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FOREST AND STREAM. 

[Nov. 23, 1007. 

bass tribe we have a colossus, the black sea 
bass, the club record of which is 436 pounds, 
The swordfish is a game fish in California. It 
leaps like the tarpon or the beautiful dolphin, 
also taken here, and a 156-pound swordfish has 
fought an angler three hours. giving a fine 
play. ; 
The white sea bass of these waters is a 
cousin of the Eastern weakfish. None that [ 
have taken were under fifty pounds, and speci- 
mens weighing eighty pounds have been caught 
from Coronado to Monterey. 
Then there are the sheepshead, from ten to 
twelve pounds: the barracuda, ten 
the rock bass, twelve, and 
the Roncadors to the 
which afford much sport in these summer seas. 
It is impossible without encroaching upon 
the time of the conference to more than hint 
at the game fishes of the interior of California, 
the streams which rise in the sierras, as the 
McCloud, the Russian, the Kern, Sacramento, 
Feather, Santa Inez, Carmel, and others, all 
of which lure the angler to a wonderland of 
Sport, where the golden trout, the rainbow, 
salmon, and almost every American trout may 
be seen. During the past summer I fished the 
Feather River over the divide of the Sierra 
Nevada, and took living rainbows of seven 
pounds, and saw New England brook trout 
and a forty-pound salmon in the same stream, 
Suggestive of the variety of fishes found on 
the Pacific Slope, where there is an earnest de- 
sire to elevate sport and to establish a stand- 
ard that shall command the respect of al] men. 
Lena Bent Aaa ast 
Rapid-Fire Trout Fishing. 
No sooner had we cast our lines, says a cor- 
respondent of the Salisbury Times in writing of 
Canadian trout fishing, than one of us shouted 
for help to land a real good one, but before 
either had time to help he had one to himself, 
and our guide had two, one on the bait and one 
On the top fly. Both of us, with only one to 
land, had to do so without the net, which was 
quite a job, and nearly bent our rods double, but 
they stood the pressure. As soon as we had our 
captures in the boat we went to give a little help 
in landing the other two. This was the best 
sport of the day, for as soon as we got the net 
near to the one on the top the other one would 
Start kicking and diving. They were about three 
feet apart, and would take out quite a length 
of line, and when we started to pull them in 
again one would try to.g0 one way and the otler 
another, so that they were pulling against one 
another all the time. Eventually we landed num- 
ber one, while the other was making an awful 
splash just under the water. 
pounds; 
many more trom 
salmon of Monterey, 
Greenville Anglers Organize. 
A MEETING of anglers was held in Greenville, 
Pa., the night of Noy. 13 for the purpose of or- 
ganizing a club. Tt was well attended and re- 
sulted in the formal organization of the Green- 
ville Bait- and Fly-Casting Club. 
Officers were elected as follows: 
Dr. B. E, “Mossm Ta a fragt 
A. McNary; Secretary-Tr 
President, 
Vice-President, John 
easurer, Quinton J. 
Burnett; Captain, Richard Brodhead. 
Twenty-one persons signed the constitution at 
this meeting, and it is likely the membership list 
will increase Steadily during the winter, as the 
city is the home of large numbers of anglers, 

New Publications. 
“Bair ANGLING FoR CoMMon FisHes” 
its author Says, a guide for 
people and others who have few opportunities 
to seek the game fishes in their best known 
haunts. It is written and illustrated by Louis 
Rhead. The chapters deal with bait fishing for 
catfish, eels, perch, pickerel, sunfish, carp, dace, 
pike-perch and brook trout; and for the various 
salt-water fishes to be found 
coast. The illustrations are excellent.. Pub- 
lished by the Outing Publishing Company, New 
York. 
is, as 
amateurs, young 

How To’s for Beginners. with or slightly above the snow, as 
or a couple of boards. 
ferably too feet in length, measure off 100 feet 
and drive a stake into the ground; to this at- 
tach the end of the 
snow in a straight line, which will give 
“court” 200 feet in length. 

Fly- and Bait-Casting Equipments. 
WE have had so man 
in relation to fly- 
remarks o 
seem timely, 
y inquiries from anglers 
and bait-casting practice that 
subject of equipments 
Not only are clubs being formed, 
f stand beyond 
cast, and score for them, 
pieces of board or color 
175 and 200 feet will serve as marks by which 
one can determine his average distance cast- 
ing if he does not care, while reeling in, to 
walk up to the place where the weight falls 
each time and mark the exact distance. 
villages wish to pr 
ditions, in order t 
work with that of other anglers 
expert fly- and bait-casters and 
as well as to cast under their 
ance. As President Perce of the Nation 
i of Scientific Angling Clubs ha 
tournament 
become better anglers, and 
practice the angler attains 
he can possibly hope for in 
actice under tournament con- 
hat they may compare their 
who can watch 
from them, 
order that they may 
in group or club 
better results than 
experimenting 
practicing alone is that he c 
that a companion 
course, but casting on the snow is 
practice on the water, and in 
or less wet, and does not burn the thumb as in 
dry casting on a lawn. 
annot see the faults 
can point out, and in this 
may fall into errors very difficult to 
Friendly criticism is of immense ad- 
ever, let it be good or bad. 
your improvement. 
liminary casts, then c 
one, and divide the total] by five, to get your 
average, marking the best cast 
if you like. Count every cast made, marking 
those in which the reel Overruns with a star, 
to show you, later on, 
less frequently, as they should. Do not try to 
forget these errors, or excuse them, for back- 
lashing is often discouraging in casting for 
bass, and in a tournament they cut down aver- 
ages woefully. Furthermore, if you could make 
five perfect casts at every trial, you would lose 
interest in the pastime 
of its chief charms, just as jn fishing, 
eradicate. 
Tournament casting is largely a game, but 

