hc Rew Dork State College of Agriculture At Cornell Gniversity Ithaca, Ni. DB. Librarp IN THE ROCKIES THE BOY'S OWN GUIDE TO FISHING TACKLE-MAKING ann FISH-BREEDING BEING A PLAIN, PRECISE AND PRACTICAL EXPLANATION OF ALL THAT IS NECESSARY TO BE KNOWN BY THE YOUNG ANGLER BY JOHN HARRINGTON KEENE AUTHOR OF “ THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN ” ‘‘ FLY-FISHING AND FLY-MAKING”’ “FISHING-TACKLE ITS MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURE” ETC. Illustrated by 82 diagrams drawn under the direct supervision of the author by Lewis E. Shanks LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS IO MILK STREET BOSTON S COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY LEE AND SHEPARD All Rights Reserved Boy’s Own GUIDE TO FISHING ELXCTROTYPING By C. J. PETERS & SON, Bosron, U.S.A. PRESS OF S, J. PABKIIILIL & Co, ‘PREFACE FISHING is a sport especially suited to boys. It is a cleanly, healthy, open-air recreation, de- void of feverish excitements, and yet not desti- tute of quict pleasures which are inexpressibly fascinating during the tender years of childhood, and, above all, entirely innocent in their ten- dencies. As youth succeeds childhood, the love of fishing deepens, and as maturity is attained, this love becomes a part of the man, never to be wholly cast aside. And as old age approaches, and gun and dog and saddle are regretfully re- tired, angling still remains the contemplative man’s pastime. Thus throughout life is angling a source of comfort and pleasure, leaving no bad taste in the mouth or sting in the conscience, and being indeed unequalled by any other sport whatsoever in its purity and guilelessness. For what does Annie Trumbull Slosson’s “ Fishin’ Jimmy” say in his quaint, homely fashion? «I 3 4 PREFACE allers loved fishin’, an’ know’d ’twas the best thing in the hull airth, I knows it larnt ye more about creeters an’ yarbs an’ stuns an’ water than books could tell ye. I know’d it made folks patienter and common-senser an’ weather-wiser an’ cuter gen’ally; gin em more fac’lty than all the school larnin’ in creation. I knowed it was more fillin’ than vittles, more rousin’ than whiskey, more soothin’ than lodlum. I knowed it cooled ye off when ye was het, an’ het ye when ye was cold. I knowed all that, 0’ course,—any fool knows it. But will ye bleve it? I was more’n twenty-one years old, a man growed, ‘fore I foun’ out why ‘twas that way.” The object of this little book is to explain to even the youngest reader what “ Fishin’ Jimmy” did not find out till he was “a man growed.” I have never had cause to regret that my own ancestors were professional fishermen, and that I have been one myself. My father, his father, and his father, and so on for several more generations, were watermen and fishermen on the English Thames. I cannot recollect, therefore, when I first became an angler; but like Topsy, “I specs I grow’d”’ to be one from the cradle. Self-help PREFACE 5 in all pertaining to fishing was, however, the lesson drilled into me from my earliest years, and at an infant’s age I first began to handle tackle and tackle-making implements. From er- perience, therefore, I am satisfied that the boy who learns to prepare everything he uses will (as I have done) derive tenfold the pleasure from fishing, that is gotten by the angler who only buys his tackle all ready to his hand. The things that cost pains to procure are the most valued. In the following pages I shall explain the why and wherefore of everything likely to perplex the tyro, as well as the making of each piece of tackling, giving the methods I have myself made use of, with suitable diagrams. Moreover, I shall be pleased at any time to aid my boy-readers by letter, if they write me to my address below. J. Harrincton KEENE. GREENWICH, Washington County, N.Y. CONTENTS PART I.—SPRING. CHAPTER I. SUCKER FISHING CHAPTER II. PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING CHAPTER III. BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT PART I.— SUMMER. CHAPTER IV. FISHING FOR THE SUN-FISH AND OTHER “ Boys’ FISHES,’’ CHAPTER V. FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT, AND FLY-MAKING . CHAPTER VI. FLY-FISHING FOR Bass, PERCH, SUN-FISH, ETC. PART [l.— AUTUMN. CHAPTER VII. MINNOW-FISHING FOR TROUT . CHAPTER VIII. Bass FISHING WITH THE MINNOW, ETC. 7 PAGE 11 36 50 71 79 120 139 146 8 CONTENTS PART IV.— WINTER. CHAPTER IX. + PAGE FISHING THROUGH THE ICE. «© « «© « « » &» w «4 «a W6F CHAPTER X. BREEDING TROUT, ETC., IN WINTER . . 2. + » . ~ 170 PART | SPRING ANGLING THE BOY’S OWN GUIDE TO FISHING CHAPTER I SUCKER FISHING Tue earliest fish in the spring of the year to take the bait of the angler, are the trout and the common brook sucker (Catostomus commersonz), and the whole family, indeed, of this latter fish; for there are a dozen or more different kinds of suck- ers. If I were writing for the advanced fisherman, I should begin with the trout ; for, with the excep- tion of the head of the family of fishes to which the trout belongs, namely, the salmon, there is no fish pursued by the angler requiring so much care and prudent method for catching. As, however, this is a book for boys, and as the sucker is, above all, a boy’s fish, and does not require great refine- ment in tackle to catch, I shall speak at length on it, with the intent that what I shall say will be use- ful also in the capture of other. more difficult fish. Il 12 SPRING ANGLING There are, as I have hinted, a dozen or more species of the sucker in American waters; but the brook sucker is the one most generally known to boys, and the ways of zfs capture are suitable for all the others. Now, the sucker is an early spring spawner ; that is, it begins to seek the brooks and shallow inlets of a river or lake to deposit its eggs just as soon as the ice begins to go out. It gener- ally also herds or goes in shoals; and it is at this time, whilst the water is still very cold, that the sucker takes the baited hook most freely, though it can be caught all the year till the winter ice and snow shut up the water. Ordinarily the fish is snared with a wire or horsehair collar, or speared, or even netted, being thought of little worth as a food or sport fish ; but I do not approve of the slaying of any fish thus unfairly when it is capable of giving pleasure in its pursuit and capture ; and, therefore, the way to fish for sucker with hook and line is the only method that I shall describe in these pages. It is seasonable to fish for suckers before the legal season in some States opens for trout, and even before the leaves begin to appear on the trees. It is not necessary to use fine tackle; but, of course, if you happen to have a nice rod SUCKER FISHING 13 and reel, there is no reason why it should ‘hot be used. Rods of really good quality can be bought for such a trifle, that most boys will coax a rela- tive to make them a present of one, if they can- not earn the money themselves. However, as self-help is one of the chief charms I have found in fishing, I shall tell you how to equip yourself for sucker fishing at only a few cents’ cost. The ordinary canes that one can buy at the hardware store for a few cents make a capital sucker rod (or even trolling rod for pickerel) ; but if this is beyond your means, go into the nearest waterside copse, and cut one of the straightest poles you can find. Do this very early in the season, so that you can trim it of all the branches, and set it upright to dry for a little time in the barn. It may be straightened at any specially crooked parts by heating it over the kitchen stove till quite hot, then suspending it from a rafter with a weight — several flatirons will do—to the but, or large end. In a week you will be surprised at the improvement in its appearance. If you want to make it still more useful and neat, go to work as follows: sand- paper off the. knots and other irregularities, and, 14 SPRING ANGLING without attempting to remove the bark, apply with a pad several coats of shellac varnish, thinned very thin with alcohol. The pad is made as follows: take a piece of old cotton stocking and wrap it round a ball of batting, making two or three thicknesses of the stocking. Have a wide-mouthed bottle, and place in it one ounce of shellac, filling up with six ounces of alcohol, or even more, to render it a very thin varnish or polish. When you have laid on five or six coats, — drying each one before putting on another, of course, — the polish on_ your “pole” will be of comparatively elegant appearance. Fig. 1.— Home-made Winder for Pole. Of course, when the pole assumes this high- toned appearance, you will require a winder for your line. The easiest to make is shown at Fig. 1. It consists of a forked branch, trimmed, and with a notch cut in the end of each leg to hold SUCKER FISHING 15 the line. To attach it to the rod, you place a Square piece of wood or cork underneath the lower end, and securely whip or tie it to the rod-end, as shown. The line is wound in and out in the outline of a figure 8 round the two legs of the fork, and stayed at one of the splits in the ends. Of course, if it is stayed lightly, any fish requiring loose line can run off the line at will; though the latter cannot be wound on again by turning a handle, as in the device that follows, or in the ordinary brass or wooden reel sold at the tackle stores. Fig. 2. Spool with Wire Handle. A better line-winder, or in this case vze/, can be easily made by any boy out of a large thread spool. In the first place, he must get a length of moderately thick brass or soft iron wire to form his handle, This must be bent (Fig. 2) in the 16 SPRING ANGLING proper form, and passed right through the spool, so that about a quarter-inch projects on the other side. Then it must be plugged or wedged in so that it cannot move; and you have one part of the reel ready. Now go to the tin-shop and get a piece of tin, or copper, or brass, or even sheet-iron, cut in the shape indicated at Fig. 3; but be sure it oO Fig. 8.—Metal Sides for Reel before shaping. is of the proper size to fit your spool when it is folded at the dotted lines of Fig. 3 and turned up as in Fig. 4. Bore holes in each end of the cross ; place your spool in between the uprights; screw SUCKER FISHING 17 the reel on to the rod, and you have quite a sightly device, as shown at Fig. 5 (p. 18); and it will serve Fig. 4. — Metal Support for Reel. your purpose for sucker, or even brook-trout worm- fishing on an emergency, as well as a five-dollar automatic reel (to which you will be introduced later on in this work). You have now the rod and reel ready for work ; but there is something else to be done to the rod before the two will work. I refer to the placing of guides, or rings, through which the line is to pass. Ona ten-foot pole there should be a large one nearest the reel of not less than half an inch in diameter ; this may be placed one foot from the reel. The next three should be placed at equal distances on the pole, and for the tip a ring of not less than 3 of an inch inside diameter is best. 18 SPRING ANGLING SUCKER FISHING 19 Now how to make them. Get some medium -gauge wire — brass is best, and the gauge should be that of ordinary bell-wire; take a round stick the diameter you require, and make one turn round it with the wire ; then draw the wire out as if you wished to straighten it, until the ring is like a snake (Fig. 6) ; cut off, and flatten the_ends with a Fig. 6.— Snake Guide. hammer, or by filing. Thus you have one of the best guides (in principle) it is possible to use. 1 use no other even on my best rods; for it is im- ' possible to get the line snarled round it, and there is the minimum of friction to retard its free running. Of course the nearer you get to the top of the rod the smaller should be the ring, though this is not a matter of the first importance. The tip ring is made as shown (Fig. 7), and the two legs are whipped closely on the rod. Aneasy fig, 7,—Home-made Tip Ring. _ rod guide, but not so good a one as O= that just described, is formed of the Fig. 8.—Serew Guide. in the hardware stores (Fig. 8). These may be little screw picture-frame eyelets sold 20 SPRING ANGLING screwed into the pole if the wood is hard ; but there is always a weak spot where they are screwed. I prefer at all times the wire guides. The whipping or binding of the rings requires a word of explanation. Fig. 9 shows one of them as it appears bound on to a pole. Go to your shoemaker, and ask him for a piece of his wax with which he waxes his shoe-thread, and get some shoe-thread too, or use the spool-thread. Wax it well, and bind on your rings evenly, as shown, securing the whipping or binding by means of two half-hitches (Fig. 9), for I will not i TB Fig. 9. —Showing Double-hiteh Fastening. now introduce you to the invisible knot ; that will come later. Now apply some of your shellac varnish (with which you varnished your rod) ; and if you have been careful and neat, you have a ser- viceable sucker, or bullhead, or “pumpkin-seed’’ rod, just as capable of catching these fish as a more expensive outfit. The kind of line you will use will depend on SUCKER FISHING 21 your financial resources, for you cannot make that at this stage of your angling education. A good linen line may be bought cheap, and for rough usage it is to be preferred to the fine silk lines costing even as high as five cents per yard. The trouble is that the linen soon soaks up water, and gets thick and “logy.” This, however, may be remedied in this wise. Wind your line on a card, not too tightly. Then get an old tomato can or other receptacle, next some old wax-candle ends (the paraffine wax is best), and, after cutting out the pieces of cotton-wick, place them in the can. Put it on the stove until the wax is quite melted, but do not get it too hot, or it will burn your line. Now immerse the line, and keep it in the solution till thoroughly impregnated. When you think this is accomplished (and it takes several hours, according to the thickness of the line), find the end of the line, still keeping it in the warm solu- tion, and have a companion gently walk back with it whilst you pass it through your closed finger and thumb, to press off the superfluous wax. This should be done in a warm room, or near the stove, because the wax cools very rapidly. Hav- ing come to the end of your line, stretch it be- 22 SPRING ANGLING tween two nails, and go over it again with a piece of chamois leather, rubbing hard to engender a little heat, and so render the line smooth. This dressing may be renewed as it seems to wear off, and it will always be found satisfactory for the fishing we are considering. We now have arrived at the hook. One three- eighths of an inch across the bend is quite large enough for the largest fish. When the fish are plentiful and biting freely you need not trouble about snells, but can use the eyed or ringed hooks. Fig. 10.— Eyed-hook, with Method of tying. These are best tied as shown (Fig. 10). Of course the knot there shown is to be drawn tight. But in clear water, and indeed generally, the snelled hook is to be preferred. IE you want to do the exactly right thing, send to a tackle dealer and get a “hank” of gut,— which is silk from the silk- worm, taken away before the worm spins it, —and soak it in water. This renders it pliable, so that you can tie a loop at one end like either of the SUCKER FISHING 23 two loops shown (Figs. 11 and 12). To the other Fig. 11. Loop for Gut (the ‘figure 8'’). end the hook is whipped, using spool silk, waxed Fig. 12. Loop for Gut (the ‘' Alpine '’). with the shoemaker’s wax aforesaid, or with a wax composed of : — Best resin, 2 ounces; Beeswax, 14 ounce. Simmer together ten minutes, and add : — Beef tallow, Vy ounce. Simmer all together fifteen minutes more, and pour into a basin of cold water, and pull like candy till cold and very white. The whipping or binding of the hook is very Fig. 13. —Hook whipped, and showing ‘Invisible Knot.” evenly wound, and secured by means of the two half-hitches (Fig. 9), or the invisible knot shown at Fig. 13. Of course the coils in the diagram are pulled tight, and the thread drawn 24 SPRING ANGLING through also as tightly as possible without break- ing the thread. This knot needs practising. Three strands of horse-hair, preferably from a gray stallion’s tail, will form a good substitute for the silkworm gut aforesaid ; but it soon wears out, and is not very strong. A substitute for a hook can be found ina pin or needle — the latter is best. JI remember once, some years back, being near a brook in Vermont where there were a great number of suckers in the mill-pool below the dam. Neither myself nor friend had any tackle, but we wanted broiled fish with the other food we had brought. We turned out our pockets ; and mine produced a little leather case of needles and thread (for sewing on buttons, etc.), and my friend found nothing save the useful Fig. 14. —Sewing-needle Substitute for Hook. jackknife. With this I sent my friend off to cut a pole; and selecting a good stout needle, I attached it in the middle to a double thread of the sewing- yarn I had with me (Fig. 14). As will be seen, the line was attached nearly in the middle of the needle, and the blunt end was from, not ¢o, the line. SUCKER FISHING 25 Presently my companion returned, and we began hunting for worms. These we found —it being early spring —near the water, under stones; and presently coming upon a good fat one, I thrust the needle into it as indicated in the diagram (Fig. 15). We had now an ideal bait ; and as I dropped it into the hole where the suckers - I knew it would soon be taken. This proved to bea correct impression ; but as the worm and needle must be swallowed, some half-minute was allowed before I proceeded to strike and draw up. The strike must be sharp, to draw the pozzt of the needle through the worm’s side and catch it on the side of the fish’s throat ; and if it acts successfully, the needle tears out from the bait and fixes crosswise, so that it cannot be dislodged, and the fish is then your meat. It was so in the case I am describing. We took all we wanted from the pool, and had a fine “broil” of firm, delicious brook-sucker. “How did we broil them without utensils?”’ you ask. Well, that did not puzzle us. We whittled out two thin pine boards, — it was a sawmill where we encamped, — and stuck them at an angle over 26 SPRING ANGLING the fire, pinning the suckers, split and cleaned, on them, with a piece of fat pork to each; and pres- ently they were but a little less toothsome than a trout cooked in the same way. I have found the needle a good substitute for a hook for eels, their throats being much narrower than other fish; and with a pair of pincers (pliers) one can take out the needle far easier than the hook from the gullet of these snaky fish. A sinker and a float, or bob, are desirable for sucker fishing, though not exactly indispensable. The sinker may be of any shape convenient. The most usual is the oblong lead, with an open split ring at each end (Fig. 16); but the most convenient Fig. 16. — Oblong Sinker. for all styles of fishing where the sinker is needed, is the Tufts “ Mackinac” (Fig. 17). As can be seen, Fig. 17. ‘*Mackinac Sinker.’” it is a shot of different sizes, cut in half, and ar- ranged so that each half screws to the other half. SUCKER FISHING 27 It can be put on and taken off your line at an instant’s notice, and the weight and distance from the hook be varied as you please. Sometimes this is an im- portant point, and may mean all the difference between fish and no fish. A light sinker, not nearer than a foot from the hook, is the best ar- rangement as a general thing. The float, or bob, you can make yourself with the greatest ease. A very simple form is a cork, good and solid, and select- ed because of its freedom from flaws. This is fashioned like an egg in shape with a jackknife, and a quill may be thrust through it, to which the line is attached. If you choose to make it of wood, choose soft pine, and make it the shape of Fig. 18, filling —as the term is —with oil and whitening, to close up the pores of the wood, and after that either give it a couple of coats of ordi- Fig. 18. : : : 3 Bob, or Float, nary paint, or varnish it several times 28 SPRING ANGLING with the shellac. The rings (Fig. 18) where the line passes through are made as follows: Twist some rather fine wire three times round a small stick ; cut off both ends at the proper length, one about half an inch and the other flush with the coil. Then turn the coil to right angles, and bind the other ends to the stems of the float, using the silk waxed as be- fore ; touch with shellac varnish, and you have as good a float as you need for sucker fishing. Of course the coiled spring-like arrangement is to allow you to adjust the “bob” to suit any depth of water. The line should be weighted, so that it stands in the water to where the line across is shown in the diagram. We have now all the tackle necessary, and the next thing is the bait. Nothing beats the garden or earth worm for suckers, and I need not say that it is one of the best of the old “stand-bys” for almost all other kinds of fresh-water fishes. Very few fishes will reject a lively, clean worm, with its pretty tints of coral and pearl and opal iridescence ; that is, it looks like this if you prepare it as I am going to tell you. “What!” I hear some one exclaim, “fuss with earthworms !”’ SUCKER FISHING 29 “ Yes, my young friend,” I reply ; “and you will find your basket will take on at least an added twenty per cent per annum in number of fish, if you never fish with worms that have not gone through the preparation I am about to describe.” Dig your worms, in spring, from beneath stones that are near springs that have not frozen; later you can get them in the garden; and in summer the smallest you can find by lantern-light from the lawn after a rain at night are good species of earthworm for the angler. The little “gilt cock- spur,” as it is called in England, from old rotten manure heaps (it has a yellow tip to its body), and the yellow-banded, bad-smelling “brandling”’ (it is yellow-banded,— you can’t mistake it), are some- times more effectual than the common “ gardenia ;”’ but a/Z of them may be gathered as opportunity offers, and constitute eventually valuable bait: Gather your worms in a clean can or other recep- tacle, and place some soil under them, so that they can crawl down through it. Those that have been accidentally bruised, or otherwise hurt, will be too feeble to crawl, and will remain on the top; and these, together with any dead ones, must be thrown away. Now get a deep earthenware pan or box, 30 SPRING ANGLING and place a few inches of dampened moss on the bottom, and turn the worms onto it. They will immediately begin to crawl down through, and, in so doing, will cleanse themselves from all dirt and impurity. In a few days, especially if the moss is washed, and the worms picked over for lame ones, they will have become almost transpar- ent, and so tough they cannot be broken by hand- ling or placing them on the hook. By occasionally pouring a little sweet milk over them, they can be kept for a long time; and a worm so prepared will live twice as long in the water, and be twice as lively and attractive, as the worm dug fresh out-of the ground. I presume it is not necessary for me to tell my readers where to fish for suckers. Every boy knows where the fish abound in the spring of the year, and the brooks where they are most to be seen. This axiom stands good for fishing at all times: “Go where the fish are,— don’t expect them to come to you.” It is precisely because the boy fisherman commonly knows where to fish that he often beats the stranger, wise as the latter may be in regard to tackle and baits, and well equipped though he be with all the Jatest fads and fancies in tackling. SUCKER FISHING 31 Well, having decided to fish in a certain spot, adjust your bob so that the bait will be just off the bottom, and then proceed to bait your hook. Now, there is a right way to do this, and, of course, a wrong; and I want to make the former plain right here, because it is right for trout and bass and other better fish than suckers. Take the hook by the shank between finger and thumb of the right hand, and enter the point into the worm a little distance from the head, so that, the head can move when on the hook. Run the hook through to the tail, but not quite out. You now have a worm-hidden hook, and both the head and tail are wriggling. The chief advantage, how- ever, is in the fact that you cannot fail to hook the wariest fish if the worm be threaded on in this way. Some prefer looping the worm; but this bunches it, and may and does interfere with the chance of hooking the fish. For bass, the worm is sometimes simply hooked through the middle, and allowed to squirm; and this is very deadly, though an exception to the rule. The sucker usually goes in herds, and in fishing for him this must be borne in mind. Gently swing out your baited hook, not making more 55 SPRING ANGLING noise than you can help, and wait patiently, not running up and down the bank, but at one place, and quietly watching the bob. Ha! a tremulous motion seems to go through it; now it is still! again it quivers, and now it slowly disappears. It is time to strike, but I beg you to do it swiftly but not with violence; and, having hooked the fish, don’t! dowt! dowt! begin to haul in and try to lift it out by main force. This is a lesson you mst learn in all kinds of fishing, if you would get the full amount of enjoyment it is able to give. What you should do is as follows (and it applies to pretty nearly all fish, except the very smallest) : Strike with a smart twitch, and then, keeping the point of the rod or pole well up, first endeavor to get your fish out of the immediate neighborhood, that he may not startle other fish thereabouts ; and next tire him so that he comes ashore readily, putting, all the while, thé strain on the elastic pole. If you do this, you will seldom break loose from the fish or break your tackle; but if you follow your first impulse, and attempt to “yank” the sucker out, you may break your rod or line, especially if the fish is a large one (and I have caught them up to four pounds), SUCKER FISHING 33 I have thoroughly enjoyed sucker fishing, and so may my readers. In the spring, whilst the snow-water yet runs down from the mountains, the fish are gamey, and fight with a good deal of bull-dog like courage. Moreover, they are quite palatable to eat; and that my boy readers may know how to clean and prepare the fish for cook- ing, the following few words of experience will be in order. Kill your fish by means of a stone or stick, striking it on the back of the head. If it is a small one, you can place your thumb into its mouth, —its soft mouth cannot hurt you, — and, pressing the ball of the thumb against the roof of the mouth and the finger on the head outside, quickly jerk the head back. This will break the neck, and death is instantaneous. Kill all fish at once after catching them: it is merciful to do so (and “ blessed are the merciful ”). When you get home, whilst the fish is still fresh and moist, plunge it into scalding water (two parts boiling, one part cold), and after let- ting it remain a few seconds, withdraw it, and see if the scales come off easily; if not, give it rather more time in the hot water. When the scales 34 SPRING ANGLING come off very readily, as they will do when scalded sufficiently, scrape them carefully off, and cut off the fins with an old pair of shears. Wipe off all the slime and coloring matter of the fish; and it should be snow-white when properly done. Do not place it in water of any kind again, but when you cut it open, use a damp towel to cleanse the interior parts. Cut off the head; and if it is early in the season you have a firm, palatable fish. There is no better way to cook this fish than by broiling, or frying it in pork-fat. The latter should be very hot, and the fish should be cut in pieces of suitable length. It is to be eaten with a plain boiled potato, and a squeeze of lemon- juice over the fish; and the boy must be an epi- cure indeed who cannot enjoy it. If the fish be a large one, say over two pounds, the backbone may be taken out by opening it carefully down the back and cutting away the flesh from each side, using a long, thin, and flexible knife for the purpose. My readers should practise fish dissec- tion in this way. Last summer I astonished some unbelieving friends by taking out every bone of a large shad they brought to me, and I did not cut away much meat either. But to return to our SUCKER FISHING 35 sucker fishing. I have found the fishing best when the wind has been in the south or south- west; and on the best day last year I caught seven, averaging two pounds apiece, in two hours. These were as many as I wanted; and, like good old Izaak Walton, I required them only to give to a “poor body” with a large family, so I consider it was very good luck. As I used much finer tackle than was suggested in the foregoing, I had the greater sport ; but there is no reason why my boy friends may not do likewise with their own tackle, as here described. 36 SPRING ANGLING CHAPTER II PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING As soon as the ice goes out of the lakes where pickerel (Zsox /uctus) abound, some grand sport may be had trolling. There is a fitness also in referring to this form of pike-fishing at this place, because I want this little book to be progressive, and we take one step higher in fishing for pick- erel than in fishing for suckers. The trout season opens, it is true, near about this time in the spring; but it will be well for you to come with me, bringing your coarse tackle, for one day be- fore you essay to catch the beautiful “salmon of the fountains,” which is what is meant by the scientific name of the brook-trout (Salmo Soutinalts.) A pole is not actually necessary in trolling, though, for my own part, I always use one. Two lines may be used; and there should be two of you in the boat, — one to row, and the other to manip- ulate the lines. These should be of linen, eight PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING 37 braid, and very strong, and dressed with the par- raffine wax dressing before given. One hundred and fifty feet is not too much line for each, and a winder (Fig. 19) can be made out of soft wood Fig. 19.—Winder for Trolling-line, ete. to contain each one (though be sure to unwind and dry them after reaching home at night). In order to render the allure more likely to attract fish by reason of its connection with the line being less visible, I always attach three feet of three-ply twisted fine brass wire to the line, taking care to have a large swivel — duly tested to see that it is strong at each end (Fig. 20). Fig. 20. — Swivel. Through the swivel at the line end goes the line; and through that at the other end goes the allure, be it spoon, or artificial fish, or large trolling-fly, or dead fish. 38 SPRING ANGLING Fig. 21.— Ordinary Spoon. Without doubt the spoon- bait (Fig. 21) is the best all round allure for troll- ing for pickerel in the spring of the year. Fig. 22 is one of Chapman’s make of Clayton, N.Y.; and with one like this he last year caught a mascalonge in the River St. Lawrence weighing forty-two pounds. But the ingenious boy can make a spoon that will serve his purpose almost as well, though of course it will not appear so finished or handsome. In the first place, he must coax his good mother to let him have an old teaspoon, plated is good enough (silver is too good to lose), and cut off the bowl just above where the handle PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING 39 Fig. 22.— Chapman Spoon. 40 SPRING ANGLING. sets in witha file. Having done this neatly, he must bore a hole in each end, and be careful that the edges of the hole are rounded and smooth, or they may cut the whipping of his hooks. He now has a spoon bowl with two holes in it; the “smaller end we will call the top, and the larger end the bottom. Now, the smaller end must be the one next nearest the trolling-line, or the spoon won't spin; and into the hole he passes a small strong split ring, to be got at any hardware store. Keeping it open with his knife, he now slides the ring of the swivel, to which he has attached a length of gimp guitar-string, and a ringed triplet hook is placed in the lower hole, also by means of a split ring. The lure now looks like Fig. 21, and will catch fish as it is; but it is better to tie some gaudy feathers on the shank of the lower hook, to hide the very “rank” barbs (Fig. 22). The tying of these feathers need not be difficult, and almost any bright feathers, begged from your sister’s hat, will do. Tie them, as recommended in sucker fishing for the whipping of hooks, and you now have a lure just as likely to catch a forty-two pound mascalonge as Mr. Chapman’s beautiful weapon shown in Fig. 22. PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING. 4l Curiously enough, it is not always the most ele- gant spoon that catches most fish; though what if Iam going to relate by no means should be used as an argument against nice tackle, but rather as an apology for the in- ferior kind. Some years ago I was living on the shore of Lake Cossayu- na, Washington County, N.Y., and near by me lived my friend, Wm. McClellan, also a most devoted disciple of Izaak Walton. One day in early spring he sought me out, and prevailed on me to take another with us to row, and to go a- Fig. 23.—A Killing Pattern. trolling. Said I,“ William, I must rig me out a spoon with fine feathers, and new hooks, for this auspi- cious occasion. See, I have one of friend Chap- 42 SPRING ANGLING. man’s finest (see Fig. 22), and the hooks are as vivid as Jacob’s coat of many colors.” — “ Bosh,” said he, “this is good enough for me;” and he called attention to a blurred and battered and rusted old “2 spoon, to which some colorless threads of feathers hung in scarecrow fashion ; “and what is more, it will catch twice as many as your brand new tackling, I’ll wager.’’ — “ Ha, ha!” I roared, “hang it up in the apple-tree for the birds to laugh at, but don’t disgrace me with such a spoon-bait.” But fish with it he would and did. We rowed back and forth on the lake all that morning, and caught thirty-seven pickerel ; and how many do you suppose fell to the share of my splendid spoon-bait? Just four. I tried everything to change the luck. I even fished right in my friend’s water, with my bait revolving only a few inches away from his ragged old bait ; and even then the fish preferred his lure to mine. Oh, how he did tease about it! I never met him but he reminded me of this, the only occasion when I was badly beaten by him. I made it up next day. Now, I grieve to say, he is dead — gone to that “undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns.” (Rest in peace!) PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING 43 Other shapes of allures are sometimes very successful in trolling. Fig. 23 shows a shape that can be cut out of tin, and will serve, though of course nothing beats the spoon amongst the fancy baits. I have sometimes made a rough-and- ready arrangement answer admirably, as I did once last spring. It was this way. I was passing by a famous hole in the river near where I live, and in the bright warm beams I saw a four to five pound pickerel basking near the shore. How to capture him I had not the least idea; but I sat down on a stone and began a search in my pockets. Item 1, a pair of nail shears, small, but strong ; item 2, a piece of silk fish-line about four yards long, and strong; item 3, a jackknife; item 4, some pieces of lead; item 5, an eel-hook, large, and ringed at end of shank. This is what I did. I cut a pole and tied my line securely to it; next I looked around, and, this being a well-known sucker pool, I found an old tin worm-box. With the shears (I confess I spoiled them), I cut a piece of tin in the shape of a fish, roughly fashioned, of course; and with one of the points I bored a hole in both ends of the bait. In one hole I slipped the ring of the hook, and closed it tight 44 SPRING ANGLING by hammering with a stone; in the other I tied the line two or three times through, so that it would be less likely to be cut, and lo and behold! I had a glittering pickerel bait. With my heart beating loudly, I approached the water, and looked over to where my pickerel had lain. fle wasw’t there! Oh, the throes of disappoint- ment I experienced after all my trouble! I was on the verge of throwing the whole thing into the stream, and telling him to take it when he next came that way, when, on peering closely again, I caught sight of the cold, malicious, fierce eye of this river pirate from beneath a patch of weeds near where I first saw him; and in a mo- ment I dropped the glistening bait, not in front of him, for that would have scared him, but just behind, drawing it slowly away. In a second he was on it, with a ferocious rush and a tremendous splash, and I felt at once he had hooked himself. I dared not be severe with him, and you may imagine the tussle I had with no reel and only four yards or so of line. Backwards and forwards he struggled, and I saw that he was securely hooked in the fleshy part of the mustache or movable lip; and by and by, to shorten my story, PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING 45 I drew him to shore, and, stooping and putting my finger and thumb in his eyes, threw him well upon the bank. (This is the best way to land a pickerel if you had no landing- net.) Trolling for pick- erel with the Cale- donian minnow is another good way (Fig. 24), and troll- ing with a large hook to which white feathers have been tied some- what in the form of a fish, occa- sionally is productive of a good basket ; but, next to the spoon, the dead natural bait-certainly takes precedence of all. An ingenious boy can certainly make his own tackle for the latter. That which I prefer is shown Fig. Fig. 24. s Caledonian Minnow. 25, and consists of a piece of rather 46 SPRING ANGLING stout sheet copper cut with the shears to the form of Fig. 25 at A. The hooks are attached as also shown. To bait it the shaft (Fig. 25, A) is thrust down the throat of the dead bait, and the tail of the bait bent to a sufficient curve to cause it to spin, or rather to gyrate, with a sort of “wabble,” which is very attractive to pickerel. The hooks lie alongside the bait. It is seldom on a bright day, with the wind not too cold, that the tyro cannot capture pike with one or the other of the lures I have described. I have also found the fin of a perch, or the belly part of a small pickerel, an excellent substitute for the spoon. Great Lake Trout (the Sa/no namaycush) are also caught by trolling in a somewhat similar way, and at about the same time of the year ; but as it is not likely my boy readers will take up Great Lake trolling at this stage of the subject, I will not do more than mention the fact that on Lake George the experts use a gang, whereon the bait-fish is impaled. The one described above will do very well; and having out a long, strong line, they travel for miles, trolling this bait- behind the boat, and their patience is rewarded with great fish, ranging up as high as the twenties, and even higher. (This is true of the West especially.) 47 PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING Fig. 25. — Home-made Gang. 48 SPRING ANGLING Then, again, the mascalonge is taken this way ; but though trolling for this fish is at best very elementary angling, it is not to be expected that boys will want to undertake it until they have mas- tered the rudiments of the finer and more sci- entific angling for smaller and more manageable fishes. The best time in the North for pickerel trolling on the lakes and rivers is when the apple-trees are in full blossom ; but the fish can be caught much earlier, and I have referred to it in the present order of sequence as a spring pastime, because considerable and undivided attention must be given to the next chapter. Moreover, I wanted to lead my pupils up to trout fishing by stepping- stones to knowledge, as it were. Two useful implements must not be forgotten when one goes trolling ; viz., the disgorger and the home-made rack for keeping open the fish’s mouth. As you know, the pickerel has long and sharp teeth, and one is very apt to get a nasty bite or cut when unhooking the fish, if not in some way protected. The device I use is a V-shaped or forked piece of stout wood or bifurcated branch. It is cut from a bush of any stiff wood. To use it, PICKEREL TROLLING IN SPRING 49 the apex or small end of the V is pushed into the pickerel’s mouth sidewise, and turned round, open- ing the jaw, and thus keeping them open. The disgorger is simply a stick with a V-shaped piece cut out of the end, and may be also made either of bone or hard wood or metal. To use it, take the line in the left hand and pass the notch into the bend of the hook, and the latter is then readily dislodged. 50 SPRING ANGLING CHAPTER III BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT As soon as the trout fishing opens, this beautiful game fish will readily take the worm ; indeed, it is not at all uncommon to get a trout when sucker fishing, but they are then not yet in good condi- tion, and take the bait with hesitation, and show no fighting power or resistance. Indeed, so late as the 1st of May in 1893 I have found them “logy ” and sucker-like in Vermont (Bennington County) ; and many times when I pulled up a trout I could have made an affidavit, before seeing the fish, that it was a sucker from the tameness of its behavior ; indeed, the suckers bit with greater freedom, and caused more exertion of skill to land them with fine tackle than the trout. But what a fine basket of fish myself and friend did catch on that same May 1, 1893! We drove all night from Greenwich, N.Y., nearly twenty miles, up hill and down, and in a blinding rain- storm. By daylight we were at the brush factory, BAIT—-FISHING FOR TROUT 51 West Arlington, Vermont; and as we took our horse out of the buggy, we found we were not alone, but several other kindred souls, including a lady and a little girl, were ready to begin fishing also, All the few inhabitants of the village turn out on May Day to fish the lovely Ondawa; for that is the first day of the season, and the first fishing after the long Vermont winter. But on this occasion it rained, and rained, and rained! and yet through it all we caught half-pounders and less- sized fish, till our baskets were full to overflowing ; and then, while yet midday, we had dinner at our friend Babcock’s, —the redoubtable and evergreen Jim Babcock, may his shadow never grow less, — and came away. Fishing with the bait is greatly practised in mountain streams all the trout year, but there are special features attending it in the springtime that do not appear in the later season. The fish, as the weather becomes warm, are getting hungry after their long winter’s fast, and seize the bait greedily ; and very soon one finds that to make a good basket it is necessary to use much strategy ; for the trout, unlike the sucker, is easily scared. Oh, how glorious it is to follow some purling 52 SPRING ANGLING stream down in these halcyon spring days! and, whilst the birds and flowers and greening hills are manifest to your appreciative senses, to catch this beautiful Apollo of the stream with deft and careful skill! How the season, the beauty of nature, and the invigorating atmosphere and sun- shine combine to make a setting for this best of spring fishing! I beg of you, boys, not to miss it. Many springs have I pursued it, and never once has it disappointed me. But you must be told the best way to go about it. And, first, the rod must be considered anew. I really think, by this time,— by the time our young angler has got to the dignity of trout- fishing, —it is right he discarded the copse-cut pole and arrived at a real rod. Not that the pole will not catch fish, but there is additional pleasure to be gotten out of the use of nicer and finer tackle. The pole does well enough for primitive spots yet existing, and for the olden times, when only the lazy boys of the village seemed to do the fishing ; but now, when young gentlemen, in the intervals of their studies, go angling, and when even the fish have grown educated, it is time to make use of what Mr. Gladstone calls the “ re- BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT 53 ’ sources of civilization ;”’ and I therefore insist on a real rod, line, reel, and leader for spring trout fishing. The vod. If you can afford it, go to your near- est drug-store, and you can get a jointed 12-foot bamboo for about one dollar. This is quite good Fig. 26.— Cheap Brass Reel. enough for brook bait-fishing, and if you break it going through the brush it is no great matter. I myself sometimes use to this day such a rod, and find it both light and convenient. A plain brass reel will serve, something after the pattern shown at Fig. 26, and a silk line of 75 feet is long enough 54 SPRING ANGLING for all brook purposes. It should not be too thick, and may be dressed in the wax referred to on an earlier page. Of course, the rod must be supplied with guides. Fig. 27. — Kirby-Carlisle Trout-hook. The best hook I know for bait-fishing for trout is the eyed Pennell hook (Fig. 10); but a round bend hook, not more than three-eighths inch across the bend, is suitable. It must have a long shank; and the kind I like best is that known as the Kirby-Carlisle (Fig. 27). This has a slight side twist, and this twist enables the hook to hook into the fish more quickly than would otherwise be the case. Fig. 28.—Hook for Worm-fishing with Bristle Attachment. Of course gut is used for the snell; and, at the same time the hook is bound on, a short piece of thin wire or gut or bristle is tied alongside it, so that it projects one-quarter of an inch above the end of the shank (Fig. 28), This prevents the bait BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT 55 from slipping down and becoming a bunch on the hook. It is properly baited by running the hook through from head to tail. Sometimes a little float, or bob, of white quill is useful to let you know where your line is, and to indicate the least bite. I often use a piece of cork about the size of a bean to carry the line down and indicate its whereabouts. Of this, how- ever, more later. ioe aa la LP Gig Ke HU Fig. 29. — Basket or Creel. We will now suppose the angler arrived at the stream. He needs to have a bag or basket to contain his fish and lunch, and we will spend a moment in considering this useful piece of equip- ment. Now, the ordinary form of basket is shown in Fig. 29, and answers very well. I have no fault 56 SPRING ANGLING to find with it; but it costs a dollar or more, and a bag made of an old linen sheet or table-cloth, which can be washed every time after being used, is even preferable. I object to putting my fresh and beautiful trout into an ill-smelling basket ; and it is almost impossible to deodorize or get out the smell of fish if once it has got well into the porous woodwork. Then, again, the basket soon rots, — Fig. 30, — Home-made Fish-bag. about three seasons is the life of it, and you have to buy another. A bag something like Fig. 30 is the most suit- able for the boy bait trout-fisher. He can also carry his worms in the small bag at a, Fig. 30, in damp moss, and thus avoid the extra trouble of attaching a tin bait-box. However, if he wishes to do this, Fig. 31 is a good pattern. My own bag is a leath- ern one, and so made that it can be turned inside BAIT—FISHING FOR TROUT 57 out to be scrubbed; and a little leather pouch no larger than a cigar-case carries all my fishing tackle when out bait-fishing. Of course fly-fishing is another story, and we shall have a great deal to consider beyond the foregoing when we come to that fine art of angling. Fig. 31.—Tin Worm-box, with Safety-pin Attachment. Now, in fishing in a stream, no matter how large or how small it may be, here are some maxims you must bear in mind :— Don't get nearer the water than you are abso- lutely obliged. Reach as far as possible with your , rod. Don’t go stamping around as if you were cold. Tread lightly; trout can hear by means of the nervous apparatus attached to each scale (you didn’t know trout had scales! Well, they cer- tainly have!) ; and they feel, if they don’t hear, as you do, the tread of the heavy-footed angler. 58 SPRING ANGLING Don’t fish down stream in slow flowing water, but up. If the water is swift, you ast fish down. Don't yank your fish out of the water as if you wanted him to fly, but it is well to get him out with reasonable haste. Don't fish hastily ; don’t be afraid to renew your bait frequently ; and don’t forget that the most successful fisherman is he who has his line the most in the water. With these few don’ts as preliminary to the les- son, I now proceed to fish a typical mountain brook with you. Of course your worms are well scoured, as I told you in the chapter on sucker fishing. That being so, select a moderately large one, and bait your hook. Here the stream runs through grass land tolerably level. Crawl near and let your bait fall gently. It is invariably as soon as the bait touches the water that the voracious little fish bite —and ha! you have one, but it is very small, too small to keep. Yes, the State enacts five inches as the least size at which the trout may be kept; and taking your little fish off as gently as possible, we throw him back. Try down by yon- der bush that hangs over the stream; drop your BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT 59 line in so that the current carries the bait towards the roots of the alder. Now watch it in its course. It rolls gently and slowly down stream ; and, as it nears the largest root, there is the flash of a fish swifter than that of the lightning, if it be possible, and the bait is seized. Don’t hesitate — strike! There you have him! and the next moment he swings out in the air a good quarter-pounder. Do you wish to preserve the coloring of this very handsome specimen to show the folks at home? Well, kill the fish as I instructed you when speak- ing of sucker fishing, by pressing the ball of the thumb against the roof of its mouth, and snapping the vertebra; and here is a piece of fine tissue paper. Always carry some with you; it occupies but little space in your pocket, and if it be closely wrapped round a trout, will cling by reason of the natural moisture of the fish so tight as to exclude all air and most of the light ; and so you will find when you get home and wash it off, your fish is as bright spotted and handsome as when it first came from the stream. Fish carefully, especially in the spring, all the shallows, and most carefully those near to holes and trouty nooks. After the spawning season the 60 SPRING ANGLING fish retire to the deeper water, wherever they can find it, for the winter, and emerge in spring to seek food and to increase their muscular strength by engaging with the swifter currents of the run- let. Ah, here we arrive at a piece of thick alder swamp which almost hides the brook. Shall you fish it? Why, certainly. It may be almost im- possible to reach every likely looking spot, but you must by no-means pass this by. Right down between these branches lies a trout for sure, Take your rod, patiently shorten the line by wind- ing in till only a yard remains free from the tip; now roll the rod round, and so wind up the line on the tip till you can pass it and the baited hook through the matted branches. Now carefully turn your rod the reverse way; that is, unwind the line on the tip, and, being very expectant, drop it gently near that cavernous root. Ha, another ! don’t give any line at all. He is the best fish of all ; simply hold your rod point up, and let him kick. Your tackle will stand it. Now draw him through as you best can; and todo it you must, I fear, spoil your chances of another fish, because of your eager trampling to get your half-pound trout. Well, there is always, even with old anglers, a first day’s BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT 61 excitability of nerves; and the next time you get a fish in just this way, you will probably basket him without scaring the others sure to be in the pool also. Remember this, and it is one of the axioms, — the best fish are in the best places, and where there is one good, i.e., large, fish, there is likely to be more, Now, in the next meadow is a corduroy cart- bridge, and beneath it there is sure to be fish of some kind, — small, medium, or large, and perhaps all three. Put on another worm, and let us try it. What, you can’t get the old one off because of the bristle at the top of the hook? Pull it right up on to the gut-snell, then ; now double the snell, and draw the worm through the closed thumb and finger. That gets it off, doesn’t it? There are more ways of killing a cat than by simply hanging it, you know. Here’s our cart-bridge, and we stand a rod or more above it. Now crawl to a firm spot on the bank about twelve feet away from it, and draw out about fifteen feet of your line, so that you may reach some three feet under it with your bait. How are you going to get your bait there? Wait a bit; Pll show you. Here is a flat chip of wood about as big as the palm of your hand, I lay 62 SPRING ANGLING it down, and, putting the baited hook on it near the middle, I coil the line in loose coils around on the chip. Now launch it on the stream, so that it floats down the middle ; hold up your rod, and guide it, which you can easily do as the line uncoils. Be alert ; it is getting near the end of the tether : for at once, as the chip passes from under the bait and it falls on the water, I expect that you will get a bite. You cannot see the chip or bait, but —hurrah, you can feel the hooked fish! Draw him up quickly; he