,,fishing ,,with ,,the ,,fly ,by ,charles ,f4 ,orvis and ,others ,copyright #ahhc 8,together let us beat this ample field1 ,try what the open1 what the covert yield40 --,pope4 8,gentlemen1 let not prejudice prepossess you4 ,i confess my discourse is like to prove suitable to my recreation1 calm and quiet4 ,so much for the prologue of what ,i mean to say40--,izaac ,walton4 ,,fishing ,,with ,,the ,,fly4 ,,etchings ,,on ,a ,,salmon ,,stream4 ,by ,charles ,hallock ,i suppose that all that can be instructively written of the salmon has already been said4 ,the processes of natural and artificial propagation have become familiar to all who desire to learn2 the secrets of their periodical migrations--their advents and their absences--have been fathomed from the depths of ocean2 their form and beauty have been lined by the artist's brush1 and their flavor 7in cans7 is known to all the world where commerce spreads her wings4 ,and yet1 the subject always carries with it a perennial freshness and piquancy1 which is renewed with each recurring spring1 and enhanced by every utterance which attempts to make it vocal2 just as the heavenly choirs repeat the anthem of the constructed universe intoned to the music of the assenting spheres6 ,the enthusiasm which constantly invests it like a halo has not been dissipated or abated by the persistent pursuit of many centuries1 albeit the sentiments of to-day are but the rehearsal of the original inspiration1 and present knowledge the hereditary outcome of ancient germs4 ,all down the ages echo has answered echo1 and the sounding forks have transmitted orally the accented annals wherever the lordly salmon swims4 ,now1 hold rhapsody1 and let us look to the river6 ,do you mark the regal presence in yonder glinting pool1 upon which the sun flashes with an intensity which reveals the smallest pebble on the bottom8 ,nay8 ,you cannot see that salmon1 just there at the curl of the rapid8 ,nor his knightly retinue drawn up there abreast just behind him in supporting position8 ,then1 my friend1 you are indeed a novice on the river1 and the refraction of the solar rays upon its surface blinds your unaccustomed eyes4 ,well1 they do certainly look but shadows in the quiet pool1 so motionless and inanimate1 or but counterfeiting the swaying of the pensile rock-weeds of the middle stream4 ,what comfortable satisfaction or foreboding premonitions do you imagine possess the noble lord while he is taking his recuperative rest in the middle chamber1 after passing from his matriculation in the sea8 ,faith6 you can almost read his emotions in the slow pulsations of his pectoral fins1 and the inflection of his throbbing tail6 ,perhaps he shrinks from the barricade of rock and foam before him2 or hesitates to essay the royal arch above the gorge1 which reflects in prismatic hues of emblematic glory the mist and mysteries of the unattempted passage4 ,and his doughty squires around him2 do they share his misgivings1 or are they all royal bloods together1 sans peur sans reproche1 in scaled armiture of blue and silver1 eager to attain the land of promise and the ultimate degree of revelation8 ,ah6 the way is indeed beset with difficulties and crucial tests1 but its end is joy and the fulness of knowledge3 and 8knowledge is the beginning of life40 ,let us go nearer1 and with caution4 ,ha6 what flash was that across the pool1 so swift and sudden that it seemed to begin and end at once8 ,it sped like a silver arrow across the line of sight1 but it was not a silver arrow2 only the salmon on his route up stream1 at the rate of #ij miles per hour4 ,were it not for the obstructions of the cascades and the long rapids1 and perchance the wicked set-nets of the fishermen1 it would not take him long to accomplish his journey to the head of the stream1 and there prepare for the spawning-beds4 ,but were-the way to procreation made thus easy1 and should all the salmon of a season's hatching survive1 they would stock their native rivers so full in a couple of years that there would be no room for them4 ,so the sacrifice of life is necessary that life may continue4 ,strange the paradox6 ,i love to see the salmon leap in the sunlight on the first flood of a 8,june rise10 and ,i love to hear his splash in the darkness of the still night1 when the place where he jumped can be determined only by the sound1 unless perchance his break in the water disturbed the reflection of a star4 ,i have stood on heights afar off at the opening of the season1 ere my unconsecrated rod had chance to exercise its magic1 or my lips and feet to kiss the river1 and with the combined exhilaration of impatience1 desire1 and joy1 watched the incessant spirits of silvery spray until my chained and chafed spirit almost broke at the strain2 and ,i have lain on my couch at midnight sleepless and kept awake by the constant splash of the salmon leaps4 ,more interesting1 if not so stimulating1 is the leap of the salmon at obstructing falls1 with the air filled with dozens of darting1 tumbling1 and falling fish--the foam dashing and sparkling in the sun1 the air resonant with roar1 and damp with the ever-tossing spray4 ,nay1 more3 ,i have seen a fall whose breast was an unbroken sheet thirty feet perpendicular1 inclosed by lateral abutments of shelving crags which had been honey-combed by the churning of the water in time of flood2 and over these crags the side-flow of the falls ran in struggling rivulets1 filling up the holes and providing little reservoirs of temporary rest and refreshment for the running salmon2 and ,i have actually seen and caught with my hands a twelve-pound salmon which had worked its way nearly to the counterscarp of the topmost ledge in its almost successful effort to surmount a barrier so insuperable6 ,surely1 the example of such consummate pertinacity should teach men to laugh at average obstacles which stand in the pathway of their ambition6 ,i always become enthusiastic over the rugged grandeur of some ,canadian rivers with which ,i am familiar4 ,we have no such rivers in our own domain1 except on the ,pacific slope2 and except in parts of ,scotland and ,norway1 the streams of ,europe must be tame in comparison4 ,it is because so few of our own anglers have the experience to enable them to draw contrasts1 that they do not more appreciate the charm of salmon fishing4 ,even a vivid description fails to enforce the reality upon their comprehension1 and they remain listless and content with smaller game4 ,beyond the circumscribed horizon of grass-meadows and the mountain trout streams of ,new ,england and the ,blue ,ridge their vision does not reach4 ,there is a higher plane both of eminence and art4 ,opportunely for man's periodical proclivities1 nature has given to salmon and green peas a vernal flavor and adaptation to each other1 as well as to his desires1 so that1 when the spring comes around they act directly on his liver1 expelling all the effete accumulations of winter1 stimulating the action of the nerves and brain1 and imparting an irresistible desire to go a-fishing4 ,they oil the hinges of the tongue and keep it wagging until ,june4 ,when that auspicious1 leafy month arrives1 not all the cares of ,state will hold a ,president1 ,vice-,president1 or even a ,vice-,regent1 from taking his annual outing on the salmon streams4 ,representatives of royalty and representatives of republicanism join sympathies and hands4 ,the ,governor-,general of ,canada sails to his favorite river in a government vessel with her officers in full panoply of brass buttons and navy-blue4 ,the ,president of the ,united ,states abandons the well-worn star routes for more congenial by-paths4 ,wealthy ,americans in private yachts steam away to the tributaries of the ,st4 ,lawrence1 and clubs cross lines on their exclusive casting grounds4 ,the humbler citizen1 with more limited purse1 betakes his solitary way to the rehabilitated streams of ,maine1 enjoys fair sport1 and while he fishes1 thanks the indefatigable ,fish ,commissioners of the ,state for the good work which they have accomplished4 8,so everybody is happy1 and nobody left out2 and therefore so long as the season lasts--,hurrah for ,salmon and ,green ,peas1 and vive la ,salmo ,salar6 ,i may1 peradventure1 give you some instructions that may be of use even in your own rivers2 and shall bring you acquainted with more flies than ,father ,walton has taken notice of in his ,complete ,angler40--,charles ,cotton4 8,eh1 man6 what a conceit it is when ye reach a fine run on a warm spring mornin'1 the wuds hatchin' wi' birds1 an' dauds o' licht noos and thans glintin' on the water2 an' the water itsel' in trim order1 a wee doon1 after a nicht's spate1 and wi' a drap o' porter in't1 an' rowin' and bubblin' ower the big stanes1 curlin' into the linn and oot o't2 and you up tae the henches in a dark neuk whaur the fish canna see ye2 an' than to get a lang cast in the breeze that soughs in the bushes1 an' see yer flee licht in the verra place ye want1 quiet as a midge lichts on yer nose1 or a bumbee on a flower o' clover40--,norman ,mc,leod1 ,d4,d4 8,salmon fishing is confessedly the highest department in the school of angling40--,george ,dawson4 ,illustration3 #jjaf #a4 ,prince ,wm4 of ,orange4 #b4 ,butcher4 #c4 ,jock ,scott4 #d4 ,silver ,doctor4 #e4 ,fairy #f4 ,silver ,gray4 #g4 ,curtis4 8,the noblest of fish1 the mighty salmon1 refuses bait utterly1 and only with the most artistic tackle and the greatest skill can he be taken2 the trout1 which ranks second to the salmon1 demands an almost equal perfection of bait1 and in his true season1 the genial days of spring and summer1 scorns every allurement but the tempting fly4 ,the black bass prefers the fly1 but will take the trolling spoon1 and even bait1 at all seasons2 whereas the fish of lesser station give a preference to bait1 or accept it alone4 ,this order of precedence sufficiently proves what every thorough sportsman will endorse--that bait fishing1 although an art of intricacy and difficulty1 is altogether inferior to the science of fly fishing40--,robert ,b4 ,roosevelt4 8,sometimes a body may keep threshin' the water for a week without seein' a snout--and sometimes a bodyhyucks a fish at the very first thrau60--,christopher ,north4 8,salmon fishing is1 to all other kinds of angling1 as buck shooting to shooting of any meaner description4 ,the salmon is in this particular the king of fish4 ,it requires a dexterous hand and an accurate eye to raise and strike him2 and when this is achieved1 the sport is only begun1 where1 even in trout angling1 unless in case of an unusually lively and strong fish1 it is at once commenced and ended4 ,indeed the most sprightly trout that ever was hooked1 shows mere child's play in comparison to a fresh run salmon40--,sir ,walter ,scott4 8#8,i chose the largest fly ,i could find1' said the captain1 #8because the water here is very deep and strong2 and as the salmon lies near the bottom ,i must have a large fly to attract his attention2 but ,i must not have a gaudy fly1 because the water is so clear that the sparkle of the tinsel would be more glittering than anything in nature2 and the fish1 when he had risen and come near enough to distinguish it1 would be very apt to turn short4' 8#8,you have it now1 precisely1' said the parson2 #8the depth of the water regulates the size of the fly1 and the clearness of the water its colors4 ,this rule1 of course1 is not without exceptions2 if it were there would be no science in fishing4 ,the sun1 the wind1 the season1 the state of the atmosphere1 must also be taken into consideration2 for instance1 this rapid we are going to fish now1 is the very same water we have been fishing in below1 and therefore just as clear1 but it is rough1 and overhung by rocks and trees4 ,i mean therefore to put on a gayer fly than any we have used hitherto4'0--,rev4 ,henry ,newland4 8,i unhesitatingly assert that there is no single moment with horse or gun into which is concentrated such a thrill of hope1 fear1 expectation1 and exultation1 as that of the rise and successful striking of a heavy salmon4 ,i have seen men literally unable to stand1 or to hold their rod1 from sheer excitement40--,h4 ,choimondeley ,pennell4 ,,fly ,,casting ,,for ,,salmon4 ,by ,george ,dawson4 ,there is no essential difference between trout and salmon casting4 ,the same general principles apply to both1 and it only requires the careful application of the skill attained in #8the one to become equally expert in the other4 ,the difference is simply the difference in weight4 ,a twelve-foot trout rod weighs1 say1 eight ounces1 and an eighteen-foot salmon rod1 with reel1 weighs two or three times as much4 ,the one can be manipulated with one hand2 the other requires both4 ,with the one you ordinarily cast forty or fifty feet2 with the other sixty or eighty2 and with rods equally approximating perfection1 it is as easy to cast the eighty feet with the one as the forty feet with the other4 ,i do not mean to say that no more muscular exertion is required in the one case than in the other1 but simply that with such slight effort as is necessary with either1 it is as easy to place your fly where you wish it with the one rod as with the other4 ,no great muscular exertion is necessary to cast with either4 ,indeed1 the chief difficulty in casting is to get rid of the idea that a great deal of muscular effort is necessary to get out a long line4 ,that coveted result is not to be attained by mere muscle4 ,if you have a giant's strength you mustn't use it like a giant4 ,if you do you will never make a long or a graceful cast with either trout or salmon rod4 ,with both there must be only such strength used as is necessary to give the line a quick but not a snappy back movement--keeping up the motion evenly until the fly is placed where you desire it4 ,the most difficult attainment1 in both salmon and trout casting1 is to be able1 with instinctive accuracy1 to measure the distance traversed by the backward movement of your line4 ,if you begin the return too soon your line will snap and thereby endanger your fly2 if you are too tardy it will droop and thereby lose the continuity of tension indispensable to a graceful and effective forward movement4 ,this essential art can only be attained by practice4 ,some attain it readily2 others never2--just as some measure time in music with unerring accuracy1 without a teacher2 some only acquire the art after protracted drilling1 and others never acquire it at all4 ,there is almost as perfect rhythm in fly-casting as in music4 ,given a definite length of line and the expert can measure his cast by his one1 two1 three1 four1 as accurately as a teacher can regulate the time of his orchestra by the movement of his baton4 ,while this is true in casting with either rod it is most noticeable in easting for salmon4 ,the heavy line1 the massive springy rod1 and the great distance to be traversed1 render each movement--the lift from the water1 the backward flight of the line1 the return motion1 and the drop at the point desired--as distinct to a quick perception as the beat of a bar in music4 ,but there are occasions when it would not do to cast by count4 ,if the wind is strong in any direction the movement of the line is perceptibly effected2 and if the wind happens to be at your back1 it requires great skill and care to counteract its influence and secure satisfactory results4 ,with such a wind1 unless you are perfect master of the situation1 you will be apt to snap off more flies in an hour than you will be likely to lose legitimately in a fortnight4 ,nine-tenths of all the flies ,i ever lost took their departure before ,i learned how to cast safely with a high wind at my back4 ,in many salmon rivers the pools are so placed and the general body of water is of such depth that you can always cast from your anchored canoe4 ,as1 under such circumstances1 there are no obstructions behind you1 less care is required in keeping your fly well up in its backward flight than when casting from the shore--as in some rivers you always have to do4 ,in the salmon season the water is usually well down in the banks1 and in many rivers the slope from high water mark to the summer channel is considerable4 ,in casting1 as a rule1 you stand near the water2 unless1 therefore1 you cast high--that is1 unless you keep your fly well up in its backward flight it will almost certainly come in contact with a stone or boulder of some sort and be broken4 ,to avoid this mishap requires great care4 ,you must keep the point of your rod well up always--several degrees higher than when casting on the water4 ,my first experience in shore-casting where the banks had a precipitous slope cost me a great many pet flies2 and ,i never got to feel really 8at home0 in casting under such circumstances4 ,it detracts from the sport when your mind is occupied with the proper swing of the line4 ,but enough of ecstacy remains to enable one to overlook this inconsiderable drawback4 ,only give the angler an opportunity to cast from any sort of standpoint and he will speedily discover the proper lift and swing to overcome any obstacle1 and be happy4 ,salmon casting--especially the frequency of the cast--depends largely upon the character of the water you are fishing4 ,if the pool is straight and narrow and the current strong1 and you are casting from a canoe1 you can so manipulate your fly as to render frequent casts unnecessary--the important thing being not to let your fly sink1 as it is not likely to do in such a current4 ,in large pools where the current is sluggish1 as is sometimes the case1 frequent casts are necessary in order to touch it at every point with your fly on the surface4 ,where you are able to cast across a pool1 if the current moves with a moderate force1 you can sweep it at each cast by giving your rod the proper motion4 ,this latter class of pools are those most coveted1 because you can cover a great deal of ground with very little effort4 ,if you fall in with a pool--as you sometimes will--where the current is so sluggish as to be almost imperceptible1 frequent casts are unavoidable4 ,without them1 not only will your fly sink1 but your line will soon acquire a slack which not only gives one an uncomfortable feeling but is unsafe in case of a rise4 ,the very first requisite in salmon fishing is a taut line4 ,it is not only requisite for safety1 but without it it is impossible to promptly and properly recover your line for a new cast4 ,but there is nothing so tests a salmon angler's skill and patience as to cast in an eddy or whirl4 ,no matter how carefully or at what distance one casts1 the moment the fly touches the water it begins to come back upon you1 compelling constant casting if you cast at all4 ,the result is a great deal of hard work with very little effect1 because to keep a straight line your fly must be lifted almost the very moment it finds a lodgment on the surface4 ,in such a pool one soon becomes weary with his efforts to place and hold his fly in the desired position1 for it is not often that he is rewarded by a rise4 ,since my first experience in such a pool ,i have never hankered after its counterpart4 ,and yet it was a sort of success in this wray3 ,having become tired casting ,i allowed my fly to go as it pleased4 ,it was soon out of sight1 having been drawn down by one of the whirls1 and in reeling up to prevent its being twisted around the rock ,i presumed to be the primary cause of the whirl1 ,i found myself hooked to a fish which had taken my fly at least ten or twelve feet below the surface4 ,when ,i first felt him he came up as easily as a six-ounce chub1 and ,i supposed ,i had nothing heavier than a medium sized trout4 ,but as soon as he felt the hook and saw my canoe he showed his mettle1 and gave me just such a fight as ,i might have expected from a twenty-pound salmon1 as he proved to be4 ,that was the first and last salmon ,i ever took with the fly so far under water4 ,the rule with some anglers is 8to let the fly sink a little02 my rule is never to let it sink at all4 ,when a fish strikes ,i want to see him4 ,there is no movement that so thrills and delights me as the rush of the salmon for the fly4 ,to me1 half the pleasure of a rise is lost if ,i don't see the head and shoulders of the kingly fish when he leaps for the lure4 ,the manner of casting is almost as varied as the casters themselves4 ,you will seldom see two salmon anglers cast precisely alike4 ,some cast with a straight backward and forward movement1 without the divergence of a hair4 ,others secure a half sweep to the line by giving the backward movement over the left shoulder and the return over the right1 or vice versa4 ,still others almost invariably cast sideways1 or 8under0 as it is called1 seldom lifting their rod perpendicularly4 ,some stand as erect and motionless as a statue when they cast4 ,others sway to and fro as if they made their body rather than their arms do the work2 and others still push themselves forward as they cast1 as if they were not sure their fly would reach its destination unless they followed it4 ,these1 however1 are simple mannerisms4 ,each may be equally expert--that is1 equally successful in placing his fly just where he wants it and just at such distance as he please4 ,my own preference and practice is1 a slight sway of the body and a nearly straight backward and forward movement of the line4 ,there are1 of course1 occasions when a semicircle sweep of the line1 or a lateral movement1 or an under cast is necessary to reach some desired objective point4 ,all these movements1 when they are deemed necessary1 will come from experience2 but for unobstructed waters ,i prefer a straight cast1 and only such slight motion of the body as will give occasional respite to the arms2 for it is no boy's play to so handle a ponderous salmon rod for hours in succession as to give the needed sweep to an eighty-foot line4 ,the flies used for salmon are more numerous and varied than those used for trout1 and quite as uncertain and puzzling to those who use them4 ,i have taken salmon1 as ,i have taken trout1 out of the same water within the same hour with flies of directly opposite hues1 and of shapes and sizes which were the counterpart of nothing 8in the heavens above1 in the earth beneath1 or in the waters under the earth40 ,there are1 however1 standard flies which experience has shown to be generally more 8taking0 than others1 and for this sufficient reason are always found in salmon anglers' fly books4 ,but no expert deems any fly or any dozen flies invariably adapted to all waters and all conditions of wind and weather4 ,it is superlative nonsense1 therefore1 to multiply varieties indefinitely4 ,it is only necessary to have an 8assortment10 gaudy and sombre1 large and small1 but plenty of them4 ,it is very unpleasant to run short when you are two or three hundred miles away from 8the shop40 ,those who have had any considerable experience know just what they want1 and the only safe thing for the novice to do1 when ready to lay in his stock1 is to seek advice of someone who knows something of what may be required in the waters to be visited4 ,and then let him go to the quiet and roaring rivers where salmon congregate1 experiment with such flies as he has1 lure the fish by his skilful casts1 strike quick1 fight hard1 and be happy4 ,albany1 ,dec4 #gth1 #ahhb4 ,,the ,,salmon ,,and ,,trout ,,of ,,alaska4 ,by ,l4 ,a4 ,beardslee1 ,captain ,d4 ,s4 ,navy4 ,from the great salmon of the ,yukon1 to the tiny fingerlings1 which in innumerable quantities throng in the various creeks of ,alaska1 and are as ambitious to seize a single salmon egg as are their larger brethren to appropriate great masses of the same1 however illy the bait may cover and disguise the hook which impales it1 there is not1 ,i am convinced1 an ,alaskan fish1 which through any merit of its own1 is entitled to an introduction to the angling fraternity through the medium of this volume1 and to the companionship of the beautiful fac-similes of the flies1 which in life they scorned4 ,from personal observation and collected information1 ,i am prepared to accuse all of the salmon family which are found in ,alaska1 of the grave offence of utterly ignoring the fly1 either as food or plaything1 and of depending upon more gross and substantial resources4 ,they are odd fish1 and require peculiar treatment both in catching and discussing4 ,and it is to this cause alone that they are indebted for the honor of being made honorary members of the gallant band of game-fishes of which this volume treats4 ,i have selected them as the subject of my contribution1 because a single glance at the array of well-known names of those who are to be my co-contributors1 convinced me that if ,i wished to present any new1 interesting1 or valuable facts upon any icthyological subjects within my range1 ,i would have to travel well out of the ordinary tracks1 and go prospecting in some 8far countree40 ,this ,i have done1 and ,i feel confident that ,i alone of the contributors have been forced by circumstances over which ,i had no control1 into a situation where the obtaining of my notes became pleasure instead of toil4 ,the notes which will be woven into this paper are not all of them entirely new4 ,some have entered into a series of letters1 which over the signature 8,piseco0 have appeared in the columns of the ,forest and ,stream1 during #ahgi-hj-ha4 ,through the courtesy of the editor of that journal1 ,i am permitted to again make use of them4 ,i have preferred a grave charge against the salmon and trout of ,alaska2 it is but just that ,i should explain the basis upon which it is founded1 and endeavor to establish my claim to be somewhat of an authority on the subject4 ,from the middle of ,june1 #ahgi1 to the latter part of ,september1 #ahhj1 ,i1 as the commander of the ,u4 ,s4 ship of war ,jamestown1 was stationed in the ,territory of ,alaska1 with general instructions to restore and preserve order among the incongruous collections of ,whites1 ,creoles1 and ,indians of which the inhabitants of that forsaken country was composed4 ,my command was moored in ,sitka ,harbor1 but during the two summers and autumns of my sojourn1 my duties called upon me to make frequent trips of from ten to two hundred miles1 to various portions of the ,territory4 ,these trips were made in small steamers which ,i hired1 steam launches and boats of the ship1 and ,indian canoes1 and in them ,i explored many of the straits and sounds which separate the islands of the ,alexander ,archipelago4 ,naturally fond of fishing and gunning1 my ,orvis rods1 with full assortment of flies1 all gear necessary for salt-water fishing1 and my rifle and shot-gun1 were my inseparable companions2 and after days spent in explorations1 sometimes of bays and sounds never before entered by white men1 and in one case of a large bay forty miles deep by fifteen broad1 existing where the latest charts showed solid land only1 my evenings were spent poring over works on natural history1 icthyology1 and ornithology1 and jotting down in my note-book descriptions of my finds4 ,such jolly times6 ,one day a mineral lode1 another great flocks of ptarmigan1 another a bear1 a mountain sheep1 or some new fish--gave me something to dream of4 ,the ,alexander ,archipelago1 of which ,baranoff1 ,kruzoff1 and ,tchitagofi ,islands are the principal1 is separated from the coast by ,chatham ,strait1 which1 beginning at the southward as a continuation of ,puget ,sound reaches to above #fj north at ,chilkhat2 it is from three to ten miles wide1 deep and steep1 too1 throughout1 bordered on the coast side by high1 heavily timbered1 snow-clad mountains1 and on the other by high wooded islands4 ,on both sides1 many of the ravines are occupied by immense glaciers1 from which flow icy streams1 the birthplace of salmon4 ,running nearly east and west there are several straits and sounds connecting ,chatham ,strait with the ,pacific ,ocean1 of which ,peril ,strait1 ,icy ,strait1 and ,cross ,sound1 are the principal4 ,these1 too1 are bordered1 as is ,chatham ,straits1 and are the homes of glaciers and glacial streams4 ,many of these streams ,i have personally fished1 and among those under my command were several with kindred tastes1 and ,i became possessed of the results of their experience4 ,i have read all that ,i could find of works on ,alaska1 and since my return have naturally conversed much with every one whom ,i have met who had also an ,alaskan episode in his life1 and have collected testimony on the point at issue4 ,one and all affirm that my experience has been theirs1 and the most strenuous efforts with well selected flies have failed to record a single capture of trout or salmon4 ,the first bit of evidence ,i collected is