
































































































FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Auc. 3, 1907. 

Early Ozark Fishing. 
Mo., July 27.—Editor Forest and 
Stream: Few people of the Northern States re- 
alize that in the Ozark region of Missouri are 
found some of the finest small-mouth bass waters 
of the American continent. The broad, swiftly 
flowing streams that cut through those rugged 
hills are fed by numbers of cold springs and all 
the conditions environing them make them an 
ideal home for these gamiest of fishes. Here 
they take the fly when conditions are favorable 
and give the angler a battle of a more strenuous 
kind than I have ever noted in the northern 
lakes. Current River and Eleven Point are the 
two mountain streams that seem most favored 
DoNIPHAN, 
by the small-mouth bass. Of this gamy fish of 
these rough streams I shall write at some other 
time. 
During the early spring months the small- 
mouth will seldom rise to a fly, yet the still-fish- 
ing indulged in by many is not looked on with 
favor by the higher devotees of the rod. The 
disinclination to rise to artificial lures in spring 
arises from the water conditions of spring In 
this section. We are usually favored with an 
enormous amount of rain, which keeps Current 
River roiled as long as the rains fall, for this 
usually extremely clear river receives the main 
discharges from the watersheds of the southeast- 
ern portion of the Ozarks. 
When weather conditions are against fly-fish- 
ing the man who likes to fight a fish chafes with 
impatience at his inability to indulge in_ his 
favorite sport. To soothe this dreaded ennui the 
sport of catching the grindle is resorted to. This 
is a variety of dogfish known over the en- 
tire South, that selects his abode sluggish 
streams of the bottoms or the backwaters of some 
of those streams, especially where brush and par- 
tially sunken logs are abundant. Amia calva is 
a cannibal. No fish or insect is safe from his 
attacks, and nature has, equipped him with enor- 
mous strength. Anyone who imagines that be- 
cause he selects sluggish waters for his home, he 
is a sluggish fish, will quickly change his mind 
the first time one tugs at his line. As an article 
as 
of diet the dogfish is a rank failure, being full 
of bones, and what little flesh he does- possess 
is thoroughly spiced with the taste of mud. 
«Nature has ignored him as regards his desir- 
ability as food for man, but she has more than 
supplied him with strength and agility. The dog- 
fish is not the least dainty in his taste. He will 
attack any Aly or lure offered him with the dash 
and eagerness of any game fish, though other- 
wise he is a rank plebian, 
kind of bait the still-fisherman offers him, be it 
worms, beef, frogs or minnows. 
The best method of securing this fighter is 
with a fly-rod.. I have tried many rods and none 
has given me the satisfaction of the steel rod, 
with which one can lead a dogfish from a brush 
pile or from under sunken which they 
usually seek as their frequenting places and have 
the satisfaction of knowing that the rod will 
stand the fight of the fish as well as the rough 
surroundings of the waters he frequents. 
willingly seizing any 
logs, 
This fish will often take flies of any sort or 
color, but in place of flies we usually use the ordi- 
nary small No, 2 spoon. ‘This miniature spoon 
starts to revolve the instant it touches the water. 
and if a fish is there he is sure of striking. 
There is a slight tug of the line at first and the 
fish tries to sound as the line draws taut, and 
the fish feels the barbed hook. Indignation seizes 
the 15-pounder that has struck, he rises to the 
surface and shakes himself with a_ series of 
leaps that will surprise you. Then for ten 
minutes he rushes back and forth without cessa- 
tion, tugs like a terrier with a rat. If your 
tackle has been sufficiently stout to stand this 
strain there is now hope of landing him. He 
changes his tactics, tries sulking, and sounds for 
deeper water. A breathing spell awaits you, but 
in an instant again the same routine of battle is 
fought, until the fish shows signs of weariness. 
He fights until the last and even when in the 
landing net is not an assured prey. No one can 
trie with this fish and land him, for not only 
is he crafty, but he possesses such strength that 
any flaw in rod line is made apparent at the 
first strike. This variety of swamp dogfish will 
tise to a fly, but no single hook will hold him, 
so we resort to the treble hook and spoon. I 
have seen them break the stoutest hooks with 
perfect nonchalance. It is a difficult matter to 
cast for him, as the brush and trees that border 
his home make the usual casts out of question. 
Wading out on logs or casting from boat is the 
best method. -If anyone who cares to fish for 
the fight of the fish only, he will be amply re- 
paid with a day’s sport with these cannibals of 
the water. After you land your first one you 
will acknowledge a three pound trout a very 
tame article. The natives here have blessed these 
fish with the name of cypress trout. 
Locu LApptE. 