is not the largest to be found there. Search for another chip, and by the time it is all arranged there will be yet a bigger trout waiting. In summer a leaf is as good as a chip of wood, and sometimes neither is needed, and a piece of quill or white stick of wood will act quite well as a float, or bob, to carry your bait to the spot you are aiming at. If you are fishing a brook such as the one we y have been “supposin’,” and have a friend with you, you must not have him alongside you, or even within talking distance, as I have been; but if possible, one fish up and the other down, both returning to meet at the point from whence you started. If, however, you want to fish down, pull BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT 63 straws to see which one shall start first; and if you lose, sit patiently down till your friend has got at least fifteen minutes’ start. These fifteen minutes allow the fish to settle again, and is little enough. I prefer half an hour on much-fished streams. Then go to work, and fish slowly, and do not miss any spot because it is difficult. If you have to fish zp stream, additional care must be exercised to approach the water quietly, —and don’t fall into the error which nearly every novice seems to be unable to avoid; namely, that of walking a piece and then fishing down. Cast, your bait with a swinging motion wp always, and you will find quite as many, and possibly more, taken than if you used a long line doww. In up- stream, and sometimes in down-stream, fishing, especially if the wind be blowing so as to carry your line away from where you want it to go, it is necessary at times to use a sinker. In that case a No. 1 shot split will be ordinarily ‘suffi- cient. It should be pinched on at a foot from the bait. In worm-bait fishing in large waters —rivers . or wide brooks — where large fish exist, a double hook tackle is sometimes used; with this the bait 64 SPRING ANGLING can be cast somewhat as the artificial fly ; and it is a very sure hooking arrangement, but it is not necessary for general use unless the trout run large. Ordinarily the medium-sized long-shanked Kirby-Carlisle hook is most suitable. Other natural baits may often be used with success in trout fishing in spring if they do not seem to care for the worm; though at this season the worm is far and away the best bait, and can always be got by the waterside if you run short of your cleansed garden worms: In some streams the fresh-water shrimp is to be found, and ‘wo should be impaled on a rather smaller hook than that in use for worm-fishing. You will find them under stones. Then, there is the larve of the stone flies or the case or caddis insects. You take one of these and squeeze it, and instantly the little black head of the creature pops out of the case in which it dwells. The latter looks exactly like a bit of twig or stick on the gravel, and its dress shows another of nature’s benevolent ways of hiding its creatures from observation by mak- ing them precisely like their surroundings. The grub or worm out of its case is Jike a maggot, and is a most killing lure, Every brook, it is true, BAIT-FISHING FOR TROUT 65 does not possess this larva, but most waters con- taining trout do so. It is, at any rate, well to search for them if the fish are known to be plenty and are not biting at the worm. I have caught trout with other lures odder than these. Once up in the wilds of New Brunswick, Canada, whilst camping with a friend on the Magaguadavic River (pronounced Magdadavick), our guide surprised us by thus commenting on the big one and two pound trout we were frying for supper: “These trout ain’t no use fer eating ; I’d sooner hev corned beef,’ — we thought them (and they were) most palatable,— “but I’ll take yer to-morrow where the trout ain't larger than herrings, and black as yer hat, and they won't take nuthin’ but bits of chubs fer bait.’ I stared at Davis incredulously ; but he was serious, and on the morrow it proved as he had said. The water where they lived proved to be a sluggish, almost dead little slough, or “sloo,” running out of a swamp thick with moss and decaying vegetation, and the water was of India-ink blackness (of a deep rich brown black), and we used just such tackle as I have been describing, baited with pieces of chub, or even pieces of their brothers 66 SPRING ANGLING and sisters, as we discovered when our supply of chubs ran out. They were black all over, except on the belly, which was silvery white ; and on the dark sides could be faintly seen the customary red spots, only they were of the deepest blood- crimson color. The largest we caught was not one-quarter of a pound, and I think we must have taken a hundred out of a space of water not four yards square. I do not recommend the use of pieces of fish for brook-trout in this country, but I have re- peatedly caught them with the light belly fin, and with the eye from another fish. In late spring, when the water begins to clear and become low, and the sunny days return, maggot-bait fishing is sometimes most effective, and it may be practised at all times through the summer when the water is low and the weather too warm for worm-fishing to be of any use. Any boy can breed the maggots without the process being offensive, if he will follow out the following instructions : Obtain a beef’s liver from the butcher, and slash it with a knife in half a dozen places; put it into an old tin pail free from holes, and cover it with a lid so arranged BAIT—-FISHING FOR TROUT 67 that the parent blow-flies or blue-bottles can get zz, but that no cat can get the liver out. Let it remain in the sun until it has been very freely ” “blown ;” then remove it to a shady spot, and cover it up from the rain or other disturbing in- fluence. In a few days more or less, according to the weather, the eggs will hatch, and the young maggots will begin to feed and grow. Ina week they will be full-grown, and the liver all eaten, or nearly so. You must now, with a forked stick, lift out what remains of this, and bury it; and then turn your maggots out into an earthen pan or jar half filled with dry mould and sand. Place them in the cellar for coolness —there is now nothing offensive in them—for twenty-four hours, and then turn them into fresh bran. In a few hours they will be white as ivory, and a most tempting bait for trout. It is a good plan to throw in a few every now and then in advance of you as you walk down the stream. They should be placed on the hook as in Fig. 32 (p. 68). Brook fishing with bait is the best apprentice- ship .possible for the young angler, and it may be extended to river and lakes with ever-increasing confidence. Grasshopper fishing for the same fish 68 SPRING ANGLING comes later in the year, and will be referred to at the appropriate time. | iL 4 iS Fig. 82. —Maggots baited according to Size of Hook. Let the young fisherman never forget that fine and far off—which means light fine tackle, and fishing as far away from the fish as possible — is a secret as well worth practising to-day as in Walton’s time,—two hundred and more years ago, when the axiom was first put in print. PART II SUMMER ANGLING CHAPTER IV FISHING FOR THE SUN-FISH AND OTHER “BOYS’ FISHES” DISTINCTIVELY a boys’ fish is the sun-fish, or “ pumpkin-seed ;” and when the other game fishes, trout, bass, etc., are no longer plentiful, this de- spised little gamin amongst fishes will be as highly esteemed by anglers as are some of the “coarse” fishes by Englishmen over the water. Everybody knows the sun-fish, bold in biting, and fearlessly fighting to the last on the hook. On fine tackle they give quite good sport ; and I have frequently quit fishing for the large-mouthed black bass and pickerel in some warm-water lake in summer, be- cause I preferred taking the bold-biting and vora- cious sun-fish. The food of these little fish consists of the crustacea and larve of the water, and they will take almost anything a trout will feed on. Worms, maggots, dobsons, grasshoppers, and crickets are their favorite baits; and as these are easily pro- 71 2 N 0091) /)? ing exact size of each number. SUMMER ANGLING curable, the boy angler has no difficulty in providing a 1 yy good string of sun-fish if he knows ever so little how to fish. They will also take _ the artificial fly; and much fun have I had with them with the “brown hackle,” which will be described far- ther on. The tackle most suitable for these small fry is a light bam- boo cane pole, jointed if you like and can afford it; and if not, in one length of about ten feet, with guides and a reel, as direct- ed for trout. Let your line be a fine one, dressed as for trout, and do not omit to~have a yard of medium fine gut for leader. Also snell your hook, which should be a No. § (Fig. 33) on moder- ately fine gut; for though the sun-fish is a bold biter, you will find that you catch two fish with FISHING FOR THE SUN-FISH 73 jine tackle, where only one will respond to the “pole and cord” style of equipment. In sun-fish angling I always use a float, or bob; and a very good one for this purpose can be made of a turkey quill feather, as I directed you when speaking of sucker fishing. Split shot should be closed on the leader, to sink the float so that three-quarters of an inch rises above the surface of the water; and so adjusted as to lift the bait about six inches from the bottom of the water. You are then in a fair way to catch fish. By the way, there is a rough-and-ready way to split your shot I don’t think I told you of. Get out your jackknife, make a slight circular inden- tation in a piece of hard wood, —the top of a post will do, —lay the shot in this, and simply cut the lead halfway through. All sizes of shot, from buck-shot to No. 5’s, should be split and kept ready in a pill-box; and the preparation of these is a good job fer a rainy afternoon. Having selected the spot you intend to fish, be quiet ; for though these fish are not easily scared, you want to be light, and not boisterous, in your movements. Bait the hook with a small wriggling 74 SUMMER ANGLING worm or grasshopper, or either of the other bait I mentioned, and gently swing it out. Presently you will see by the tremulous motion of the bob that a sun-fish is biting—then down it goes be- neath the surface. A sharp strike fixes the hook firmly ; and now you have quite a fight on hand before the plucky little fellow gives up. Size for size, he is little inferior to the trout in this respect, though I am aware “comparisons are odorous,” as Mrs. Malaprop would say. A very good variation of the tackle is thus made. Place the split shot or sinkers (sufficient, of course, to “cock” the float or bob) at the end of the leader. Now tie one of the snelled hooks at a distance of six inches above the sinker, at right angles, and above this, at a distance of another six inches, tie on another hook. You can thus use two kinds of bait, and frequently catch two fish at a time. Should you get two half-pounders hooked, you have got a con- test indeed that will occupy all your wits and re- sources for a few minutes. Especially as I urgently insist you must not lift the fish from the water until they have had their struggle out. Of course if you, on the other hand, insist on doing so, you must use very strong tackle, or be broken unex- FISHING FOR THE SUN—-FISH 75 pectedly at some odd time when a larger and stronger fish is visiting you. The sun-fish has a bad habit of stripping the worm from the hook. I know of no cure for this ; but if you watch carefully, and learn their methods of biting, you will soon be able to time your strike so that this does not happen once in ten bites. These little fish are very good pan fish in early summer, but become “wormy” as the water gets warmer. The black spots with which they are then sometimes covered is caused by the cyst or cell of a minute “worm” or larvz parasite. Do you not remember that : — ° “ Big fleas have little fleas Upon their backs to bite ’em, And little fleas have lesser fleas, And so on ad infinitum /” Under the heading of sun-fish there are many members of the family, all to be taken as I have described, or to be gotten with the artificial fly. I do not go into detail anent the fly at this time, as that branch of fishing will be dealt with ex- haustively when I come to hold forth on trout fly- fishing ; and any one who can catch trout with 76 SUMMER ANGLING the fly can of a surety catch “pumpkin-seeds” by the same method. The other members of the sun-fish family, be- sides the well-known Lepomis gibbosus, are the long-eared sun-fish (Z. megalotzs), known through- out the Mississippi Valley and south-westward to the Rio Grande, and in the north-west, and plen- tiful in Indiana and Illinois; the yellow belly, or bream (LZ. auritus), found plentifully east of the Alleghanies from Maine to Florida, and also in Virginia and the Carolinas; the blue gill (Z. pad- “idus), the most widely diffused of all; the green sun-fish (Z. cyanellus), found in all waters between the Rocky Mountains and the~ Alleghanies, and several more not necessary to be specially enu- merated. They are all to be caught with the angle-worm, and are all “boys’ fishes.” One step above the sun-fishes, towards the game fish properly so called, we find the rock bass (or red eye). This fish is fond of quiet, rocky pools, and is a fiercely preying and pluckily fighting member of the great bass family. He takes almost everything, from a piece of raw meat to a black beetle, and is best caught with rather larger hooks and stronger tackle than his brother FISHING FOR THE SUN-FISH 77 the sun-fish, The same remark applies to the “crappie,” so beloved of the youth of the Missis- sippi Valley. Small fish are a good bait for these, and also for the rock bass; and I have caught the latter in great plenty in the upper Hudson on «“ dobsons,” — the larvee of the corydalus cornutis, or helgramite fly. To fish for the yellow perch is yet one step higher in angling promotion, and very nearly ap- proaches the art of catching the black basses. In all waters inhabited by them, the yellow perch is a beautiful fish, and differs but slightly from its European brother of the same name. Given cool water and plenty of food, it grows to a fair size, and is then a brave fighter; and if taken before it spawns, is succulent and even delicious as a table fish. One day last August (1893), Mr. Edward Newbury and myself took a hundred and twenty yellow perch out of Summit Lake, Wash- ington County, New York, weighing just eighty- six pounds, and we only fished eight hours. These were all caught out of thirty feet of water, and some of them went one pound in weight. Of course in fishing for them it was necessary to take off the bob and use a light sinker, striking ° 78 SUMMER ANGLING sharply because of the great depth. Our bait was worms. Perch also take a fly, the making of which will be explained in the chapter on fly-fishing for trout. The white perch (Morone Americana) is another fish chiefly found in the estuaries of rivers in the brackish waters, and are justly much esteemed. They may be caught with the same tackle and in the same way as the sun-fishes and perch, and are to be highly recommended for their toothsome- ness and the sport they give. They are generally most plentiful in early summer, and are said to feed on the ova of shad, as these fish are ascend- ing the rivers. FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT 79 CHAPTER V FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT No one will question my opinion that fly-fishing for trout is the very highest form of angling. It may be defined as fishing with an artificial or hand-made imitation of the natural flies and flying insects (and in some cases of jumping and crawl- ing creatures, as in the case of crickets, grasshop- pers, and grubs). In its practice only the neatest and finest of tackle is ordinarily used, the chief reason for this being the absence of all handling of living baits, and the necessity for skilful methods in order to give the lure a semblance of what other baits do or have possessed, but which this has not ; namely, life and movement. In order that the fly may be cast lightly, as if it fell accidentally on the water, it is necessary in this form of fishing to use a rod possessing pli- ancy, strength, and lightness —that is necessary if you would be ranked as a true fly-fisherman. Of course you caz fish with a bean-pole, as for suck- 80 SUMMER ANGLING ers, if you choose, —this is a free country, — but there is no sense of fitness in doing so. You wouldn’t write a letter home with a broom-handle ; and so I will assume that you desire to have tackle befitting the aristocratic fish you are pur- suing, and that you are desirous of knowing how to use it. In such a case, without further preface, we will consider the rod. Fly-rods for trout are of two orders, the single and double handled, — meaning for use by one or two hands. The former are chiefly in use, and only differ in that the latter are longer and heav- ier, and have handles so made that both hands can grasp the rod. The single-handed trout-rod is ordinarily made of cane glued together in sections, and whipped at short intervals, and of solid woods, such as lance- wood, bethabara, greenheart, etc. The cane rods are the best; but they must be made of the very best material, and fitted with infinite skill and care, or they are worthless, as they break easily, or come apart when you least expect it; and as the best materials and workmanship are costly, my boy readers must, I presume, be content with the other kind. A solid lancewood or greenheart FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT 81 makes up into a capital rod, and is far less costly ; and to give you an idea how both rods will last with care, I may say that I possess one of each wood which I have used eleven years, and they are of my own making. A fair lancewood fly-rod can be got for from five to ten dollars from the tackle stores; but suppose my boy reader goes to work and makes one! I will take one of my own made rods as a pattern, and we will make it together. It is understood to be a difficult matter to ex- plain a mechanical process on paper; but if the following instructions are followed, I do not see why there should be any failure. Of course the beginner, especially if unused to carpenter’s tools, will find some trouble await him; but “if you don’t at first succeed, try, try, and try again,” is all I can say to you to lighten your task. Now, no matter what you want to build, never omit a plan of it to work from. Therefore let us make a plan of the fly-rod we are about to con- struct. The one before us is just ten feet two inches over all in length. Now take a sheet of tin, and draw a diagram with an awl and rule or 82 SUMMER ANGLING straight-edge, like Fig. 34; that is, with all the lines and figures shown and of exactly same size. The handle is to be ten inches long, so you deduct that from the full length of the rod, leaving one hundred and twelve inches. Now mark off the figure into eight sections, and let the widest be one-half inch, and the tip one-sixteenth inch. The rod is taper, just as shown; that is to say, at every sop 2 in Fig. 34.