Fishing in American Waters
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R-Mgi''j{j:;^A^?ifi>;^.:'L%'^J>--.'>'J^',: ffi.'^irfc^jiC-i:; SH -(^43 ALBERT R. MANN -. , LIBRARY New York State Colleges OF Agriculture and Home Economics Cornell University Cornell University Library SH 463.S42 Fishing in American waters. 3 1924 003 433 640 M Cornell University S Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003433640 I : FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS Bt genio c. soott. iVITH ONE HUNDRED AND' SEVENTY ILLUSTRATIONS. * Give me, Great Father, give me strength, and health, A Hberal heart, affections kind and free My rod—my line—be these my pride, my wealth ! They yield me present joys—they draw my soul to Thee.' NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FEANKLIN 8 QUA «^9- 180852 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 18 69, by Gbnio C. Scott, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. TO THE AMERICA! ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OP FISH, GAME, AND BIRDS OF SONG, THIS BOOK IS EESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. As it might not be deemed kind in me to inflict upon the reader my thousand reasons for writing and illustrating this book with pencil sketches copied from life, 1 will therefore merely state that my experience of many years in the prac- tice of the gentle art, which has led me through so many scenes of beauty and loveliness, has made , me wish that all the world might learn the enjoyment conferred by the practice of angling. .1 have endeavored to portray the recreations of the an- gler in America, with his implements and his game ; add- ing a small tribute to the temperate and industrious class of men who follow for a livelihood the hazardous business of fishing on the broad seas. An outline of the progress of fish-cultiu'e in Europe and America is also given, with pencil sketches illustrative of the art of hatching and rearing fishes, including stairs and fish-passes for enabling fishes to surmomit mill-dams and falls. The fishes of our coast and estuaries, and' the peculiar methods adopted for their capture, form not only a sealed book to Europeans, but to those anglers in America also who confine their . recreartions to fresh-water attractions. Each game fish affords a distinct interest, with peculiarities worth studying. My sketches may lack artistic finish, but possess the merit of correct outline; and in the words of Raphael, " The outline is the picture." The reader may be assured that fishing, whether for recreation or gain, entices its vo- taries to imexplored sources of revenue and pleasure. : ^dii Preface. I am under compliment to the following gentlemen Francis Francis, of "The Field," author of "Fish-cul- tui'e," and " A Book on Angling," has contributed valuable suggestions, which I am pleased to acknowledge. Isaac M'Lellan. To this accomplished poet I am in- debted for contributing original verses to head my descrip- tions of several among our most important fishes. Thomas Tod Stoddart, whose " Angler's Companion" has aiforded me both information and pleasure. Emile Blanchard, Member of the Institute and Professor of ISIatm-al History, Paris. James Rennie, M.A., Professor of Zoology, King's Col- lege, London. Walter Brackett, Artistj Boston, contributed the Brook Trout and Whitefish. J. B. Steams, BrookljTi, E. J). Frontispiece of a Striped Bass, photographed from a picture painted by him. Seth Green, Mumford, N. Y. Fish-culture. Stephen H. Ainsworth, West Bloomfield, N". Y. Natural Spawning Race. Middleton, Carman, & Co., Fulton Market. Statistics of Fishes. Gilbert Comstock, Fiilton Market — wholesale depart- ment. Fisheries Statistics. Andrew Clerk & Co., Maiden Lane. Samples of supe- rior FHes and Split Bamboo Rods. Pritchard Brothers, Fulton Street. Artificial Flies and fine Bass-reel. Mr. M'Bride, Mumford, X. Y. Fine Trout-flies and Stained Gut Lines. ' John Shields, Brookline, Mass. Specimens of excellent Trout-flies. CONTENTS.' PART I. COAST AND ESTUAET FISHING WITH ROD AND LINE. CHAPTER I. Section I. General Characterization of Fishes II. Prerequisites for Fishing III. General Habits and Senses of Fishes IV. On Vision in Fishes V. On Taste in Fishes VI. On Smell in Fishes VII. On Hearing in Fishes . CHAPTEE II. I. Fecundity of Fishes 11. Voracity of Fishes III. Times of Feeding and Haunts of Fishes CHAPTER III. I. Coast and Estuaiy Fishes '. II. Angling for Striped Bass III. Trolling in HeU Gate IV. StiU-baiting for Bass V. Casting-bait for Striped Bass VI. Angling at the Bassing Clubs CHAPTER IV. I. Weakfish or Squeteague II. Southern Sea Trout III. Sheepshead IV. Angling for Sheepshead.... V. The Kingfish the Golden Mullet, 100 ; the VI. The Hogfish, 98 ; the Grunter, 99 ; • Spearing, 103 the