken on the coast with hook and line. A forty- 
five-pound bass was taken on the Russian River 
recently by W. E. Lunger. 
John Kennedy Orr, a California pioneer and 
a prominent sportsman, died at his home in 
Berkeley recently at the age of seventy-six. The 
deceased spent much of his spare time in the 
open and was the founder of a number of hunt¬ 
ing clubs in this section. Just before his death 
he was planning a hunting trip to the Suisun 
marshes and was discussing the details of this 
with his wife. Death was caused by a stroke 
of apoplexy. Golden Gate. 
Silkworm Gut. 
- In an address before the members of the New 
South Wales Rod Fishers’ Society, in Sydney, 
Australia, the Rev. J. Moran referred to a means 
of preserving silkworm gut. He recommended 
steeping it in pure neatsfoot oil, which he con¬ 
tended renders it everlasting, imparts a slight 
tinge of color, and removes objectionable bril¬ 
liancy, his scheme being to place the gut or casts 
between pieces of flannel or felt saturated with 
glycerine, which has the effect of preserving and 
softening it. 
Casting Club of France. 
.\n international flv-casting tournament will be 
held in the Cercle du Bois de Boulogne, Paris, 
March 28-31, inclusive, under the auspices of the 
Casting Club of France. 