SHORE LINE. 
BENCHES OF SEATS FOR WIS[TORS 
teaches many useful things. 
fly-fisherman 
finest tackle obtainal 
and self-control, 
by striking too hard 
in his impatience, 
prove to be a 
how to cast his fly, 
the limitations of 
half won when the trout is he 
confident 
matter how skillful he m 
him take part for the fi 
test, and his stream-acc 
at all, for | 
For example, the 
dle, but if he lacks coolness 
ay lose his biggest trout 
or playing it too roughly 
and his splendid outfit. wiil 
if he knows exactly 
the strength of his leader, 
the battle 
ooked, for he feels 
mockery; but 
ay be in fly-fishing, let 
rst time in a club con- 
juired skill will avail not 
casting at a terrific 
in knots and doing 
1e will find himself 
rate, tying leader and line 
just the opposite of skillful 
instead of 
contestants 
and offer a suggestion 
Following these, 
laughing at 
praise him for one thing 
Or two concerning another. 
him, tle other 


he will be surpr:sec 
turning, and the ne 
will feel less timid 
to find his confidence re- 
xt time he tries to cast he 
and forget that he js being 
in the pastime will increase, 
will find that his confidence in 
, and that it, too, presents new 
never thought of 
that can be done dur 
way of fly-casting, 
and presently he 
fishing is growing 
allurements he 
There is not 
the winter in the 
bait-casting the 
where there is no 
there will be found suitable 
tice on the snow, 
along the Atlantic dull after 
bait-casti 
In places 
water for summer: practice, 
and there many an othe 
noon can be passed pleasantly, 
ng or surf rod. 
ment for this js simple. 
place to stand in c 
The necessary equip- - 
Determine on- the 
| ferably painted, to keep the lines clean 
asting, which should be level 
free from catching on splinters or nails. 

a low box 
Then with a tape, pre- 
measure and lay this on the 
two or more practice together, one can, 
the 100-foot mark while the others 
but if one casts alone, 
ed paper at 125, 150, 
The same practice applies to the lawn, of 
almost like 
it the line is more 
It is advisable to keep an accurate score, how- 
for it will show 
Make one or two pre- 
ast five times, scoring each 
in each string 
if these backlashes come 
. Its uncertainty is one 
There are plenty of warm days in winter when 
two or three friends can practice comfortably 
over the snow, and at this time uneven places 
that cannot be utilized when the ground js bare 
are admirable for the purpose. 
This is also a good time to locate a place 
for next season’s club or group casting prac- 
tice, and to make the necessary equipments, If{ 
a stream or pond is convenient, locate a place 
for a platform, and even get the material for 
this in shape to be put in the water when the 
ice goes out. We will describe it briefly here, 
before going further. 
If for a club of twenty members, and specta- 
tors are likely to add as many more when con- 
tests are held next season, there should be two 
platforms, arranged somewhat as follows (see 
Pig. 2) 
A represents a gangway at least 25 feet in 
length. B is a 
mit all the club members to move about freely 
while arranging rods and lines; and, of course, 
interested visitors. It should be strongly sup- 
ported, to prevent collapsing under the weight 
of a number of persons. i 
least 15 feet in length, and D the casting plat- 
form. This is placed 
main platform in order that a contestant while 
casting shall be free from 
cross: wind will not carry his line among’ his 
platform large enough to per- 
Is a gangway at 
at a distance from the 
all interference; a 
Ows on the big platform, nor endanger the 
rods in the rack E. The platform will be close 
enough to the shore line for Visitors to watch 
the casting, but they cannot bother the con- 
testants or endanger rods and outfits. It 
obvious that the location of the 
should be made with a view to taking ad- 
vantage of the prevailing wind, the shore line 
being parallel with its course. so that casting 
may be with the wind. With platforms arranged 
as shown in Fig. 1, the marking line may be 
stretched to right or left, obliquely toward 
shore at either side, obliquely away from shore, 
and in bait-casting, 
This latter direction 
casting for lack of a clear space for the back 
cast. 
The referee should be st 
way C, and he should not 
with him while a contestant is on the small 
platform. This cannot we 
feet in size. It must be exactly 18 inches above 
is 
platforms 
straight away from shore. 
would be barred for fly- 
ationed on the gang- 
permit any person 
li be less than 7x9 
water level. Cover it with canvas, pre- 
and 




