[Feb. 2, 1907. 
180 FOREST AND STREAM. 
National Angling Association. 
The following circular letter has been sent 
to the various clubs affiliated with the National 
Association of Scientific Angling Clubs: 
“This will notify you of the appointment of 
Mr. Chas. C. Elliott, of Elgin, Ill., as the rep¬ 
resentative of the Fox River Valley Bait-Cast¬ 
ing Club, and of Mr. Chancellor G. Levison, of 
Brooklyn, N.Y., as the representative of the 
Anglers’ Club on the Executive Committee of 
this association. As indicated by the appoint¬ 
ment of Mr. Levison, the Anglers’ Club of New. 
York has affiliated with the association, and this 
fact will undoubtedly be a source of gratification 
to the other affiliated clubs. The association 
may now be said to extend from ocean to ocean. 
True, there are some wide gaps between, but 
clubs are lining up in a way to indicate that in 
time these gaps will be filled. Unofficial ad¬ 
vices come from South Bend, Ind., and Omaha, 
Neb., to the effect that the clubs at these points 
will shortly affiliate, and the sending of this 
letter was delayed in the hope they would have 
done so by this time. 
“The following letter from Mr. J. W. Bram- 
hall, Second Vice-President, explains itself: 
“ ‘On October 7, the Kansas City Bait and 
Fly-Casting Club will give its first tournament, 
which will end our first year’s club meetings. 
One of our members on programme committee, 
being connected with our leading sporting 
goods’ house, asked for donations from manu¬ 
facturers and dealers for prizes for this event, 
and in response received about twenty hand¬ 
some tackle articles ranging in price from $2 to 
$10.' As soon as I discovered this I called a 
me-eting of the Executive Committee of our club 
to take action on this point. It was unani¬ 
mously agreed that we would nat accept any 
donation whatever, and that the club would 
purchase all prizes outright, believing this to 
be in line with the policy of the National As¬ 
sociation. Our local house, no doubt, had in 
view a very good advertising medium which 'I 
briefly brought to an end.’ 
“The above indicates a spirit -that should be 
paramount among all anglers and true sports-, 
men, and is well worthy the consideration of 
all affiliated clubs. An expression on this sub¬ 
ject from each member of the Executive Com¬ 
mittee is earnestly requested by the president. 
The wish has been expressed by many that the 
utter elimination of merchandise prizes, whether 
donated by dealers or purchased by. the clubs, 
could be brought about. This is certainly the 
right kind of sentiment, but whether it is pos¬ 
sible or advisable, at least for the present, re¬ 
mains to be seen, as the opinion is widespread 
that merchandise prizes are necessary to secure 
a large attendance at national tournaments. Re¬ 
garding club contests, however, the matter 
should receive the most careful consideration on 
the part of each club. While the national as¬ 
sociation should not dictate in the matter, it is 
surely within its province to suggest through 
the representatives on the executive committee 
anything looking toward maintaining a high 
standard of sportsmanship among the affiliated 
clubs. 
“A leading dealer has said he believes manu¬ 
facturers, dealers,. etc., would be glad to con¬ 
tribute prizes to international or national tour¬ 
naments of yearly occurrence and general char¬ 
acter, and that it would be to their advantage 
so to do, but says further that for them to be 
solicited to contribute for every local affair 
would soon put the casting clubs in the same 
category with some clubs devoted to other 
sports which, he says, are now practically a lot 
of ‘hold-ups.’ Such a criticism, if deserved, of 
any club devoted to the beautiful sport of angling, 
which should always remain on a high plane', 
would be- lamentable in the extreme, and it re¬ 
mains for all of us who love the ‘gentle art’ for 
its own sake—and that surely means every mem¬ 
ber, of every affiliated club—to guard jealously 
against any conditions that might for a moment, 
or in. the least degree, contribute toward a 
lowering of the standard of true sportsman¬ 
ship. 
“In connection with this subject it will in¬ 
terest you to know that at its meeting held Dec. 
4, 1906, the Chicago Fly-Casting Club added the 
following amendment to its constitution: 
“ ‘The Chicago Fly-Casting Club shall not it¬ 
self, or through a committee, or through an 
official, or an individual member, solicit dona¬ 
tions of merchandise prizes to ‘be awarded in 
club contests or local tournaments.’ 
“As a further evidence of the growth of this 
sentiment the Illinois Bait-Casting Club at 
its meeting of Dec. 18, 1906, unanimously 
adopted a resolution of exactly similar import. 
“Another matter which should receive most 
careful consideration is that of what may be 
called ‘professionalism.’ Complaint has already 
been made against what some call manifestly 
unfair conditions when men who cast for the 
sake of the sport only are pitted in tournament 
against others to whose business interest it is 
to cast well and expertly. The Anglers’ Club 
of New York does not admit professionals to 
active membership, and defines a professional 
as ‘one who is or has been a teacher of casting 
for pay; who is or has been a market fisherman; 
who is or has been a paid guide and one who 
is engaged in the manufacture or sale of fishing 
tackle or sporting goods.’ To this it would be 
well to add: ‘One who for pay casts with any 
rod, reel, line or device in the interest of the 
maker or seller thereof.’ While any restrictions 
of ‘professionalism’ may seem at times to work a 
CANADIAN TROUT PHOTOGRAPHED ALIVE. 