— Plan cut out of Tin or Brass Plate for Lancewood Rod. part the rod is to be just as thick through as the diagram represents. For example, if the end of your rod is to be half an inch in diameter, at just half-way between it and the tip, or fifty-six inches, it will be one-quarter inch; and the thickness the rod should be at any point can be determined by measurement at once. But that is not all the advantage to be gained. Having marked the FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT 83 sheet of tin or thin brass (the latter is best), just as shown, get your hardware merchant, or do it yourself, to cut out and file true the tapering space between the two outer lines, leaving it exactly as shown at Fig. 34, with the space cut out. Now you have the plan of your rod and a gauge to guide you in tapering it as you plane and work the wood into shape. For example, say you are working on the tip joint of your rod, and you want to know how thick. it should be seven inches from the extreme tip. You just place it in the slit, and if it fits closely half-way between o and 14”, it is right; for the diagram is divided into eight sec- tions of fourteen inches, and seven inches are half of each section. (Before reading farther, go over the above again, until you fully understand the whole thing. It is perfectly simple, if. you once grasp it, and is indis- pensable for you to know about.) The tools required are neither costly nor hard to procure. WINTER ANGLING ~Reee D Fig. 74. /mproved ‘‘Tip-Up."’ the ice, and on the tip of this is hung the line, to which a piece of red stuff has been attached. When the fish takes the bait, it pulls the piece of flag off the twig, and the angler knows at once that a fish has been at work, and runs to the hole to superintend the allowance of line the fish requires whilst pouching or swallowing the minnow. There are various reasons why the primitive form of “tip-up,’ however, should give place to one of more cer- tain usefulness; and the appa- ratus I am about to describe ' out-distances the twig, as the split cane rod goes beyond the “pole” cut from the brush alongside the water. Get some half-inch deal board and cut out pieces, as many as you require, in the shape of an outline of Fig. 74. There is fLISHING THROUGH THE ICE 163 no difficulty about this. Next, with a brace and bit bore two holes, one at each end, at A; then with a chisel take out the middle of each board, as shown. Now procure some stout iron wire; but previously to bending it there is a lead sinker te go on the upper end, at B. This sinker is best made by boring into the end of a piece of green hard wood, and driving a nail down into the centre of the hole for a cylindrical mould. One mould will cast a dozen or more sinkers, and the lead can be melted in a ladle over the cook-stove fire without causing inconvenience. The wire now is cut into lengths exactly the length of the space in the middle of the board, and one loop is twisted at C. Through this a nail is driven, including both sides of the board ; and the wire should now swing freely round and round on this nail, as on an axle. A lead is now slipped on the upper arm of the lead (B), and a hook is formed in the wire (D). To the end of the other arm is tied a piece of old red cotton or woollen cloth, and about forty feet of stout braided linen line should be attached to the middle of the “tip-up ’ at E. To the other end of the line, of course, the hook is tied, which is preferably a Vir- 164 WINTER ANGLING t ginian hook not less than one-half inch across opposite the barb, and as large as No. 1% (Fig. 33). The tip-up is set in ice-fishing as shown (Fig. 75). Avis the line on which the hook and I ot YC le Si { 1) SS SE Fig. 75.—Tip-Up set on the Ice. bait, plumbed so as to be sustained about one foot from the bottom, are let down through the ice; B is the “tip-up,” set obliquely, held by the chunks of ice cut out of the hole; C is the line coiled. Observe how it works. As soon as a fish takes FISHING THROUGH THE ICE 165 the bait he pulls on the line A, which pulls down the wire hook at D. This throws the line loose, so that the fish can uncoil and take what it wants of C, whilst the lead sinker slides down to the hook on the wire (a), and up flies the red pen- nant, telling to everybody interested that a fish has bitten. (The dotted lines indicate this mo- ment). The angler’s duty now is to proceed as fast as his legs will carry him to the tip-up, care- fully ease out the line, ‘so that the fish be not checked, and after waiting five minutes by the watch proceed to haul in the fish. If these “tip-ups” are set for any length of time, and if they be left, they will certainly be frozen in; and no one can do less or more than cut them out with an axe, or wait till spring comes. Even during the day’s fishing we are supposing, it becomes necessary to incessantly keep the ice from accumulating or freezing in the hole that is cut. To obviate this, and even allow of the tip-up being sct for days, I have found the following device quite successful ; and as it invariably happens that a fish gets on dur- ing the night or early morning, it is sometimes quite desirable to keep the tip-ups set all the , 166 WINTER ANGLING time. Get a number of stout sticks about eigh- teen inches long, and boring through the centre of each at right angles, thrust about one foot of thick iron wire through, and turn a loop in the end (Fig. 76). When this line is set, the stick is laid crosswise over the hole, with the rod and loop downward (Fig. 76). Of course if the ice is likely to be thicker than a foot, this wire ought to be longer. It should reach into the water at least three inches. To it is ‘attached the line, which, when you are setting it, is first wound up round your thumb and finger in a figure 8 fashion, and then attached, as shown (Fig. 77), to the pieces of wire shaped as in Fig. 78. I think the diagrams quite explain themselves. The ice-fishers in Canada, and on Champlain and the other large lakes, make a large revenue; but it is not to that class that I am addressing myself. On Champlain, when fishing for perch, the eye of the fish is used almost exclusively ; but for ordinary fishing for ling, burbot, wall-eyed pike, perch, and pickerel, small fish are the bait — and very excellent bait they prove to be. Spear- ing and netting through the ice are also practised ; but I find little sport or pleasure in this, and do FISHING THROUGH THE ICE 167 Fig. 76.—‘' Tip-Up "’ Stick. Fig. 77.—Parts of 'Tip-Up.” Fig. 78.— Parts of ‘'Tip-Up.” 168 WINTER ANGLING not recommend my young friends to pursue it. I want them all to be true sportsmen — first, last, and all the time; and so I have been careful that not one word in all this book gives a hint of any- thing but angling with a hook and line, so that the quarry the angler is pursuing for food and fun may have a good chance for its life every time. The other forms of winter fishing possible in the South and in Great Britain are not described in this chapter. They are essentially similar to those referred to in-the earlier pages ; for the sea- sons, of course, vary according to the latitude. What is true of the East and North, however, is, in the main, true of the West and South; and the same methods apply pretty generally all over the country, taking into account the differences of temperature. A lengthened experience has shown me that a good fisherman in England is a good fisherman on the American continent, and a good, angler in the East is a good one in the West. I shall, therefore, not enlarge further on winter fishing as it is in latitudes other than the one in which I am writing. There is, however, yet one other kind of winter fishing that may be spoken of here. I refer to FISHING THROUGH THE ICE 169 that pleasant outing we all may have in imagi- nation, sitting before the blazing winter fire or heated stove whilst the winter gale blows snow- laden in the outer darkness. Or when busily re- pairing our rods, making new leaders, snelling more hooks, or neatly constructing that feather- poem, the dainty artificial fly! And how pleas- ant to recall the help one has been to the others because of the knowledge acquired in the ways taught by this book! And one other instructive amusement can be followed, even in winter, beside fishing through the ice and recalling past experience—HI refer to amateur fish-culture. The time will surely come when every farmer will be as fully prepared to breed fish as cattle. In the chapter on the sub- ject included in this little book I have written with the idea of introducing trout-culture to my young readers as intensely interesting and in- forming, and possibly useful to them in after life. It certainly will fill up the dead season of fishing, if practised as I have laid down. 170 WINTER ANGLING CHAPTER X + TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER Tuat grand old angler and good Christian, George Dawson of Albany, has put it on record that “it is not all of fishing to fish.” Similarly, I may say, “It is not all of fish to fish.” I mean, of course, that there are many interesting points about the fish themselves that become apparent, aside from the actual operation of fishing. It-is a poor angler that passes his days by the waterside intent only on filling his basket, and on simply the capture of the fish. To him the best pleasures of the pastime are sealed and unknown. He should not be counted with the true disciples of the sainted Izaak Walton; nor is he to be considered a true member of the “gentle craft.” To such an one fishing is fishing and nothing more. He is like Peter Bell: “A primrose by the river's brim, a yellow primrose was to him, and it was nothing more.” But how different with the observant fish lover! Every denizen of the water is to him an TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 171 object of observation and delight. He not only delights in their capture as a tribute to his own prowess, but he is an admiring possessor of the beautiful piece of watergoing architecture, than which there is no more perfect example than the trout or salmon. Taking one step farther, what could. be more interesting to my young readers than the care of either of these beautiful fish from the egg up to vigorous trouthood or salmonhood ? The task proposed may look a difficult one, but it really is not, as I shall demonstrate. As a boy I have done precisely as I shall describe, and subse- quent experience has confirmed some conclusions which were at first tentative. To go back to my own earliest knowledge of the subject. One of my most pleasant recollec- tions is that of the late Mr. Frank Buckland (author of “ Curiosities of Natural History,” etc.) amongst his beloved infant trout at the Mu- seum of Fish Culture, South Kensington, Lon- don, Eng. With fatherly assiduity would he at- tend on them; and as he brought to bear on the tiny entities the resources of his great and ingen- ious mind, one almost wished himself a fish, were it only to be brought within the tender care of such 172 WINTER ANGLING a fond foster-parent. Mr. Buckland’s success in the breeding and rearing of fish was, as a conse- quence, very pronounced ; and his charming lec- ture before the London Royal Institution, on the subject of fish culture (which was afterwards pub- lished in book form), proves to any one that, so far from the subject being a dull one, it is replete with remarkable interest, and far from difficult of prac- tice. Of course, however, it is impossible for boys in general to undertake the artificial spawning, im- pregnation, rearing, feeding, etc., on the scale car- ried out in the various State hatcheries ; but, as I shall explain in the following pages, it is quite within the means of my readers to artificially hatch and rear a few dozen of trout or young salmon ; and what can be a prettier or more interesting amusement for the student of fish-life, apart from the knowledge it imparts of the natural history of the most important family of fishes in the world ? Boys breed and rear canaries and other birds, rab- bits, guinea-pigs, mice, and dogs; why, therefore, should fish be neglected, when they are really easier to breed and keep than any of those just named? And are they not far more beautiful? TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 173 What can form a more lovely pet than a tame car- mine-spotted trout taking its food from your fin- gers? I intend, therefore, giving plain directions, by means of which any one possessed of ingenuity and a little careful patience may satisfactorily be- come a trout and salmon breeder on a small scale at a very little cost; and, as the chief part of the operations will be carried out during the winter, when outdoor sports are few, I feel sure my in- structions will not fall to the ground. First, I must recapitulate briefly the natural his- tory of the salmon family. Now, all this family, which consists of several species of trout and the lordly salmon himself as the head, have habits as regards food, places of habitation, spawning, feed- ing, etc., very similar to each other. As winter approaches, unlike many other fish of our rivers, which spawn in summer, the trout or salmon as- cends the river and proceeds to make a nest in the gravel. “Fancy,” I think I hear some one say, “a fish making a nest. I thought it was only birds did that.’” Quite incorrect, my young friend ; the trout and salmon make a distinct nest in the gravel, not of fibres it is true (the stickle-back does that, however), but by turning up the stones 174 WINTER ANGLING by means of a sort of undulating movement from head to tail. Both male and female assist in this; and when a suitable cavity is formed, the female deposits the eggs, which are about the size of a small pea, and of a beautiful salmon-flesh color. The male then impregnates them, and they both set to and cover them up. After about a hundred days the eggs burst, letting out the tiny fish, which for a considerable time lie helpless, feeding only by absorption from an oil-bag, or vesicle, which in time becomes the stomach of the perfectly formed fish. After this it feeds, and takes its chance in the struggle for existence. Such is a short history of the natural process of breeding. The artificial method, of which the la- mented Seth Green and his yet living brother and others were and are apostles, consists in taking a fish full of spawn and catching the eggs from it in a suitable vessel. These are then impregnated and passed on in an artificial stream of water until they hatch, after which, as soon as they can feed, they are fed, and sc grown cn. It is a part of the artificial method I am going to explain. The artificial spawning of fish is manifestly im- practicable for most of my readers; but as there TROUT—BREEDING IN WINTER 175 are many gentlemen who sell ova, or eggs, they may be procured without difficulty,! and I will therefore commence from the period when the eggs are actually in progress towards hatching. The apparatus first commands our closest atten- tion. A constant stream of water is indispensable at the outset, and the next requisite is a suitable box or boxes for the reception of the ova and the fry when they appear. Neither of these is diffi- cult to obtain. As to the water. If it be possible to join on a pipe to the water-works’ supply, and regulate the stream of water by means of a tap, then half the pattle is won ; but as it is not likely that boys will care to purposely go to this expense, some other device must be thought of. A cistern, or even tub, if clean and sweet, will do to store the water in, if the latter is pumped from a well; and it should be indoors, out of the reach of frost, and raised above your boxes or troughs. It need not necessarily be very near, for a small India- rubber pipe will convey all the water. I have said that it should be indoors ; that is, in 1 J. Annin, Jr., Caledonia, Livingstone Co., N.Y., supplies eggs and fry in the proper season. 176 WINTER ANGLING an out-house or cellar, of course, because if it were out the frost might stop the supply of water dur- ing the night, and kill all your fish in a few hours. I will suppose you have a tool-shed, or part of a barn, therefore, at your disposal. Of course a good and reliable stove must be fixed; that is a prime essential. This is how I would go to work in the very cheapest way. Fix in one corner, at about five feet from the floor, two stout iron brackets. Procure a cask; a molasses cask will do. Have the head knocked in, and the inside thoroughly cleansed with boiling water, and after that deeply charred; the charcoal thus’ formed clears the water of impurity. The charring is done with hot embers from the stove. Set the barrel upon your brackets securely, and be sure they are strong enough to bear the weight of the water. You have thus your water receptacle, which will, of course, require refilling as it empties (Fig. 79). Now, before going farther, just let me make two or three remarks on this important sub- ject of water supply. Of course, when advising the purchase and fixing of a barrel, I am suppos- ing that no house-tank is accessible, and that my reader depends upon an artificial supply. Of TROUT-BREEDING IN IVINTER 177 course, also, a zinc or lead, or even wood, tank would do better, though not much. Besides, the barrel is always useful long after my experimen- talist_ has given up fish-breeding. Just, however, as it is certain a kennel is necessary for a dog, or a hutch for rabbits, so is the barrel or reservoir Fig. 79.