worth recording4 ,when the news that the ,yankees had purchased ,alaska1 and thus become owners of the land north as well as south of ,british ,columbia1 was communicated to the ,scotch ,admiral of the ,english squadron at ,victoria1 ,vancouver's ,island1 he ejaculated1 8,dom the country6 let 'em have it2 the blausted saumon won't rise to a floi40 ,such was our united experience and verdict4 ,of course1 as we caught no end of them 7trout and salmon7 there were baits which would seduce them1 and these were1 for the trout1 salmon roe1 and for the salmon1 live herrings4 ,there was no poetry in our trout fishing1 for compared with salmon roe in slippery1 sticky1 slimy chunks1 fish worms are aesthetically dainty4 ,there are several little lakes and more streams in the vicinity of ,sitka2 some within reach for a day's fishing1 and some within an hour's4 ,the principal of these are ,piseco ,lake and stream1 back of and running through the town2 ,indian ,river and pond1 ,saw-,mill creek and lakes1 from one to five miles to the eastward2 the ,redoubt river1 lake1 and fall1 seven miles to the southward2 and a nameless lake and outlet on ,kruzoff ,island1 the lake embedded in a deep valley1 one side of which is formed by the foot-hills of ,mount ,edgecomb1 a noble1 eternally snow-clad extinct volcano4 ,in all of these trout or salmon are abundant in the season2 in some both1 and in some are found species which do not exist in others4 ,at the 8,redoubt0 ,i believe that all varieties and species are found4 ,the place is named from a huge dam winch the ,russians built across the mouth of a deep and wide ravine1 thus forming a large lake of the river which here empties into the sea4 ,the dam is provided with a number of salmon gates and traps4 ,from the first run to the last1 every passing school leaves here its tribute1 seduced by the proximity of the beautiful lake2 which tribute1 duly smoked or salted1 is barrelled for the ,san ,francisco market by a very 8lone fisherman10 a ,russian who for many years1 without other companionship than his klootchman 7,indian wife7 and dogs1 has devoted his life to the business4 ,if in this paper ,i make an occasional blunder1 by transposition1 or misapplication of the terms 8specie0 and 8variety10 or fail on a scientific nomenclature1 ,i beg that it will be remembered that my claim is not to be an authority on icthyology1 when such names are necessary1 but on ,alaska fish1 which get along very well with their ,english1 ,indian1 or ,russian names4 ,i find in my note-book memoranda of the capture of bathymaster-signatus1 chirus deccagramus1 and even a cotlus-polycicantliocejrfialous1 but had not ,professor ,bean instructed me1 ,i should have continued 7and ,i believe ,i did7 to call the first two after the fish they most resembled1 viz41 rock cod and sea bass2 and of the last named ,i have lost and forgotten the description4 ,but we can spare him2 the salmon and trout will1 ,i feel sure1 furnish all the material needed1 and ,i will confine myself to them4 ,,the ,,salmon4 ,five species of salmon have been identified as found in ,alaska2 these are3 ,the ,oncorhynchus ,chouicha1 ,the ,oncorhynchus ,keta1 ,the ,oncorhynchus ,nerka1 ,the ,oncorhynchus ,kisutch1 ,the ,oncorhynchus ,garbosha4 ,i am indebted to ,professor ,bean for the above list4 ,in it ,i recognize some familiar ,russian names1 and ,i will supplement the nomenclature4 ,the 8,keta0 is the big hump-backed salmon of the ,yukon1 sometimes attaining a weight of sixty pounds2 the ,nerha is also called by the ,russians ,crassnarebia1 or red-fleshed2 and the distinction is well made1 for compared with it1 the flesh of the other species seems to fade into pink2 the 8,kisutch0 or 8black throat0 is so called on account of the intense blackness of the roof of the mouth and throat2 the flesh is lighter red than the ,nerkas1 but more so than any other species1 and as a table fish it excels all others1 bringing twice the price at retail2 the ,garbosha is the small hump-back1 and strikingly resembles the 8red fish0 of ,idaho4 ,this is the only salmon that ,i am sure ascends any of the streams near ,sitka1 except at the ,redoubt1 where the ,kisutch and ,crassna-rebia are taken in late ,august and early ,september4 ,the common name for the garbosha is the 8dog salmon10 and a more hideous object than one of them as found swimming listlessly or dying in one of the pools1 it is hard to conceive of4 ,i find this note of description3 8,aug4 #bfth4--,in a shallow pool ,i saw a fish some two feet long1 feebly struggling as though he were trying to push himself ashore4 ,i picked him up and laid him on the grass4 ,a sicker fish never continued to wag his tail2 his skin was yellow1 picked out with green and blue spots1 from an inch to three in diameter2 and one on his side was about an inch wide and six inches long1 bleeding and raw as though gnawed by mice4 ,one eye was gone1 one gill cover eaten through1 and every fin and the tail were but ragged bristles1 all web between the rays having disappeared40 ,the first run of the salmon is well worth description4 ,about the middle of ,may1 varying from year to year by a few days only1 the inhabitants of dull1 sleepy old ,sitka experience a sensation1 and are aroused from the lethargy in which they have existed through the long winter4 ,the word spreads like wildfire1 the salmon are coming6 ,everybody rushes to the heights which furnish prospect1 and strain their eyes for confirmation4 ,one of our sailors1 musically inclined1 paraphrased very neatly the old song1 8,the ,campbells are ,coming6 huzza6 huzza60 and achieved fame by portraying the emotions nightly under the lee of the forecastle4 ,so good an outlook has been kept by the keen-eyed ,indians1 and the ,creole boy in the belfry of the ,greek church1 that when first the glad tidings are announced1 the fish are many miles away1 and no signs of their advent visible to the unpracticed eye4 ,ear away to the southward1 there hangs all winter a dense black bank1 the accumulation of the constant uprising of vapor from the warm surface of the ,kuro-siwo1 or ,japanese ,gulf ,stream1 which washes the shores of this archipelago2 condensed by the cold winds sweeping over the snow-clad mountains to the northward1 it is swept by them1 and piled up as far as the eye can reach1 covering and hiding the southern horizon as with a pall4 ,presently our glasses reveal bright flashes upon the face of this curtain2 and soon1 to the naked eye1 it appears as though the whole horizon had been encircled with a coral reef1 against which the dashing waves were being shattered into foamy breakers4 ,the breakers advance1 and soon among them we discern black1 rapidly-moving forms1 and here our previous nautical experience comes into play1 and1 8,holymither1 d'ye mind the say pigs60 as shouted by ,paddy ,sullivan1 the captain of the afterguard1 explains most graphically the phenomenon4 ,the salmon are coming1 and with them1 among1 and after them1 a host of porpoises2 an army so great1 that an attempt to estimate in numbers would be futile4 ,the ,bay and ,sound of ,sitka are dotted with many beautiful1 well-wooded islands2 between them1 the channels are deep and blue1 and these are soon thronged by the fleeing salmon and their pursuers2 the harbor is soon reached2 but it does not prove one of safety1 for although there are immense flats covered only at half to whole tide1 where the salmon could1 and the porpoises could not go1 the former avoid them1 and1 clinging to the deep water1 seek vainly the protection of our ship and boats1 which do not deter the porpoises in the slightest degree4 ,for two or three days1 our eyes1 and at night1 our ears1 tell us that the warfare1 or rather massacre1 is unceasing2 then there comes an interval of several days1 during which there are no salmon nor porpoises4 ,i had formed an idea1 a wrong one1 that the presence of salmon would be made manifest by the leaping of the fish2 on the contrary1 were we to judge by this sign alone1 but very few had visited us4 ,the first school had hardly gotten fairly into the harbor1 before ,i1 with others1 was in pursuit4 ,the cannery boats1 and ,indians1 with their seines1 and ,i with a trolling line and fly-rod4 ,a single fish apparently1 was at intervals of perhaps a minute1 leaping near a point4 ,indian ,dick1 one of my staff1 excitedly pointed that way1 and urged me to go4 8,there6 there6 sawmo sugataheen0 7plenty74 ,i was inclined to look elsewhere1 or wait for a larger school2 but ,dick remonstrated1 8,man see one fish jump1 sir1 may be got thousand don't jump1 be under40 ,and ,dick was right2 but a very small percentage leap from the water1 of which ,i became more fully convinced when ,i went with ,tom ,mc,cauley1 head fisherman of the cannery1 on seining trips1 or rather on a seining trip1 for the affair disgusted me2 and1 as with my experience of ,spanish bull-fighting1 one trial was enough4 ,imagine so many fish that tons were the units used in estimating1 penned up by the walls of the seines1 into an enclosure1 massed so solidly that five ,indians1 striking rapidly at random into the mass1 with short-handled gaff hooks1 at such rate that1 upon one day's fishing1 this boat1 manned by eight ,indians and one white man1 secured thirteen tons of marketable fish4 ,it was bloody1 nasty butchery1 and sickened me4 ,not a fish attempted to leap out of the net4 ,mc,cauley supplied me with some data1 from his point of view4 8,about the middle of ,june1 the fish are plentiful enough to start the cannery1 and the season lasts from ten to twelve weeks0 ,he has observed 8,seven different kinds of salmon1 all of which are good for canning and for the table2 but two species which come latest are the most valuable1 the flesh being very red and rich with oil0 7,kisutch and ,crassna ,rebia72 that 8all of the salmon #8dog' more or less1 and that the dogging begins immediately after they have attempted to enter the streams1 not before ,august2 that after this process has begun 7and he discovered it in fish which1 to my unexperienced eyes showed no signs of it7 the value for canning was depreciated10 and all such he rejected1 and gave to the flock of poor ,indians1 who1 in their canoes1 followed us to secure them4 ,if ,mc,cauley's ideas are correct1 the ,alaska salmon caught in salt water1 should be superior to those of the ,columbia ,river and elsewhere1 caught in brackish water4 ,during the season of #ahgi there was packed at this cannery1 #add1jjj lbs4 of fish2 the largest catch of any one day was #cj1jjj lbs4 7over #af tons72 the greatest quantity canned1 #i1jjj lbs42 the largest fish obtained1 #ea lbs42 and the average weight #ab lbs4 ,the cost of the fish can be estimated at less than one cent per pound4 ,just what 8dogging0 is1 ,i don't know4 ,mc,cauley's opinion1 which was shared by many others familiar with the fishing1 is that it is a sickness indicated by a change of form and color1 produced by contact with fresh water1 and that the most hideously hump-backed1 hook-jawed1 red and purple garbosha1 was once a straight-backed1 comely fish2 which1 if true1 upsets some theories4 ,all ,i know about it is1 that previous to the advent of the garboshas1 in ,august1 no change of form and color is observable in any of the fish1 none of which enter the streams4 ,during ,august1 at the same time and place in the creeks1 there can be seen garbosha salmon in all stages of the transformation1 and the change in form and color is coincident4 ,some are silvery and nearly straight2 others tarnished1 and with slight elevation of back2 others red1 with greater protuberance2 and finally1 some purple-red1 with fully developed humps1 which more than double their height above the median line2 and these monsters the ,indians like best1 and say that they are better for smoking than any other4 ,another idea which ,i had imbibed in regard to salmon1 became greatly modified by my experience4 ,i thought1 and ,i believe many do1 that the instinct which prompts the salmon to run in from the sea1 is to reach1 by the shortest route1 the place of birth2 and that they make a straight wake from the ocean to the mouth of their native creeks2 and that while impelled by this instinct1 they refrain altogether from food4 ,in all of this1 ,i think that ,i was mistaken2 and that the fish which begin to swarm in ,sitka ,harbor in ,may1 and continue coming and going for nearly three months before any enter the stream1 are simply visitors1 which1 on their way north1 are driven in to seek shelter from the porpoises and other enemies4 ,that they feed at this time1 ,i have plenty of evidence4 ,we caught small ones1 on hand-lines baited with venison4 ,numbers were taken trolling1 using any ordinary spoon4 ,i had with me pickerel1 bass1 and lake trout spoons1 of brass and silvery surface4 ,all were successful1 the silvery ones the most so4 ,and ,i had many good strikes upon spectabilis or salmon trout1 of six to eight inches1 spun on a gang and trolled4 ,the ,indians in ,chatham ,strait catch a great many upon hooks baited with live herring2 these are attached to short lines1 which are fastened to duckshaped wooden buoys1 and allowed to float away from the canoe4 ,i have myself been present at the capture of a number in this manner4 ,the ,greek ,priest1 and companies of the least poor of the ,creoles1 own seine boats1 which go out daily2 and after every fair clay's seining the sandy beach in front of ,russian town presents a picturesque appearance1 dotted as it is with heaps of from one to three tons of salmon1 whose silvery sheen reflects the light of the bonfires1 around which1 knives in hand1 squat all the old squaws and children1 cleaning on shares4 ,nearly all of the fish taken by them are smoked for winter's use4 ,every glacial stream in ,alaska is1 in its season1 full of salmon1 alive and dead4 ,one1 which for want of a better1 was given my name1 and appears on the charts as ,beardslee ,river1 ,i will describe2 for in it ,i saw1 for the first time1 that which had been described to me1 but which ,i had doubted2 a stream so crowded with fish that one could hardly wade it and not step on them2 this and other as interesting sights fell to me that pleasant ,august day4 ,as we1 in our little steamer1 neared ,william ,henry ,bay1 situated on the west side of ,chatham ,strait1 and an indentation of ,baranoff ,island1 we found ourselves in a pea-green sea1 dotted here and there with the backs of garbosha salmon2 the fish1 which were of the few that had survived the crisis of reproduction1 having drifted out of the hay1 and with their huge humps projecting1 were swimming aimlessly1 and apparently blindly 7for after anchoring1 they would run against our boats1 and directly into hands held out to catch them71 in the brackish surface water2 made so and given its peculiar color by the water of ,beardslee ,river1 which arising at the foot of a glacier1 had been fed by rivulets from others on its course to the sea1 and through its lower specific gravity1 rested upon the salt water4 ,these sick salmon were so plentiful that ,i thought that a large percentage had lived and escaped the danger1 but upon landing at the mouth of the river1 saw that ,i was mistaken4 ,for several miles the river meanders through an alluvial flat1 the moraine of receded glaciers4 ,the moraine was covered with a thick growth of timothy and wild barley1 some standing six feet in height2 much more pressed flat by layers1 three and four deep1 of dead salmon1 which had been left by the waters falling4 ,thousands of gulls and fish crows were feeding upon the eyes and entrails of these fish1 and in the soft mud innumerable tracks of bears and other animals were interspersed with bodiless heads of salmon1 showing that they1 too1 had attended the feast4 ,i waded the river for over two miles1 and the scene was always the same4 ,that wade was one to be remembered4 ,in advance of me generally1 but checked at times by shoal water1 there rushed a struggling and splashing mass of salmon1 and when through the shoaling1 or by turning a short corner1 ,i got among them1 progress was almost impossible2 they were around me1 under me1 and once when1 through stepping on one ,i fell1 ,i fancy over me4 ,all were headed up stream1 and ,i presumed1 ascending1 until1 while resting on a dry rock1 ,i noticed that many1 although headed up1 were actually slowly drifting down stream4 ,in many pools that ,i passed1 the gravel bottom was hollowed out into great wallows1 from which1 as ,i approached1 crowds of salmon would dart2 and ,i could see that the bottom was thickly covered with eggs1 and feasting on them were numbers of immense salmon trout4 ,i saw frequently the act of spawning2 and ,i saw once1 a greedy trout rush at a female salmon1 seize the exuding ova1 and tear it away1 and ,i thought that perhaps in some such rushes1 lay the explanation of the wounds which so frequently are found on the female salmon's belly after spawning4 ,at first1 ,i thought there were two species of salmon in the creek2 one unmistakably the hideous garboslia1 the other a dark straight-backed fish2 but upon examining quite a number of each variety which ,i had picked up1 ,i found that all the hump-backed fish were males1 and the others all females2 that is1 all that ,i examined2 but as they were all spent fish1 ,i could not be sure4 ,i therefore shot quite a number of livelier ones1 and found confirmation4 ,i saw one female that was just finishing spawning4 ,she lay quiet1 as though faint1 for a couple of minutes1 then began to topple slowly over on to her side1 recovered herself1 and then1 as though suddenly startled from a deep sleep1 darted forward1 and thrust herself half of her length out of the water1 upon a gravel bar1 and continued to work her way until she was completely out of water1 and there ,i left her to die4 ,a very large proportion of the fish were more or less bruised and discolored2 and upon nearly all there extended over the belly a fungoid growth resembling rough yellow blotting paper4 ,the size of the fish was quite uniform1 ranging from two feet to thirty inches4 ,but that ,i had seen the living spent fish in the bay1 ,i could have readily believed the truth of the impression of many1 that the act of spawning terminates the life of the salmon of the ,pacific coast4 ,one more point on the salmon1 and ,i will leave them4 ,upon our first arrival1 we all indulged very heartily upon them1 and in two or three days1 a new disease made its appearance among us4 ,a number of us were seized with very severe gripes and cramps1 and these lasted1 in all cases1 for several days1 and in some for a much longer period1 two of the men becoming so reduced that it was necessary to send them to hospital4 ,the direct cause1 our doctor ascertained1 was the diet of salmon to which we had taken2 and by regulating and reducing the consumption1 the difficulties were checked4 ,in conclusion1 ,i would say that ,i have made every effort that would naturally occur to a fisherman to take ,alaska salmon with flies1 of which ,i had good assortment1 and never got a rise4 ,,alaska ,,trout4 ,i am indebted to ,professor ,tarleton ,,ii4 ,bean for a classification of the various trout1 of which specimens had been duly bottled and labelled1 during our stay in ,alaska4 ,i had fancied1 from differences in the markings1 that ,i had five species at the least1 but ,bean ruthlessly cut the number down to three1 viz43 ,salvelina ,malma1 or ,spectabilis1 or ,bairdil ,salmo ,gardneri1 and ,salmo ,purpuratus1 or ,clark's trout4 ,the first named1 called commonly by us the salmon trout1 was abundant in all of the streams1 from about middle of ,june until middle of ,september1 evidently timing their arrival and departure by the movements of the salmon1 upon whose eggs they live4 ,i have noted1 on ,june #ast1 8,no salmon trout yet in any of the streams4 ,several fine1 large ones captured by the ,indians in nets set in sea40 ,ten days after1 the streams were full of them1 and in the earlier part of the interim many would run into the pools of the lower parts with the flooding tide1 and out again on the ebb4 ,when they left us in ,september1 it is probable that they migrated south1 for in a letter to ,forest and ,stream1 dated ,portland1 ,oregon1 ,september #bh1 a correspondent states that1 in that month1 8there begins to appear in the streams near the ,columbia river1 a trout10 whose description tallies exactly with that of the spec-tabilis1 except that the correspondent speaks of their affording fine sport with the fly2 this the trout while in ,alaska fails to do4 ,at first1 the spectabilis affect the rapids1 but after a few days seek the deep pools1 where they gather in great numbers1 and bite ravenously on hooks covered with spawn and sunk to the bottom4 ,occasionally1 when spawn was out1 we used a bit of fresh venison2 but at the best they cared little for it1 and when the blood became soaked out1 the bait was useless4 ,although fairly gamey when hooked1 fishing for these trout was but a poor substitute1 for one who had felt and remembered the thrills caused by sudden strikes of our ,adirondack fish4 ,i have often when pool-fishing1 seen them leisurely approach the bait1 and nibble at it as a dainty1 full-fed kitten will at a bit of meat1 and when one did get the hook1 we found it out only by a slight resistance to the series of light twitches which it was necessary to give it4 ,they have evidently been taught by experience that salmon roe is not apt to attempt escape4 ,the usual size of the fish ranged from six to twelve inches--now and then one larger4 ,the largest taken by any of us1 near ,sitka1 fell victim to my 8salmon spawn fly10 and gave my little ,orvis rod half an hour's good work4 ,it measured twenty-one inches1 but was very light for the length1 weighing but two and three-quarter pounds4 ,at the ,redoubt river1 much larger ones were taken2 and two which ,i shot in ,beardslee river were over two feet in length2 how much they weighed ,i never found out1 for their surroundings of sick and dying salmon1 upon whose eggs they were feeding1 prejudiced me against them and ,i left them4 ,in shape and color the spectabilis vary greatly1 both factors depending upon the length of time they have been in fresh water4 ,when fresh run1 they are long and lean1 shaped somewhat like the lake trout of ,adirondack lakes4 ,the colors are dark lustrous olive-green back1 growing lighter as the median line is approached1 and blending into a silvery gray tint1 which pales to a pure white on the belly2 the green portion is sprinkled with golden specks2 the flesh is hard1 and very good for the table4 ,after a very short sojourn in the creek1 bright crimson specks appear among the golden1 which1 however1 fade to a pale yellow2 the lustre of the green disappears1 they become heavier1 but the flesh becomes soft and uneatable1 and the skin is covered with slime4 ,salmon trout taken late in ,august and early in ,september1 were full of ripe ova4 ,professor ,bean placed some fish1 that had been taken in salt water1 into a bucket of fresh1 and the crimson spots made their appearance in less than a day4 ,when fully decked with these1 and fattened1 they resembled our fontanalis greatly--the head1 however1 being somewhat larger1 and the tail less square4 ,salmo ,gardneri4 ,my acquaintance with this species is very limited4 ,the first one that ,i saw ,i took in ,sawmill ,creek1 well up to the head1 in ,september1 #ahgi4 ,seeing that it differed greatly from the spectabilis1 ,i preserved it in alcohol1 and it was subsequently identified by ,professor ,bean4 ,it measured a trifle over ten inches1 and was very plump1 weighing seven and a quarter ounces4 ,in my notes1 ,i describe it thus3 8,body1 dark green on back1 but in general colors very much like a steel head or quinnat salmon2 covered with round1 black spots1 from one-sixteenth to one-eighth inch in diameter2 these extend considerably below the median line1 and the tail and dorsal fins are covered with them2 the second dorsal adipose1 but less so than that of the fontanalis1 having a slight show of membrane1 on which there are four spots2 ventral and anal fins1 yellowish in centre1 bordered with red2 belly1 dull white2 tail1 nearly square2 scales1 quite large1 about the size of those of a fingerling chub2 flesh1 firm2 and skin1 not slimy4 ,no signs of ova or milt40 ,on the #bhth of ,april1 #ahhj1 ,i made note3 8,the first salmon of the season made their dbut to-day--that is1 if they are salmon1 which ,i doubt4 8,five beauties1 from thirty to forty inches long1 were brought alongside1 in a canoe paddled by a wild-looking and awe-struck ,siwash1 who1 with his crouching ,klootchman and papoose1 gazed upon our ship1 guns1 and us with an expression that showed them to be unfamiliar sights4 ,he was evidently a stranger1 and was taken in1 for he took willingly two bits 7#be cents7 each for the fish1 and no ,sitka ,siwasli but would have charged treble the price4 ,through an interpreter1 ,i learned that he had spent the last seven months in a shanty on the western side of ,kruzoff ,island1 and that well up1 among the foot-hills of ,mount ,edgecomb1 there was a little lake1 from which there flowed a small stream into the ,pacific1 and that in the headwaters of this stream he had speared these fish1 which run up the stream in the fall1 remain all winter in the lake1 and in early spring spawn in the head of the outlet40 ,all of this militated strongly against the theory that they were salmon1 and when1 on being dressed1 the females were found to be full of ripe ova1 said theory was upset completely4 ,my ten-inch specimen of last ,september supplied us with a clue1 and it was soon decided that these magnificent fish were indeed trout2 for in every respect except size1 and size of spots1 some of which were a quarter of an inch in diameter1 the fish were identical4 ,whitford1 the oldest inhabitant1 confirmed the ,indian's story1 and gave me in addition the ,indian name for the fish--,quot and that of the ,russians1 which ,i forget1 but it meant 8,mountain ,trout10 and said that they are found only in the lakes1 high up in the mountains1 and that in winter the ,indians spear and catch them through holes in the ice4 ,we found the flesh to be very delicious--far more so than the best of the salmon4 ,the processes of cooking1 both by broiling and boiling1 had a curious effect1 for the flesh1 which1 when uncooked1 was of a very bright red1 blanched to pure white4 ,the trip to ,mount ,edgecomb1 in the early spring1 involved hardship and danger2 and although several of us resolved that we would undertake it1 for the sake of such fish1 somehow we never did1 and ,i have thus described all of the gardneri that ,i ever saw4 ,salmo purpuratus 7,clarkii74 ,the most beautiful of the trout family1 although in no way equal to our ,eastern trout in any other respect4 ,the purpuratus is a lake trout1 and found only in low-lying lakes4 ,just back of ,sitka1 at the foot of the mountains1 and elevated perhaps twenty feet above the sea1 is a little lake dubbed by me 8,piseco04 ,handy to get at1 and its outlet running through the centre of the town1 it became1 in early spring1 our first resort for fishing4 ,arriving in ,june1 #ahgi1 many of us had1 through days of fruitless endeavor1 during the summer and autumn1 grown to disbelieve the tales of the inhabitants1 that this lake abounded in trout2 but on the #bjth of ,may1 #ahhj1 from somewhere1 there thronged the shallow edges1 among the lily pads1 great schools of these trout1 and for about two weeks there was no limit to the number one could take of them4 ,salmon spawn was the best bait1 but a bit of venison would answer4 ,a fly they would not rise to4 ,in size1 they ranged from six to twelve inches--the latter size being1 however1 very exceptional2 their average was about eight inches4 ,the description in my notes is3 8,specimen1 ,may #bgth4 ,length1 nine and one-half inches2 depth1 two and three-eighth inches2 weight1 five ounces2 colors--back1 rich1 dark brown1 growing lighter toward medial line2 at which1 covering it for a space of half an inch1 there is a longitudinal stripe of rich purple1 extending from opercle nearly to tail2 below the median line1 bright olive-green1 lightening to silvery white on belly4 ,all of the tinted portion is profusely sprinkled with oval black spots1 which mark also the dorsal1 caudal1 and adipose fins2 the ventral and anal fins are yellowish bordered with crimson2 tail1 nearly square4 8,the entire tinted portion has a beautiful golden iridescence1 so that when held in the sunlight1 and looked at from the rear1 it seems to be gilded40 ,it may be noticed that1 with the exception of the purple stripe and the golden iridescence1 the description of this fish is