White Perch, 101 ; the Smelt, 102 ; the ; Caplin VII. The Sea Bass, 106; the Porgee Rockfish, 111 the Tautog or VIII. The Family of the Wrasses or ; Blackfish, 113; the Flounder IX. TheBluefish ; X Contents. Section * X. The Spanish Mackerel XI. The Bonetta or Bonita XII. The Cero, Cerus, or Sierra, 134 ; the Horse Mackerel., PART II. FRESH-WATEE PISHING WITH FLY AND BAIT. CHAPTER I. I. The Poetry of Angling II. The Brook Trout III. Fly-fishing for Trout, 154 ; Modern Splice for Ply-rods CHAPTER II. I. Fly-fishing on Massapiqua Lake II. How to Fish a Stream III. Knots, Loops, and Drops, 166 ; how to Stain Silk-worm Gut, 170 Trout-reels, 172 ; Ply-rods, 173 ; Landing-nets, 173 ; Trout- basket, 174 ; Bait-box, 174 ; Straightening Casting-lines, 17,'j Natural and Artificial Trout-flies CHAPTER IIL I. Middle Dam Camp II. Select Artificial Trout-fiies, 184 ; Round Bend Ply-hooks, 185 ; Fish-hook Philosophy in. Bait-fishing for Trout CHAPTER IV. I. Lesson by Josh Billings, 191 ; the Ardent Angler II. Angling for Children CHAPTER V. L The Salmon II. Outfit for Salmon-fishing III. Departure for Salmon-fishing, 215; our Start up the St. John. ... IV. The Encampment ,. V. Camping in the Wilderness, 228 ; a Morning's Experience VI. History and Rumination VII. Jolly Sport on Rattling Run Vin. Fly-fishing below the Falls IX. Thoughts of returning Homeward X. The Silver or Sea Trout, 255 ; the White Trout, 258 ; the Win- ninish, 260 ; Red Trout of Long Lake, 262 ; Trout of Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, 263 ; the Mackinaw Trout XI. American Pickerel or Pike, 266 ; Skittering for Pickerel among the Lily-pads, 270 ; Still-baiting for Pickerel Contents. CHAPTER VI. I. Trolling among the Thousand Islands II. The Maskinonge III. The Black Bass, 280 ; the Oswego Bass, 282 ; the Black Bass of the South, 284 ; the Spotted Bass or Speckled Hen, 285 ; Rook Bass of the Lakes IV. The Sunfish, 286 ; the Perch, 287 ; the Glass-eyed or Wall-eyed Pike, 288 ; the Whitefish, 290 ; the Lake Herring, 291 ; the Cis- co or Ciscoquette, 292; the Shiner v. Bait-can and Baits, 294 ; Spinning-baits, 295 ; Hackett's Spinning- tackle, 296 ; Haskell's TroUing-bait, 297 ; the PropeUing Min- now, 298 ; Buel's Patent Feather Troll, 299 ; Spinning Tackle for Live Baits, 299 ; Spoon Victuals for Long-6nouts, 302 ; Troll- - - ing Weather and Baits, 303 ; Fish hooks, 304 ; Salmon flies, 306 ; Fly-dressing, 308 ; Mounting Salmon-hooks, 310 ; the Pon- derating Sinker PART III. COMMERCIAL FISHERIES. CHAPTER L Lake Fisheries CHAPTER IL COAST nSHBS AND FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. I. The Mackerel IL The Shad '. III. The Mossbunker or Menhaden, 326 ; Menhaden for Bait—Frozen Herrings.. IV. The Codfish—Catching and Curing it CHAPTER IIL Whale Fishing, 332 ; the Striped Red Mullet CHAPTER IV. Salt-water Fisheries, 339 ; the Chesapeake Bay Fishery, 342 ; Findon Haddocks, 342 ; Preserving Food-fishes Fresh # PART IV. ANCIENT AND MODERN PISH-CULTURE. CHAPTER L The Art among the Ancients — xii Contents. , . CHAPTER II. bection Fish-culture in Europe in Early Times CHAPTER III. Fish-culture of this Century CHAPTER IV. Xatnral History of the Salmon, .367 ; Development of the Salmon CHAPTER V. I. Fish Propagation assisted by Art, 378 ; best Water for hatching Salmon, 382 ; special Directions about preparing Spawning-boxes, 386 ; securing the Ova of a Salmon, 387 ; Mr. GUlone's Process of propagating Trout and Salmon, 388 ; Care in obtaining Fecun- dated Spawn, 390 ; a, simple Process for preparing a Spawning- bed, 392 ; feeding young Trout or Salmon, 392 ; stocking old Ponds with Trout II. Ainsworth's Race and Screens, 397 ; Funnan's natural Hatching " Race, 401 ; General Directions" by Seth Green, 403 ; every Farmer should have a, Trout Presen-e, 405 ; General Observa- tions CHAPTER VI. Sahnon Passes, Ladders, etc PART V. A GLIMPSE OP ICHTHYOLOGY. CHAPTER I. I. First Class of Fishes—Spine-rayed bony Fishes, 424 ; Second Class of Fishes—Soft-rayed bony Fishes, 428 ; Third Class of Fishes Cartilaginous Fishes II. The common Eel, 436 ; the Lamprey, 437 ; queer Fishes III. Fishes for acclimatizing in American Rivers APPEXDIX. 4 Cookery adapted to the Resources of Sportsmen in the Wilderness or on the Wave, 445 ; General Rules for Cooking, 458 ; Compounding Fancy Drinks, 460 ; General Remarks, 462 ; Noteworthy Items, 463 ; American Game-laws, 467 ; a AVord in Conclusion LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 1. Frontispiece.—The Striped Bass. U. Cero or Sierra 2. Title-page.—An Angler's Outfit. 45. Harpooning 3. First Families 17 46. Horse Mackerel 4. Egyptian Gentleman Fishing 20 47. Hahits of Fishes 6. Names of Fins 24 48. Poetry of Angling 6. Brain and Nerves of Fishes 26 49. Brook Trout T. Artificial Dragon-fly 30 50. A Poacher 8.