hardship to some very good men and true sports¬ 
men, it may, nevertheless, be advisable to make 
certain restrictions looking to the greatest good 
to the greatest number of strictly ‘amateur’ 
casters, using the term ‘amateur’ as broadly de¬ 
fining all casters who cast for sport solely and 
have no commercial interests, and not at all 
in the sense of their being in any way lacking 
in skill. However, it may be advisable early in 
the history of tournament casting, now that it 
is becoming so widespread, to make such re¬ 
strictions as may guard against such evils of 
‘professionalism’ as may arise, and which have 
caused trouble in other sports. While every 
proper courtesy and consideration should be ex¬ 
tended the ‘professional’ as above defined, and 
the kindliest and friendliest spirit maintained to¬ 
ward him, it is well to remember that he con¬ 
stitutes an almost minute minority, the ma¬ 
terial welfare of which is enhanced by the ex¬ 
istence of tournament casting, and no evils 
which might possibly attach to his personal un¬ 
restricted participation in tournaments should 
be allowed to detract from the enjoyment of 
the predominating majority of solely sports¬ 
men casters, or to stand in the way of main¬ 
taining strictly sportsmanlike conditions free 
from trade jealousies or commercial interests. 
“The protest against ‘professionals’ and sug¬ 
gestions concerning restrictions in regard to 
them, do not seem to arise from any fear of 
their superior skill, notwithstanding the fact 
that in the interest of their products, and by the 
very nature of their calling, they are permitted 
to engage in unlimited practice and have ac¬ 
cess to unlimited tackle. 
“They arise particularly from those who have 
observed the tactics of a few casters who would 
come under the definition of ‘professionals’ and 
who seem to desire to ‘play the game for what 
there is in it,’ and regard participation in the 
sport and the skill they may display solely as 
a means toward their financial betterment. Such 
conditions are always a menace to fair play and 
true sportsmanship. Fortunately at present 
there are but very few of this kind, but enough 
to cause a fear that, as the sport spreads, they 
may increase, and hence a desire -to take early 
precautions that may prevent later complica¬ 
tions. The broad-minded and sportsmanlike 
‘professional’ will undoubtedly be among the 
first to indorse proper restrictions. 
“Dr. Chas. F Browne, of the Racine Fly- 
Casting Club, suggests that the National asso¬ 
ciation put up a cup for a team contest in half- 
ounce accuracy bait, to be competed for by 
teams, each consisting of the three men in each 
dub making the highest scores in the regular 
half-ounce tournament event. These teams to 
cast the team event at some time after the regular 
event but during the progress, of the tourna¬ 
ment. The cup to be played for each year. 
Winners to hold for that year only. Any club 
winning three or five times consecutively (or 
otherwise as seen fit) to hold the cup permanent¬ 
ly. This suggestion that there be a national 
trophy is certainly a very good one and deserves 
the careful consideration of the entire execu¬ 
tive committee. The only material obstacle is 
lack of funds, as the national association of 
necessity, and in order to avoid being more than 
a slight tax on the affiliated clubs, will never 
have much in jts treasury. However, this diffi¬ 
culty can be overcome if the clubs desire to con¬ 
tribute say $5 each, which would supply $45— 
enough to purchase a very acceptable trophy. 
“Whether the plan outlined by Dr; Browne is 
the best and most conducive to the general good 
of the sport or not. is a question for the ex¬ 
ecutive committee to consider carefully. The 
principal argument in its favor is the popularity 
of half-ounce bait and the likelihood of its 
creating the largest interest. Is it, however, 
wise for the national association to particularly 
encourage one form of event? Should not a 
national trophy be wider in scope if only one is 
offered, or else a trophy be given in each popu¬ 
lar event? Three casters in each team would cut 
out those clubs sending only one or two repre¬ 
sentatives. 
“These suggestions are offered merely. to 
bring out opinions, and members of the com¬ 
mittee are earnestly requested to send in their 
views on the subject as early as possible in order 
that some definite conclusion may be reached a_t 
an early date. 
“While on the subject of trophies and their 
possible cost, would it not be advisable to make 
a rule limiting the cost of trophies to $50 or 
less? Would it not redound to the general 
good of the sport that nothing be done that 
might incite covetousness beyond coveting the 
honor attached to the winning of the trophy’ 
“An answer and comment on this letter from 
every member of the executive committee i-s ex¬ 
pected, as it is an impossibility for the two or 
three who are working hard on the problems 
to produce the very best results without a full 
grasp of the sentiment prevailing. throughout 
the entire committee, which is.the best index 
pointing to general sentiment. 
“H. Wheeler Perce, President, 
“Attest:- “990 Old Colony Bldg., 
“H. E. Rice, Secretary, “Chicago, Ill. 
“225 South Peoria St., Chicago, Ill.” 
Trout Taking Minnows. 
Buffalo, N. Y., Jan. 26. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: An eastern correspondent questions a 
trout taking minnows as a food or otherwise. 
While I do not wish to pose as an authority, 
yet last summer while on a canoe trip into the 
Algonquin park of Canada we used minnows as 
bait, for trout, and got them too. 
H. H. Boyce. 
The Forest and Stream may be obtained from 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dealer to 
supply you regularly. 