almost identical with that of the gardneri4 ,i think it quite possible that they are the same at different ages1 and that later in life these ,clarkii may become ambitious and seek more lofty lakes4 ,none that were taken contained ova4 ,where they came from1 unless they run up the inlet at night1 no one found out1 for although closely watched in the daytime1 none were ever seen in it4 ,after about two weeks the greater portion disappeared1 and although sought in the deep waters of the lake1 could not be found4 ,major ,william ,governeur ,morris1 the ,collector of ,customs of ,alaska1 assures me1 however1 that during the summer of #ahhb1 he found certain places in the lake where he caught them until ,august4 ,on ,july #dth he with a friend catching four hundred and three in three hours1 baiting with a single salmon egg4 ,i am not sure that we could not have again found them1 but the fishing having grown slack in the lake1 and growing daily better in the creeks1 we spent most of our time on the latter4 ,,comparison ,,of ,,alaska ,,with ,,eastern ,,trout4 ,the principal differences between the ,alaska and ,eastern trout are1 first1 all ,alaskans have hyoid teeth1 the eastern trout have not4 ,no ,alaskan trout will take a fly4 ,all ,alaskan trout1 ,i think1 spend a portion of their lives in salt water4 ,length being equal1 the ,alaska trout1 with the exception of the ,gardneri1 or mountain trout1 are lighter than those of our eastern streams4 ,using as a standard the average weight of a number of ten-inch ,adirondack trout1 the following table will show this3 ,illustration3 #jjea ,fontanalis-,adirondack1 length #aj inches1 ,fresh-run ,spectabilis1 #aj ,crimson-specked #aj4c ,sal mo ,clarkii1 #i ,salmo ,gardneri1 #aj4a ,in conclusion1 ,i must again request that this contribution shall not be considered and judged as an attempt to scientifically describe the fish treated upon1 but rather as what it really is1 a condensation of the field-notes of an amateur angler4 ,i have1 in giving the sizes1 weights1 and other data in regard to the ,alaska salmon and trout1 depended almost entirely upon my personal knowledge and experience2 it may not be out of place to add to them some data gathered from reliable authorities4 ,in his report on the resources of ,alaska1 ,major ,mm4 ,governeur ,morris writes3 8,sixty thousand ,indians and several thousand ,aleuts and ,esquimaux depend for the most part upon dried salmon for their winter sustenance40 ,the ,hon4 ,wm4 ,s4 ,hodge1 formerly ,mayor of ,sitka1 states in an official report3 8,and additional testimony comes to us from numerous persons1 that at ,cook's ,inlet the salmon average in weight sixty pounds1 and some of them reach a weight of one hundred and twenty pounds1 and ,mr4 ,t4 ,g4 ,murphy only last week brought down from there on the ,newbern a barrel full1 containing only four fish40 ,surgeon ,thomas ,t4 ,minor1 who some years ago visited ,cook's ,inlet1 in connection with business of the ,smithsonian ,institution1 makes statements which confirm the foregoing4 ,in the vicinity of ,klawaek a cannery is established4 ,a catch of seven thousand fish at one haul of the seines is not unusual1 many weighing over forty pounds4 ,mr4 ,frederick ,whymper1 artist to the ,russian ,overland ,telegraph ,expedition1 says in his well-written and interesting account of his adventures3 8,the ,yukon salmon is by no means to be despised4 ,one large variety is so rich that there is no necessity when frying it to put fat in the pan4 ,the fish sometimes measure five feet in length1 and ,i have seen boats whose sides were made of the tough skin40 ,and a writer who1 if disposed to strain the truth would not do so to say anything in favor of ,alaska1 says in an article in ,harper's ,magazine1 ,vol4 ,,lv4 page #hae3 8,the number of spawning fish that ascend the ,yukon every ,june or ,july is something fabulous4444 ,it would appear reasonable to anticipate1 therefore1 the adoption by our fishermen of some machinery by which they can visit the ,yukon when the salmon begin to run1 and while they ascend the river catch a million pounds a day1 for the raw material is there1 of the largest size1 the finest flavor1 and the greatest number known to any stream in the world4'0 ,my general views about ,alaska differ widely from those of the writer1 but on the salmon question1 ,i indorse all ,i have quoted1 excepting only the word flavor4 ,i do not think the ,alaska salmon equal in this respect to those of the ,atlantic coast1 and far behind those of the ,rhine2 they are1 however1 superior to those of the ,columbia ,river4 ,in speaking of the salmon1 ,i find ,i have omitted to mention that in early spring1 before the arrival of the salmon trout1 and after their departure in fall1 great quantities of fingerling salmon pervaded the streams1 and bit eagerly at any kind of meat bait4 ,while the spectabilis were present1 these little fellows kept out of sight and notice4 ,since the body of this paper was written there has been on exhibition by ,mr4 ,blackford1 of ,fulton ,market1 ,yew ,york1 a number of trout1 pronounced to be the salmo irideus1 one of which1 weighing fifteen pounds1 was sent to the ,smithsonian ,institution1 and there identified by ,professor ,bean as being 8,salmo gardneri1 the great trout of ,edgecomb ,lake40 ,i1 studying these fish in their glass tank1 did not form this opinion1 for ,blackford's trout had a broad red band extending from just back of the eye to the tail1 covering the opercule1 a marking not existing on any of the ,edgecomb trout ,i have seen4 ,but the ,professor assures me that 8color on the lateral line is not a specific character40 ,on comparing my notes of description of these fish1 ,i find that in all other respects they did appear identical1 hence that the conclusion arrived at by ,prof4 ,bean1 that 8the gardneri and the irideus 7or rainbow trout of ,mc,cloud ,river71 are identical seems well founded4 ,if so1 and my crude supposition that the ,clarkii1 obtained in ,piseco ,lake near ,sitka are also identical with the gardneri turns out to be correct1 there can be a condensation of nomenclature1 which will lead to at least one valuable result from this paper4 8,no sooner had the barbed hook fastened in its insidious hold1 and the impaled monarch learned that he was captive1 than every effort of his lithe and agile frame was brought into play to recover freedom4 ,in every struggle1 in every effort to burst thee bonds that made him captive1 there was an utter recklesness of consequences1 a disregard for life that was previously unknown1 as from side to side of the pool he rushed1 or headlong stemmed the sweeping current4 ,nor did the hero confine himself to ,his own element2 again and again he burst from its surface to fall back fatigued1 but not conquered4 ,the battle was a severe one1 a struggle to the death2 and when the landing net placed the victim at my feet1 ,i felt that he had died the death of a hero4 ,such was my first sea-trout1 no gamer1 truly1 than hundreds ,i have captured since2 but what can be expected of a race of which every member is a hero80--,parker ,gilmore4 8,if1 indeed1 you be an angler1 join us and welcome1 for then it is known to you that no man is in perfect condition to enjoy scenery unless he have a fly-rod in his hand and a fly-book in his pocket40--,wm4 ,g4 ,prime4 8,it was something more than a splendid trout that he brought to our view as we met him at the landing4 ,the young heart in the old body--the genuine enthusiasm of the veteran angler--the glorification of the gentle art which has soothed and comforted many an aged philosopher--all this he revealed to us1 and we wanted to lift the grand old man to our shoulders and bear him in reverent triumph up the ascent40--,a4 ,judd ,northrop4 8,from the fisherman's point of view1 the sea trout is equal to the finest grilse that ever ascended ,tay or ,tweed1 exceeding1 as he does1 for gameness and pertinacity every other ,british fish40--,david ,foster4 ,illustration3 #jjef #a4 ,silver ,doctor4 #b4 ,scarlet ,ibis4 #c4 ,black ,june4 #d4 ,gray ,drake4 #e4 ,captain4 #f4';,academy4 8,as to flies1 the indifference of sea-trout about kind1 when they are in the humor to take any1 almost warrants the belief of some anglers that they leap in mere sport at whatever chances to be floating4 ,it is true they will take incredible combinations1 as if color-blind and blind to form4 ,but experiments on their caprice are not safe4 ,if their desire is to be tempted1 that may most surely be done with three insects1 adapted to proper places and seasons4 ,one need not go beyond the range of a red-bodied fly with blue tip and wood-duck wings for ordinary use1 a small all gray fly for low water in bright light1 and a yellowish fly1 green striped and winged with curlew feathers1 for a fine cast under the alders for the patriarchs40--,a4 ,r4 ,macdonough4 8,his tackle1 for brieht airless days1 is o' gossamere2 and at a wee distance aff1 you think he's fishin' without ony line ava1 till whirr gangs the pirn1 and up springs the sea-trout1 silver-brieht1 twa yards out o' the water1 by a delicate jerk o' the wrist1 hyucked inextricably by the tongue clean ower the barb o' the kirby-bend4 ,midge-flees60--,the ,ettrick ,shepherd4 8,o1 sir1 doubt not but that ,angling is an art2 is it not an art to deceive a trout with an artificial fly80--,izaak-,walton4 8,sea-trout show themselves wherever salmon are found1 but not always simultaneously with them4 ,in rivers where the salmon run begins in ,may or early ,june1 you need not look for sea-trout in any considerable numbers before well on into ,july4 ,intermediately they are found in tide-water at the mouths of the salmon rivers1 and often in such numbers and of such weight as give the angler superb sport40--,george ,dawson4 ,,sea-,,trout4 ,by ,fitz ,james ,fitch4 ,sunday morning1 ,august #b1 #ahgd1 found us1 ,mr4 ,a4 ,r4 ,macdonough and me1 at ,tadousac1 a ,french4 ,canadian village1 very small for its age1 situated on the northeast shore of the ,saguenay ,river1 one and a half miles from the junction of its dark and mighty waters with the turbid and mightier ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,this day was the beginning of the culmination of four months of preparation for a month's release from the business world1 its toil1 care and worry4 ,the preparations began with the payment of #aej in gold--#aga4bj currency--the rent named in a lease securing to us the exclusive right to fish a river on the north shore of1 and emptying into1 the ,st4 ,lawrence many miles below the ,saguenay4 ,we left ,new ,york sweltering in a temperature that sent the mercury up to the nineties2 were fanned by the cool evening breeze of the ,hudson1 and later by the cooler breath of the old ,catskills1 around which cluster the recollections and associations of thirty years of my life4 ,we had travelled by rail to ,montreal1 #dab miles1 and spent a day there2 by steamboat to ,quebec1 #ahj miles1 where we passed twenty-four hours4 ,we had left this1 the most interesting city of ,english-speaking ,north ,america1 in the morning by steamboat1 and1 after a day of delights upon this majestic river1 the ,st4 ,lawrence1 reached ,l',anse l',eau1 the landing for ,tadousac1 #acj miles1 in the evening of ,august #ast4 ,we felt as we walked out upon the wide piazza of the ,tadousac ,hotel that 8summer ,sunday morn ,when ,nature's face was fair10 and looked up that mysterious river1 the ,saguenay1 and upon its castellated mountains of granite1 that indeed 8the lines had fallen to us in pleasant places40 ,we had reached the end1 as our course lay1 of railroads and steamboat lines1 and must finish our journey in chaloupe and birch-bark canoe4 ,we were there to leave civilization and its conveniences for nature and primitive modes of life4 ,in the story ,i am relating my progress up to this point has been as rapid as was our transit4 ,from this point on it must correspond with our slower mode of progression2 and hence there must be more of detail in what follows4 ,i hope1 but cannot expect1 that the reader will find the change as agreeable and free from irksomeness as we found our chaloupe1 canoe1 tent1 and life in the woods4 ,after an excellent breakfast1 we lighted cigars and walked down to the humble cottage of my guide1 ,david1 on the beach of the little bay of ,tadousac1 who had in charge our tents1 stores1 camp equipments1 and three new birch-bark canoes1 ordered months before1 and for which we paid #ge in gold4 ,david paddled us out to our chaloupe1 anchored in the bay1 and introduced me to ,captain ,edward ,ovington1 master1 and his nephew1 ,fabian1 a lad of sixteen or seventeen years1 his mate4 ,the chaloupe was thirty feet 8fore and aft20 beam1 #i feet4 ,six or eight feet aft we called the quarter-deck4 ,a comfortable seat surrounded three sides of it1 affording sittings for eight or ten persons4 ,next forward of this1 and separated from it by a bulkhead1 was a space of six or eight feet for freight4 ,next came our cabin1 eight by nine feet1 and just high enough to enable us to sit upright on the low shelf which was to serve as a seat by day and bed at night4 ,then came the forecastle1 in which was a very small cooking stove4 ,the vessel was rigged with main and topmast1 strengthened by iron shrouds1 with a large mainsail1 topsail1 jib and 8jigger10 as it is called by ,canadian boatmen4 ,it was in respect to the jigger that the craft differed from a sloop-rigged yacht or boat4 ,clear aft1 and back of the rudder-post1 was a mast about fifteen feet high2 running from the stern of the vessel was a stationary jigger boom1 something like the jib-boom1 except that it was horizontal2 on these was rigged a sail in shape like the mainsail4 ,the boat was a fair sailer1 strong1 well built1 and from four to six tons burden4 ,in returning to the hotel we stopped at and entered the little ,french ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,it is not known when it was erected4 ,jacques ,cartier1 in his second visit to ,america1 in #aece1 explored the ,saguenay2 and ,father ,marquette made ,tadousac his residence for a short time4 ,when he first came to this country in #affe1 tradition tells us1 he established a mission there and built a log chapel on the site where the church we entered stands4 ,the latter is a wooden building1 about twenty-five by thirty feet1 with a handsome altar placed in a recess chancel1 the rear wall of which is adorned with three oil paintings4 ,the centre one1 over the altar1 was the ,crucifixion4 ,a small porch1 or vestibule1 of rough boards1 had been added in modern times4 ,a little antique bell swung in the belfry on the east gable1 which was surmounted by an iron floriated cross4 ,the church was filled with devout habitans1 mainly--there was a sprinkling of summer boarders and anglers--who listened with apparent interest to the extempore sermon of a young ,french priest of prepossessing appearance and manner4 ,in the afternoon ,i attended the ,english ,episcopal ,church1 about a mile from the hotel1 and midway between ,tadousac and ,l',anse l',eau4 ,here ,i felt quite at home1 enjoyed the services1 and joined heartily in the prayer for the 8,queen1 the ,royal ,family1 and all who are in authority40 ,i was compelled to put a ,u4 ,s4 greenback1 to represent my contribution of one dollar1 upon the plate4 ,i have been sorry ever since that ,i did not secure a reputation for honesty and fair dealing by adding a dime to pay the premium on gold1 and thus make good our 7then7 depreciated currency4 ,august #c;d4--,a gray flannel suit and shirt were donned this morning4 ,our fishing clothes and paraphernalia were packed in large canvas bags1 toilet articles1 etc41 in grip sacks1 and all else left in our ,saratoga trunks1 and in charge of the hotel manager until our return4 ,at #aa o'clock we walked down to the beach where ,david and the ,captain met us with our respective canoes4 ,i asked 8,dah-veede0 7he was very particular about the pronunciation of his name71 8how shall ,i dispose of myself in this cranky thing80 8,sit down on the bottom1 sir40 ,the latter part of the sitting process was rather emphatic4 ,i wondered how ,i was to get up6 ,all being on board the good chaloupe ,quebec1 the sails were spread to the breeze1 and by one o'clock we had beat out of the bay1 down the ,saguenay1 and were on the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,as we sailed1 the canoes which had been in tow were hoisted on deck2 one1 turned upon its side1 was lashed to the shrouds of the vessel on either side1 and the third1 turned bottom up1 was laid upon the cabin deck4 ,the wind was ,n4 ,w41 and favorable1 so that we made about eight knots an hour4 ,we landed at ,escomains1 to take on board ,pierre ,jacques1 a full-blooded ,indian1 possessing the usual characteristics of his race--laziness and love of whiskey4 ,he was ,mr4 ,macdonough's guide2 and1 despite the weaknesses mentioned1 proved a good guide and a most skilful canoeist4 ,we continued to sail until ten o'clock at night1 when we dropped anchor4 ,the night was dark and rainy1 the wind fresh1 and the river very rough1 causing our little craft to dance1 roll1 and pitch in a most disgusting manner4 ,we had no seasickness on board1 but much wakefulness on my side of the cabin4 ,being thus 8,rocked in the cradle of the deep10 was not a success as a soporific1 in my case1 at least4 ,august #dth4--,seven o'clock1 ,a4 ,m4 ,we have been sailing since daylight this morning1 and are now at anchor near the ,sault au ,cochon4 ,mr4 ,macdonough had occasion to visit a country store near the falls1 and suggested that ,i try to catch a trout for breakfast4 ,the stream which empties into the ,st4 ,lawrence here is of considerable size--say forty feet wide--and pours over a ledge of rocks1 or precipice1 about fifty feet in height1 into the head of a small bay4 ,the water under and near the fall is very rough and swift4 ,my guide launched my canoe1 paddled me out1 and placed me in such a position that ,i could cast in the eddy formed by the swift waters from the fall4 ,with a hornbeam rod1 of ten ounces in weight1 and twelve feet in length1 armed with two flies1 ,i whipped the waters4 ,a few casts brought up a trout4 ,i saw its head as it rose for my dropper1 struck1 and hooked the fish4 ,it ran down with the current1 my click reel singing the tune so delightful to anglers' ears1 until near one hundred feet of line was out4 ,placing my gloved thumb upon the barrel of the reel1 ,i checked its progress4 ,the trout dashed right and left1 from and towards me1 at times putting my tackle to a severe test4 ,it kept below the surface of the water2 therefore1 ,i could only judge of the size of my captive by the strength it exerted in its efforts to escape4 ,my enthusiastic guide was much excited1 and cheered me by such remarks as1 8,juge he big trout4 ,he weigh three1 four1 five pounds6 ,he very big trout60 ,i concurred in his opinion1 as it often required the utmost strength of my right hand and wrist to hold my rod at the proper angle4 ,after playing the fish fifteen or twenty minutes1 without its showing any signs of exhaustion1 ,i slowly1 and by sheer force1 reeled the fish to the canoe1 and my guide scooped it out with the landing net4 ,i then discovered it was not the monster we had supposed it to be1 but that it was hooked by the tail fly at the roots of the caudal fin4 ,the fish was killed1 by a blow upon the head1 and weighed4 ,the scales showed two pounds two ounces4 ,the guide paddled ashore1 and upon the rocks near the falls built a fire1 and prepared our breakfast4 ,the fish was split open on the back1 spread out upon a plank1 to which it was secured by wooden pegs1 set up before the fire1 and thus broiled1 or more properly1 roasted4 ,a more delicious trout ,i never tasted4 ,up to this point1 what has been written has been abstracted from the prolix journal that ,i kept of this bout4 ,as ,i have taken my first sea-trout from ,canadian waters it is fitting that ,i turn to the subject of this article1 ,,sea-,,trout4 ,like all anadromous fishes its 8ways are dark and past finding out40 ,hence scientists1 naturalists1 anglers and guides differ widely and materially in regard to its proper name1 its species1 and its habits4 ,scarcely any two writers upon the subject have agreed in all these points4 ,sea-trout 7,salmo ,trutta7 abound in northern ,europe4 ,as stated by ,foster in his 8,scientific ,angler10 in 8nearly every beck and burn1 loch and river of ,scotland and ,ireland2 and are readily taken with a fly40 ,these sea-trout have been mentioned and described by many eminent writers--,sir ,humphry ,davy1 ,yarrel1 ,foster1 and others4 ,the description given of this fish1 the number of rays in its fins1 its coloring and markings1 and lastly the absence of all red or vermilion spots render it absolutely certain that they are not in species identical with the sea trout of the ,dominion of ,canada4 ,as is shown by ,thaddeus ,norris1 in his admirable work1 8,the ,american ,angler's ,book10 conclusively ,i think1 the supposed identity of the two kinds of sea-trout mentioned have led many writers astray when speaking of the sea-trout found in ,american waters4 ,norris has applied to the latter fish the name ,salmo ,canadensis1 given1 ,i believe1 by ,col4 ,hamilton ,smith1 in #ahcd4 ,whether icthyologists can find a better or more appropriate one matters not4 ,it is desirable that there be a name to distinguish this fish from all others1 and this one1 if generally adopted1 will serve all necessary purposes4 ,in describing the fish ,norris writes thus3 8,a ,canadian trout1 fresh from the sea1 as compared with the brook trout1 has larger and more distinct scales2 the form is not so much compressed2 the markings on the back are lighter and not so vermiculated in form1 but resemble more the broken segments of a circle2 it has fewer red spots1 which are also less distinct40 ,he also thinks the sea-trout1 until they attain the weight of two pounds1 more slender in form4 ,again ,i quote verbatim3 8,in color1 when fresh run from the sea1 this fish is a light1 bluish green on the back1 light silvery gray on the sides1 and brilliant white on the belly2 the ventral and anal fins entirely white2 the pectorals brownish blue in front and the posterior rays rosy white4 ,the tail is quite forked in the young fish1 as in all the salmonid1 but when fully grown is slightly lunate40 ,genio ,c4 ,scott1 who laid no claim to being a scientist1 but who was a close observer1 also compares the same fish1 which he calls the ,silver-trout or sea-trout1 ,trutta ,argentina1 or ,trutta ,marina1 with the brook trout4 ,he says1 8,the sea-trout is similar to the brook-trout in all facial peculiarities4 ,it is shaped like the brook-trout4 ,the vermicular marks on the back1 and above the lateral line1 are like those of the brook-trout2 its vermicular white and amber dots are like the brook-trout's2 its fins are like the brook-trout's1 even to the square or slightly lunate end of the tail4 ,it has the amber back and silver sides of such brook-trout as have access to the estuary food of the eggs of different fishes1 the young herring10 etc4 ,these descriptions differ but little1 and are1 ,i believe1 as accurate in the main as can be given4 ,both these writers1 as will be seen1 are discussing1 and have taken opposite sides upon the question1 whether the ,canadian sea-trout is an anadromous brook-trout4 ,this question was very well presented by ,mr4 ,macdonough 7my companion7 in an article entitled 8,sea-,trout ,fishing10 published in ,scribner's ,monthly ,magazine for ,may1 #ahgg4 ,he begins thus3 8,what is a sea-trout8 ,a problem to begin with1 though quite a minor one1 since naturalists have for some time past kept specimens waiting their leisure to decide whether he is a cadet of the noble salmon race1 or merely the chief of the familiar brook-trout tribe4 ,science inclines to the former view upon certain slight but sure indications noted in spines and gill covers4 ,the witness of guides and gaffers leads the same way2 and the ,indians all say that the habits of the sea-trout and brook-trout differ1 and that the contrast between the markings of the two kinds of fish taken from the same pool1 forbids the idea of their identity4 ,yet the testimony of many accomplished sportsmen affirms it4 ,the gradual change of color in the same fish as he ascends the stream from plain silvery gray to deepest dotted bronze2 his haunts at the lower end of pools1 behind rocks1 and among roots2 his action in taking the fly with an upward leap1 not downwards from above--all these resemblances support the theory that the sea-trout is only an anadromous brook-trout4444 ,indeed the difference in color between the brook-trout and sea-trout ranges within a far narrower scale than that between parr1 grilse1 and salmon40 ,the reader who has not read the paper would doubtless thank me for quoting it entire4 ,as will have been seen1 the conscientious and lamented ,thad4 ,norris1 when he wrote as above quoted1 thought that the ,canadian sea-trout were not the ,english ,salmo ,trutta1 nor the ,salmo ,fontinalis1 and as proof gave this table showing the number of rays in the fins of the following fish3 ,illustration3 #jjfi ,he adds1 speaking of the last two fish--8there being only a difference of one ray in the pectorals1 which may be accidental40 ,i am credibly informed that some years after his book was written1 and after a more familiar acquaintance with the ,s4 ,canadensis1 his views underwent an entire change1 and that he wrote 8the ,s4 ,canadensis is the ,s4 ,fontinalis gone to sea40 ,the space allowed me for this paper will not admit of my quoting further from the writings of those above mentioned or of others upon this subject4 ,i will now state1 as briefly as ,i can1 my own views resulting from long familiarity with brook-trout1 gained by thirty-five years of angling for them1 my acquaintance with the sea-trout of ,long ,island1 and those found in ,canadian waters4 ,in regard to the markings of the fish immediately after migrating from salt to fresh water it is unnecessary to say more1 except that the vermicular marks differ somewhat in different fish4 ,some that ,i caught and examined closely had1 as ,scott says1 8vermiculate marks on the back very plain and distinct40 ,and on others1 as ,norris writes1 8the markings on the back were lighter and not so vermiculated in form1 but resembling more the broken segments of a circle40 ,the fish in this respect differ from each other far less than often do brook trout1 taken from the same pool4 ,norris thinks the sea-trout more slender in form than the brook-trout until the former attains the weight of two pounds4 ,i have not been able to discover this difference between sea-trout and the brook-trout taken from the waters of this ,state4 ,the trout of ,rangeley ,lake1 and waters adjacent in ,maine 7,i assume1 as ,i believe1 they are genuine brook trout71 are thicker and shorter than trout of the same weight caught in the ,state of ,new ,york1 or the ,canadian sea-trout4 ,i have two careful and accurate drawings--one of a sea-trout which weighed four and one-quarter pounds1 and measured twenty-two and one-half inches in length1 and five and one-eighth inches in depth--the other of a ,rangeley trout that weighed eight pounds1 and measured twenty-six inches in length1 and eight and a half inches in depth4 ,i have seen and measured several ,rangeley trout two of seven pounds each1 one of four and one-half pounds1 etc41 and in all ,i think there was a similar disproportion as compared with the other trout above mentioned4 ,as regards the number of rays in the fins of sea-trout ,i can only say that while fishing for them ,i counted the rays and found them to compare in number with those of the brook-trout as given by ,norris in the table inserted ante4 ,all the writers from whom ,i have quoted1 and all persons with whom ,i have conversed who have fished for these sea-trout1 concur in the opinion that soon after the sea-trout enters fresh water1 a change in color and appearance begins1 which ends in assimilating1 as nearly as may be1 the fish in question to the brook trout4 ,on the first day's fishing1 when my guide accompanied me1 he opened the mouth of a trout and called my attention to small parasites--8,sea-lice10 he called them--in the mouth and throat of the fish4 ,he said that the presence of these parasites was a sure indication that the fish had just left the salt water2 that they would soon disappear in fresh water4 ,as a matter of curiosity ,i examined the mouths of several fish1 and invariably found that if they presented the appearance described by ,norris and ,scott1 the parasites were present2 but if they had