The recipe furnished by “Nessmuk,” one of the best old sportsmen that the country ever knew, is made as follows:
| Pine Tar | 3 oz. |
| Castor Oil | 2 oz. |
| Oil Pennyroyal | 1 oz. |
Simmer the tar and castor oil together; when well amalgamated add the oil of pennyroyal, and set to cool. It is well not to have the mixture too warm when the pennyroyal is added, because it may evaporate, and it is the real life of the mixture. Bottle and cork it tight. Use copiously and you will have no trouble with the pests of the woods. It is equally efficacious for black flies, mosquitoes or horse flies, and will do no injury to the skin. Please wash your hands, however, before you mix the bread.
CHAPTER IV
CLEANING FISH
The remarks that follow are intended for the novice in the Waltonian pursuit, rather than for the experienced angler or camper, the latter probably knowing from experience how to care for and dress his catch to his own satisfaction, and probably in a better manner than the writer; but for the benefit of the uninitiated I will attempt to describe what I consider, after several years’ experience in the sport of Uncle Izaak and the care of the results, the best methods of procedure.
One of the most important points to be considered is, What means shall we employ to insure our fish being in good condition on our arrival at camp or at the point where the catch is to be cleaned.
Fish-bag
The angler who fishes the stream can, of course, only put his fish in the creel, but if the sun is bright, a layer of damp moss will prevent the fish from drying, which is of the utmost importance. But to the boat fisher the ensuing remarks are of salient value. It has been my experience that if the boat used has not a fish-well built in it, it is best to use an open-mouthed knit fish bag, made of extra heavy cotton cord with an inch mesh, which can be hung over the shady side of the boat, thereby keeping the fish in their native element, and generally alive for a long time, away from the sun. This is of the utmost importance, as the sun has a very detrimental effect on the fish, oftentimes softening them so that dressing them in a presentable or skillful manner is out of the question. The result of this is generally more bones in the frying pan than fish.
