Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-03-22
TOILERS OF THE RIVER.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INLAND
 RIVER FISHERMEN.

Habits of People That Enjoy Life in
 and Out of Season-Somethins About
 the Methods of Catching Red Horse,
 Mud Cats and Buffaloes.
 When the SHOWS have melted off the mountains and the waters have become warmer; when the buds of the red stemmed water naples that line the banks of the rivers. and streams begin to swell: and when the warming influ- ence of the sun draws out the frost from the bluff sides, and the first spring land slips occur; then the river fishermen take up their work.
 They are not pushing, rushing, hur- rylng set of men-these fishermen: they are rather on the Waltonian or reflective style; they can drive a bargain as close as any one, but their sad lack of indus try keeps them poor. But jollier, more life enjoying people never lived. I call them people; they are a distinct class 2f men from their neighbors, even those of like ''sociaf' standing. In the winter they subsist on the little, the pitifully little provender laid by during the busy summer season, by basket making and chair bottoming. Some of them occupy themselves during the winter months in a kind of desultory congressional hunt ing. Rabbits, squirrels, quails, turtle doves, field larhs, ducks, geese, water chickens, coots, robins, sparrows and a variety of small birds, which, if known by their right name, would not be touched. but, served up fctitiously, are relished exceedingly, are the victims of these conscienceless hunters.
 HOOKING AND NETTING.
 But the principal occupation of this class of men is, as I have said before, fishing. They use what is called 'trot ine," and as most people are unfamiliar with such method of fishing will ex- plain. It consists of a long tar enameled cotton cord, about quarter of an inch in thickness, and it reaches across, or nearly across, the river. Dangling from 1t. at distance of yard or so apart, are short linen lines or linking. These are supplied with one or more hooks, each of varying sizes. One fisherman generally has four or five such lines, and with a dip net and catch net his outfit is complete. The dip net is fine meshed contrivance, with frame shaped like the letter D, the part of the frame core spending to the perpendicular stroke in the letter resting on the ground. The net is showed up the mouths of springs, creeks, branches, etc., and is designed to take in all crawfish, minnows and other unfortunate small fry which unluckily fall in the way. The catch net is an in- strument, with the use of which nearly every one is familiar.
 The best and favorite bait is small, tender crawfsh, or "craws," as they are called. These the giant red horse, the red tinged sun perch, the mud cats, the aoundering buffalo and their kindred of the finny tribe take with avidity. An other reason for the popular use of this article for bait is the fact that it cannot be nibbled off by the sundry minnows, charles and molly hogs that always in- fest baited grounds. Tad poles, bull frogs, molly hogs, rot guts, grubs, grass hoppers and eel meat all make very tempting bait.
 Some fish, as for instance the buffalo and the red horse, require a special line and special hook. The buffalo line is short and very strong, and is provided with specially made buffalo hooks. The red horse always swallows the bait, and hence it needs very slender hook. The fishermen, as a rule, are very expert in their profession.
 The hunter and trapper make wood craft fine art. They have the habits and peculiarities of the river designers. They know the singular traits of the black perch; have watched and studied the drum in all characteristic doings They listen, perhaps, with a pleasurable emotion to his weird yet realistic drum ming under the gliding keel of the yawl. They are naturalists in true sense of the word.
 FRESH WATER PEARLS.
 People who have dealings with coun- try storekeepers may have noticed statement on their letter heads, to the effect that they buy and sell fresh water pearls. The river fishermen are the men that collect this new article of con- merce. In some counties in the "back country" statistics show that the pearl ing industry has done moro to enrich certain counties than any other con- merce.
 The fishermen choose 8 mussel bed of the desired quality and then begin the work of opening mussels. The most favorable localities are generally in the neighborhood of fine sand and shallow water. The pearl is formed, according to the discovery of the river naturalists, by fine sand, working in between the glands of the mussel's biceps which pro- duces a secretion that ultimately results in pearl. A perfect pearl is smooth, opaque and hard. Their value depends upon their clearness and ''grain."
 The fisherman himself, however, is more worthy our attention. His optim- ism is ever topmost; his good nature and jollity are characteristic. Times may be hard with the bricklayer, the carpenter, and the farmer, and the markets are, always open for fish, and when an un- seasonable time comes, he knows of its coming, and can, if he wish, prepare for it.
 Sometimes you will find fisherman II. l.