— Water Cask. necessary for the fish, and, as I have recom- mended, does not come very high. We will now suppose the cask is fixed ; the next thing is a covering or lid to keep out the dust. Anything that suggests itself as suitable will do 178 WINTER ANGLING for this, so nothing further need be said about it. The arrangement for an outlet must now be made. An ordinary wooden faucet will do capi- tally; but you must boil it in water for some time before using it, in order to extract any sap, etc., in the wood likely to taint the water. When dry, drive it into a hole previously bored at a distance Fig. 80. — Filter. of about six inches from the bottom. An India rubber pipe will connect this with your next necessary article, namely, a filter; for trout must have the purest water when they are very young. Now, the filter (Fig. 80) is very easily made in this wise. Procure a large flower-pot, the largest TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 179 you can get. Make a wire tripod stand for it of about a foot in height. Into the hole at the bottom of the pot insert a cork, through which a glass pipe (easily procurable at your drug-store) of about three inches long has been inserted. You can bore the cork through with a red-hot iron, and be careful that it is a good sound one; also be very sure that it fits the aperture exactly, so that no water can escape except through the pipe. The latter should be at least three-eighths of an inch in diameter, inside measurement, or the supply of water will be inadequate to the de- mands of health in the fish. When the cork is inserted, the glass pipe should be flush or even with that part of it inside the flower-pot, and the rest outside. On the outside length your India- rubber piping will be attached. The making of the filter, from which we have slightly digressed, is as follows: Having arranged the cork and glass as I have directed, immedfately above the latter, inside the pot, a piece of well- washed, fine sponge, not larger than a slice from an orange of say half-inch thickness, should be placed. Immediately on this a half-inch layer of well-washed stones of not more than three-eighths 180 WINTER ANGLING of an inch in diameter are placed; they may grad- uate, of course, to lesser sizes. Thereafter follows a layer of at least an inch and a half of smaller stones, the limit of size being a pea, and the min- imum being a mustard seed. Next a layer of wood charcoal, broken up into small pieces; next a layer of sand, well washed before using, and finally a piece of coarse muslin. Another piece of sponge may be placed at the top to break the fall of the water from the cistern. Here, there- fore, is a splendidly efficient filter, which will, however, I must say, require cleaning out occa- sionally, more or less frequently, in fact, according to the purity or impurity of the water. In view of this, perhaps it is well to make two or three others at the same time, so that the fish may never have impure water. The stream of water is now assured, and its purity certain. The next concern, of course, is the troughs or tanks in which the eggs are to be kept and matured into life. These are constructed of various materials, and so used by the professed fish culturist, slate, glass, earthenware, and wood being chiefly in requisition. For the present purpose wood is quite good enough. Let me TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 181 first, however, describe what the trough is when adapted for its use. It consists of a receptacle, say, six inches deep, of a rectangular shape, in which the ova are stored, fitted to receive water, and also furnished with a spout from which the overflow emerges. This is how it is made, and I do not think I can be too terse and practical. Take (for our present purpose) three lengths of well-seasoned pine plank half an inch thick by three feet long by ten inches for one, and the others nine inches broad. The ten-inch wood plank will form the bottom, and the other two the sides. Two other ten-inch-by-nine pieces of the same kind of wood are necessary to form the ends. These parts should be put together with copper nails such as boat-builders use, and no corrosion in consequence ensues, as would be the case were iron nails employed. Iron nails will do, however, if the copper are not available. After the box has been made so securely that no water can escape, the next operation is that of charring the interior. It is a well-known fact amongst pisciculturists that the charred wood box or trough presents more lively fish than any other kind of apparatus. Well, the charring process is 182 WINTER ANGLING easy enough. Take out the red-hot embers of a good coal fire and place them in a box, moving them as it is found the wood ignites. Some care and perseverance are necessary to char the in- terior properly; but it can, of course, be done without more difficulty than a certain amount of patience and dexterity in themselves indicate. The idea is to make the inside of the trough a perfect lining of charcoal, so that no fungus or other impurity can exist. Curious, isn’t it, that carbon, or charcoal, is one of the most powerful antiseptics of nature, and that vegetable growths and all impurities will not attach themselves to it ? or, if the latter do, they lose all their vicious char- acter and become innocuous. Mr. Monroe Green of the Caledonia Hatchery, N.Y., uses a coating of coal-tar only, and finds it all that is required. Thus your trough is finished, excepting the allnecessary outlet. In order to make this, bore a hole seven-eighths of an inch in diameter, and with a cement of white lead introduce a short length of lead pipe. Now, the white lead must be used sparingly, and as little as possible should be allowed to appear on the water side of the trough. It must also be allowed to become hard before the { TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 183 receptacle is put in use; and if sufficient care be exercised in this, there is but little fear of the lead proving deleterious to the fish. A slanting section of the pipe may be cut off by means of a good sharp knife or saw; and trough, spout, and all is then furnished with sufficient complete- ness to rear the most delicate of all fishes (Fig. 81). Fig. 81.— Trough, In large fish-breeding establishments a series of troughs, either of slate, glass, earthenware, or, as I have just described, of wood, is usually erected, and the water passes, by means of the spouts, from end to end of each. This series may, and often 184 WINTER ANGLING does, number ten or a dozen troughs, and, of course, admits of a great number of fry being hatched. I am, however, writing for boys here, and I do not advise a larger receptacle than that described, for an initial experiment. Such a trough will accommodate some thousands of ova at a pinch, though I advise the learner not to, in any case, overcrowd. The fewer the eggs under care, the easier is each individual looked after, and the easier is it to remove dead matter, débris, and the ordinary flotsam and jetsam inevitable on an as- semblage of living beings. The trough I have described should be placed on either trestle, or on stakes driven into the ground, to a height which, whilst it admits of a fairly good fall from the cistern to the filter, is not too low so as to be inconvenient. In my fish- breeding experiment nothing has seemed to con- duce to the lack of patient, absorbed observation of the eggs and embryos like the backache engen- dered by reason of the inconveniently low troughs ; therefore, be particular when making your trestles not to make the legs too short. The trough can be nailed (copper nails preferable) to the stakes or trestle for security's sake; in fact, it is advisable TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 185 this should be done. I once had a terrible disas- ter when I first began, as a boy, to artificially hatch fish, My coat happened to catch in a corner of the trough, and the whole bag of tricks came splash over me, costing me the death of at least a hundred young fish. As these were worth about two cents each, I can leave my reader to imagine the lesson it taught. The tank which is to receive the young fish when their period of absorption-feeding is past, and when they begin to eat with their mouths, when, in fact, they are to be fed and brought up till of sufficient age to be transported to the aqua- rium, pond, or stream, must be of larger dimensions than the hatching-trough. I recommend, there- fore, that it be made of deal, as before, which can be charred or not, and of these dimensions: one foot deep, four feet broad by six feet long. Six clear inches of water is quite sufficient for these young gentlemen ; and an outlet, as recommended for the hatching-trough, which communicates with a drain, is necessary. Before and over both the openings in the trough, and that in this “stew,” or tank, it is important to bear in mind that a zinc- wire covering must be fixed at some distance from 186 WINTER ANGLING both. The object of both these contrivances is to keep the tiny embryos and fry from passing away from their allotted dwelling-places, which, with a perverseness of all young organisms, they would inevitably do were they left to their own devices. Coverings of wood must also be provided for both these receptacles; for it is found that eggs hatch better in darkness, and the young alevins are intolerant of light. With the fry the precau- tion is not so necessary, except for the purpose of keeping away all nocturnal enemies. An old cat once played me a pretty trick, catching and eating a lot of my two-inch fry ; and a rat once did worse than that, — he simply gnawed a hole in the bot- tom of the tank, and when it was empty hopped in and devoured the lot of fish, remaining high and dry. I have now described the chief apparatus, which, to recapitulate, consists of a reservoir, a filter, a hatching-trough, and a “stew,” or tank, for the fish when they have arrived at the feeding-age. Place them in order, and turn on your water for a day or two to sweeten the whole affair. This done, it be- comes necessary to see about stocking the hatch- ing-trough. First, however, procure some nice sharp gravel; the stones should not be larger than TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 187 peas, and as uniform in size as possible. They should be boiled (not to render them soft, of course), to clear off and kill any impurity. Having thereafter washed them carefully in several waters, spread a layer of about an inch in thickness over the bottom of your two receptacles. It is not really necessary to do this inthe “stew” until you are ready to receive the fry in it. However, as it is scarcely necessary to take two bites off one cherry, it may be better, perhaps, to do both at the same time. Having done this, obtain some larger stones, ranging from the size of a filbert to that of a plum, and place these sparely, so that, as the water passes over them, tiny eddies may be formed. These are of very salutary value to young trout or salmon, and serve the purpose of shelter and quietude. I have said that the art of spawning and im- pregnating is impracticable for most boys. This being so, and as there are gentlemen who make a business of supplying eyed ova, I can only re- peat my advice as to the purchase of the eggs from a reliable fish culturist. As a rule, the eggs are retained by the vendor until the two eyes of the little fish, which are large and unmistakable, 188 WINTER ANGLING can be seen through the shell of the egg. If the ova are removed before this the chances of their dying are very great ; and when “eyed,” however, the chances are just oppositely small, insomuch as that as many as ninety-five per cent may be safely received off a journey of one hundred miles if they have been packed with judgment and care. Let us suppose the tyro has purchased, say, one thousand eyed eggs, and has his apparatus in order, with a gentle stream dribbling into his hatching- trough. The eggs will, doubtless, come to him in damp moss, and no time should be lost in introdu- cing them to their future home. This is done in no extraordinary manner; the ova being only turned in and distributed over the gravel by means of a feather. Be careful in doing this to spread the tiny opaline beads so that they do,not bunch, but are well apart. Having done this, replace the cover of your trough, and let them have twelve hours clear rest before you again look at them. On again closely scanning them you may per- chance notice one or two of a different color to the rest; that is, they are whitish, as if addled. These are dead, and must be removed. To do TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 189 this a new piece of apparatus is brought into requisition. This simply consists of a glass tube oe ~ SS bee OP EOE Be, BOLE SE SOP ORES OAD ED Fig. 82.—Tube for Siphon. of about half an inch inside diameter, bent to an obtuse angle (Fig. 82). The thumb is placed on 190 WINTER ANGLING the top of the longer leg, and the tube is then forced down into the water near the egg desired to be brought up. Of course but little water can enter the tube whilst the air is retained by the ball of the thumb; but as soon as the latter is removed the air rushes out, and the water passing in with great swiftness carries with it the egg or eggs you wish to examine. If now the tube be held with its contents between the eye and the light, the egg which is dead will be seen to contain an immov- able, mouldy-looking creature; whereas, should there be a live egg in its company, the embryo will be seen to incessantly wriggle and move about within its shelly covering. It will be well to watch incessantly for the insect enemies which, in spite of all care, will sometimes creep into the trough. The larvz of all water-flies and beetles are inimical to the well-being of both the egg and alevin. If reasonable precautions be taken, such as I have suggested, however, the tyro need not fear such visitants. Our experimentalist will have had no opportu- nity of watching the gradual development of the ova from the moment of their impregnation to the time they become “eyed ;”’ because, of course, he TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER I9I will not have received them till this period, and so he has missed a very interesting part of the fish’s history. To supply, in some part, this omission, I will give just those little details which can be seen by the aid of a good lens, which, by the by, should find a place in every naturalist’s outfit. “For some time,” says Mr. Francis Francis in his “Fish Culture” (after impregnation), “little change is observable in the ova; but at length little globules of an oily looking substance are formed. By degrees these densify, and by the aid of a strong glass a thin, whitish line may be traced coiled within the egg. This is the earliest devel- opment of the spinal column, and, of course, it becomes more distinct as the animal becomes more formed. And about the fifth or sixth week (in water of moderate temperature we may say usually from the thirty-fifth to the forty-fifth day) a small dark speck, probably, on examination, two black specks, will be observable. These are the eyes of embryos, the form of which may now be traced almost by the naked eye. In a few days the eyes become distinct, and the embryo may now be discerned without the aid of a glass, mov- ing and turning round the egg.” 192 WINTER ANGLING This is how Mr. Francis speaks of the period in the existence of the ovum between its birth and the time it comes into possession of our tyro. The by far most interesting part of its nonage, however, lies before us. By means of our glass siphon and lens you will perceive through its transparent walls the gradual growth and definition of the tiny fish. You will perceive the pink lines hereafter to become arteries, the ruddy spot pres- ently to form the heart, and which even now does elementary duty in circulating the vital fluid. All this can be seen without injury to the egg or its contents ; and marvellous and altogether beautiful is the gradual development of this germ of life, which in its full maturity will, perhaps, arrive at the “lusty” life and glorious symmetry of a four- pound trout or a twenty-pound salmon. By-the- by, let it be clearly understood that the ova of salmon are equally interesting with those of trout. For my part, I advise a half-and-half mixture. The salmon could be reared to two and three pounds’ weight in fresh water if land-locked, — that is, kept in a lake and fed; otherwise they seek the sea, to reascend in spawning-time. While young, however, both trout and salmon are very lovely, and can be rendered quite manageable. TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 193 It is well if the buyer of the eggs inquires when they are expected to hatch. After the eyes appear, however, three weeks or a month sees this important change, according to temperature. One morning, as usual, you go to see what prog- ress your ova have made, when you perchance perceive a tiny speck of bright red amongst the eggs of pale coralline tint. On looking closer, and taking this up with a siphon, you are amazed to see that the fish has thrown off the egg and emerged into active, vigorous, energetic life. See how he