Mr. Samuels Explains. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I am really at a loss to discover what is the 
matter with Mr. Breck, and am undecided as to 
whether he has received a misprint copy of 
FOREST AND STREAM, is a careless reader or 
that his spectacles need adjusting, for he seems 
determined to assume that I have printed cer- 
tain things which I certainly never intended to 
write. For example, he claims that I placed the 
brown trout, S. fario, above our own S. 
fontinalis, both in beauty and gaminess. 
[ haye never implied anything of the sort. 
This is what I wrote: “Although I have be- 
come acquainted with and learned to appreciate 
the merits of almost every variety of game fish 
that receives the attention of our anglers, I 
have always returned to my old darling, the 
beautiful fontinalis, and to-day, if I might be 
permitted, I know of no greater pleasure than 
following the meandering of the mountain 
brook. * * .* J am convinced, that although 
it [S. fario] will never become a satisfactory 
substitute for fontinalis, it will prove a most 
valuable companion for it.” 
He also quotes me as giving the opinions of 
Sir Humphrey Davy, Izaak Walton and other 
English writers concerning .our brook trout, 
when, as a matter of fact, I did not refer to 
fontinalis in: that paragraph, the following being 
what I said: : 
“As for the gaminess of the brown trout,. I 
confess I am somewhat surprised at the state- 
ment he [Mr. Breck] makes that the fish is a 
logy fellow compared with fontinalis, and is far 
more apt to suck the fly in while hardly show- 
ing an inch of his anatomy, for I find among 
English writers from Izaak Walton and Sir 
Humphrey Davy to those of the present day, 
that the fish is spoken of as being gamy, 
vigor- 
ous and a strong and plucky fighter.” 
Now I am perfectly willing to have my writ- 
ings stand as they are, but object very strenu- 
ously to being misquoted. 
I know nothing of the fighting qualities of 
brown trout in English waters, but in this coun- 
try it is considered gamy in a high degree, as is 
abundantly shown by the writings of numerous 
correspondents in Forest AND STREAM and 
other journals, the writers being mostly anglers 
of great experience. A glance through the 
files of this journal will show that I am cor- 
rect in this statement. 
We have good brown trout fishing within a 
few miles of my present residence, but when 
opportunity offers I prefer to put in my time 
among my old favorites, the incomparable 
brook trout and the gamy black bass. 
A. SAMUELS. 

Salmon Fishing Near London. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
A correspondent writes me from Brookwood, 
County of Surrey, England: 
“T had a little salmon fishing on a river not 
far from here, the Hampshire Avon. Had a 
week of it, got two splendid fresh run fish, 20% 
pounds and 27 pounds. The former I caught on 
a large fly about three inches long. He gave me 
a half hour’s hard work. The heavier fish I got 
on a prawn bait. I was extremely lucky, as 
there are very few salmon there, but they run 
large. My largest fish was 42 inches long, 9 
etc.” 
cannot be over 
inches deep, 21 inches girth, 
The waters fished fifty miles 
from London. They may be private waters, but 
I think I have read that considerable stretches 
of the river are public, or at most belong to cer- 
tain country inns which allow the right of fish- 
ing to their guests. Fancy catching 20-pound 
salmon within fifty miles of New York city. 
These things are possible in England because 
they are wise enough to combat and prevent the 
pollution of their rivers and we are foolish 
enough to allow the pollution of our rivers to 
continue with hardly a protest. Some say the 
rivers cannot be kept pure—absurd. Here is an 
English district far more populous than any cor- 
responding district within a like distance of New 
York and the rivers are sweet and clean. 
The same is true of the Thames itself above 
London. Twice in recent years I have‘had splen- 
did fishing there, and often 
thereon in my younger days we drank freely of 
the river water, which was clear and good. 
Yours for clean waters and good fishing. 
THe DECKHAND. 