assumed a gayer livery none were to be found4 ,the change in color1 which begins with the trout's advent to fresh water1 is progressive1 and ceases only when the object of its mission1 the deposit and impregnation of the spawn1 is accomplished4 ,in proof of this ,i will state that during the last days of our stay on the stream1 and notably in fish taken fifteen or twenty miles from tide water1 it was not infrequent that we caught trout as gorgeous and brilliant in color as the male brook trout at the spawning season4 ,whether this change of color is attributable to the character of the water in which it 8lives1 moves1 and has its being10 to the food it eats1 or other causes1 it is impossible to say4 ,i often caught from the same or adjacent pools1 trout fresh from the sea and dull in color1 and those showing in a greater or less degree the brilliancy of the mountain brook trout4 ,of course they differ widely in appearance1 and therefore it is not surprising that the 8,indians all say10 as expressed by ,mr4 ,macdonough1 8that the contrast between the markings of the two kinds of fish forbids the idea of their identity40 ,as mentioned by ,mr4 ,macdonough the sea-trout have their 8haunts at the lower end of pools0 and upper end he might have added with truth1 8behind rocks1 among roots10 in short1 in the same parts of a stream that an experienced angler expects to find and does find the brook trout4 ,the sea trout will take the same bait1 rise at the same fly1 and rest at the same hours of the day1 as brook trout4 ,the flies that ,i ordered1 made from samples furnished by ,mr4 ,macdonough1 who had had some years' experience on the stream before ,i accompanied him1 were much larger and more gaudy than the usual trout flies1 and ordinarily were sufficiently taking in character2 but1 on very bright days1 when the water was low and clear1 we found that the flies used by us on the ,beaver ,kill1 and ,neversink1 in ,sullivan ,county1 ,new ,york1 were better4 ,the largest trout taken by us on this bout--four and one-quarter pounds--was hooked with a stone fly made by ,pritchard ,brothers1 of ,new ,york1 for use on those streams4 ,on one occasion1 ,i took at one cast1 and landed safely1 two trout1 weighing three pounds and one-quarter1 and one and three-quarters pounds1 respectively1 upon one of the said stone flies and a mediumsized gray hackle4 ,in conclusion of this part of my article1 ,i will say that1 for the reasons above given1 ,i have no doubt but that the ,canada sea-trout are anadromous brook trout1 and that they should be classed with the salmo fontinalis1 or1 if preferred1 salvelinus fontinalis4 ,the trout in question come up the ,st4 ,lawrence from the ocean in large numbers1 and file off1 probably in accordance with the instinct of anadromous fishes1 to the streams in which they were severally hatched4 ,the detachment for our stream reaches it invariably in the first days of ,august4 8,when once fairly in the current0 7,i quote from ,mr4 ,macdonough's paper71 8their movements up-stream are very rapid4 ,passionless and almost sexless1 as the mode of the nuptials1 they are on their way to complete1 may seem to more highly organized beings1 they drive with headlong eagerness through torrent and foam1 toward the shining reaches and gravelly beds far up the river1 where their ova are to be deposited40 ,they stop for but a short time for rest in certain pools2 one of these resting places was directly in front of our tents4 ,two1 three1 or more1 could be taken from it in the morning2 sometimes1 not always1 in the evening2 but assuredly the ensuing morning2 and so on1 until the beginning of ,september4 ,when these fish return to 8the ocean1 that great receptacle of fishes10 as ,goldsmith styles it1 is a problem not yet solved4 ,some think they remain until winter1 or spring4 ,i incline to the opinion that they go back to the sea in the fall soon after their procreative duty is performed4 ,it is well known that the salmo fontinalis gives no care or thought to its offspring2 and evinces no love or affection for it after it passes the embryotic or ova-otic stage2 and that during that stage their parental fondness is akin to that of the cannibal for the conventional 8fat missionary40 ,the voraciousness that prompts the parent trout to eat all the eggs they can find as soon as deposited and fertilized1 would also prompt them to return to the estuaries so well stocked with food suited to their taste and wants4 ,what becomes of the young fry during early fishhood is another problem4 ,from the fact that no small trout are caught or seen in the rivers1 at the source and in the tributaries of which millions are hatched1 it is fair to assume that the young remain where they were incubated until they attain age1 size1 and strength that enable them to evade1 if not defend themselves against1 the attack of their many enemies4 ,when this time arrives1 they doubtless accompany their parents1 or the parents of other troutlings 7it is1 indeed1 a wise fish 8that knows its own father0--or mother71 on their migration to the sea4 ,during our stay upon the stream ,i caught but two trout as small as one-fourth of a pound1 but one of six ounces1 and few as small as half a pound4 ,the average size of our whole catch was one pound four ounces4 ,since writing the foregoing1 ,i have received from ,dr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,henshall1 an answer to a letter that ,i addressed to him1 before ,i began this article1 in which ,i asked him to give me the nomenclature of the sea trout of the lower ,st4 ,lawrence1 and also to inform me whether he thought these fish anadromous brook trout4 ,i here record my thanks to the ,doctor for his courteous compliance with my request1 and give a copy of so much of his letter as relates to the fish under consideration1 which1 to my mind1 settles the question of the status of the sea-trout of ,canada4 8,cynthiana1 ,ky41 ,jan4 #bi1 #ahhc4 8,dear ,sir1--,the so-called #8sea-trout' or #8salmon-trout' of the lower ,st4 ,lawrence1 is the brook trout 7,s4 fontinalis71 but having access to the sea1 becomes anadromous1 and like all anadromous and marine fishes1 becomes of a silvery appearance1 losing1 somewhat1 its characteristic colors4 ,the brook trout has a wide range 7from northern ,georgia to the ,arctic regions71 and of course presents some geographical variations in appearance1 habits1 etc444but does not vary in its specific relations4 ,mr4 ------0 7naming an ,american author to whom ,i referred71 8was wrong in calling this fish ,salmo trutta1 ,s4 trutta is a ,european species2 and if he applied the name to the ,canadian brook trout it is a misnomer4 ,i cannot say1 not having read --------0 7a work by said author mentioned by me74 8,trusting this may meet your wants1 ,i am1 8,yours very sincerely1 8,j4 ,a4 ,henshall4 8,p4,s4--,on next page please find nomenclature of the sea-trout of the lower ,st4 ,lawrence4 8,canadian ,sea-,trout4 8,salvelinus fontinalis1 7,mitchell71 ,gill ,jordan4 8,synonomy4--,salmo canadensis1 ,ham4 ,smith1 in ,griffith's ,cuvier1 x1 #dgd1 #ahcd4 ,salmo immaculatus1 ,h4 ,r4 ,storer1 in ,bost1 ,jour4 ,nat4 ,hist41 vi1 #cfd1 #ahej4 8,vernacular ,names4--,canadian brook trout1 sea-trout1 salmon trout1 unspotted salmon1 white sea-trout1 etc4 8,specific ,description4--,body oblong or ovate1 moderately compressed2 depth of body one-fourth to one-fifth of length2 back broad and rounded4 8,head large1 not very long1 sloping symmetrically above and below2 head contained four or five times in length of body4 ,nostrils double2 vomer boat-shaped2 jaws with minute teeth2 no teeth on hyoid bone2 mouth large1 the maxillary reaching to the eye2 eye large4 8,scales very small1 in two hundred and twenty-five transverse rows2 caudal fin slightly lunate in adult1 forked in young2 adipose fin small4 8,fin rays3 ,d4 #aj2 ,a4 #i2 ,p4 #ac2 ,v4 #h2 ,c4 #ai4 8,color3 back mottled with dark markings2 sides lighter2 belly silvery white2 red and yellow spots on body1 mostly on sides4 8,coloration often plain and silvery in sea-run individuals40 ,the so-called 8sea-trout0 of ,long ,island1 as stated by ,mr4 ,charles ,hallock1 in his 8,fishing ,tourist10 and of certain streams in ,connecticut1 as mentioned by ,mr4 ,w4 ,c4 ,prime in 8,i go a-,fishing10 are genuine brook trout4 ,although they have access to the salt water1 and go there for food--and hence are fat and delicious in flavor--they are not anadromous brook trout4 ,they do not 8pass from the sea into fresh waters1 at stated seasons0 7,webster's ,dic474 ,they are caught at all times from ,february or ,march until the following autumn in fresh water1 and1 as ,hallock expresses it1 8they run in and out with the tide40 ,when this article was commenced it was my intention to write not only of the sea-trout1 but to give an account of our excursion in #ahgd2 and in doing so to speak of the events of each day succeeding those of which ,i have written4 ,it has already exceeded in length the measure that was fixed upon1 hence ,i can give the reader only a casual glance at us as we proceed to our destination2 and a look now and then into our camp4 ,i left our party--breakfast over--at the ,sault au ,cochon1 at about eight ,a4 ,m4 of ,august #dth4 ,soon thereafter we set sail and made such progress that a few hours brought us to the mouth of our river4 ,it was low tide when we reached it--low tide means something here1 as the tide has a rise and fall of fifteen feet--and hence the anchor was dropped near the river's mouth1 canoes launched1 our personal baggage transferred to our respective canoes--,macdonough's was named ,commodore1 in honor of his father1 who made an imperishable name on ,lake ,champlain in the war of #ahab1 and mine ,la ,dame1 in honor of some one who lived in my imagination2 ,i never met her elsewhere4 ,in the third canoe were placed the tents1 camp utensils1 and stores for twenty-four hours4 ,when all was in readiness ,i lighted my pipe1 seated myself on the bottom of my canoe1 leaned back against one of the bords or cross bars2 then ,david1 sitting upon the ,v formed by the sides of the canoe at the stern1 with paddle in hand1 sent the birch bark flying up our river4 ,like most ,canadian trout streams it consists of a series of still1 deep pools1 and swift1 rocky rapids1 alternating4 ,often the rapids have a fall of one foot in ten1 and are from one to five1 and sometimes ten or more rods in length4 ,it is marvellous how these canoeists will force a loaded canoe up them4 ,in doing so they stand near the back end and use a long1 iron-pointed 8setting pole40 ,before sunset we reached our camping place1 five or six miles from the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,the guides built a fire to dispel the mosquitoes1 which were fearfully numerous and bloodthirsty1 and then set about pitching our tents4 ,m4 and ,i lighted cigars1 put our rods together1 and in ten minutes' time had taken from the pool in front of us1 each two trout1 weighing from one pound two1 to one pound eight ounces each4 ,having caught enough for dinner we busied ourselves in arranging our tents1 preparing our beds1 etc4 ,my journal for the day ends with the following brief entry3 ,nine ,p4,m4--,we are now settled in camp1 have eaten a good dinner1 smoked our cigars1 and are going to bed4 ,aug4 #eth4--,having had a good night's sleep ,i rose at five ,a4 ,m41 made a hasty toilet1 took my rod and threw into the pool1 within forty feet of my tent1 and took during a few minutes three trout weighing three-quarters1 one and a-quarter1 and one and a-quarter pounds respectively4 ,m4 soon followed and caught two of one and a-quarter pounds each4 ,breakfast over we sent our guides with the canoes down to the chaloupe for the rest of our tents1 stores1 etc41 and consequently we can only fish the home pool to-day4 ,with a hatchet ,i cut out a path through the laurel thicket to the head of the pool1 six or eight rods distant2 returned to camp1 put on my ,india rubber wading pants and rubber shoes 7having a leather sole filled with ,hungarian nails71 took my rod1 walked to the head of the pool1 and cast my flies on the swift waters4 ,in an instant a pair of capacious jaws emerged from the water4 ,i struck1 and as the head disappeared1 saw the tail and half the body of an enormous trout4444 ,in twenty minutes the fish was in my landing net4 ,i walked proudly and in a most contented frame of mind back to camp4 8,that10 said ,mr4 ,macdonough1 8looks like old times40 ,the scales were hooked in his jaw1 the index showed three pounds1 eight ounces4444 ,our camp is on a sandy point of land around which curves the pool1 and from which1 for the space of about one-eighth of an acre1 all trees were cut and the land cleared off1 under the direction1 tradition states1 of ,sir ,gore ,ouseley1 who first encamped here about twenty years ago1 with eighteen servants1 retainers1 and guides1 of whom my guide was one1 and the cook4 ,the stumps have rotted away1 and the clearing is covered with timothy and red-top grasses4 ,we have cut much of this with our knives1 and intend to finish haying to-day4 ,the grass when cured is to be used in making our beds more luxurious4 ,the pool in front is nearly two hundred feet across at one point1 and in places ten or fifteen feet deep4 ,in the centre and near the foot is a rock island about seventy-five feet long4 ,in the foot of the pool between this rock and our camp large trout have been seen at all hours of the day4 ,opposite our camp is quite a hill covered with spruce1 larch1 and white birch4 ,we have canvas beds1 supported by crotched sticks about eighteen inches high1 upon which poles are laid and the canvas stretched4 #e ,p4,m4--,i have filled two canvas sacks with hay for a bed1 and a pillow-case with the same1 for a bolster4 ,these1 with my small feather pillow1 sheets1 blankets1 and night-shirts1 will render sleeping in the 8bush0 ,christian-like and endurable4 #g ,p4,m4--,i have just cast into the pool and caught a pound and a-half trout1 making for the day six trout1 weighing nine pounds four ounces1 and have not fished in the aggregate one hour4 ,the guides1 ,captain and ,fabian1 have arrived with the three canoes and all stores4 ,aug4 #fth1 #g4cj a4 m4--,we have just finished breakfast4 ,it consisted of coffee1 trout fish-balls1 broiled ham1 rice and wheat crepes 7pancakes7 with butter and maple sugar4 ,my guide is an excellent cook and our stores abundant and of good quality4 ,we purchased them in ,quebec at a cost of #gc4ei in gold4 ,a tub of butter1 barrel of bread1 and sack of coarse salt1 to preserve the trout1 were purchased at ,tadousac1 and cost #aa4cd in gold4 #e ,p4,m4--,i have just come in from my first day's fishing4 ,began at #aj ,a4 ,m41 quit at #d ,p4,m4 ,i fished below and ,macdonough above the camp4 8,m4 killed #ae fish1 weight #bf lbs41 #d oz4 8,f4 #be #ca lbs41 #d oz4 #eg lbs41 #h oz4 ,aug4 #gth4--444 ,dinner is a great institution with us4 ,next to catching a trout of three pounds or over it is the event of the day4 ,ours of this evening was as follows3 8,soup3 bean with extract of beef4 8,fish3 boiled trout4 8,vegetables3 potatoes and boiled onions4 8,pastry3 rice cakes and maple sugar4 8,dessert3 crackers1 cheese1 and orange marmalade4 8,wines3 claret and sherry4 8,tea3 ,english breakfast40 ,our canoes are beauties4 ,they are eighteen feet long1 three feet three inches wide in the centre1 and fifteen inches in depth4 ,with two men in they draw but three or four inches of water4 ,aug4 #ith4--,we left our camp with one tent1 two canoes1 and provisions for four days2 walked through the woods three miles to a lake1 through which our river runs1 which is eight miles above us by the stream4 444 ,it is a lovely sheet of water about three and a-half miles long and one and a-half wide1 surrounded1 except at the inlet and outlet1 by rocky cliffs1 in many places five to eight hundred feet high4444 ,aug4 #ajth4--,to our usual breakfast was added this morning a broiled partridge 7ruffed grouse7 which ,fabian killed with a stick or stone yesterday1 in making the portage4 ,while at breakfast a gray or silver fox ran past us within twenty feet of where we sat4 ,the woods are filled with squirrels2 their chattering is heard constantly4 ,large and very tame fish-hawks abound--reminding one of the beach from ,sandy ,hook to ,long ,branch4444 ,we have tickled the lake with a spinner1 trolled with a long hand line1 for pickerel4 ,we fished but an hour with two lines4 ,we caught fourteen1 weighing thirty-four pounds4 ,aug4 #aath4--,we fished down from the ,middle ,camp 7as our present one is called74 ,m4 had the morning's fishing in the 8spring hole10 and took six fish averaging two pounds each4 ,in the ,magdalen pool ,i took three one pound trout immediately upon throwing in4 ,suddenly not ten feet from where ,i stood 7,i was in the water up nearly to my waist71 and directly in front of me1 a monster fish from three to four feet long1 and of thirty or thirty-five pounds weight1 shot up from the water1 stood seemingly upon its tail for an instant1 and with a heavy splash fell over into the pool4 8,my ,god6 what is that80 ,i asked my guide4 8,it's a saumon1 sir10 he calmly replied4 ,i was all excitement and began whipping vigorously where it rose4 ,failing to get it up1 ,i put on a salmon fly4 ,by this time salmon were leaping above me1 below me1 and at my very feet4 ,i whipped diligently1 letting my fly fall like thistledown upon the water1 and then with a splash to attract attention1 and now letting it sink and float with the current4 ,it was all in vain2 three hours of my most skilful fishing failed to entice one of the wily monsters4 ,neither could ,i get up a trout2 they had all been driven away by the salmon4 ,i caused my guide to paddle me over the still pool just above1 and saw in the pellucid water1 three or four feet beneath the surface1 ten or fifteen large salmon4 ,they lay perfectly still for a time1 and then darted through and around the pool in every direction1 as if in play4 ,suddenly they would congregate in the centre of the pool and lay with their heads up stream1 the largest slightly in advance of the rest1 as motionless as if the water had become ice1 encasing the fish4 ,aug4 #abth4--,at ,main ,camp4444 ,the canoeing down from the ,middle ,camp--five miles--was delightful1 and at times very exciting2 that is1 in running the rapids1 which are numerous4 ,in making a portage around the 8,little ,falls0 we started up a cock partridge4 ,it alighted upon the limb of a dead tree no higher than my head4 8,we approached within six feet of it1 and stood for a minute or two gazing at the graceful bird4 ,it returned our gaze with head turned aside1 and a look of curious inquiry which said1 as plainly as if it had spoken1 #8,what kind of animals are you8' ,i could easily have hit it with my landing-net handle but would not make it a victim of misplaced confidence40 ,this incident reminded me of the lines of ,alexander ,selkirk1 in the ,english ,reader1 which was in use in my early school-boy days3 8,they are so unacquainted with man1 ,their tameness is shocking to me40 ,i may add that squirrels were constantly running about our camp1 exhibiting no more fear than those in the parks of ,philadelphia4 ,aug4 #adth4--8,david build a fire between our tents1 it is cold10 ,i called out about five o'clock this morning4 8,yes1 sir10 he replied2 8a black frost this morning1 had to thaw out my boots before ,i could get them on40 ,our little encampment consists of two wall tents1 ten feet square1 for the use of ,mr4 ,macdonough and myself4 ,they are about fifteen feet apart1 opening towards each other1 upon a line twenty feet from the pool1 upon ground five or six feet above it4 ,back of our tents is our dining-table1 made of planks split from the spruce1 and sheltered with a tent fly4 ,in rear of this is the kitchen fire2 and still farther back1 two 8,a tents10 one for the use of our men1 and the other for-the protection of our stores4 ,i do not often look into our kitchen3 ,seeing ,fabian wipe my silver-plated fork upon his pantaloons1 between courses1 cured me of this4 8,where ignorance is bliss1 'tis folly to be wise40 ,i did1 however1 look into the kitchen to-day to see how our excellent bread was baked4 ,it was properly made with 8raising powder10 kneaded and formed into loaves4 ,a trench was dug in the ashes and sand1 forming the bed of our camp fire1 wide and long enough to admit of three loaves4 ,they were put into the trench1 without any covering except the hot sand and ashes1 with which they were surrounded on all sides1 top and bottom4 ,live coals were raked over the mound1 and it was left for time and heat to do the rest4 ,an hour or so after ,i saw the bread taken from the ashes4 ,it was brushed slightly with a wisp broom1 which removed the little of ashes and sand adhering2 and the bread was as clean as if it had just left the baker's oven1 and was of a uniform rich brown color4 ,lamb and green peas 7,french canned7 formed one course at dinner to-day4 ,the flavor of fresh mutton is much improved by non-intercourse with the butcher for two weeks4 ,sunday1 ,aug4 #af4--;,another bright and beautiful day4 ,it would be pleasant to hear 8the sound of the churchgoing bell1 which these rocks and these valleys ne'er heard10 ,it is now near two weeks since we entered upon our camp life1 and we have seen no signs of civilization1 save in our camp2 nothing but forest1 rock1 water and sky1 all as they came from their ,great ,creators hand4 ,no sounds have been heard to carry us back in thought to the world of life and labor1 save the occasional booming of the fog cannon at a government station on the south side of the ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,how strangely did the warning voice of this gun1 telling us of danger to the mariner1 break upon the silence of the hour as we sat watching the fairy forms and fantastic shapes in our first evening's camp-fire6 ,pleasant as it is to the writer to live over again the days of which he has written--to dwell upon the scenes in which he was an actor1 so vividly presented to his mind's eye as he writes of them--pity for the too-long suffering reader has prompted him to close the lids of his journal and restore it to its place in the book-case4 ,it only remains to write somewhat of our success in fishing4 ,the season was a very dry one1 our river very low1 and no rain sufficient to affect it fell during our stay1 consequently the trout did not come up in as large numbers as usual1 and the clearness of the water rendered successful fly-fishing more difficult4 ,we caught on this occasion but two hundred and forty-three trout1 of the aggregate weight of three hundred and four pounds4 ,all these fish were taken with a fly1 save one3 thereby hangs a tale heretofore untold4 ,at ,tadousac1 on our way out1 ,i saw a gentleman1 to whom ,i had been introduced1 making something in the construction of which he used three snelled hooks and about three inches in length of thin white rubber tubing4 ,i asked1 8,what is it80 8,a devil10 he replied4 ,he gave me materials1 and while sailing down the river ,i made one4 ,one day at the ,home ,pool ,i saw ten or a dozen large trout4 ,they paid no heed to my flies4 8,try the devil10 my guide whispered4 ,in a moment of weakness ,i yielded to the tempter and put it on4 ,the first cast caused commotion in the watery camp4 ,at the second ,i struck and soon drew out on the beach a pound and a half trout4 ,i looked upon the beautiful fish with compassion1 cursed myself for resorting to such unfair means1 removed the cruel hooks as tenderly as ,i could from the mangled and bleeding mouth1 and taking off the devilish invention threw it as far as possible into the woods4 444 8,the beasts of game ,the privilege of chase may claim40 ,i have not since used1 and shall not in the future use1 this rightly named instrument1 and hope no angler will4 ,i have narrated this only unpleasant feature of my bout to illustrate the devilish ingenuity of 8pot fishermen0 and the curiosity of sea-trout4 ,i wonder what was the gender of the fish6 ,with a view of showing the capabilities of our river in the production of fish1 ,i have aggregated the scores from #ahgb to #ahhb inclusive4 ,in one of these years three rods were in use1 in three others two1 and in the other years but one4 ,the average time of fishing in each year was about three weeks4 ,number of trout taken1 #e1ebe2 aggregate weight1 #f1fbe pounds2 average about one pound three ounces4 ,in the year #ahha the average size of two hundred and thirteen trout taken with a single rod in eight days' fishing was one pound fourteen ounces4 ,not one of these fish was wasted4 ,a few were eaten upon the stream1 but most of them were given to the guides1 who salted and packed them in barrels for future use4 ,a sack of coarse salt and empty fish barrels were always included in the anglers' stores4 ,three days after the last date mentioned we were again on board our chaloupe 8homeward bound40 ,the loss in weight in our stores was made good by the barrel of salted anadromous salvelinus-fontinalis which were to supplement and eke out the pork barrel of our honest and worthy guides during the long ice-bound winter before them4 ,tadousac was reached about sunrise on a bright morning4 ,at nine o'clock we were in citizen's dress and seated at the hotel breakfast table4 ,a glance around the room showed that summer birds and ,cook's tourists had mainly migrated to more southern latitudes4 ,our trunks were re-packed1 our guides paid #a4ej each per day1 and the captain #b4jj1 gold1 and bade adieu4 ,we took the ,saguenay steamboat for ,quebec1 the ,grand ,trunk ,railroad from ,point ,levi to ,montreal1 where we passed the night4 ,the next morning we travelled by rail to ,rouse's ,point and by boat down that charming ,lake1 ,champlain4 ,at the various landings many persons1 including several friends1 came on board4 ,nearly all carried snugly-cased fishing rods1 whose summer work was ended4 ,the ,chateaugay1 the ,saranacs1 ,paul ,smith's1 ,baker's1 ,martin's1 and various other familiar names met our ears4 ,we envied none of them4 ,our cup of joy1 happiness and contentment was full to the brim4 ,there was no room for 8envy1 hatred and malice10 but a feeling of gratitude and thankfulness to the ,author of every 8good and perfect gift10 welled up from our hearts4 8,every angler has his own peculiar notion in regard to the best fly2 and the difficulty of presenting a perfect catalogue will be very apparent1 when it is considered that the name of the fly of one writer bears a different name and description from that of another1 and it is more than probable that the name and description of some of the flies in my list may not be in accordance with the views and opinions of many old and experienced anglers40--8,frank ,forester40 8,after staying in a village parlor till the family had all retired1 ,i have returned to the woods1 and partly with a view to the next day's dinner1 spent the hours of midnight fishing from a boat by moonlight1 serenaded by owls and foxes1 and hearing1 from time to time1 the croaking note of some unknown bird close at hand40--,henry ,d4 ,thoreau4 8,he sat down on a lump of granite1 and took out his fly-book4 ,it is a sport1 he added1 as he was selecting the flies1 that there is less to be said against than shooting1 ,i imagine4 ,i don't like the idea of shooting birds1 especially after ,i have missed one or two4 ,birds are such harmless creatures4 ,but the fish is different--the fish is making a murderous snap at an innocent fly1 when a little bit of steel catches him in the very act4 ,it serves him right1 from the moral point of view40--,william ,black4 8,there is much diversity of opinion about the manner of fishing1 whether up or down the stream2 the great majority of anglers1 both ,in ,europe and this country1 favor the latter method1 and very few the former40--,john ,j4 ,brown4 8#8,beautiful6' ,well you may say so1 for what is more beautiful than a well-developed pound trout80--,charles ,w4 ,stevens4 ,illustration3 #jjib #g4 ,ferguson1 #h4 ,abbey4 #i4 ,royal ,coachman4 #aj4 ,seth ,green4 #aa4 ,professor4 #ab4 ,montreal4 8,reader1 did you ever throw the fly to tempt the silvery denizen of the lake1 or river1 to his destruction8 ,have you watched him1 as it skimmed like a living insect along the surface1 dart from his hiding-place1 and rush upon the tempting but deceitful morsel2 and have you noticed his astonishment when he found the hook was in his jaw8 ,have you watched him as he bent your slender rod #8like a reed shaken by the wind1' in his efforts to free himself1 and then have you reeled him to your hand and deposited him in your basket1 as the spoil of