kicks in the glass with frantic endeavors to get away somewhere. Now it is quiet, and what a wondrous little fellow it is! What does it look like? See, there is a thin streak of almost trans- parent substance with a huge belly, larger, appar- ently, than the egg it has just emerged from. And its length is nearly an inch over all. The stomachic appendage seems composed of some gelatinous liquid, in which the tiny oil globules before referred to seem to float. And see the bright red spot near the head. What is that? It is the heart, dear reader, that as we look at it through our lens is visibly pumping the life fluid through these tiny coral-like veins, that ramify ‘194 WINTER ANGLING from it. And this fish is the one that hereafter shall make the blood thrill with an exquisite pleas- ure as it bounds and flies up and down and across the stream, securely hooked by the deft hand of a piscator. How glorious are the works of the Creator! This tiny entity is, perchance, a young salmon, for whose family miles and miles of paper have been inscribed with laws, on whose flesh hundreds of thousands have been fed, and whose members have given health-bringing joy on the salmon rivers of the world. Turn it back into the trough. See its huge, dis- proportionate eyes, which shall be in future years as brilliant and keen of sight as those of the mountain eagle, dislike the light, and it “wab- bles” to the bottom behind some sheltering stone, there to mature its vitalized, but as yet unformed and ungainly, body. As you are looking at this, your welcome homely first-born, you perhaps may remark the frantic movements which seem to be going on inside an egg near, and should turn and watch the antic- frolic. Pick it up with the siphon and hold the glass with your warm hand a second, and see! The shell has burst, and a pair of wide-open eyes TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 195 are protruding. Replace the egg in the water very gently, and watch the operation of hatching. With two or three frantic struggles the shell splits open, and the captive is free. See how he exults in this new found world and freedom! Up to the surface he wriggles; and after splashing there- abouts some little time his strength is exhausted, and he falls prone on his side beside some shelter- ing stone. Should the struggler have difficulty in separat- ing from the shell, take your feather and gently aid nature in her work. Not infrequently are there cases of strangulation owing to difficulty in this process. The hatching will now go on with- out intermission till all will have emerged. After you know the hatching has begun, it is as well to keep the fish in darkness. Of course you can, if you wish, take a few of the eggs likely to break through, into the drawing-room in a dish with plenty of water, that such friends as you may have present may see the wonderful sight. This change will do the fish little harm, provid- ing they are returned to the hatching-trough in a reasonable time. There is no more beautiful study in the world than one of the newly hatched 196 WINTER ANGLING fry placed in an ordinary microscopical tank and viewed with medium powers. Hitherto the care of the tyro has been directed to the supply and temperature of the water ; now, however, these cares increase in gravity and num- ber. The water supply must on no account fail, and it should be more plentiful than before. The zinc guard to the outlet must be seen to, so that none of the little fish can struggle against it and get stuck there, which would be the case if it were placed too near the aperture. My plan is to bend the zinc netting into a square form, and place two pieces of wood, like rafters, as it were, between the two sides of the trough to keep it close.. No accident will then ensue, because the draught of water is not sufficient to overcome the natural vigor of the fish. The filters must be changed. and cleansed often. The same materials will do again and again; and as soon as it is judged that all the eggs have hatched, the feather must be used gently to agitate the water, so that the egg- shells may be taken out by means of a little fine muslin net, which can be easily made. Perfect cleanliness is your most important consideration, or there is a strong probability of a fungoid TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 197 disease attacking the gills of the little fellows ; and this seems to be entirely without remedy when it gets a distinct hold. In about another six or seven weeks you will observe your fry have grown larger, and have nearly, if not quite, lost the umbilical bag or vesi- cle on which they had previously fed by absorp- tion. They must now be removed to the tank or cistern, and in a short time you will perceive they are getting remarkably lively, and dart hither and thither as if in search of food. You can now dis- connect the hatching trough from the reservoir, and allow the water to fall not too lavishly from the filter into the larger tank. Your fish now require feeding, and the all-important question of food now presents itself. At one time grated liver — that is, liver that had been boiled and grated — I almost entirely used ; but it was found to sometimes remain in the water, rendering it impure. However, it will do very well if used sparingly. In feeding it is absolutely necessary that no refuse be allowed to sink to the bottom uncon- sumed, and so remain to putrefy. I should rec- ommend that, whatever food be given, a good 198 WINTER ANGLING lookout be kept to avoid this nuisance. Feed the little fellows very often, not with an excess in quantity, but let “little and often” be your motto. You cannot overfeed them ; and it will be quite as well if you use them to the broad daylight instead of covering them up, except at night, of course. Small worms and maggots are a good food. Now, when they arrive at the time at which they feed greedily, I would advise the introduction —they can be procured from aquarists —of some of the fresh-water shrimp (Pulex gammarus), to be found in some gravelly streams under the stones. These little crustaceans (albeit they are not shrimps at all, but belong to the flea family) are capital scav- engers of the water. You cannot make a mistake as to which they are, if you notice their very active movements and shrimp-like character ; and they are easily caught in a muslin net, which you can easily make. Turn over the stones, and, as they seek to get away, dexterously put your net beneath, and so secure them. At three months old a salmon or trout fry is over an inch long, and a very bright, voracious little “cuss’”’ he is! By this time you had better look out for other quarters for him. If you have TROUT-BREEDING IN WINTER 199 anything like good fortune, — which you can alone have, by-the-by, by following the directions I have laid down, — out of fifty eggs you will have at least twenty-five young fish, lovely, bright, go-ahead little fellows, who will recognize you by this time if you have fed them regularly. An aquarium, or a little clear adjacent stream preferably, should now be their destination ; but mind, I do not say it is impossible to keep them much longer in their tank aforesaid. However, you must please your- self. Coarser food may be given to your fish as soon as you find they are strong enough and large enough. By the time they are six or seven months old this diet should be regular. Small pieces of fresh meat, tadpoles, flies, the tiny fry of coarse fish, are all food, and will tend to the tam- ing of the trout if you feed yourself. The brook trout is the boldest in this wise. I have inferred that salmon can, as well as trout, be hatched and cultured. This is most certainly true, and I know of no prettier fish, till it gets impatient at its twelve months’ birth- day with the restraints put upon it. Seaward its instincts impel it; and though I have grown them 200 WINTER ANGLING up to a couple of pounds, I prefer the Salmo fario or brown trout, or the Salmo fontinalis referred to above (American brook trout), both on account of beauty and docility. In the foregoing chapter I have, I think, com- ‘pletely: demonstrated the possibility of the breed- ing of trout. The winter days are often vacant of sports; and if any one derives amusement or in- struction from these teachings, I am amply paid for the trouble I have taken to make the process clear. LEE AND SHEPARD’S ILLUSTRATED JUVENILES 27 GEORGE MAKEPEACE TOWLE’S BOOKS HEROES OF HISTORY. 6 volumes. The Voyages and Adventures of Vasco da Gama. By Greorce M. Tow e. Illustrated. $1.25. The subject of this work was in his own day more famous than Columbus. His discovery of the way to India around the Cape of Good Hope was one of the most momentous ever made by man; for up to the time the Suez Canal was Bpened it was the only sea route between Europe and India. His story is full of striking incidents, of strange adventures, of desperate dangers, and of moving triumphs, . Pizarro: His Apventures anp Conquests. By GzorGE M. Towte. [llustrated. $1.25. Pizarro was heroic in the indomitable energy with which he pursued his end, in the patience with which he bore terrible hardships, in ihe courage with which he assailed a great empire with a mere handful of resolute troops, and in the vigor and genius with which he established the Spanish rule over the conquered nation. Magellan; or, THE First VoyaGE ROUND THE WorLp. By Grorce M. Tow e. Illustrated. $1.25. As Vasco da Gama found the water-way to Asia around the Cape of Good Hope, so Magellan, a little more than twenty years after, discovered the route to the same continent by sailing westward an passing through the stormy straits which perpetuate his name and renown. The story of his famous expedition comprises one of the most thrilling portions of the world’s history. Marco Polo: His Travers anp ApvenTuRES. By GreorGE M. Tow e. Illustrated. $1.25. In this volume the old narrative of ‘‘ Marco Polo”? is transformed into an interesting story, and we follow the young Venetian of the thirteenth century as he journeys among the fierce tribes of Asia and Abyssinia. We see him at the Tartar court of Kublai Khan, where he rose to distinction. We see him after his return engaged in the war between Venice and Genoa, and find him a prisoner in the latter city, where he dictated his wonderful narrative. The scenes and incidents in which he was the leading actor are dramatic and thrilling. Ralegh: His ExpLoirs anp VoyaGEs. By Grorce M. TowLe. Illustrated. $1.25. A well-known and brilliant figure at the court of Elizabeth, an undaunted explorer and soldier, a scholar and historian, and a poet with the verve and directness of that age,—the career of such a man could not fail to be invested with interest by the accomplished author of this series. Drake, tHE SEa-Kinc or Devon. By Georce M. Tow e. Illustrated. $1.25. Sir Francis Drake, as is well known, was the leading naval captain under the reign of Elizabeth, and was chief among the destroyers of the Spanish Armada. Loose notions prevailed in that age, and Drake’s exploits in plunder- ing foreign vessels differed little from piracy. He was safe, however, so long ashe shared his plunder with his royal mistress and her friends. He was the first English admiral to sail a ship completely around the globe. The book is full of adventures spiritedly told. Heroes and Martyrs of Invention. By Grorce M. TowLe. Illustrated. $1.00. Mr. Tow e's book will be fascinating to young people who have not yet made the acquaintance of the heroes of the age of industry, nor learned that the battles of life are fought with many weapons besides the cross-bow, the sword, and the cannon. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE. 34 OLIVER OPTIC’S BOOKS All-Over-the-World Series. By O river Optic. First Series. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.25. 1. A Missing Million ; or, THe ADVENTURES OF LouIS BELGRAVE. 2. A Millionnaire at Sixteen ; or, THE CRUISE OF THE GUARDIAN MOTHER. 3. A Young Knight Errant: or, CRUISING IN THE WEST INDIES.. 4, Strange Sights Abroad; oR, ADVENTURES IN EUROPEAN WATERS. All-Over-the-World Series. By Oriver Optic. Second Series. Illustrated. Price per volume, $1.25. 1. American Boys Afloat; or, CRUISING IN THE ORIENT. 2 The Young Navigators; or, THE FOREIGN CRUISE OF THE “ MAuD.” Louis is a fine young fellow with good principles. But he does not have entirely smooth sailing. In the first place, there was a rascally stepfather whom he had to’subjugate, a dear mother to protect and care for, and the miss- ing million to find before he could commence his delightful travels. All was accomplished at last, and there was plenty of excitement in the doing of them. The cover design shows many things, —a globe, the Eiffel Tower, mountains, seas, rivers, castles, and other things which Louis saw on his travels. (Other volumes in preparation.) Young America Abroad: A Lisrary or TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE IN ForzeIGN Lanps. By OLIvER Optic. Illus- trated by Nast and others. First Series. Six volumes. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. 1. Outward Bound; or, YounG AMERICA AFLOAT. 2. Shamrock and Thistle; or, YoUNG AMERICA IN IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. 3. Red Cross; or, YouUNG AMERICA IN ENGLAND AND WALES. 4, Dikes and Ditches; or, YouNG AMERICA IN HOLLAND AND BELGIUM. 5. Palace and Cottage; or, YOUNG AMERICA IN FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND. 6. Down the Rhine; or, YOUNG AMERICA IN GERMANY. ‘‘The story from its inception, and through the twelve volumes (see Second Series), is a bewitching one, while the information imparted concerning the countries of Europe and the isles of the sea is not only correct in every particu- lar, but is told in a captivating style. O1tver Optic will continue to be the boys’ friend, and his pleasant books will continue to be read by thousands of American boys. What a fine holiday present either or both series of ‘ Young America Abroad’ would be for a young friend! It would make a little library highly prized by the recipient, and would not be an expensive one.” —Provi- dence Press. Young America Abroad. By Ouiver Optic. Second Series. Six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. 1. Up the Baltic; or, YouNG AMERICA IN Norway, SWEDEN, AND DENMARK. 2. Northern Lands; or, YouNG AMERICA IN RUSSIA AND Prussia. 3. Cross and Crescent; or, YOUNG AMERICA IN TURKEY AND GREECE. 4, Sunny Shores; or, YoUNG AMERICA IN ITALY AND AUSTRIA. 5. Vine and Olive; or, YOUNG AMERICA IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. G. Isles of the Sea; or, YoUNG AMEKICA HOMEWARD Bounp. “OLivEeR Optic is a nom de plume that is known and loved by almost eve boy of intelligence in the land. We have seen a highly intellectual and world- weary man, a cynic whose heart was somewhat embittered by its large experi- ence of human nature, take up one of OL1vER Optic’s books, and read it ata sitting, neglecting his work in yielding to the fascination of the pages. When amature and exceedingly well-informed mind, long despoiled of all its fresh- ness, can thus find pleasure in a book for boys, no additional words of recom- mendation are needed.” —Sunday Times. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE. OLIVER OPTIC’S BOOKS 35 The Blue and the Gray Series. By Oriver Opric. Six volumes. Illustrated. Beautiful binding in blue and gray, with emblematic dies. Cloth. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. 1. Taken by the Enemy. 4. Stand by the Union, 2. Within the Enemy’s Lines, 5. Fighting for the Right. 3. On the Blockade, 6. A Victorious Union. “There never has been a more interesting writer in the field of juvenile literature than Mr. W. T. Abas, who, under his well-known pseudonym, is known and admired by every boy and girl in the country, and by thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of youth, yet who remember with pleasure the genial, interesting pen that did so much to interest, instruct, and entertain their younger years. ‘The Blue und the Gray’ is a title that is suf- ficiently indicative of the nature and spirit of the latest series, while the name of OLIVER Optic is sufficient warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. This series is as be and entertaining as any work that Mr. ADams has yet put forth, and will be as eagerly perused as any that has borne his name. It would not be fair to the prospective reader to deprive him of the zest which comes from the unexpected by entering into a synopsis of the story. A word, how- ever, should be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of the binding, which makes it a most attractive volume.” — Boston Budget. Woodville Stories. By Otiver Optic. Six volumes. Illus- trated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. 1. Rich and Humble; or, THE Mission oF BERTHA GRANT. 2. In School and Out; or, THe CoNQuEST oF RICHARD GRANT. 3. Watch and Wait; or, THE YounG FuGitives. 4. Work and Win; or, Noppy NEWMAN ON A CRUISE. 5. Hope and Have; or, FANNY GRANT AMONG THE INDIANS 6. Haste and Waste; or, THE YouncG PILotT oF Lake CHAMPLAIN. ‘Though we are not so young as we once were, we relished these stories almost as much as the boys and girls for whom they were written. ‘They were really refreshing, even to us. There is much in them which is calculated to inspire a generous, healthy ambition, and to make distasteful all reading tend- ing to stimulate base desires.” — Fitchburg Reveille. The Starry Flag Series. By Otiver Optic. In six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. . The Starry Flag; or, THE YouNG FISHERMAN oF CAPE ANN. . Breaking Away; ork, THE ForruNnes OF A STUDENT. . Seek and Find; or, THE ADVENTURES OF A SmarT Boy. . Freaks of Fortune; or, HALF ROUND THE WoRLD. . Make or Break; or, THE RicH Man’s DAUGHTER. 