Illinois Bait-Casting Club. 
Curcaco, July 20.—Editor Forest and Stream: 
The following are the scorés made to-day by 
members of opr club, and in the inter-club con- 
test with a team from the Chicago Fly-Casting 

Club, all bait-casting: 
One-quarter ounce: 
Re-entries. 
Regular. 
Wmirotanleyy .ce nw eccenee tee ee 9 98.8 98.9 
li. (En De \Garmolce pacer 98.6 bh 
W eis Jamison. ce eee meee 98.4 95.6 
jo Humphrey BEA SiON ORC 97.5 97.5 
IN > Gh Eestiann.c. aut soetnee eee 96 
TE0 (Be RIGGS. rcs eee Peto 92.5 
Wi. Wee MicFarlinte.... oes mene vies 
Dyas. Waintield/ aan a.cseee ee eecee 97.2 
F. W. Hemminghaus oltsase'e wwnayele os 98 
Ee Hie Viatthewsuens nner eee 
He Gy Chapman wocestsce ne deen Sistels 
As Wagner) i. deamur enc een eens ST.1 Pate 
C.. "Wik Giser tire. beh see : 92.8 94.3 
Ge Poa Clifford: mecunncence ae nents 90.9 
[pe 5; Ue tbovt be eaona Asha wnodcoo: etek 
J ) ONES UE Sone San seine teeter aes 93.2 < cne 
Bu Had acksOni: cares cslcouatinauanien 92.1 84.6 
Visitors: 
Ey IPS Naylorivsectenceaasaeacineneee 98.5 97 
DB. UBS Bentley costs ac. teen 97.3 
Aw Jue Winteringhamy, f...05 sees 98.5 
Half-ounce, distance, average five casts: 
Average. Re-entry. 
IL, BaDesGarmoccses cae tieee ieee 61 1-5 . 127 4-5 
W.. Siz- amiSon de Sen seen ieee 149 1-5 154 3-5 
B;, «Aw ELumphrey seen ssn ones 143 1-5 130 
IN. Ge Heston See cseeae cece eee ee 118 1-5 
Je. ERA matt se csciavs meek oak ov eter ate 103 1-5 "5 
J. Dei Jones: Acnmeesciaaetenc neem 110 2-5 108 3-5| 
IB. EU Jacksotiins cerumentarecnteee eine 98 2-5 102 
Visitors: 
EY. URS Naylor. o.cacseneioreimentestiomeeie 
Dy We Bentley onsenn 

138 1-5 
A. J. Winteringham oe 
when out boating | 



| 
| 
The first contest of the inter-club series for a| 
silver cup was won by the team from the Chicago} 
Fly-Casting Club. The scores were as follows: 




Chicago Fly-Casting Club. Illinois Bait-Casting Club. 
- Woz. Woz. Yoz. Woz. 
Becker ye fe: sections 97.4 98.2 Stanley cre asecties 97.9 98.7 
Peet aiiades-suratane 98.9 98 Wagnen as. saescs St ST 
Hinterleitner ...98 98.4 De Garmo ..97.6 98.4 | 
Perce an. seks 97.6 98.3 Hemminghaus...96.9 95.6 | 
Letterman 98.3 97.5 Jamison we eenae 98.9 98.5 
Average .02 98.08 Average it) 2 97.8 97.78 
Grand Average 98.05 Grand Average. 97.79 
HE. RICE ES eciy: 
Salmon Disappoiniments. 
ANGLERS returning home from some of the best 
known salmon streams in New Brunswick say 
they consider themselves fortunate to be able to 
tell of catching a salmon or two 
Those who went to the best salmon waters at 
the usual time were almost without exception dis- 
appointed, while later visitants had poor fishing 
or had to be content with sea trout. This seems 
to be the condition up to the present time, based 
on reports brought back by anglers returning 
during the present week. 
THE ForesT AND STREAM may be obtained from 
any newsdealer on order. Ask your dea’er to 
supply vou regularly, 
this season.| 