your good right arm8 ,if you have not1 leave the dull1 monotonous1 every-day things around you1 and flee to the ,chazy ,lake40--,s4 ,h4 ,hammond4 8,i now come to not only the most sportsman-like1 but the most delightful method of trout-fishing4 ,one not only endeared by a thousand delightful memories1 but by the devotion of many of our wisest and best men for ages past2 and1 next to my thanks for existence1 health1 and daily bread1 ,i thank ,god for the good gift of fly-fishing4 ,if the fishes are to be killed for our use1 there is no way in which they are put to so little pain as in fly-fishing4 ,the fish rises1 takes your fly as though it were his ordinary food2 the hook fixes in the hard gristly jaw1 where there is little or no sensation4 ,after a few struggles he is hauled on shore1 and a tap on the head terminates his life2 and so slight is the pain or alarm that he feels from the hook1 that ,i have over and over caught a trout1 with the fly still in his mouth which he has broken off in his struggles an hour or even half an hour previously4 ,i have seen fish that have thus broken off swim away with my fly in their mouths and begin to rise at the natural fly again almost directly40--,francis ,francis4 ,,rangeley ,,brook ,,trout4 ,by ,james ,a4 ,williamson1 ,sec4 ,oquossoc ,angling ,association4 ,about twelve summers ago1 when spending a delightful vacation at ,manchester1 ,vermont1 under the shadow of ,mt4 ,equinox1 my attention was called to a little book which gave a description of the exceptionally large brook trout inhabiting the waters of the ,rangeley ,lakes4 ,never having heard1 heretofore1 of a fish of that species that weighed more than three pounds1 and never having caught any over a pound and a half 7although ,i had dropped a line in many waters and exerted my utmost muscle in casting a line for fingerlings71 ,i could not bring my mind to believe that such fish as were described really existed1 and at once pronounced it another fish story4 ,although much interested in the narrative ,i finally threw down the book in disgust1 and as ,i did so1 observed for the first time that the author was ,robert ,g4 ,allerton1 a very old friend1 whom ,i had always esteemed a man of veracity4 ,i at once took a new interest in the subject and determined to investigate the matter personally4 ,i came to ,new ,york1 had an interview with ,mr4 ,allerton1 who was the ,treasurer of the ,oquossoc ,angling ,association1 and by his advice joined the club1 and in due time started for the promised land of mountains1 lakes1 and large trout1 and after the usual vicissitudes of travel reached my destination at ,camp ,kennebago about the middle of ,september4 ,the forests were just developing their autumnal hues1 the air was fresh and bracing1 and all nature seemed to conspire to make one realize that there was health in every breath inhaled1 and beauty in every phase of land and water4 ,having secured a first-rate guide and boat1 and partaken of a trout breakfast1 which was relished immensely1 such as can only be appreciated by one who has left the haunts of civilization and gone into the wilderness for recuperation1 ,i considered my first duty was to pay my respects to ,mr4 ,allerton1 who was in camp at ,bugle ,cove4 ,from this location ,lake ,mooselemeguntic lies spread out before you1 while ,mt4 ,washington in the distance rears its snowy peak1 overtopping ,jefferson1 ,monroe1 and the other giants of the ,white ,hills of ,new ,hampshire4 ,the crystal waters of the lake tempt us to cast a fly1 and a suitable place having been secured1 we proceed to business4 ,after making several casts in a manner more or less scientific but without success1 my former unbelief came creeping over me1 and1 as my arm became tired and almost refused to do its duty1 a sense of despondency overcame me1 which ,i am sure sensibly affected the beauty if not the efficacy of my casts4 ,but suddenly ,i am awakened to the realization of the fact that a big fish has seized the fly and is making the reel hum in its frantic endeavors to secure its liberty4 ,fathom after fathom of the dainty line disappears beneath the water1 and at last prudence dictates a gentle snub1 which finally terminates in a decided check to the mad career of the quarry4 ,having succeeded in turning his head in a different direction1 another rush is made across stream1 making the line whiz as it cuts through the water2 then suddenly he takes a downward course and ceases from all apparent effort to free himself4 ,he now sulks for a long time1 and impatience begins to take the place of the excitement with which the fight began4 ,the guide1 who1 during the fray had hoisted his anchor1 got ready his landing-net1 and was now holding his boat in position with the oars1 suggested that ,i had better send him a telegraphic message1 which was accordingly done by striking the rod with a key4 ,the first few strokes seemed to make little or no impression1 but presently he convinced us that he was still there1 although we had some forebodings that he had escaped by winding the line around a log or some other object at the bottom of the stream4 ,he was up and alive in every sense1 and performed the same tactics for liberty with apparently more vigor than at first4 ,these were kept up for about half an hour1 when he again took a turn of sulking1 but this time of shorter duration1 and when he again began his rushes it was with an evident loss of strength1 but no diminution of determination and pluck4 ,a friend who was watching and timing me from his boat came over to inquire how the battle was progressing1 and pertinently asked1 8,whether the fish was going to take me or ,i the fish40 ,at last the strength of the tackle1 the pliability of the rod1 and the determination of the rodster overcame the pluck and strength of the fish1 and he was brought to the boat turned upon his side and was beautifully landed by the guide4 ,the scales were at once applied1 with a result of eight pounds full weight4 ,my inquiring and interested friend informed me that ,i had been two hours and twenty minutes in the fight1 and as ,i sat down in the boat ,i1 for the first time1 realized that ,i was tired4 ,now1 my dear reader1 do not think that this kind of sport is of common occurrence1 for from that time to this1 ,i have taken but two fish of equal weight2 the average1 however1 has been much larger than trout from any other locality in which ,i have fished4 ,any fish under half a pound is considered unfit to land1 and is again committed to the water to grow larger4 ,the number of trout does not seem to be falling off2 but this can be accounted for by the annual plant of fry from the ,hatching ,house of the ,oquossoc ,angling ,association1 who have for years past turned about one million fish into these waters1 and now contemplate increasing the amount to five million2 still ,i think there is a sensible diminution of the size of the catch1 which now run from one-half to four pounds1 and anything over that weight is the exception4 ,this would seem to confirm the supposition of ,professor ,agassiz1 made many years ago1 that these large fish possibly may have reached an age of from #ajj to #bjj years1 as they were evidently very old4 ,any one who has been thrilled with the vigorous strike of one of the ordinary sized fish would be almost beside himself when one from three to five pounds rose to his fly1 and if his tackle was good1 the sport derived therefrom1 would serve him a lifetime2 and when the shades of night had fallen upon the camp1 and he with his fellow-fishermen collected around the great fire1 point and vigor would be given to his recital of how he caught and played the monster he that day had brought to his creel4 8,let it be seen that a love of the #8gentle art' openeth first the heart1 then the fly-book1 and soon the stores of experience and knowledge garnered up through long years1 wheresoever we meet a #8,brother of the ,angle'2 and that to us #8angling is an employment of our idle time1'2 that therein we find #8a rest to the mind1 a cheerer of the spirits1 a diverter of sadness1 a calmer of unquiet thoughts1 a moderator of the passions1 a procurer of contentedness1 and that it begets habits of peace and patience in chose that possess and practice it4'0--,thaddeus ,norris4 8,fly-fishing holds the same relation to bait-fishing that poetry does to prose4 ,not only the fly1 but every implement of the fly-fisher's outfit is a materialized poem40--,james ,a4 ,henshall1 ,m4,d4 8,between the tyro and the proficient grayling fisher there exists a wider gulf than is the case with the experienced and inexperienced in any other branch in the whole art of fishing4 ,practical skill and general artistic bearing are more fully exemplified in fishing for grayling1 than for trout and salmon1 whilst upon the same ground the unskilled efforts of the bungler stand at a yet more glaring contrast40--,david ,foster4 8,hooking a large grayling1 ,i had good evidences of his plucky qualities2 the pliant rod bent as he struggled against the line1 curling his body around columns of water that failed to sustain his grasp1 and setting his great dorsal fin like an oar backing water1 while we cautiously worked him in1 his tender mouth requiring rather more careful handling than would be necessary for a trout2 making a spurt up stream1 he requires a yielding line1 but after a time he submits to be brought in1 rallying for a dart under the boat1 or beneath a log1 as an attempt is made to place the landing net under him40--,professor ,milner4 ,illustration3 #jajb #ac4 ,bee4 #ad4 ,tomah ,jo4 #ae4 8,no ,name40 #af4 ,blue ,bottle4 #ag4 ,grasshopper4 #ah4 ,canada4 8,do not despair4 ,there was--alas6 that ,i must say there was--an illustrious philosopher1 who was nearly of the age of fifty before he made angling a pursuit1 yet he became a distinguished fly-fisher40--,sir ,humphry ,davy4 8,fly-fishing for grayling and trout are not altogether identical4 ,both are frequently found in the same water1 and are to be taken with the same cast of flies4 ,finer tackle1 as a rule1 is required in the case of the former1 as also smaller and brighter flies40 --,david ,foster4 8,the grayling generally springs entirely out of the water when first struck by the hook1 and tugs strongly at the line1 requiring as much dexterity to land it safely as it would to secure a trout of six times the size40--,dr4 ,richardson4 8,grayling will often take the fly under water1 rising so quietly that you will scarcely see any rise or break of the water at all4 ,it is desirable1 therefore1 to watch the line narrowly1 and to strike whenever you think it stops or checks1 and you will now and then be surprised1 although there is no break in the water1 to find a good grayling on the hook4 ,for1 as is often the case with trout1 the big ones are very quiet risers40--,francis ,francis4 8,to be a perfect fisherman you require more excellencies than are usually to be found in such a small space as is allotted to a man's carcass40--,parker ,gilmore4 8,the trout has1 so to speak1 a ,herculean cast of beauty2 the grayling rather that of an ,apollo--light1 delicate1 and gracefully symmetrical40--,h4 ,cholmondely-,pennell4 ,,the ,,grayling4 ,by ,fred ,mather4 ,the very name of my beloved fish calls up a host of recollections that form themselves into a picture that1 above all others1 is the most cheerful one adorning memory's wall4 ,we old fellows live largely in the past1 and can afford to let younger men revel in the future2 and in my own case1 ,i can say that1 having filled ,shakespeare's apothegm of 8one man in his time plays many parts10 there are often retrospects of life as a boyish angler1 an older hunter1 trapper1 and general vagabond on the frontiers2 a soldier2 and a later return to a first love4 ,of these glances over the shoulder of time1 a few trips to ,northern ,michigan and its grayling streams mark the journey of life with a white stone4 ,when ,prof4 ,cope announced1 in #ahfe1 that he had received specimens from ,michigan1 the ,english anglers in ,america were incredulous1 and there was some spicy correspondence1 in the sportsmen's papers of those days1 concerning the identity of the fishes4 ,as usual1 the scientist discomfited the angler1 and proved his position4 ,the fish had long been known to the raftsmen and natives of ,michigan by local names1 but had never been identified as the historic grayling4 ,some eight years after the discovery of ,prof4 ,cope that we had the grayling in ,american waters2 ,mr4 ,d4 ,h4 ,pitzhugh1 ,jr41 sent some of them to ,mr4 ,charles ,hallock1 then editor of ,forest and ,stream1 and they were shown in ,new ,york to the doubters1 who even then were not convinced4 ,mr4 ,pitzhugh took great interest in the new fish1 which1 as a lumberman and an angler1 he had long known as a 8,michigan trout10 but had never recognized as the gentle grayling1 and he has since done more than any other man to popularize it and introduce it to anglers4 ,he invited ,mr4 ,hallock1 ,prof4 ,milner1 and myself to come up and fish for it1 and we each extolled its attractions in the press4 ,as a consequence1 the fish has been nearly exterminated by vandals who fish for count1 and the waters where we fished at first are nearly barren4 ,of all game fishes the grayling is my favorite4 ,it is gamy but not savage2 one does not feel the savage instinct to kill that the black bass or the pike raises in him1 but rather a feeling of love for a vigorous fighter for its life who is handicapped with a tender mouth4 ,to me the fish is always thought of as the 8gentle grayling10 and the 8golden-eyed grayling10 although the latter epithet is not always a correct one1 owing to the changes in the iris4 ,in fishing for grayling it is well to use a mediumsized fly of a subdued color2 a yellow body and a brown wing is the fly that should be used if only one is recommended2 it is a most killing combination4 ,brown ,hackles1 ,bed ,ibis1 ,professor1 ,queen of the ,water1 and other trout flies are also killing2 but the first-mentioned fly1 whose name ,i do not know1 owing to a defective memory and the vagaries of fly nomenclature1 is the most killing1 and a cast into the upper edge of a pool below a rapid is usually most successful4 99 99 ,oak-fly4 ,the beauty of the grayling is of a kind that is better appreciated after some acquaintance4 ,the bright colors of its 8magnificent dorsal10 as the phrase went a few years ago1 are not its chief claim to admiration4 ,its shapely contour1 striped ventrals1 iridescent caudal1 and its beatific countenance win the heart of the angler and make him love the grayling1 and feel that it is a fish to respect for the higher qualities expressed in its physiognomy1 and not one that it is merely a satisfaction to kill as he would a savage pike4 ,true1 we kill the grayling1 but we do it in a different spirit from that in which we kill some other thing4 ,it was not only my good fortune to know 8,uncle ,thad0 ,norris1 but to have fished with him4 ,the dear lovable old man1 who long since paid his fare to the grim ferryman1 once said3 8,when ,i look into a grayling's eye ,i am sorry ,i killed it2 but that feeling never prevents me from making another cast just to see if another will rise40 ,in another century ,norris will be more read and appreciated than he is to-day4 ,of all ,american angling writers of this century he will stand foremost1 and yet he never wrote as fully as he intended of the fish that he told me had afforded him more pleasure than any other4 ,he had not revised his 8,american ,angler's ,book0 for some time before his death1 and so his remarks on ,back's grayling must stand as he wrote them before the era of the ,michigan grayling4 ,he there says of the ,arctic grayling3 8,the grayling being a fish in the capture of which the ,american angler cannot participate1 we give no account of the manner of angling for them1 but refer the reader who may have interest or curiosity on that score to ,english authors40 ,he intended to revise that sentence and give his own experience1 but the ,reaper judged him ripe for the harvest before he did it4 ,in my opinion he was one of those who should never have been ripe for that harvest1 and his loss to our angling literature was a severe one4 ,that the grayling will take bait1 truth requires the admission2 would that it were not so4 ,i would prefer that its food was the soaring insect1 or even the floating thistledown1 with an occasional feather from an angel's wing dropped in the moonlit flood2 but science has laid bare its interior with the searching scalpel1 and the ,caesarian operation has brought forth the lowly caddis-worm and other larvae1 and the bait-fisher has taken advantage of the knowledge and pandered to the baser appetite of the fish4 ,that the grayling does not eat other fish is proved by its small month1 as well as by its known habits4 ,it is not a leaper1 like the trout1 but takes the fly from the surface with merely an exposure of a portion of its head4 ,when struck1 it makes a rigorous rush1 and1 if it does not fight as long as the trout does1 it gives much resistance at the last moment by the sidelong movement it makes when being reeled in1 which is due to the size and curvature of its dorsal fin4 ,it inhabits only the coldest of streams1 and while the grayling of ,europe is found in the trout streams1 it is not to be found there in ,michigan4 ,we have several species of grayling in ,america4 ,two of these only are accessible to anglers1 the ,michigan grayling1 ,thymallus tricolor1 and one at the head waters of the ,yellowstone1 the ,t4 ,montanus1 ,the other species are ,arctic4 ,the ,michigan fish is reported to grow to nearly two pounds weight2 ,i never saw one that ,i thought would weigh much over a pound1 and ,i have taken them in spawning season for the purpose of procuring their eggs4 ,whether this fish will bear acclimatization to other waters1 ,i cannot say4 ,i raised a few until a year old at my former trout farm in ,western ,new ,york1 and when ,i left them ,i opened the pond and let them into the stream below1 but none have ever been taken there1 as far as ,i know4 ,it seems a pity to allow this elegant fish to become extinct1 as it will in a few years in its limited habitat1 and if opportunity offered ,i would again try to domesticate it4 ,the trout-fisher needs no special directions nor tackle to fish for grayling2 he may cast in the usual manner1 only remembering that the fish has a very tender mouth1 and must be treated with this fact ever in mind4 ,the ,michigan grayling streams are not suited for wading1 and1 therefore1 fishing from a boat is the rule4 ,this may not suit some anglers1 to whom ,i can only say1 every one to his fancy1 but no wading for me2 dry feet are more comfortable than wet ones1 and boat-fishing or bank-fishing are more suitable to my taste1 than to be immersed up to my hips in cold water for half a day4 ,i have killed1 ,i believe1 every game fish in ,america east of the ,rocky ,mountains1 except the salmon1 for which ,i have a rod in readiness1 that ,i hope to use soon1 and ,i can say that while ,i do not think the grayling the superior of all of them for gameness1 yet there is something of romance in the remembrance of the grayling1 a kind of sentimental retrospect1 that endears the fish to me above all others4 ,whether it was owing to the pine woods and the genial companionship1 ,i do not care to consider2 but each year there comes a longing to repeat the pleasant experiences of the ,au ,sable and its delicate grayling4 ,,trout ,,flies 8,the trout-fly does not resemble any known species of insect4 ,it is a #8conventionalized' creation1 as we say of ornamentation4 ,the theory is1 that1 fly-fishing being a high art1 the fly must not be a tame imitation of nature1 but an artistic suggestion of it4 ,it requires an artist to construct one2 and not every bungler can take a bit of red flannel1 a peacock's feather1 a flash of tinsel thread1 a cock's plume1 a section of a hen's wing1 and fabricate a tiny object that will not look like any fly1 but still will suggest the universal conventional fly40--,charles ,dudley ,warner4 8,when you fish with a flie1 if it be possible1 let no pary of your line touch the water1 but your flie only40--,izaak ,walton4 ,illustration3 #jaab #a4 ,coachman4 #b4 ,leadwing ,coach4 #c4 ,royal ,coachman4 #d4 ,coachman red tip4 #e4 ,gilt ,coachman4 #f4 ,cowdung4 #g4 ,fern4 #h4 ,blue ,jay4 #i4 ,abbey4 #aj4 ,red ,ant4 #aa4 ,black ,ant4 #ab4 ,seth ,green4 #ac4 ,professor4 #ad4 ,blue ,professor4 #ae4 ,dark ,stone4 8,a combination of ,english ,jay is one of the most effective flies in the world1 as it can be put into as gay a fly as you please1 and also into as plain a one as you like40--,capt4 ,peel 78,dinks074 8,when ,i think of the great secrets of ,nature locked up from our knowledge 7yet under our eyes at every turn of your daily duty71 and imagine what a mine of intellectual wealth remains to be opened out by quickness of sight1 clearness of intellect1 and the pickaxe of hard work1 a great panorama opens before me4 ,how ignorant--how terribly ignorant--are we of ,god's great laws as applied to the creatures that live in the element in which we are forbidden to exist60--,frank ,buckland4 8,the ancient belief in the stoppage of sport during a thunderstorm is not strictly true40--,david ,foster4 8,a fish will hook himself only in cases where the fly first touches the water at the end of a straight line1 or when the line is being withdrawn smartly for a new cast4 ,in all other cases the skill of the angler must be employed40--,charles ,hallock4 8,we had determined on a feast1 and trout were to be its daintiest dainty4 ,we waited until the confusing pepper of a shower had passed away and left the water calm4 ,we tossed to the fish humbugs of wool1 silk and feathers1 gauds such as captivate the greedy or the guileless4 ,the trout1 on the lookout for novelty1 dashed up and swallowed disappointing juiceless morsels1 and with them swallowed hooks4 ,then1 ,o ,walton6 ,o ,davy6 ,o ,scrope6 ye fishers hard by taverns6 luxury was ours of which ye know nothing4 ,under the noble yellow birch we cooked our own fish4 ,we used our scanty kitchen-battery with skill4 ,we cooked with the high art of simplicity4 ,where ,nature has done her best1 only fools rush in to improve4 ,on the salmonids1 fresh and salt1 she has lavished her creative refinements4 ,cookery should only ripen and develop40--,theodore ,winthrop4 8,as a general thing1 it is a waste of time to be forever changing your flies4 ,if the trout are not rising1 it is entirely useless to fling an assortment of flies at them40--,t4 ,s4 ,up de ,graff1 ,m4,d4 8,in taking the fly1 ,i award the palm to the trout1 as he usually throws himself out of the water to do so4 ,the salmon does not1 he scarcely more than shows himself2 but after being hooked the sport commences1 and it is all activity to the death1 rarely any sulking40--,charles ,w4 ,stevens ,a ,,trouting ,,trip ,,to ,,st4 ,,ignace ,,island4 ,by ,w4 ,thomson ,towards the end of ,august1 #ahgg1 ,i had become pretty well fagged out with office work and felt that ,i must have a week or two of out-door recreation or sport of some kind1 so ,i naturally decided upon a troutfishing expedition2 and ,i selected1 as the scene1 the island of ,st4 ,ignace1 in ,lake ,superior1 of which ,i had heard most excellent accounts in regard to fish products4 ,i had1 it is true1 caught a great many brook trout throughout the summer1 in small streams close at hand2 but these were mostly fish of inferior size1 few indeed reaching one pound in weight2 while ,i was assured by an ancient fisherman of repute1 that at the ,island1 the real ,salmo fontinalis often attained to four1 five1 and even seven pounds4 ,this was the kind of ground ,i had been1 for many years1 anxious to find1 and ,i made up my mind to try it at all events4 ,the first thing to do was to secure two suitable companions1 and a man or boy of all work4 ,the former ,i quickly enlisted in the persons of a genial ,m4,d4 and an overworked limb of the law4 ,the latter opportunely turned up in the shape of 8,jim10 a colored youth of sixteen1 as black as the ten of spades1 but no less celebrated for his culinary skill than for his impish tricks and imperturbable good humor and honesty4 ,to banish formality once for all1 and put things upon an easy and familiar footing at the start1 ,i christened the ,m4,d4 8,squills0 and the lawyer 8,bluffy10 out of compliment to his usual style of treating witnesses in court4 ,in deference to my advanced age and general good looks1 the boys called me 8,governor10 ,i being then about fifty-three and neither of them thirty4 ,our supplies1 consisting of a ten by twelve tent1 three camp beds and bedding1 two small boats1 a stock of provisions for six men for two weeks1 one rifle1 two fowling pieces1 and our fishing tackle1 were soon got together1 and in twenty-four hours from the first proposal1 we were ready to take the cars for ,collingwood4 ,at that point we secured an ample supply of ice2 and then embarked with our traps on board a steamer bound for ,duluth and intermediate ports1 and touching at ,st4 ,ignace on her way4 ,this island is situated in ,canadian waters1 about thirty-five miles from the mouth of ,nepigon ,river1 forty-seven miles east of the famous ,silver ,islet and some seventy from ,thunder ,bay4 ,i say island1 but there are in fact two called ,st4 ,ignace2 the largest being about sixteen miles long by ten wide2 with generally bluff shores and high headlands1 one of these rising to a height of thirteen hundred and fifty feet above the lake level4 ,the smaller island1 at which steamers touch and upon which we camped1 is separated from the larger by a channel of from fifty to a hundred yards wide1 and is about two miles by a half a mile in size1 having one bold headland five hundred feet high4 ,neither island is inhabited except by occasional ,indians and other fishermen2 nor do either of them1 so far as ,i observed1 contain any agricultural land1 the formation being rock4 ,both1 however1 as well as contiguous groups1 are mostly covered with a thick growth of spruce1 balsam1 birch and mountain ash4 ,this last is so plentiful that in the autumn its brilliant red leaves may be seen from quite a distance at sea1 framed in a background of dark green spruce1 and presenting a most charming view4 ,the larger island contains in itself numerous small lakes which abound in pike 7,e4 ,indus71 and what we ,canadians call yellow pickerel 7,stizostedium vitreum71 really pike-perch4 ,no one bothers catching these1 however1 as the surrounding waters yield an enormous supply of choicer fish1 among which are said to be ten varieties of the salmon family2 besides whitefish1 some of which attain to seventeen pounds in weight6 ,i took some trouble to ascertain the local names by which the various species of trout are known1 and the greatest attested weight of individuals of each4 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,wm4 ,boon1 of ,barrie1 ,ontario1 a professional fisherman who spends four months of every year upon the island1 for the following list1 which ,i give without vouching in any way for this queer addition to the salmon family3 #a4 ,salmon trout1 weight up to #gj lbs4 #b4 8,siskowitt10 weight up to #ab #c4 ,half-breed ,siskowitt1 weight up to #e #d4 8,potgut10 very inferior fish1 weight up to #ab #e4 ,rock or black trout1 weight up to #dj #f4 ,large gray or shovel-nose trout1 weight up to #gj #g4 8,california trout10 yellow spots and flesh1 weight up to #aj #h4 8,half-breed red trout10 weight up to #ae #i4 ,common brook or speckled trout1 weight up to #g #aj4 8,red trout10 weight up to #db ,all of these1 of course1 are local names1 but the fish are all true trout2 crossed and re-crossed1 ,i presume1 ad infinitum4 ,the brook trout is the only species found here with a square tail1 those of all the others being more or less forked4 ,the 8red trout0 is far superior to any of its confrres1 and is called by the ,indians--,pugwashooaneg1 that is1 ,paysplatt--,district-fish1 as it is taken only in this locality1 and only in the fall of the year as a rule4 ,the ,indians come from ,nepigon expressly to fish for it1 and care for no other trout in comparison4 ,it is much more highly esteemed than the brook trout4 ,this very day on which ,i write this article1 ,i had a salted piece of one of these 8red trout0 for dinner and found the flesh of a bright pink1 and the flavor exquisite4 ,i shall refer to it again4 ,on our passage from ,collingwood we touched at the following ports and 8landings10 viz43 ,meaford1 ,owen ,sound1 ,killarney1 ,little ,current1 ,bruce ,mines1 ,hilton1 or ,st4 ,joseph ,island1 ,garden ,river1 and the ,sault4 ,thence1 via ,michipicoton ,island to ,st4 ,ignace4 ,i may say here1 before ,i forget it1 that among the useful productions of this last are incredible quantities of huckleberries and 8sand cranberries40 ,the former were just in season at the date of our visit1 and after the first day 8,jim0 always gave us capital puddings and pies made from them4 ,we found many pleasant people on board the steamer1 with whom we picked acquaintance in that free and easy manner peculiar the world over to anglers4 ,after a delightful trip of four days1 we made the landing on our ,island at about five o'clock on a beautiful evening1 and1 having got our whole outfit ashore1 selected a charming spot in the midst of a spruce grove as a camping ground4 ,the tent was put up1 beds and bedding arranged1 supplies for present use unpacked1 a table improvised and things generally 8set out0 in a most orderly manner by the ,doctor and 8,bluffy10 while ,i employed myself in the construction of a fish corral1 the use of which will be seen further on4 ,meantime1 8,jim0 had1 with a few loose stones1 made for himself a very passable fire-place1 and soon had tea and coffee prepared1 several appetizing dishes cooked1 and called us to supper at #f4cj4 ,after a hearty and enjoyable meal1 we proceeded to put the finishing touches to our work2 sorted out and overhauled our fishing tackle2 caught a few minnows and placed them in a perforated bucket in the lake2 and before dark were all in ship-shape and thoroughly comfortable4 8,jim0 slung his hammock between and beneath two umbrageous trees1 and by eight o'clock1 with a full stomach and clear conscience1 was roosting in it1 happy as a lord6 ,from this coign of vantage1 with the gathering darkness to hide his blushes1 he favored us with several choice negro melodies rendered in a style and with a pathos which any 8professional0 might have envied4 ,as the night deepened we drank in with appropriate senses all the delights of our surroundings4 ,the great fire before which we three sat1 lighting up with weird and fantastic effects the sombre foliage of the adjacent forest2 the plaintive cry of the distant loon2 the harsher notes of the bittern1 and the even1 gentle murmur of the softly lapping waves1 all united to inspire us with a sense of freedom and happiness unknown to the busy world4 ,serene and contented1 we 8turned in0 at ten1 with blissful anticipations for the morrow4 ,we had not forgotten that prime necessity of a well-ordered camp1 light1 but had brought with us several pounds of sperm candles1 two gallons of oil and a good swinging lamp1 which1 suspended from the centre-pole1 not only rendered the tent cheerful1 but gave facilities for performing with ease and comfort the thousand and one little jobs which precious daylight could not be wasted upon4 ,reader1 did you ever 8camp out0 in the midst of a dense grove of pine or spruce trees8 ,if not1 you have yet to enjoy the luxury of the most balmy and refreshing sleep which can bless mortal man4 ,there is a something in the delicious aroma of the resinous woods which induces a perfect repose1 obtainable1 in my experience1 through no other means4 ,a sound1 sweet1 wholesome1 and yet not heavy sleep2 quiet and dreamless1 and from which you awake1 not drowsy and cross1 but with a buoyancy of spirits1 a strength of body and clearness of mind which make even hard daily toil seem a mere pastime4 ,and so1 with thankful hearts sank we to rest on this our first night at ,st4 ,ignace4 ,there are no black flies on the ,island1 and the season was too far advanced for mosquitoes to be troublesome2 facts which added not a little to our serenity of mind and took away the last excuse for ill-humor4 ,the next morning1 after partaking of a breakfast which fully sustained ,jim's reputation as a cook1 8,squills0 and 8,bluffy0 agreed to go out in the larger of the two boats1 leaving the small one for me4 ,they were provided with various kinds of bait1 including frogs1 worms1 grubs1 grasshoppers1 and minnows1 as well as a goodly supply of spoons and other lures4 ,i had decided upon trying flies for the first day1 and if found effective ,i intended to stick to them4 ,the boys anchored out at about a hundred yards from shore and went to work2 and ,i moved slowly along the coast-line1 closely examining the bottom and the lay of the submerged rocks1 as well as the trend of the contiguous land4 ,when an angler is in strange waters he will find this preliminary survey to be always a paying operation4 ,by and by ,i found a lovely-looking reef which extended from the shore to deep water4 ,this reef or ledge was broad and smooth on one side1 but the other dipped down sharply1 and presented a rough1 jagged1 and cavernous face4 ,here1 if anywhere1 ,i judged fontinalis would be sure to lurk2 so ,i anchored within twenty feet of the precipitous edge of the reef1 with water apparently about ten feet deep under the boat1 but of profound depth a few yards from the ledge4 ,at that time ,i had no split bamboo rod1 a fact which ,i have ever since regretted1 but ,i had an excellent ash and lance-wood1 which had killed myriads of fish1 and is still to the fore4 ,i never was and never will be a skilful fly-fisherman1 or perhaps ,i should say--as too much modesty savors of affectation--a skilful fly-caster4 ,that is ,i never could1 nor can ,i yet1 make an effective and proper cast of over forty-two feet from reel to fly4 ,i have always found1 however1 that ,i take as many fish as those artistic anglers who can cast more than double that distance4 ,on this occasion ,i tried a white miller as tail fly1 and a common gray hackle as dropper1 and they succeeded so well that ,i only thereafter changed them as a matter of experiment4 ,i never at any time during this trip used more than two flies at once1 as that number gave me quite enough to do4 ,well1 this morning of which ,i am now writing1 was one to make glad the heart of an angler4 ,a southwest wind blew softly1 and the sun was obscured by warm gray clouds4 ,no fish of any decency or self-respect could help biting on such a day6 ,i felt so sure of good luck that ,i put overboard a wicker-work basket1 with a hole in the lid1 so arranged1 with a falling spring door1 that fish could be put in but could not get out4 ,this floated astern and would keep fully a hundred pounds of fish alive1 if necessary1 for any length of time4 ,having fixed everything to my liking1 ,i stood up and made my first cast along the edge of the reef4 ,no result6 but ,i thought ,i saw a faint suspicion of a shadowy form or two1 and a slight movement of the water just behind my flies4 ,have been too quick1 ,i thought2 and so tried again1 letting the flies this time rest until they sank an inch or so below the surface1 when ,i attempted to draw them slowly in4 ,i say attempted1 because they had not moved six inches when first the dropper and then the tail fly were taken in a rush1 by two large trout which didn't draw towards me worth a cent1 for some fifteen minutes at least4 ,on the contrary they darted away as if the ,old ,hick was after them with a red-hot frying-pan2 pulling in unison like a pair of well-broken colts and severely trying my rather too light tackle4 ,any decided check was out of the question4 ,i could only put on such pressure as the single gut leader would bear1 and that was sufficient to make a half-circle of my rod4 ,i had beautiful open water in which to play the fish1 but as they rushed along and down the face of the submerged cliff1 ,i did not know what hidden dangers might lurk in the unseen depths1 nor at what moment a sharp1 jagged rock might cut the line1 or some profound recess furnish a retreat from whence it might be impossible to withdraw my prize4 ,so far however1 all went well4 ,the fish in their terror had sought deep water and not touched rock at all4 ,soon the distraction of the heavy1 ceaseless strain caused them to forget the glorious maxim that1 8in union is strength40 and they began to pull different ways4 ,now ,i was sure of them6 and very gradually and gently1 inch by inch1 ,i coaxed them away from the dangerous ground1 and got them safely above the smooth bottom of the plateau on the farther side of the boat1 where ,i could see their every motion and watch their brave struggles for life4 ,a prettier sight ,i never witnessed than the curious way in which the movements of one fish neutralized those of the other4 ,if one sought the bottom1 his mate went for the surface2 if one rushed away seawards1 the other came towards the boat4 ,they literally played each other1 and ,i was for awhile a mere spectator6 ,after looking upon these cross-purposes for some minutes1 ,i noticed that the fish on the tail fly became entangled with the line above his comrade on the dropper1 and both then began to whirl furiously round and round after the usual manner of trout in a like predicament4 ,when the wildest of this flurry was over1 ,i drew them cautiously to the boat and dipped up both at once with my landing net4 ,an immediate application of my pocket scale proved their weight to be twenty-nine and thirty-three ounces respectively1 the heaviest trout being that on the drop or upper fly4 ,they were evidently a mated pair1 and both were broad-shouldered1 deep fish1 but not very long1 the largest being only sixteen and a half inches4 ,their backs were beautifully clouded and mottled1 but the carmine spots on their sides were not quite so vivid as those of dark river-water trout4 ,fortunately they were merely lip-hooked1 and being at once placed in the floating creel1 soon revived4 ,now ,i began to feel big1 and thought myself quite an expert1 but in less than five minutes the conceit was taken out of me with a vengeance1 for on my very next cast ,i struck a magnificent fish and lost him1 and half my leader1 instanter4 ,on feeling the hook old ,salmo went like a shot over the brow of the declivity and 7,i suppose7 into a hole1 and cut the line short off4 ,after that mishap ,i became more careful1 and never dropped my fly more than six inches from the edge of the reef2 and whenever a fish was struck ,i drew him at once1 at all hazards1 away from the risky ground and played him on the plateau4 ,by ten o'clock ,i had secured fifteen beauties1 some running close upon three pounds4 ,eleven of these were as lively as ever1 but four had been hooked in the throat and soon died4 ,as the day was now becoming bright and hot1 ,i thought it time to look after my boys1 who were out of sight around a point4 ,i soon came up with them and found 8,squills0 asleep in the bottom of the boat while 8,bluffy0 sat smoking1 with his rod lying idly across the gunnel with the line in the water4 8,what luck1 boys80 ,i shouted4 8,squills0 awoke and replied1 8,what luck yourself1 ,governor8 ,not one blessed fish in this region40 ,i settled on my sculls1 ready for a quick start1 and said1 8,why1 ,squills1 you don't know how to fish4 ,just compound a few of your best prescriptions and throw them overboard4 ,they have generally proved fatal to your patients1 and will murder the fish sure40 8,squills0 made a wicked dab at my head with his long-handled net1 but a stroke put me in safety1 and ,i added1 8,and you1 friend #8,bluffy1' just rehash that famous trespass-case speech of yours1 which gave the judge fits and nearly killed the jury1 and if you don't have lots of dead fish1 ,i'm a ,dutchman40 ,the poor boys1 however1 were past joking2 and ,i rowed back and examined their ground4 ,they had actually been fishing all the morning in water nine feet deep2 over a bottom smooth as a billiard table1 without a weed1 rock or stone to hide them from the fish2 all of which1 within a hundred yards1 could plainly see them and their boat4 ,so ,i said1 8,come boys1 we'll go to camp and have an early trout dinner1 and in the evening you shall catch fish to your heart's content40 ,then up1 after this manner1 spoke the dolorous 8,squills04 8,that is all right1 ,governor1 but it strikes me that in order fully to enjoy a trout-dinner1 it is1 above all things1 necessary first to have the trout40 8,true1 most sapient medicus1 and here they are10 ,i rejoined1 at the same time lifting the lid of my creel4 8,glory to ,galen60 8,thunder and turf60 8,ghost of ,walton6 where did you get those1 ,governor80 both exclaimed in a breath4 8,boys10 said ,i1 8you are hungry1 tired1 and cross2 possess your souls in patience2 come to camp2 take some lime-juice and water1 with a little of something in it2 eat1 drink1 and recover your strength1 and you shall have the best afternoon's sport you ever saw40 ,these words of wisdom cheered the fellows up wonderfully1 and we all put off for camp4 ,that redolent and shiny youth1 ,jim1 soon cleaned two of the dead fish1 together about five pounds1 cooked them in a style of his own1 and we sat down at the unfashionable hour of eleven to our first camp dinner4 ,i will1 for once1 give the menu1 merely to show what awful hardships we had to encounter6 ,brook trout1 fried in red-hot lard1 garnished with bread crumbs2 broiled mutton chops2 baked potatoes2 cold tongue2 pickles2 sauces and jellies3 aftercourse--pancakes with maple syrup2 wind up--,stilton cheese4 ,didn't we just suffer for our country8 ,after the inevitable and welcome pipe 7not cigars71 and some choice and 7,i am happy to say7 chaste anecdotes by 8,bluffy10 we laid down for a two hours' siesta4 ,oh1 the glory1 the happiness of out-door life1 away from posts1 telegraphs1 or newspapers6 ,oh1 the delight of feeling that every fresh breath of pure ozone-laden air1 adds to health and wholesome animal spirits1 and is rapidly re-invigorating your system1 and fitting you to more effectually take part in renewed and honest work6 ,at four o'clock the sun was again obscured by kindly clouds and we all went out to the reef2 the boys1 as before1 in one boat1 and ,i in the other4 ,and then occurred sport such as is seldom seen in genuine troutfishing4 ,my friends stuck to their minnow and grasshopper bait1 while ,i retained the fly4 ,i induced them to anchor quite close to the edge of the reef1 so that they might1 if necessary1 drop their lines perpendicularly down its face4 ,they had not fished five minutes when 8,bluffy0 gave a whoop1 which might have awakened a petit-juror or scared a witness out of his boots4 ,i glanced that way1 and found the man of law standing up in the boat with curved and straining rod and a glow of intense satisfaction pervading his jolly countenance4 8,i've got him1 ,governor6 ,he's a whopper2 an old he fellow6 ,none of your three pounders10 he yelled in great excitement4 ,sure enough1 he had him1 and after ten minutes of skilful play1 landed a trout of over four pounds4 ,this beat me all hollow6 ,indeed the largest ,s4 fontinalis ,i took on this trip weighed three pounds1 one ounce1 being two ounces lighter than the heaviest ,i have ever yet caught4 8,squills0 now got his hand in and brought out a dashing fish of three and a-half pounds1 in a manner so pretty and artistic as to elicit a warm eulogium from the 8,governor10 who1 of course1 had not meantime been idle himself4 ,in fact1 ,i had taken a double and single while the boys got their two2 but these outweighed my three4 ,all through our excursion the largest fish were invariably taken by bait1 but not so many of them as by the fly4 ,however1 the fly was so much less trouble and so much prettier1 and cleaner to handle1 ,i did not care to change1 seeing at once that we should catch more fish than we wanted anyway4 ,it was a great treat to me to watch the enjoyment the boys had in their sport4 ,neither of them had been out before for years1 and no student at the beginning of a long vacation could have manifested such unbounded delight at his freedom1 as did they with their fishing and its accompanying pleasures4 ,it is a fact worthy of note that while ,i1 using the fly1 took only speckled trout 7,s4 fontinalis71 my friends1 with bait1 secured several of other and larger kinds4 ,well1 amid laughter1 joke and repartee1 the afternoon wore away1 and evening shades came all too quickly4 ,our sport had been almost unique in its exhilarating success and joyousness4 ,when the sun sank below the waters we had taken in all seventy-six fine trout1 none under one pound4 ,of this number my fly was responsible for thirty-two1 8,squills0 had taken twenty-one1 and 8,bluffy0 twenty-three4 ,a lovelier lot of fish was never seen2 and with the exception of eight dead ones1 we transferred them all safely to the corral1 built in the edge of the lake near our tent1 with large stones4 ,here1 about eighty per cent1 of all the fish taken on this trip remained alive during the whole time of our stay4 ,whenever one showed signs of failing we dipped him out for present use4 ,this corral1 hacked up by our supply of ice1 gave us full assurances that our good luck would not be followed by reckless waste4 ,but ,i had almost forgotten the chief incident of this memorable day4 ,as we approached the camp we saw 8,jim0 on the shore dancing a double 8,virginny break-down0 and grinning all over from head to foot2 his shining ebony face and gleaming teeth fairly illuminating the coming darkness4 ,on seeing us he yelled out1 8,i got him1 gentlemen2 ,i beats you all2 takes this nigger to catch fish60 ,the imp had actually made for himself a raft of drift-wood1 paddled it out to deep water1 and taken with bait a great salmon trout of twenty pounds6 and it was now swimming about in the corral like a very leviathan among my morning's catch4 ,this tickled us all so immensely that we then and there bestowed upon 8,jim0 an extra 8quarter0 each4 ,this boy was indeed a treasure2 a first-class cook and care-taker2 willing1 faithful1 and honest2 while his store of songs1 exhibits of dancing1 and never-failing fun and good-humor1 would have sufficed to keep cheerful any camp in the world4 ,poor fellow6 he was drowned two years later in ,lake ,michigan1 while bathing4 ,if ,i did not fear to spin out this already dull narrative to an inordinate length1 ,i should like to give a detailed account of each of the twelve days we fished and shot in this vicinity4 ,twelve days only1 mind you1 for not a line was wet on ,sunday4 ,our one rifle proved a useful adjunct1 but we found no use for the shot-guns1 the season being too early and the weather too fine for ducks4 ,the delicately sighted ,winchester1 however1 procured us several fine specimens of the loon or great northern diver1 and one or two large blue cranes1 all of which1 ,i presume1 now adorn 8,squills'0 sanctum in ,british ,columbia4 ,almost every day we had choice sport1 and we limited our catch only by the facilities we possessed for saving and carrying away the fish4 ,one particular day we devoted to salmon and red trout1 which we fished for away off in very deep water1 all of us using either spoons or live herring bait1 in trolling4 ,we had plenty of wholesome exercise in rowing1 and very fair luck as regards fish2 taking in all1 seven salmon trout and five red trout4 ,the honors of this day fell to 8,squills10 who captured with his spoon a salmon trout of nineteen pounds1 while ,i got a red trout of ten pounds4 ,this last named fish is as pink in the flesh and as fine flavored as ,salmo salar4 ,it is said by local fishermen to be in fact the same fish1 and they suppose that in ages long past sea salmon had some means of reaching this lake1 and when the waters subsided some were left1 and that from them the red trout is descended4 ,as ,i have myself no scientific knowledge whatever ,i cannot offer an opinion upon this point4 ,i can only say that if a skilled fisherman1 or even a scientist1 were to receive one of these fish from1 say ,quebec1 he could hardly distinguish it from the veritable ,salmo salar1 though it bears even a more exact resemblance to the salmon of ,frazer ,fiver1 ,british ,columbia4 ,i am told that this red trout will rise to the fly1 but ,i cannot vouch for the fact1 as all we took were captured with bait or spoon4 ,a rather curious1 though frequently occurring1 thing happened one evening as we were all fishing1 with our boats not more than fifty feet apart4 ,i had hooked1 and was playing a medium sized speckled trout1 when it was seized and gorged by a sixteen-pound salmon trout4 ,i realized the situation instantly and gave line freely1 so as to allow the poacher lots of time to swallow his stolen prey4 ,the rifle was in the other boat1 and ,i asked the boys to come alongside1 as we should probably have to use cold lead1 the fish being too large for our landing nets4 ,by the time they were in position1 about sixty feet of my line had gone slowly out1 and ,i judged that the large fish had got the small one fairly in his stomach4 ,i then began to reel in very gently1 and was surprised to find that the big trout followed my lead with great docility until ,i had brought him quite near the surface4 ,then he became alarmed and dashed off--a proceeding to which ,i made no resistance1 as ,i feared pulling the bait from his throat4 ,being apparently satisfied that all was right1 my unknown friend soon became quiescent1 and ,i could only feel a slight tremor of the line as he settled his supper satisfactorily in his maw4 ,again ,i coaxed him slowly and cautiously towards the boat in which stood 8,bluffy0 with poised rifle4 ,this time ,i ventured to make him show himself within twenty feet of the muzzle of the gun1 when 8,bluffy0 very neatly put a bullet through his head1 and he turned belly up and was got on board4 8,well done1 8,bluffy100 said 8,squills20 8your practice could not have done greater execution if you had been making out a bill of costs for a client40 8,well1 no10 says #8,bluffy2' 8but ,i think perhaps one of your curative pills would have killed the fish more unutterably dead40 8,peace1 boys1 peace10 said the 8,governor02 8this is a solemn occasion2 we have used unlawful and unsportsmanlike means to take a game fish2 but as it could not be helped we will condone the offence by giving the fish away to the first deserving object we meet40 8,and that will be #8,jim1' quietly observed #8,squills4'0 ,but dear me6 what is the use of trying to tell all the fun and glorious sport we had8 ,the pen of a 8,frank ,forester0 or a ,hallock might do justice to the subject1 mine cannot4 ,suffice it to say that1 as the days went on1 each one made me feel younger and younger1 until ,i found it hard to convince myself that ,i was over twenty-five4 ,as to my comrades1 we had not been out a week before they were boys of sixteen6 ,last days will come1 however1 and all too quickly1 let us bear up never so bravely4 ,the fifteenth morning saw us packing up and preparing to return once more to civilized life and 8the busy haunts of men40 ,i am afraid to say how many trout we had at the finish1 but ,i know that we packed in ice more than three hundred pounds weight to take home with us2 and gave away1 almost alive from the corral1 nearly as many more to the captain of the steamer1 thereby calling down upon our heads the earnest blessings of passengers and crew4 ,i find1 on looking over this ,,ms4 that ,i have forgotten to say that we discovered several places along the channel edge of the island where most excellent trout-fishing could be had from the shore2 and that1 by the advice of local fishermen1 my friends tried the 8hearts0 of killed trout as bait1 and found such very effective4 ,this 8heart0 is a piece of flesh which lies inside the pointed part of the fish's belly which runs between the gill covers4 ,it looks much like a genuine heart1 and pulsates for several seconds after being removed from the fish4 ,i suppose that it is in fact a real heart4 ,never once did this bait fail to attract a bite2 but1 of course1 not many hearts could be obtained1 as we extracted the delicate morsel only from such fish as were required for immediate consumption4 ,me finally bade farewell to our two weeks' elysium1 with sorrowful feelings1 but before the lapse of twenty-four hours1 kind and loving thoughts of wives1 little ones1 and home re-asserted themselves1 and we landed at ,collingwood in jubilant spirits and vigorous health1 fully prepared to resume our several avocations1 and fight again the battles of life with renewed courage and hope4 ,p4,s4--,we were absent from ,barrie twenty-five days in all1 and the whole trip cost us only one hundred and thirty-five dollars1 or forty-five dollars each4 ,our ice was kept almost intact by being wrapped in blankets and covered with spruce boughs4 ,mr4 ,boon1 before referred to1 has built and is this winter 7#ahhc7 filling a large ice-house on the small island for his own use and that of any visitors who may fish in the neighborhood next summer4 ,mr4 ,boon took five hundred half barrels of choice fish on these grounds last season2 with nets1 of course4 ,,the ,,angler',s ,,greeting4 ,by ,w4 ,david ,tomlin4 ,whither away1 friend6 ,your black slender rod-box and the creel denote you are on fishing intent1 but where are you bound8 ,a momentary glance1 a cordial good evening2 the question then came--,to whom am ,i indebted for this greeting8 ,an exchange of cards resulted in a long and cordial grasp of hands2 glad to meet you6 ,is it possible8 ,the magic pasteboard revealed two names not unknown to each other through the columns of their favorite angling journal1 and this visitor had come to the little country station in quest of some of the fishing often spoken of in the said paper4 ,the fates had led the correspondent to the railway station to bid good-bye to a friend when the angler unlimbered himself therefrom2 and was looking around as strangers do4 8,can you recommend a quiet inn near this point where ,i can find decent treatment8 ,i am not inclined to be fussy40 ,a few minutes' walk and ,i introduced him to mine host1 who was a genuine piscator1 and nothing pleased him better than to have an angler under his roof3 he took possession of him and considered nothing too much trouble1 so long as he gave his guests good fishing1 clean beds1 a square meal1 and satisfaction4 ,while supper was being prepared1 we pleasantly chatted over the prospect of sport1 and the angler's aim and ambition4 ,he wanted a day or two of trouting1 and some roach fishing with a fly1 as he had read some letters giving an experience in fishing for these dainty fish1 and intended trying them4 ,the inspection of a well-filled fly-book showed how carefully he had selected his stock4 ,the early supper over1 we strolled up the hillsides overlooking this lovely vale4 ,on the grassy downs we seated ourselves1 and ,i pointed out to him the various fishing points2 yonder is a splendid reach where the trout are always found2 see that sheeny rivulet coming down through that clump of trees6 that is the best trout stream in this section of country4 ,note the different water-courses4 ,the canal runs through the middle of the valley2 see here1 clear away to the west1 a little brook comes tumbling in2 see just below that point1 a silvery-looking stream on the farther side of the canal--that is a fine trout stream2 follow its course until it loses itself in that big clump of willows3 a saw-mill is hidden in those willows1 and the stream1 after supplying the mill with power1 drops into a culvert under the bed of the canal2 there it is again in that piece of open moorland2 there it is coming out from that long clump of willows1 and finally joining the stream mentioned before as the best trout stream in this region2 thus the two streams1 the ,gade and the little ,bourne1 are swallowed up in the canal2 and have always been splendid waters for roach fishing4 ,the hills hide the canal and streams in their winding course1 or ,i would point out to you the best fishing grounds for miles along this ,hertfordshire valley2 but ,i presume there lies under your observation enough fishing ground for a day or two4 ,the sun is tending downward like a huge ball of fire1 the vale is in a dreamy shade2 how glistening the appearance of the water-courses1 like a big silvery thread winding in and out along the vale6 the evening air is full of music2 the bee is humming around you2 what a flood of music comes from the throat of that woodland thrush in yonder thorn hedge6 the strain is taken up1 and the very woods echo again with the song of the black-bird4 ,as he ceases his roundelay1 the soft clear note of another bird strikes on the ear2 for the moment' nature seems hushed2 almost breathless you wait2 the notes come rich and clear1 as silvery as a lute1 a flood of melody2 the sound dies away and instantly the woods ring again2 all the sweet-throated songsters seem as if applauding the song of the nightingale2 we sit and drink in these sounds1 until one by one the songs drop into silence1 leaving the nightingale to pour out its