6. Down the River; or, BucK BRADFORD AND THE TYRANTS. “Mr. Apams, the celebrated and popular writer, familiarly known as OLIVER Optic, seems to have inexhaustible funds for weaving together the virtues of life; and, notwithstanding he has written scores of books, the same freshness and novelty run through them all. Some people think the sensational element predominates. Perhaps it does. Buta book for young people needs this, and so long as good sentiments are inculcated such books ought to be read.” Just His Luck. By Otiver Optic. Illustrated. $1.00. “Tt deals with real flesh and blood boys; with hoys who possess many noble qualities of mind; with boys of generous impulses and large hearts; with boys who delight in playing pranks, and who are ever ready for any sort of mischief; and with boys in whom human nature is strongly engrafted, They are boys, as many of us have been; boys in the true, unvarnished sense of the word; boys with hopes, ideas, and inspirations, but lacking in judgment, self-control, and discipline. And the book contains an appropriate moral, teaches man lesson, and presents many a precept worthy of being followed. It is a capital book for boys.” LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE. OU Oo 0 36 OLIVER OPTIC’S BOOKS The Great Western Series. By Oriver Optic. In six vol- umes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. . 1. Going West; or, THE PERILS or a Poor Bor. 2. Out West; or, ROUGHING IT ON THE GREAT LAKES. 3. Lake Breezes; or, THE CRUISE OF THE SYLVANIA. 4. Going South; or, YACHTING ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. 5. Down South; or, YACHT ADVENTURES IN FLORIDA. 6. Up the River; or, YACHTING ON THE MISSISSIPPI. ““This is the latest series of books issued by this popular writer, and deals with life on the Great Lakes, for which a careful study was made by the author in a summer tour of the immense water sources of America. The story, which carries the same hero through the six books of the series, is always entertain- ing, navel scenes and varied incidents giving a constantly changing yet always attractive aspect to the narrative. OLIVER Optic has written nothing better.” The Yacht Club Series. By Oriver Optic. In six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. 1. Little Bobtail; or, THE WRECK OF THE PENOBSCOT. 2. The Yacht Club; or, THE Youne Boar BuiLpeErs. 3. Money-Maker; or, THE VICTORY OF THE BASILISK. 4. The Coming Wave; or, THE TREASURE OF H1GH Rock. 5. The Dorcas Club; or, Our GirLs AFLoaT. 6. Ocean Born; or, THE CRUISE OF THE CLUBS. “‘ The series has this peculiarity, that all of its constituent volumes are inde- pendent of one another, and therelore each story is complete in itself. OLIVER Optic is, perhaps, the favorite author of the boys and girls of this country, and he seems destined to enjoy an endless popularity. Ihe deserves his success, for he makes very interesting stories, and inculcates none but the best senti- ments, and the ‘Yacht Club’ is no exception to this rule.”’’— New Haven Fournal and Courier. Onward and Upward Series. By Otiver Optic. In six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. 1. Field and Forest; or, THE ForTUNES OF A FARMER. 2. Plane and Plank; or, Tue Misuars oF A MECHANIC. 3. Desk and Debit; or, THE CATASTROPHES OF A CLERK. 4. Cringle and Crosstree; or, THE SEA SWASHES OF A SAILOR. 5. Bivouac and Battle; or, THE STRUGGLES OF A SOLDIER. 6. Sea and Shore; or, THE TRAMPS OF A TRAVELLER. ‘Paul Farringford, the hero of these tales, is, like most of this author's heroes, a young man of high spirit, and of high aims and correct principles, appearing in the different volumes as a fariner, a captain, a Deokhecnt rs a soldier, a sailor, and a traveller. In all of them the hero meets with very exciting adventures, told in the graphic style for which the author is famous.” The Lake Shore Series. By Ottver Optic. In six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. 1. Through by Daylight; or, THz Younc ENGINEER oF THE LAKE SHORE RAILROAD. . 2. Lightning Express; or, Tue RivAL ACADEMIES, 3. On Time; or, THE YouNG CAPTAIN OF THE UCAYGA STEAMER, 4. Switch Off; or, THE War oF THE STUDENTS. 5. Brake Up; or, THE YounG PEACEMAKERS. 6. Bear and Forbear; or, THE YOUNG SKIPPER OF LAKE UCayGA. “ OLtveR Optic is one of the most fascinating writers for youth, and withal one of the best to be found in this or any past age. Troops of young people hang over his vivid pages; and not one of them ever learned to be mean, ignoble, cowardly, selfish, or to yield to any vice from anything they ever read frem his pen.” — Providence Press. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE, OLIVER OPTIC’S BOOKS 37 Army and Navy Stories. By Ottver Opric. Six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.50. 1. The Soldier Boy; or, Tom SoMERsS IN THE ARMY. 2. The Sailor Boy; or, Jack SOMERS IN THE Navy. 3. The Young Lieutenant; or, ADVENTURES OF AN ARMY OFFICER. 4. The Yankee Middy; or, ADvENTURES OF A Navy OFFICER, 5. Fighting Joe; or, THE FortTuNES OF A STAFF OFFICER. 6. Brave Old Sait; or, Lire on THE QuakrTER DECK. “This series of six volumes recounts the adventures of two brothers, Tom and Jack Somers, one in the army, the other in the navy, in the great Civil War. The romantic narratives of the fortunes and exploits of the brothers are thrill- ing in the extreme. Ilistorical accuracy in the recital of the great events of that period is strictly followed, and the result is, not only a library of entertain- fan volumes, but also the best history of the Civil War for young people ever written. Boat Builders Series. By Otiver Optic. In six volumes. Illustrated. Any volume sold separately. Price per volume, $1.25. . All Adrift; or, Tuz GoLpDWwINncG CLuB. . Snug Harbor; or, THE CHAMPLAIN MECHANICS. . Square and Compasses; oR, BUILDING THE HOUSE. . Stem to Stern; or, BUILDING THE Boat. . All Taut; or, RIGGING THE Boat. 6. Ready About; or, SAILING THE Boat. ‘The series includes in six successive volumes the whole art of boat building, boat rigging, boat manaying, and practical hints to make the ownership of a boat pay. great deal of useful information is given in this Boat Builders Series, and in 2ach book a very interesting story is interwoven with the infor- mation. Every reader will be interested at once in Dory, the hero of ‘All Adrift,’ and one of the characters retained in the subsequent volumes of the series. His friends will not want to lose sight of him, and every hoy who makes his acquaintance in ‘ All Adrift’ will become his friend.” Riverdale Story Books. By O iver Optic. Twelve vol- umes. Illustrated. Illuminated covers. Price: cloth, per set, $3.60; per volume, 30 cents; paper, per set, $2.00. CU 09 20 et 1. Little Merchant. %. Proud and Lazy. 2. Young Voyagers. 8. Careless Kate. 3. Christmas Gift. 9. Robinson Crusoe, Jr. 4. Dolly and I. 10. The Picnic Party. 5. Uncle Ben. 11. The Gold Thimble. 6. Birthday Party. 12. The Do-Somethings. Riverdale Story Books. By Otiver Optic. Six volumes. Illustrated. Fancy cloth and colors. Price per volume, 30 cents. 1. Little Merchant. 4. Careless Kate. 2. Proud and Lazy. 5. Dolly and I. 3. Young Voyagers. 6. Robinson Crusoe, Jr. Flora Lee Library. By Otiver Optic. Six volumes. Illus- trated. Fancy cloth and colors. Price per volume, 30 cents. 1. The Picnic Party. 4. Christmas Gift. 2. The Gold Thimble. 5. Uncle Ben. 3. The Do-Somethings. 6. Birthday Party. These are bright short stories for younger children who are unable to com- prehend the Starry Vlag Series or the army and Navy Series. But they all display the author’s talent for pleasing and interesting the little folks, They are all fresh and original, preaching no sermons, but inculcating good lessons. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE, LEE AND SHEPARD’S ILLUSTRATED JUVENILES 39 J. T. TROWBRIDGE’S BOOKS The Fortunes of Toby Trafford. By J. T. TRowsripce. Illustrated. $1.25. ‘If to make children’s stories as true to nature as the stories which the masters of fiction write for children of a larger growth be an uncommon achievement, and one that is worthy of wide recognition, that recognition should be given to Mr. J. T. TrRowsripGe for his many achievements in this difficult walk of literary art. Mr. TRowBx1nGE has a good perception of char- acter, which he draws with skill; he has abundance of invention, which he never abuses; and he has, what so many American writers have not, an easy, graccful style, which can be humorous, or pathetic, or poetic.” — A. H. Stoddard in New York Mail. THE START IN LIFE SERIES. 4 volumes. A Start in Life: A Story or tHE GeNEesEE CounTRy. By J. T. TRowBrivcE. Illustrated. $1.00. In this story the author recounts the Sele > of a young lad in his first endeavor to start out for himself. It is a tale that is full of enthusiasm and budding hopes. The writer shows how hard the youths of a century ago were compelled to work. This he does in an entertaining way, mingling fun and adventures with their daily labors. The hero is a striking example of the honest boy, who is not too lazy to work, nor too dull to thoroughly appreciate a joke. Biding His Time. By J. T.Trowsripce. Illustrated. $1.00. “It is full of spirit and adventure, and presents a plucky hero who was willing to ‘bide his time,’ no matter how great the expectations that he indulged in from his uncle’s vast wealth, which fe did not in the least covet. .. . He was left a poor ones in Ohio at seventeen years of age, and soon after heard of a rich uncle, who lived near Boston, He sets off on the long journey to Boston, finds his uncle, an eccentric old man, is hospitably received by him, but seeks employment in a humble way, and proves that he is a persevering and plucky young man.” — Boston Home Fournal. The Kelp Gatherers: A Story or THE MAINE Coast. By J. T. TRowsripGE. Illustrated. $1.00. This book is full of interesting information upon the plant life of the sea- shore, and the life of marine animals; but it is also a bright and readable story, with all the hints of character and the vicissitudes of human life, in depicting which the author is an acknowledged master. The Scarlet Tanager, anp Oruer Bipeps. By J. T. TROWBRIDGE. Illustrated. $1.00. Every new Soy eh Mr. TRowsribDGE begins is followed through succes- sive chapters by thousands who have read and re-read many times his preceding tales. One of his greatest charms is his absolute truthfulness. He does not depict little saints, or jncoriginlé rascals, but just boys. his same fidelity to nature is seen in his latest book, “The Scarlet Tanager, and Other Bipeds.” There is enough adventure in this tale to commend it to the liveliest reader, and all the lessons it teaches are wholesome. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE, 40 J. T. TROWBRIDGE’S BOOKS THE TIDE-MILL STORIES. 6 volumes. Phil ane His Friends. By J. T. Trowsrince. Illustrated. 1.25. The hero is the son of a man who from drink got into debt, and, after having given a paper to a creditor authorizing him to keep the son as a security for is claim, ran away, leaving poor Phil a bond slave. The story involves a great many unexpected incidents, some of which are painful, and some comic. Phil mantully works for a year, cancelling: his father’s debt, and then escapes. ‘The characters are strongly drawn, and the story is absorbingly interesting. The Tinkham Brothers’ Tide-Mill. By J. T. Trowsrivce. Illustrated. $1.25. ‘The Tinkham Brothers ’’ were the devoted sons of an invalid mother. The story tells how they purchased a tide-mill, which afterwards, by the ill-will and obstinacy of neighbers, became a source of much trouble to them. It tells also how, by discretion and the exercise of a peaceable spirit, they at last overcame all difficulties. “Mr. TROWBRIDGE’s humor, his fidelity to nature, and story-telling power lose nothing with years; and he stands at the head of those who are furnishin a literature for the young, clean and sweet in tone, and always of interest an value.”? — The Continent. The Satin-wood Box. By J. T. TRowsripG_e. Illustrated. $1.25. ‘“* Mr. TROWBRIDGE has always a purpose in his writings, and this time he. has undertaken to show how very near an innocent boy can come to the guilty edge and yet be able by fortunate circumstances to rid himself of all suspicion of evil. There is something winsome about the hero; but he has a singular way of falling into bad luck, although the careful reader will never feel the least disposed to doubt his honesty... . It is the pain aug Pepin y which impart to the story its intense interest.” — Syracuse Standard. The Little Master. By J. T. TrowsripcE. Illustrated. $1.25. This is the story of a schoolmaster, his trials, disappointments, and final victory. It will recall to many a man his experience in teaching pupils, and in managing their opinionated and self-willed parents. The story has the charm which is always found in Mr, TRowBRIDGE’s works. «Many a teacher could profit by reading of this plucky little schoolmaster.” — Fournal of Education. His One Fault. By J. T. Trowsripce. Illustrated. $1.25. **As for the hero of this story, ‘His One Fault’ was absent-mindedness. He forgot to lock his uncle’s stable door, and the horse was stolen. In seeking to recover the stolen horse, he unintentionally stole another. In trying to restore the.wrong horse to his rightful owner, he was himself arrested. After no end of comic and dolorous adventures, he surmounted all his misfortunes by down- right pluck and genuine good feeling. It is a noble contribution to juvenile literature.’ —Woman’s Fournal. Peter Budstone. By J. T. TRowsripce. Illustrated. $1.25. “ TROWBRIDGE’s other books have been admirable and deservedly popular, but this one, in our opinion, is the best yet. It is a story at once spirited and touching, with a certain dramatic and artistic quality that appeals to the literary sense as well as to the story-loving appetite. In it Mr. TRowBRIDGE has not lectured or moralized or remonstrated; he has sabi shown boys what they are doing when they contemplate hazing. By a good artistic impulse we are not sown the hazing atall; when the story begins, the hazing is already over, and we are introduced immediately to the results, It is an artistic touch also that the boy injured is not hurt because he is a fellow of delicate nerves, but be- cause of his very strength, and the power with which he resisted until overcome by numbers, and subjected to treatment which left him insane. His insanit takes the form of harmless delusion, and the absurdity of his ways and talk enables the author to lighten the sombreness without weakening the moral, in a way that ought to win all boys to his side.” — The Critic. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE, J. T. TROWBRIDGE’S BOOKS 41 THE SILVER MEDAL STORIES. 6 volumes. The Silver Medal, ann Otuer Stories. By J. T. Trow- BRIDGE. Illustrated. $1.25. There were some schoolboys who had turned housebreakers, and among their plunder was a silver medal that had been given to one John Harrison by the Humane Society for rescuing from drowning a certain Benton Barry. Now Benton Barry was one of the wretched housebreakers. This is the summary of the opening chapter. The story is intensely interesting in its serious as well as its humorous parts. His Own Master. By J. T. Trowsripce. Illustrated. $1.25. “This is a book after the typical boy’s own heart. Its hero is a plucky young fellow, who, seeing no chance for himself at home, determines to make his own way in the world. . . . He sets out accordingly, trudges to the far West, and finds the road to fortune an unpleasantly rough one.” —Philadelphia Inqutrer. “We class this as one of the best stories for boys we ever read. The tone is perfectly healthy, and the interest is kept up to the end.”’— Boston Home Fournal. Bound in Honor, By J. T. Trowsripce. Illustrated. $1.25. This story is of a lad, who, though not guilty of any bad action, had been an ee of the conduct of his comrades, and felt ‘‘ Bound in Honor’? not to tell. ‘‘The glimpses we get of New England character are free from any distor- tion, and their humorous phases are always entertaining. Mr. TROWSRIDGE’S brilliant descriptive faculty is shown to great advantage in the opening chapter of the book by a vivid picture of a village fire, and is manifested elsewhere with equally telling effect.””— Boston Courier. The Pocket Rifle. By J. T. TRowsripncGe. Illustrated. $1.25. “A boy’s story which will be read with avidity, as it ought to be, it is so brightly and frankly written, and with such evident knowledge of the tempera- ments and habits, the friendships and enmities of schoolboys.” — Mew York Mail. “This is a capital story for boys. TRowsRIDGE never tells a story poorly It teaches honesty, integrity, and friendship, and how best they can be pro- moted. It shows the danger of hasty judgment and circumstantial evidence; that right-doing pays, and dishonesty never.’’— Chicago Inter-Ocean. The Jolly Rover. By J. T. TRowsripce. Illustrated. $1.25. “This book will help to neutralize the ill effects of any poison which children may have swallowed in the way of sham-adventurous stories and wildly fictitious tales. ‘The Jolly Rover’ runs away from home, and meets life as it is, till he is glad enough to seek again his father’s house. Mr. TROWBRIDGE has the power of making an instructive story absorbing in its interest, and of covering a moral so that it is easy to take.” — Christian Intelligencer. Young Joe, anp OtuerR Boys. By J. T. TRowsripceE. Illus- trated. $1.25. “ Young Joe,” who lived at Bass Cove, where he shot wild ducks, took some to town for'sale, and attracted the attention of a portly gentleman fond of shoot- ing. This gentleman went duck shooting with Joe, and their adventures were more amusing to the boy than to the amateur sportsman, There are thirteen other short stories in the book which will be sure to please the young folks. The Vagabonds: An ILtustraTEeD Porm. By J. T. Trow- BRIDGE. Cloth. $1.50. “The Vagabonds” are a strolling fiddler and his dog. The fiddler has been ruined by drink, and his monologue is one of the most pathetic and effective pieces in our literature. LEE AND SHEPARD, BOSTON, SEND THEIR COMPLETE CATALOGUE FREE.