Dec. 3, 1910.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
901 
The changing in the coloration of the leaves 
this fall was very beautiful. There were no 
frosts until quite late, the changes were so 
gradual, the colors remained so bright, and the 
leaves remained on the trees for an unusual 
time that it was a lovely picture that the wooded 
shores presented to one rowing about upon the 
water, and daily I enjoyed it until the last of 
October forced me hence and away to my avo¬ 
cation. E. S. Whitaker. 
Fishing in the South. 
New Orleans, La., Nov. 25. —Editor Forest 
and Stream: Fishing has been good during the 
past two weeks at Chef Menteur, Lookout, Lake 
Catherine, the Rigolets and other places on Lake 
Borgne, Lake Catherine, Mississippi Sound, Lake 
Pontchatrain and the Barataria section. Many 
of the pleasure-loving fishermen have brought in 
Bass and Drum. 
Ocean Grove, N. J., Nov. 25. —Editor Forest 
and Stream: I read with much interest Leonard 
Hulit’s article on the channel bass in F'orest 
and Strea.m, of Sept. 10, and fully indorse his 
statement therein; that is, that “there are dis¬ 
tinctive differences between the two fish"—chan¬ 
nel bass and red drum. 
I do not question but what they belong to 
the same family, but having caught both, I am 
positive they are not identical; they are distinct 
species. 
One afternoon, in May, 1893, while fishing for 
channel bass in the Halifax River, opposite 
Daytona. Florida, I caught two red drum which 
weighed 36 and 43 pounds respectively. Captain 
Hand, a resident of Daytona, told me that they 
were quite common in the river during the sum¬ 
mer months, and that he had frequently caught 
Supposing they resembled as closely in figure 
as they do in color, each has certain unerring, 
individual marks which stamp its identity, i. e., 
the drum barbels under the chin, the channel 
bass black spots (some have but one spot on 
a side) at or near the base of the caudal fin. In 
September. 1905, fishing in the surf opposite 
Twelfth street, Barnegat City, I caught a large 
channel bass that had fifty-four spots, twenty- 
seven on each side. This I consider an ex¬ 
ceptional instance, but several spots on a side 
are not unusual. 
In habit, the drum and channel bass differ 
quite as much as they do in appearance—the 
habits of the latter corresponding more closely 
to those of the striped bass. 
The channel bass is a game fish. As a fighter, 
pound for pound, it has few peers.. Like most 
all game fish, it rises readily to an artificial 
lure. 
THE BASIN WHERE FIFTY SPRINGS ARE FOUND IN A SPACE OF ABOUT 250 FEET. 
sheepshead, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, red 
fish, green trout and other fish. The fall has 
been so mild up to this time fishing continues 
almost as good as it was two months ago. Quite 
a number of fishermen leave the city on Satur¬ 
days and return early Monday mornings. Fish¬ 
ing has continued later this fall than usual. 
The State Game Commission has elected 
Eugene A. Tulian superintendent of fish hatch¬ 
eries at a salary of $2,500 per year. Mr. Tulian’s 
home is in St. Petersburg, Fla, and he comes 
here with a good recommendation, having been 
for many years in the employ of the United 
States Government. He will assume active 
charge Jan. 1. It is proposed to establish several 
hatcheries in Louisiana shortly and Mr. Tulian 
will have charge of them. Engineer Frank 
Payne’s report to the commission shows that 
there are 62,740 acres of natural oyster reefs 
in this State. F. G. G. 
them in a net set for other fish. In every 
feature, excepting color, so far as 1 have been 
able to determine, the red and gray drum are 
counterpart each of the other and their habits 
identical. I am positive that they sometimes 
associate, as I have seen both species taken 
from the same school. Drum are not a very 
active fish; they are slow and deliberate in 
motion; their lack of activity is probably due 
to the fact that they subsist exclusively upon 
Crustacea. The latter being inert, they have 
no occasion to hustle; though lacking in speed, 
they are good grubbers. 
If the two fish—channel bass and red drum— 
were placed side by side for comparison, the 
most casual observer could hardly fail to note 
a difference in their outlines, the steep profile, 
high-arched back and chunky appearance of the 
drum being in marked contrast to the longer 
and more graceful lines of the channel bass. 
“You may talk about horse races and brag about baseball 
nines, 
You may automobile through a foreign clime. 
But nothing to we fishermen is really half as good 
As to feel a channel bass upon our line.”* 
The drum is not a game fish, and therefore 
does not appeal to sportsmen, nor is its flesh 
much appreciated, though in my estimation it 
compares favorably with that of any of the 
large salt-water fish. 
If the pounds and purse nets now employed 
for ridding the ocean of fish are allowed to 
continue in practice, the time is not far distant 
when drum will be appraised at its full value. 
Then woe to the drum; they will be pursued 
and destroyed as relentlessly as the mackerel, 
the blue, the weak and menhaden' have been 
pursued and destroyed. 
It is time the so-called “channel bass” had an 
♦Robert Inch. 