tuneful music until far into the night4 ,at this moment there comes in the air the quivering boom of a bell ringing out the hour of nine from the steeple of the church yonder1 faintly limned on the evening shadows4 ,ah6 listen again6 there comes the evening chime4 ,how the quivering notes pulsate up here on these-hilltops6 how silvery the tones2 as the chords of the vesper hymn rings out sweet and clear1 our hearts beat in rhythm to the strain6 ,lovely vale6 ,israel's grandest seer1 who with eye undimmed and natural force unabated1 even from ,pisgah's lofty heights gazed on no lovelier scene than this we have surveyed4 ,we descend into the shadows2 promising to meet my angling friend some time during the following day1 ,i wend my way homeward and to rest4 ,the evening shadows were again falling ere ,i could join our angler1 but the flies were on the waters and roach were fairly jumping1 the surface of the stream was alive with fish1 both roach and dace breaking water around us4 ,my friend was no novice2 ,i found him whipping the stream from bank to bank1 and his creel testified to his success4 ,he was using a tail fly and dropper1 a red hackle for the former1 and an imitation of the common blue house-fly for the dropper4 ,these fish are fastidious in their tastes2 they do not rise at flies like a trout1 but come to the surface of the water and just break for the fly and at once turn tail up4 ,he who fishes for them must have a quick eye and steady hand2 then he can kill readily enough4 ,they are a toothsome fish1 but a trifle bony4 ,eye and hand must work together1 and when fish are feeding they will readily take the fly4 ,they are tender in the mouth and require care in handling4 ,they afford good sport in streams where they are abundant1 and are often killed weighing from one and a-half to two pounds4 ,my angling friend had come well prepared with letters introducing him to the owners of the fine trout streams1 and readily obtained permission to fish these preserved waters4 ,it was rare sport to watch him daintily lay out his line across the stream1 his stretcher a ,june fly1 or at times a floating ,may-fly skittered across the surface until close to the farther hank4 ,here lay a big ,salmo fario4 ,we had been watching him lazily coming to the surface to suck in a fly or bug that had tumbled from the trees overhead4 ,a big cockchafer came spinning and buzzing down stream4 ,all laziness gone in an instant1 up came the ,salmo showing his huge sides4 ,a fierce lunge and a heavy splash and the chafer was gone into the cavern of the open mouth4 ,the fly-book was out in an instant4 ,a dark brown fly somewhat resembling the #8chafer replaced the stretcher4 ,a careful cast a little up stream1 a lunge and a miss from the trout4 ,another cast close in to the bank1 a slight jerk and the fly assumed the appearance of the buzzing chafer2 the same sharp dash1 the hand was as quick as the trout this time1 the hook was driven home and the fun began4 ,such a dashing1 splurging1 rushing ,i had never seen4 ,he was determined to use every art known to trout-lore before he surrendered4 ,the rod bent and sprung1 the line fairly swished as he tore up stream2 above him lay the limb of a tree1 scraggy and ragged2 toward this he plunged1 but the line tightened on him2 he tugged and jerked1 but gained not an inch2 he came to the surface and thrashed the water with his broad tail4 ,fatal error6 as he did so the line came in as fast as fingers could fly round1 the landing net was slipped under him1 a quick upward movement and ,master ,salmo was flung high and dry4 ,he was too big for the net and so was ignominiously flung ashore4 ,what a noble trout6 ,his silver sides and belly gleamed in the light1 his blood-red spots seemed to glow with indignation at his cruel death4 ,he had long been a lordling over the other trout and now was strangling6 ,kill him6 ,i cannot bear to see a trout gasping4 ,killed and scaled he weighs three and a half pounds4 ,a credit to the angler3 but at times1 during the contest1 it was a question to which the honor belonged2 it was3 8,splendid rod60 8,ah6 how skilfully he handles his fish40 8,who would have dreamt that little thing would have stood such a strain80 ,gentle angler1 let us leave our friend to the contemplation of the beauties of the fairest of all ,england's garden landscapes1 and the preserved trout streams1 and plunge with me into an ,american forest4 ,by a beautiful lake in the famous ,state of ,michigan a little settlement is springing up4 ,over in that bay is a trout creek emptying2 it is full of trout--trout galore--trout by the hundreds can be seen4 ,come with me1 ,i will show them to you4 ,let me drop a fly into this hole4 ,ah6 there he is6 see him dash for it4 ,he won't come again1 let us push along4 ,push along1 you say8 do you expect ,i am coming through that brush8 ,not much2 ,i am not a crank4 ,if you are so fond of trying to break your neck for a string of trout1 why go4 ,i go6 am quite willing to be alone on this lovely little creek1 for it contains some of the handsomest trout it has ever been my good luck to kill4 ,here and there ,i drop in a fly2 sometimes a 8,yellow ,may10 sometimes a 8,professor10 sometimes a 8,stone-fly02 once in a while an 8,ibis0 is fancied by some fastidious trout4 ,how and then a 8,floating ,may-fly0 seems a favorite4 ,where the brush overhangs and is a darksome1 lonely spot1 ,i drop in a 8,royal ,coachman10 and out comes a big trout lusty and fighting2 sometimes fancy flies are spurned and hackles of all colors kill2 then a fly composed of alternate feathers1 red and white1 of no name1 but a favorite with the writer1 will kill when trout will not take any other fly4 ,i am enjoying the fun1 and the creel is getting heavy4 ,half a mile of fishing and twenty-five handsome trout is doing good enough for mid-day fishing4 ,as the evening falls ,i take my split bamboo and the fly-book1 pull on the wading hoots1 and go down to the mouth of the creek1 wading out until ,i am as far as the sand runs4 ,i cast out more for practice than to expect trout4 ,i have on a big bass-fly large enough for a salmon-fly4 ,as it strikes the water twenty-five feet from me there is a commotion4 8,ye gods and little fishes60 ,what was the fuss8 ,i cast again1 and as true as ,i am here if a number of trout did not jump clear out for that fly1 big as it was6 ,hastily reeling in ,i put on a dun-colored fly1 and cast again2 the same jump and dash1 but no trout4 ,changing my flies until at last ,i put on as a stretcher a 8,white ,miller10 ,i flung out clear beyond any former cast into the midst of what appeared like a boiling spring4 ,the fly dropped softly and out came a host of trout4 ,school kept just then1 for ,i certainly had struck a school of trout4 ,striking1 ,i fastened into a fine fish2 reeling in1 ,i dried my fly and cast again and hooked again4 ,the fun grew fast and furious2 my little bamboo swished and bent2 hooks were snipped off2 ,i was excited and jubilant1 when along came an itinerant parson4 ,the twenty-five or thirty trout ,i had1 set him longing2 he must fish4 ,jerking off his boots1 pulling up his pants1 he waded into the icy cold water equipped with a stick cut from the forest4 ,he had nosed out a line and some hooks from a supply ,i had left on the bank in my fishing-case1 and without so much as 8by your leave0 began threshing the water as close to the school as he could get his line2 this was baited with a piece of dead fish4 ,to say that ,i was disgusted faintly expresses my feeling4 ,i would have ceased fishing1 but my friend with whom ,i was staying said1 8,ho1 don't stop while sport is so good40 ,i put on a 8,royal ,coachman0 and cast out again1 hooking and bringing out trout every second or third cast4 ,i began casting wide1 the school followed my flies4 ,i tried the 8,professor's10 8,dun's10 8,hackle's10 8,seth ,green10 8,governor10 and 8,may-flies10 with good success4 ,with one pure 8,yellow ,may0 ,i caught a dozen handsome trout1 but in this event the evening shadows were fast falling4 ,as they deepened1 the 8,royal ,coachman0 and 8,white ,millers0 were the killing flies4 ,i cast until ,i could not see where my flies fell1 and even then once in a while hooked and brought in a trout4 ,i had been thoughtless enough to leave my creel up in the house1 never expecting to have this run of good luck4 ,all my trout were taken from the hook and thrown twenty-five feet to shore4 ,i lost many of them in this way4 ,thirty my friends claimed1 yet when ,i came to count tails1 ,i found forty as handsome trout as ever man wished to see1 and all caught from #f in the evening until dark1 about #g4de4 ,i had no net1 no creel1 therefore had to lead my trout into my hand4 ,the friend at whose house ,i was staying claims ,i lost more than ,i caught by having them flounder off the hook while trying to take them by the gills1 and by flinging them ashore4 ,i have used flies on this creek many times1 but never had such luck before nor since4 ,my experience has been that the fine fancy flies of the eastern streams are useless on these ,michigan streams2 the nearer the flies approach to a species of small moth found flitting amidst the foliage of the forest1 the greater the success4 ,a word1 brother angler1 and ,i have done4 ,learn to cast a fly1 and you will never go back to bait fishing from choice4 ,get good flies1 and you won't regret the extra money they cost you2 don't buy cheap imitations or trade made flies--8they are frauds40 ,don't buy a pole big enough for the staff of a ,philistine ,goliath2 to fish for trout1 buy a fine rod1 take care of it1 learn to use it thoroughly4 ,never buy a cheap rod2 a rod fit for trouting must be as fine as it is possible to make them1 and it should not make a shadow on the water4 ,cheap rods are like cheap guns1 scham-dahms6 ,good trout rods cost a good deal of time and labor2 cheap rods are turned out in a rapid-running lathe4 ,they are a delusion4 ,get the best materials of everything you need1 and buy of a good maker4 ,never be tempted to buy 8cheap flies because they are bargains0--cheap rods because some one is selling out2 8want to get out of the business1 no money in it40 ,remember you are the party who will be sold4 ,cheap things for trouting are a 8fraud1 a delusion1 and a snare40 ,almost every angler has been bitten1 but the prevailing opinion is3 buy the best tackle your pocket-book can afford and take care of it4 ,and my word for it1 as an angler who learned to cast a line for pickerel at ten years old1 you will love the sport and think it the best way to spend a summer's vacation of any amusement under the sun4 8,in using the fly the object is to imitate the movements of the natural insect as nearly as possible4 ,to drop the line naturally on the water1 and then to keep the fly endued with life1 is the stratagem4 ,from the moment the fly touches the water the angler should keep his eye on it4 ,trout often feed a little under the surface2 they do not always break when they rise1 but quietly suck in the fly40--,charles ,hallock4 8#8,an angler1 sir1 uses the finest tackle1 and catches his fish scientifically--trout1 for instance--with the artificial fly1 and he is mostly a quiet1 well-behaved gentleman4 ,a fisherman1 sir1 uses any kind of #8ooks and lines1 and catches them any way2 so he gets them it's all one to 'im1 and he is generally a noisy fellah1 sir1 something like a gunner4'0--,doctor ,bethune4 ,illustration3 #jadh #af4 ,silver ,black4 #ag4 ,scarlet ,ibis4 #ah4 ,stone ,fly4 #ai4 ,white ,miller4 #bj4 ,fiery ,brown4 #ba4 ,yellow ,drake4 #bb4 ,grir4 ,king4 #bc4 ,imbrie4 #bd4 ,soldier ,palmer4 #be4 ,cha #bf4 ,portland4 #bg4 ,ethel ,may4 #bh4 ,pale ,evening ,dun4 #bi4 ,great ,dun4 #cj4 ,whimbrel4 8,be stil moving your fly upon the water1 or casting it into the water2 you yourself1 being also alwaies moving down the stream4--,izaak ,walton4 8,when once alarmed1 trout will never bite40--,seth ,green4 8,fly-fishers are usually brain-workers in society4 ,along the banks of purling streams1 beneath the shadows of umbrageous trees1 or in the secluded nooks of charming lakes1 they have ever been found1 drinking deep of the invigorating forces of nature--giving rest and tone to over-taxed brains and wearied nerves--while gracefully wielding the supple rod1 the invisible leader1 and the fairy-like fly40--,james ,a4 ,henshall1 ,m4,d4 8,it is generally true that if a trout is pricked by a fly-hook he will not rise to it again40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,christopher ,north4--,would you believe it1 my dear ,shepherd1 that my piscatory passions are almost dead within me2 and ,i like now to saunter along the banks and braes1 eyeing the younkers angling1 or to lay me down on some sunny spot1 and with my face up to heaven1 watch the slow changing clouds60 8,shepherd4--,i'll no believe that1 sir1 till ,i see't--and scarcely then--for a bluidier-minded fisher nor ,christopher ,north never threw a hackle4 ,your creel fu'--your shootin'-bag fu'--your jacket-pouches fu'1 the pouches o' your verra breeks fu'--half-a-dozen wee anes in your waistcoat1 no' to forget them in the croon o' your hat1--and1 last o' a'1 when there's nae place to stow awa ony mair o' them1 a willow-wand drawn through the gills of some great big anes1 like them ither folk would grup wi' the worm or the mennon--buta' gruppit wi' the flee--,phin's delight1 as you ca't1--a killen inseck--and on gut that's no easily broken--witness yon four pounder aneath ,elibank wood1 where your line1 sir1 got entangled wi' the auld oak-root1 and yet at last ye landed him on the bank1 wi' a' his crosses and his stars glitterin' like gold and silver amang the gravel6 ,i confess1 sir1 you're the ,king o' ,anglers4 ,but dinna tell me that you have lost your passion for the art2 for we never lose our passion for ony pastime at which we continue to excel40 ,,the ,,lure4 ,by 8,bourgeois40 ,among the delightful summer resorts of ,colorado ,estes ,park may be justly considered one of the most attractive4 ,it is now easy of access4 ,seven years ago it began to be frequented1 the trail having given way to the wagon road4 ,before the days of easy ingress1 ,i had cast my lures upon the waters of the ,thompson and ,fall ,river1 with gratifying success4 ,in the summer of #ahge1 the ,governor1 the ,governor's mother1 and myself1 determined upon ,estes ,park for a six weeks' vacation4 ,with this end in view1 in the latter part of ,july1 ,i sent off the team loaded with the camp outfit4 ,two days after we took the morning train for ,longmont1 on the ,colorado ,central1 and had an early lunch at the tail end of the wagon just outside the town4 ,before noon we were on the fifteen-mile drive into the canon of the ,st4 ,vrain1 for camp4 ,by sunrise the following morning we had started1 with twenty miles to make over a new road part of the way1 and no road at all in places1 and the places were many4 ,however1 we had to hitch on to the end of the tongue but once1 to snake the wagon over an otherwise impassable boulder4 ,the rock stood a foot out of ground1 stretched entirely across where the road was to be1 and at an angle of #de4 ,the team could barely get a foothold upon the top1 when the traces were let out full1 and the double-tree hooked on the end of the tongue4 ,the horses understood their business1 and upon a word settled their shoulders into the collars together1 the breeching gradually lifted as their knees bent a little2 without a slip their iron-shod hoofs held to the hard granite1 and we were up as deftly as a ,french dancing master would raise his hat to a lady4 ,in travelling in the hills there is nothing so gratifying as a team whose pulling powers you can swear by2 a balky horse is an engine of destruction or death2 if you know his failing1 shoot him before you reach the foothills4 ,as the sun dropped behind the range1 lighting up the high peaks with his golden rays1 and the pines were beginning to take on tints of darker green1 we reached the head of the ,park1 and within three miles of our camping ground4 ,to the right of us 8,olympus10 with the dying sunlight dancing on his granite head1 to the left ,long's ,peak1 with patches of snow here and there1 towering godlike above the surrounding giants4 ,before us1 ,prospect ,mountain with its rugged front far reaching above its robes of green1 while around its base and toward us came leaping the beautiful mountain stream for two miles through the meadow-hued park1 with scarce a willow upon its banks4 ,what a place to cast a fly6 ,aye1 indeed it is2 and what a place it was to catch trout4 ,but we must move on around ,prospect ,mountain to ,ferguson's for camp1 which we make on a little eminence near a great spring and close by the cabin where we know we shall be welcome4 ,a late supper disposed of1 and the ,governor stowed away in the blankets1 ,ferguson and ,i fall talking at his broad fire-place about ,horse ,shoe ,park and ,fall ,river2 of course trout are plenty there2 he had been up the day before and knew whereof he spoke2 yes1 there were quite a number of tourists in the park1 but the streams were not 8fished out40 ,he rather thought that with 8a pole0 to every rod of the stream the fishing improved2 at least for him4 ,our genial friend who obeyed ,joshua in the long ago1 was out of bed next day sooner than ,i4 ,dick1 the pony1 gave me a cheerful good morning as ,i put in an appearance and changed his picket pin4 ,i received his salutation as a good omen4 ,breakfast over and ,dick saddled1 it was eight o'clock4 ,we had five miles to go4 ,i strapped my rod and creel to the pommel1 and with a caution to the ,governor's mother not to let him fall into the spring1 ,ferguson and ,i were off4 ,there was no occasion to hurry2 if we reached the beaver-dams in ,horse ,shoe ,park by ten o'clock we would be just in time4 ,experience had taught me that the two hours before noon1 and after five o'clock were the hours for success4 ,our route was a 8cut off0 without any trail1 but familiar2 across the ,thompson1 up stream1 westward for a mile1 we turned up a 8draw0 to the right1 for a swale in the ridge dividing the ,thompson and its tributary1 ,fall ,river4 ,by nine o'clock we had reached the summit of the divide4 ,before and below us lay a beautiful park1 three miles in length1 by a mile in width toward its upper end1 where it rounded at the base of the mountain range1 giving it the shape of a horse shoe1 which no doubt suggested its name4 ,to the north it is guarded by an immense mountain of rocks1 where towering and impenetrable cliffs stand out against the background of blue sky1 as though the ,titans had some time builded there1 and mother earth had turned their castles into ruins1 and left them as monuments of her power4 ,to the south a long1 low-lying1 pine-covered hill1 while from the range in the west with its snow covered summit and base of soft verdure1 comes a limpid stream winding down through the grass-covered park1 its course marked by the deeper green of the wild grass and the willows4 ,a mile away a band of mountain sheep are feeding2 they have evidently been down to water and are making their way back to their haunts in the cliffs1 and whence we know they will quickly scud when they see or wind us4 ,ferguson longed for his rifle2 it was just his luck2 he had the 8old girl0 with him the last time1 but 8nary hoof0 had he seen4 ,to me they were precious hints of man's absence1 and the wilderness4 ,reaching the stream we picketed the ponies in the grass to their knees2 the nutritious mountain grass1 the mother of cream so thick that you have to dip it out of the jug with a spoon4 ,the ponies were happy1 and ,i became nervous2 it seemed half an hour before ,i could get my tackle rigged4 ,but after ,i had sent my favorite gray hackle on its mission and had snatched a ten-inch trout from his native element1 my nerves were braced4 ,a second and a third followed2 ,i heard nothing from ,ferguson except the 8swish0 of his old cane pole above the music of the waters4 ,the trout struck and ,i landed them so fast that the sport began to be monotonous1 and ,i followed up the sound of the cane4 ,going round a clump of willows ,i discovered the old gentleman upon the edge of the pool1 and that old rod going up and down with the regularity of a trip hammer1 the owner combining business and sport4 ,i asked him what he was doing2 he said he was fishing1 and ,i thought he was4 ,wandering up stream1 taking it leisurely1 ,i had by noon filled my creel1 and was enjoying a sandwich under the shelter of some willows1 when my companion came along with his sixteen pound lard-can filled1 besides a dozen upon a stick4 ,i asked him when he intended to quit4 ,he said he had never seen fish 8bite0 so2 he hated to stop1 and yet had all he could carry1 but concluded with me that enough was as good as a feast4 ,then he began to banter me about my ash and lancewood1 and the excess of his catch over mine4 ,i told him to wait till some other day4 ,it came in the course of time1 upon the same stream4 ,the trout refused everything ,i had1 grasshoppers included4 ,finally ,i fished up an old fly-book from the depths of my coat pocket1 and in it were half a dozen nameless blue-bodied flies with a mouse-colored feather upon a number six ,kirby4 ,upon sight1 ,i remembered to have discarded them in disgust1 but ,i thought ,i would try one for luck1 and lo6 the mystery was solved4 ,i had been working industriously for two hours and had two trout4 ,ferguson had been no more successful1 but was in sight when the trout began to rise to my cast-off fly4 ,he came down my way1 wanted to know what ,i was using1 and ,i gave him one2 he lost that and his leader in some half-sunken brush1 and ,i gave him another4 ,but his good genius had deserted him2 ,i persuaded a trout right away from his lure1 and he quit in disgust1 while ,i said never a word4 ,though a little sensitive upon the score of success1 he was and is a genial and companionable angler1 and one who can make a good cast withal1 an he have proper tools4 ,willow ,park1 an adjunct to ,estes ,park1 through which runs a branch of the ,thompson1 has afforded me many a day's sport1 and is nearer to camp4 ,upon a memorable occasion ,i had been fishing down stream1 when1 with a well-filled creel1 ,i encountered a gigantic boulder on the hank4 ,just beyond it was a pool that was suggestive2 to reach the base of the boulder it was necessary to get over a little bayou of about five feet in width and three in depth4 ,to jump it were easy but for the willows1 yet ,i must get to that pool4 ,selecting a place where ,i think the willows will give way to my weight1 ,i essay the leap4 ,my feet reach the opposite hank1 my body presses back the brush1 but ,i feel a rebound that assures me of my fate4 ,i clutch frantically at the swaying bush2 it breaks in my hand1 and ,i sit down quite helplessly1 muttering a prayer till the cold water bids me shut my mouth4 ,emerging ,i hear a well defined laugh1 but not being in the mind to fear the spirits that haunt these wilds1 ,i make for the base of that boulder and the coveted pool4 ,a moment after ,i discover a face bedecked with glasses upon the opposite side of the brook1 and recognize the smiling countenance of a genial member of the guild looking at me through the willows4 8,oh1 is that you80 ,to this lucid inquiry ,i reply in the affirmative4 8,where's ,ferguson80 8,at home1 ,i suppose40 8,i thought ,i heard him fall in the creek40 ,i told him ,i did not think ,ferguson had a monopoly of the bathing privileges of the ,thompson and its tributaries4 8,well1 ,i thought it was funny40 8,thought what was funny80 8,why1 ,i heard the splash1 and supposed it was ,ferguson2 then ,i remembered ,ferguson was a church member in good standing40 ,i took my revenge by competing with my brother for the contents of that pool1 and beat him by one4 ,but to this day he greets me with a smile4 ,when ,i got back to camp ,i learned that the ,governor had been trying to follow in the footsteps of his father1 and had tumbled into the spring4 ,he had been fished out by the combined efforts of his mother and ,mrs4 ,ferguson1 and ,i discovered him swathed in a blanket by the kitchen stove1 mad as a hornet2 ,i shook hands with him4 ,our camp is pitched in a pleasant spot1 with two tall pines1 a hundred feet away1 for sentinels4 ,coup de soleil is unknown in ,colorado1 so ,i prefer the sun's rays to lightning1 especially while trees seared from top to bottom are plentiful in the ,park as monitors4 ,to the right is ,prospect ,mountain1 with its west end a beetling cliff1 perhaps two thousand feet high1 where ,i once had the buck-ague during an interview with a 8big-horn40 ,to the left and in front1 the range1 where the storm-king holds high carnival1 while lower down and nearer is a mountain of towers and pinnacles of brown and red and gray1 carved out by that whimsical sculptor1 ,old ,time4 ,with the sun for my artist1 the range for both his easel and background1 ,i have lounged away many an hour under one of the old pines4 ,my gaze wandering down the green slope to the river half a mile away1 and with the weird music of the tumbling waters coming and receding on the summer breeze to help my dreams1 we have together wrought out fantastic ruins and ghostly shapes to people them4 ,a drifting cloud1 perhaps1 will change a barbacan to a spire1 and a ,doric capital to a ,corinthian1 or the knight panoplied to a brownie with a lily for a throne1 and 8444444jolly satyrs1 full of fresh delight1 ,come dancing forth1 and with them nimbly ledd ,faire ,helenore1 with girlonds all bespredd1 ,whom their ,may-lady they had newly made20 to give place again1 as the golden meshes weave1 to cowled monks or ladies1 fair1 as suits the whim of the artist's patron4 ,again1 the goblins of the range begin their game of nine-pins1 and the fleecy clouds that have been slowly drifting1 drifting all the day1 settle down upon the mountain top and change from white to gray and from gray to black as the sport grows furious4 ,something these elves must have to light up their frolic1 and presently it comes in great flashes of wicked steel-blue and red1 zigzaging down the mountain side1 or in straight blinding bolts that rive paths in the hard granite1 scattering the loose rock and shivering the pines1 while the noise of the jolly nine-pins rattles and re-echoes among the crags1 and dies away to come again more quickly1 until the mountain-top is a sheet of lurid flame and the din unceasing1 so closely follows peal upon peal4 ,the game is too violent to last1 but the gnomes love to hug the range in their pastime1 and ,i1 understanding the signs1 and having no fear of their electric lights1 watch the fast growing rift of azure that crowds hard upon the driving blackness4 ,at last the mellow rays touch up my mountain ruins1 and they are arrayed in new splendors and peopled with other phantoms4 ,so ,i have dreamed1 and might go on dreaming1 but this time ,i am brought back to the green slope and a little figure4 ,the ,governor is toiling up the trail with a quart bucket1 his special chattel1 from the spring1 whence he volunteered to bring a drink for his mother4 ,i can see no impediment in his path1 yet he stumbles and falls4 ,would ,i had been there to warn him2 but the water is spilled4 ,he does not cry1 but gathers himself and his property up1 and goes back to begin his task over again4 ,just then there came to me pat1 an aphorism1 ,i think1 of 8,poor ,goldsmith03 8,true greatness consists not in never falling1 but in rising every time we fall20 and ,i took it as an omen of good for the boy4 ,the time is approaching when we must break camp and go back to the brick and mortar and the realities of civilization4 ,duties to be performed will be undertaken with better zest when ,i get to them1 but ,i cast lingering looks toward my mountain ruins as the day of departure draws nigh4 ,i even have a thought that it would be pleasant to relapse into barbarism1 if out of such as mine our civilization has grown--we might build up a better4 ,as this may not be1 ,i am encouraged by the thought that another season will come1 and with hope in my heart ,i am better prepared for the work awaiting me4 ,i know that ,i shall go back with a fresher feeling for my kind1 and more charity4 ,so when one ,september morning1 after a day of gray mist hanging over the range1 the wind comes down chill from the heights1 and the morning sun lights up my castles and pinnacles in diadems of new-fallen snow1 ,i say we must be off4 ,we gather together our lares of nomadic life1 and with a regretful farewell to those ,i cannot bring away1 we make the journey home1 a better man and woman1 with a nut-brown1 healthy boy1 for much of which ,i give credit to the artificial fly1 and the beautiful denizens of the mountain streams4 ,,fly ,,fishing ,,in ,,the ,,yosemite4 ,by ,a4 ,louis ,miner1 ,jr4 ,a merry party had come for a holiday to the ,yosemite1 and their camp was established between the north and south domes near the forks of the ,merced4 ,toward the east the ,tenajo ,canon opened1 revealing through its vista of granite crags the highest peak of 8,clouds' ,rest10 crowned with eternal snows4 ,westward1 the ,sentinel ,rock1 like a minaret among the domes1 pierced the sky4 ,there were seven in the party1 including a heathen from the flowery kingdom1 almond-eyed--,ah ,yang4 ,his nominal function was to do as he was bid1 and serve as man of all work1 but in reality he ruled2 and ruled with a rod of iron4 ,yang had been induced to come by motives purely sordid2 but the others1 aside from seeing the wondrous valley1 had various reasons for making the journey4 ,the ,judge came for relaxation4 ,he needed it4 ,for the last dozen years he had devoted himself to reading the morning papers1 lunching at his club1 and entertaining his friends sumptuously at dinner4 ,his wife1 who1 in the levelling atmosphere of camp1 came to be styled the ,judgess1 imagined herself on the verge of a decline1 and sought recuperation in the forest4 ,if the ,judgess were described as fat and forty1 omitting the fair1 the description would fall far short of truth4 ,in spite of her ailments1 the ,judgess would have enjoyed herself in a way1 had it not been for the young woman she was chaperoning4 ,this was ,madge4 ,certain young men in ,san ,francisco called her a rattler1 and certainly there was nothing slow about her4 ,the chief end of her existence1 at home and everywhere1 seemed to be the pursuit of fun2 to this end she flirted with anything that came in her way1 from stray herdsmen on the plains to an ,english baronet at a ,yosemite hotel4 ,when nothing else was at hand1 and to the ,judgess' indignation1 she flirted with the ,judge4 ,with charming zest she played continued games of poker with him till his honor's purse was far thinner than its owner4 ,the ,judge's admiration for ,madge was profound1 but after an hour at cards1 he would usually remark1 8that girl has the devil in her1 as it were1 bigger than a wolf40 ,it is said that all men have a ruling passion4 ,be that as it may1 a passion certainly ruled a worthy clergyman of the company4 ,the men of our generation affected with beetle mania are many1 but his ,reverence was absolutely devoted to bugs4 ,the ,judgess1 a zealot to such a degree that ,mary of ,england was but lukewarm in comparison1 said that his ,reverence valued a butterfly more than a human soul2 and ,madge insisted that1 while he pretended to read his office1 he was engaged in dissecting a coleoptera or something4 ,the ,doctor1 who was ,madge's unworthy brother1 had come with the avowed intention of sketching4 ,all the long way from ,san ,francisco he had been at work with brushes and blotting paper4 ,often the 8prairie schooner10 in which the party travelled1 had 8lain to0 while the ,doctor washed in patches of blue and white to represent cloud-effects1 or a jagged gray band against streaks of orange1 portraying sunrise in the ,sierras4 ,the last member of the party without professional distinction1 and familiarly called 8,jack10 had also a penchant1 though many years had passed since it had been gratified4 ,when they had left the ,san ,joaquin plain and its sluggish rivers oozing their way through mud and reeds1 and had climbed into the mountain1 a halt was made in a deep canon4 ,here was a stream indeed4 ,how blithely it danced along1 eager to find the ,golden ,gate and the ,pacific6 ,how it sang to ,jack of fellow streams near the other ocean6 ,how it whispered of trout streams ahead6 ,presently a long-cherished fly book was produced and ,jack was poring over it4 ,his ,reverence1 attracted by the little volume1 looked over ,jack's shoulder4 ,he was entranced4 ,a volume of ecclesiastical ,latin would not have interested him half so much4 ,he began to criticise and expound4 ,some were perfect4 ,some were caricatures of diptera4 ,the other members of the party drew around4 8,pooh60 said the ,doctor1 8,i hope you don't expect to catch any trout with those things in ,yosemite6 ,everybody knows that the ,merced trout don't take the fly40 ,the ,doctor went on to say1 8that with a common string1 such as any grocer would use to tie up a package of tea1 a good strong hook1 and a worm10 he would catch in the same time1 more fish than could all the sportsmen of ,california1 fishing with fancy flies4 ,the ,doctor1 like most cynics1 was somewhat given to hyperbole4 ,during the remainder of the journey into the valley1 ,jack felt himself regarded as the victim of a mild hallucination4 ,the ,doctor could sketch2 beetles were awaiting his ,reverence's microscope2 flirtation and frolic were dawning on ,madge's horizon2 even the ,judge and ,judgess could get rid of a stone or two avoirdupois if they tried2 but poor ,jack had come1 it appeared1 to fish1 and there were no fish to catch1 or at least to catch with a fly4 ,such was the tradition1 and so the ,doctor had asserted1 and no one ever disputed the ,doctor excepting ,yang1 the ,chinaman4 ,our friends had been revelling in the enchantments of the valley a week2 had climbed the trails that crept zig-zag up the dizzy heights2 had spent hours among the soft mist and rainbows at the first landing of that wonder of the world1 the ,yosemite ,falls2 and still ,jack had not accomplished the cherished desire of his heart4 ,he had not the moral courage to take from its swaddling clothes his beloved rod 7which the ,doctor would persist in calling 8your fish-pole074 ,never had he so longed to cast a fly2 but he thought1 of the teasing ,madge and waited4 ,at best1 he was but a poor male creature4 ,madge1 in his place1 would have been whipping the stream1 with defiance and determination1 an hour after her arrival4 ,his ,reverence and the ,doctor had arranged to ascend ,clouds' ,rest on a ,thursday and return next day4 ,early ,thursday morning1 before ,yang or the birds were stirring1 ,jack sauntered forth to his morning bath in the icy waters of the river4 ,this ,rio1 de la ,merced1 would it prove to him indeed a river of mercy1 or a river of humiliation8 ,but what a glorious stream it was6 ,here it glided through wooded banks1 the opposite side black in the shadow of overhanging manzanita1 while nearer the rippling waters were checkered with the shadows of the cotton-wood leaves1 trembling in the growing light4 ,further on1 the river whirled and eddied around great boulders1 resting among the mossy rocks in deep1 dark pools1 bordered with fern and flecked with patches of lace-like foam4 ,further still1 it wound silently through the sedges1 reflecting on its glassy surface the storaied-carved ,cathedral ,rocks1 or the huge mass of ,el ,capitan4 ,here was an ideal trout stream1 but were there trout in it6 ,no doubt1 for the ,doctor had taken his grocers' string and a worm and a veritable pole1 and after a day's tramp had returned to camp wet1 hungry1 in a sulphurous mood1 but with four unmistakable trout4 ,these1 served up the next morning1 were appropriated by the ,judgess1 and made an excellent appetizer to more abundant bacon and flap-jacks4 ,jack had reached that pearl of waters1 the ,mirror ,lake1 and was watching the marvellous beauties pictured on its bosom1 when suddenly there was a soft plash1 the sleeping depths were troubled1 a circling ripple crept toward him1 and ,jack's pulses bounded4 ,a trout had risen6 ,through the dewy chaparral and the fragrant whispering pines1 our friend hurried back to camp in a fever of impatience4 ,he tried to help ,yang with breakfast1 but was told by that dignitary to 8giv' us a rest10 and so humbly retired4 ,he then waked his ,reverence4 ,he wakened the ,doctor and was greeted by language far from complimentary4 ,he aroused the ,judgess1 and was pierced with daggers from her eyes while she hurriedly adjusted her teeth4 ,after breakfast more torturing delays1 the ,judgess declined to join the mountain party4 ,the others must not think that she feared to ride the mules1 for she adored mountain climbing1 and the exercise and all that4 7,this was a dreadful fib1 which was probably made use of at her next confession47 ,both the ,judge and herself were pining for a few refinements of life at the hotel4 ,without napkins and finger-bowls1 life became a burden4 ,the poor ,judge had to acquiesce and said3 8,she wants a little civilization as it were40 ,then ,jack rebelled4 ,there was a general confusion1 in the midst of which ,yang began to fire his pistol4 ,this pistol was the idol of his pagan soul1 and his frequent salutes the terror of the party4 ,no one dared to interfere4 ,at this time the volley was continued and promiscuous4 ,the ,judgess screamed1 and having no immediate revenge in the shape of ill-cooked dinners to fear1 sharply expostulated4 ,thereupon ,yang1 with utmost sang froid1 told her to 8shut your head0 and journey to regions he had probably heard the ,doctor name4 ,this was too much4 ,the ,judgess climbed into the wagon and stated her opinion of people who permitted such 8goings on0 and of a priest who allowed a ,christian woman to be sworn at4 ,madge was convulsed with laughter1 even his ,reverence smiled1 while the ,judge1 poor man1 looking as if every brewery on the continent had been burned1 snapped his whip1 and the wagon was lost to sight beneath the arching sequoias4 ,it was high noon when the sure-footed mules had arrived and the party fairly started off4 ,jack waved an adieu with one hand1 and with the other reached down his rod from the branches of a live oak4 ,yang proceeded to dissect a sucker he had caught for bait1 saying3 8,if you fishee1 me fishee too1 but j'ou no sabee nothing40 ,later in the afternoon ,jack stood on the grassy point where the lake narrows into the river4 ,he had adjusted his flies1 and everything was in readiness4 ,he paused to watch ,yang1 who was stationed below on the river1 fasten a cubic inch of sucker to his hook1 expectorate upon it1 turn around three times1 and fling it with a tremendous splash into the water4 ,whether these performances were the result of ,oriental superstition1 or whether the ,chinaman imitated some ,american example1 he did not stop to consider4 ,his long unpractised hand1 trembling a little now1 had sent the flies far out beneath the shadows of some willows4 ,another cast was made1 and then another4 ,at the fourth there was a rise1 and the fish was hooked4 ,the struggle was short but spirited4 ,yang1 abandoning his primitive tackle1 was ready with the landing-net1 and the fish was killed4 ,as the sport continued1 ,jack grew calmer1 while ,yang's excitement increased4 ,he trembled as if the ague were upon him4 ,his stoicism was laid aside4 ,he laughed1 jabbered1 and ,jack was obliged to address him as the ,chinaman had addressed the ,judgess4 ,yang begged to try the rod1 and by reason of his imitative faculties might have made good use of it1 but he had to content himself with the net4 ,at last the lengthening shadows deepened into twilight1 and the gathering darkness put an end to the sport4 ,the great dome of ,mt4 ,watkins1 inverted in the motionless water1 had changed from gold to crimson1 and from crimson to violet2 they paid no heed until the reflection faded1 then1 looking up1 the real mountain1 circled by rising mists1 seemed to float in the darkening sky1 and ,jack1 with that feeling of perfect content and peace which kings can never know unless they are anglers1 stowed away his flies1 unjointed his rod1 while ,yang shouldered the catch4 ,it was a happy couple that went down the ,tenajo canon that evening4 ,the moon smiled upon them2 an owl hooted enviously2 ,jack softly whistled a strain from ,schubert1 while ,yang made the towering rocks echo and re-echo to the joyous banging of the pistol4 ,the fish were dressed1 supper eaten1 ,yang's tin dishes washed1 and everything was snug for the night4 ,jack1 stretched beneath a giant pine and smoking his evening pipe1 was watching the weird play of the firelight in the canopy of foliage above4 ,the ,celestial appeared4 8,me heap lonesome1 got no more cartridges2 you no care2 go down hotel stay ,chinaboy to-night40 ,unselfish1 devoted1 and charitable as ,yang claimed to be1 he could hardly pretend to heroism4 ,the ,chinaman was permitted to go1 and ,jack1 appropriating the ,judgess' hammock1 turned in4 ,this hammock owed ,jack a lodging4 ,all the way across the plains1 and up the mountains1 and in the valley1 that hammock had almost nightly collapsed4 ,perhaps the ,judge did not know how to tie a knot2 perhaps the ample physique of the ,judgess was too much for any knot1 but the thing kept occurring1 to the great discomfiture of the ,judgess and all the rest of the party4 ,as ,jack1 with his feet at the fire1 and his head on a sack of barley1 lay studying the midnight heavens1 there would come a shock as of an earthquake4 ,the ,judge was a little deaf and after a night or two of experience1 would lie just beyond reach of whatever member his better half could disentangle with which to punch him4 ,first1 his ,reverence would be summoned2 but he slept the sleep of the just4 ,then cries for ,ah ,yang and the others would follow4 ,yang was too wise a ,chinaman to awaken4 ,jack sometimes rolled over and kicked the ,doctor till he roused1 and the good lady hearing his exclamations1 claimed his assistance2 but sometimes ,jack also shed his blankets and relieved the massive limbs from a state of suspension4 ,with content ,jack rolled himself in the hammock4 ,never had he slept in such profound solitude4 ,the nearest camp was far away down the valley2 and towards the east1 beyond the mountain-barrier1 nothing but the wild desert1 and solitary1 sage-clad hills of ,nevada4 ,the river murmured over the pebbles1 the pines faintly whispered1 and that was all4 ,for once he was alone1 and oh6 the peace of it6 ,was it such a night as this that tempted men to leave their fellows for a hermitage8 ,such visions came to him as seldom visit men beneath a roof4 ,at last he slept1 and dreamed of the first trout he had killed in a little ,new ,england meadow-brook4 ,he was filling a creel with bass from a fair ,wisconsin lake4 ,he was in a plunger off ,montauk ,point1 striking the blue-fish4 ,he was trolling for pike through ,champlain1 and casting a fly from a canoe on ,adirondack waters4 ,the ,south ,dome was glowing in the ruddy morning light2 a flock of blackbirds were piping cheerily2 an odor of fried trout and coffee was in the air1 and ,yang was tugging at the blankets1 and saying3 8,come1 you heap laze1 bleakfast all leddy4 ,git up60 ,what a dinner ,yang and ,jack had in readiness for the party that night6 ,the ,judge and spouse1 after much pressing1 had come4 ,the lady could not withstand the trout1 especially on a ,friday4 ,the judicial pair arrived just as ,madge and his ,reverence raced into camp on the sturdy mules4 ,the ,doctor and guide followed4 ,madge's cheeks were glowing1 her eyes sparkling1 and her tongue rattling1 as she leaped from her saddle4 8,such a time as they had had6 ,his ,reverence had been a duck1 and the ,doctor for once had behaved himself and kept civil40 ,she gave her hand to the ,judgess1 but kissed the ,judge4 ,at ,yang's summons1 a jovial company sat down to such a table as campers in the ,sierras seldom see4 ,madge was in ecstasies1 and even the ,judgess expressed approval4 ,there was real damask upon it1 with napkins and silver forks and wine from the hotel1 with all sorts of garnitures of ,yang's contrivance4 ,the dinner began1 continued1 and ended with fish2 but fish cooked in every way which ,oriental imagination could devise1 and camp facilities permit4 ,even 8,simpson's ,fish ,dinner10 of seven courses1 in ,billingsgate1 could not surpass it4 ,the ,judgess1 having disposed of about a dozen fish1 remarked that1 after all1 these were only ,california trout1 and entirely lacked the flavor1 as they lacked the beauty1 of their ,eastern cousins4 ,she thought1 however1 that ,yang's salad--of cresses from the ,merced--was not bad2 but wine--even if it was champagne--when sipped from a tin cup1 left much to be desired4 ,alas6 ,jack had forgotten to borrow the glasses4 ,all that evening1 around the camp-fire1 the party listened to an account of the catch4 ,the ,doctor did not hesitate to express his entire disbelief in the story4 ,it was his opinion that ,jack had hired the ,indians to fish for him1 and bribed ,yang to hold his tongue4 ,then ,yang spoke3 8,you think you heap smart4 ,jack heap sabee how fish1 and you no sabee1 but me sabee you4 ,last ,fliday you go fish1 and when me water horse1 see ,injun sellee you fish4 ,i sabee you40 ,in the peals of laughter which followed1 the ,doctor went away to his blankets muttering4 ,so the trout the ,judgess had enjoyed a week before were not the ,doctor's catching1 after all4 ,a week longer the party lingered in the valley4 ,madge and his ,reverence became quite expert with the fly4 ,the lake seemed to have yielded all its finny treasures to ,jack1 but the ,merced afforded ample sport4 ,many strings of trout were sent to fellow-campers1 and to friends at the hotel2 and one little hamper made the long journey by stage and rail to ,san ,francisco4 ,the 8trout-camp0 became famous in the valley1 and paragraphs noticing the catch appeared in the ,stockton ,independent1 and even in the ,sacramento ,bee4 ,jack had accomplished his purpose1 and had not come to the ,yosemite in vain4 ,then the prairie schooner sailed away through the mountains1 ,madge and his ,reverence driving by turns1 while the ,judge held his ponderous foot on the brake4 ,yang was mounted on a mustang1 while the doctor and ,jack trudged through the dust4 ,frequent halts were made1 the ,judgess taking her noon-day siesta2 the 8three fishers10 as she called ,madge1 his ,reverence and ,jack1 striking out for some neighboring stream4 ,near the ,tuolumne big trees his ,reverence took the largest trout of the trip--a four-pounder4 ,on the ,tuolumne ,biver the three met with fair success2 but on the upper waters of the ,stanislaus the sport was better4 ,they tarried by the stream winding through that dead little mining town1 ,big ,oak ,flat4 ,the banks of the little river were honey-combed by the old placer mining4 ,the population of the ,flat wondered to see ,madge cast a fly4 ,even the ,chinamen who were still washing for gold1 would throw aside their cradles and pans to gaze4 ,an ancient beau of the town stranded there fifteen years ago 7such a man as ,bret ,harte would have gloried in71 became so enamored with the fair angler that he would have followed in her wake2 but the fickle object of his admiration eluded her admirer1 and the miner sadly headed his mustang toward his mountain home1 promising to call 8next time he went to ',frisco40 ,the schooner dropped anchor in ,oakland4 ,the ,judge asked all to dine with him that day week--8a sort of a re-union1 as it were1 you know40 ,his ,reverence hastened to don something more in keeping with his cloth than a blue shirt2 ,madge threw a kiss to ,jack as the ,doctor handed her into a carriage2 and ,jack was left to cross the ferry alone4 ,yang1 however1 had not abandoned him4 ,he produced a piece of red paper and asked ,jack to write his address upon it4 8,i hab one fliend who come get your washee ,monday40 ,jack1 inured to submission1 could not refuse1 and ,yang's 8fliend0 still does his 8washee40 ,since the ,yosemite excursion ,jack has trailed salmon flies on the noble ,columbia ,river1 and whipped the ,california trout streams from the cactus-covered plains of the ,mexican border to the glaciers of ,mount ,shasta1 but he has never had such keen enjoyment with the fly as on that afternoon at ,mirror ,lake4 ,when he arranges his tackle for a little holiday sport on the ,russian ,river1 or the streams among the red woods of ,santa ,cruz1 he sees again the reflected fir-trees and granite dome trembling in the water as the trout leap to his fly2 he again hears ,yang's ejaculations and commands4 8,fifty-sleven1 ,jack4 ,hi6 that big fish2 fifty-eight4 ,you heap sabee4 ,hold him tight4',rusalem1 him sabee how swim6 ,pull like hella1 fifty-nine60 8,trout take some flies because they resemble the real fly on which they feed4 ,they take other flies for no such reason40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,the oft-repeated quotation1 #8,spare the rod and spoil the child1' has been misconstrued for many a long day1 and if ,i had known early in life its real significance it would hardly have made so doleful an impression4 ,there is no doubt to-day in my mind that this #8rod' meant a fishing-rod1 and the timely cherishing of it in youth tends to develop the portion of one's nature to which the former use was entirely innocent40--,thomas ,sedgwick ,steele4 8,my favorite fly of all is a snipe feather and mouse body40--8,frank ,forester40 ,illustration3 #jagh #ca4 ,cinnamon4 #cb4 ,deerfly4 #cc4 ,red ,fox4 #cd4 ,camlet ,dun4 #ce4 ,governor4 #cf4 ,green ,drake4 #cg4 ,alder4 #ch4 ,cheney4 #ci4 ,soldier4 #dj4 ,hod4 #da4 ,kingdom4 #db4 ,oak ,fly4 #dc4 ,gray ,coflin4 #dd4 ,fire ,fly4 #de4 ,beaverkill4 #df4 ,yellow ,may4 #dg4 ,black ,jun4 #dh4 ,quaker4 8,often the whereabouts of a trend is betrayed by a break or a leap from the surface1 and the wide-awake angler will make it his business to toss his fly over the spot sooner or later4 ,sometimes the trout rush at the lure like a flash1 leaping clear over it in their eagerness4 ,they are difficult to hook then40--,charles ,hallock4 8,no description of the brook trout1 that has ever been given1 does him justice4 ,it stands unrivalled as a game fish40--,theodatus ,garlick1 ,m4,d4 8,the best flies to use are imitations of those which are born on the water2 for1 though trout will often take land flies1 and indeed almost any insect you can throw on the water1 yet it is on the water-flies which he chiefly depends for his sustenance40--,francis ,francis4 8,a trout does not always get the fly when he attempts to2 it may be lying against the leader1 making it impossible for him to get it in his mouth2 you may strike too quickly1 taking it out of reach2 the strike may be too hard1 tearing his mouth4 ,more trout by far are pricked than hooked4 ,practice only can teach you when to strike2 you see a faint gleam under the surface1 when you instinctively twitch1 to find you have hooked a beauty4 ,few fishermen can separate force from quickness of motion4 ,never use your arm in making the strike1 only your wrist2 then will the difficulty be overcome40-- ,t4 ,s4 ,up de ,graff1 ,m4,d4 8,innocent stranger6 ,thou who readest these lines6 perhaps you never caught a trout4 ,if so1 thou knowest not for what life was originally intended4 ,thou art a vain1 insignificant mortal6 pursuing shadows6 ,ambition lures thee1 fame dazzles1 wealth leads thee on1 panting6 ,thou art chasing spectres1 goblins that satisfy not4 ,if thou hast not caught a trout1 this world is to thee1 as yet1 a blank1 existence is a dream4 ,go and weep40--,thaddeus ,norris4 8,on one occasion the writer was awakened at a very early hour1 when1 lo6 ,mr4 ,webster1 who happened to be in a particularly playful mood1 was seen going through the graceful motions of an angler throwing a fly and striking a trout1 and then1 without a word1 disappeared4 ,as a matter of course1 that day was given to fishing40--,lawman's ,life of ,webster4 ,,how ,,to ,,cast ,a ,,fly4 ,by ,seth ,green4 ,i am asked a great many times what is the secret of fly-casting8 ,there are three principles4 ,first1 quick out of the water2 second1 give the line time to straighten behind you2 third1 throw4 ,i will explain these principles more definitely4 ,raise your rod straight up1 or nearly so1 the inclination being backward2 then make a quick stroke forward4 ,when you take the line from the water it should be done with a quick jerk2 then give your line time to straighten behind2 then give it the same stroke forward that you did to get it out of the water4 ,why so many fail in fly-casting is1 they throw the rod backward too near the ground behind them1 and when they make the forward stroke1 and the line gets straightened out1 it is some distance above the water and kinks back1 so that when it falls upon the water it lies crooked1 and is some distance short of what it would have been if it had struck the water as soon as it was straightened out4 ,if a fish should strike at your flies at this time you are pretty sure to miss him4 ,by never throwing your rod back more than to a slight angle from the perpendicular1 and making the stroke forward1 your line goes straight out and the flies go to the point you desire4 ,great care should be taken when you have thrown the line behind you1 that the line is given time to straighten before making the stroke forward4 ,i have thrown seventy feet of line against a strong wind1 first1 by giving my rod a quick1 strong back stroke1 carrying my rod but slightly back of the perpendicular1 and giving my line time to straighten behind me1 then making the same stroke forward that ,i did to get it back of me4 ,i nearly forgot to mention that it is more important to have your line fit your rod than it is to have your coat fit your back4 ,you may think it strange that ,i should tell you three or four times over in the same article1 that in order to do good fly-casting you must throw your rod back only just so far1 and then wait for your line to straighten behind you2 and when your line is straight1 to make a quick stroke forward1 without carrying your rod forward1 even a little1 before delivering your line1 but these movements are the essential principles in flycasting4 ,by observing them one may hope to become a skilful fly-caster4 ,,trout3 ,,meeting ,,them ,,on ,,the 8,,june ,,rise0 ,,by 8,,nessmuk40 ,there is a spot where plumy pines ,o'erhang the sylvan banks of ,otter2 ,where wood-ducks build among the vines ,that bend above the crystal water4 ,and there the blue-jay makes her nest1 ,in thickest shade of water beeches2 ,the fish-hawk1 statuesque in rest1 ,keeps guard o'er glassy pools and reaches4 ,tis there the deer come down to drink1 ,from laurel brakes and wooded ridges2 ,the trout1 beneath the sedgy brink1 ,are sharp on ship-wrecked flies and midges4 ,and of the scores of mountain trout-streams that ,i have fished1 the ,otter is associated with the most pleasing memories4 ,it is1 or was1 a model trout-stream2 a thing to dream of4 ,having its rise within three miles of the ,tillage1 it meandered southward for ten miles through a mountain valley to its confluence with the second fork of ,pine ,creek1 six miles of the distance being through a forest without settler or clearing4 ,the stream was swift1 stony1 and exceptionally free of brush1 fallen timber and the usual dbris that is so trying to the angler on most wooded streams4 ,then1 it was just the right distance from town4 ,it was so handy to start from the ,tillage in the middle of an afternoon in early summer1 walk an hour and a half at a leisurely pace1 and find one's self on a brawling brook where speckled trout were plenty as a reasonable man could wish4 ,fishing only the most promising places for a couple of miles always gave trout enough for supper and breakfast1 and brought the angler to the 8,trout-,house10 as a modest cottage of squared logs was called1 it being the last house in the clearings and owned by good-natured ,charley ,datis1 who never refused to entertain fishermen with the best his little house afforded4 ,his accommodations were of the narrowest1 but also of the neatest1 and few women could fry trout so nicely as ,mrs4 ,davis4 ,true1 there was only one spare bed1 and1 if more than two anglers desired lodgings1 they were relegated to the barn1 with a supply of buffalo skins and blankets4 ,on a soft bed of sweet hay this was all that could be desired by way of lodgings1 with the advantage of being free from mosquitoes and punkies4 ,the best of rich1 yellow butter with good bread were always to be had at ,charley's1 and his charges were #ab cents for meals1 and the same for lodging4 ,the two miles of fishing above the 8,trout-,house0 led through clearings1 and the banks were much overgrown with willows1 making it expedient to use bait1 or a single fly4 ,i chose the latter3 my favorite bug for such fishing being the red hackle1 though ,i am obliged to confess that the fellow who used a white grub generally beat me4 ,but the evening episode was only preliminary2 it meant a pleasant walk1 thirty or forty brook-trout for supper and breakfast1 and a quiet night's rest4 ,the real angling commenced the next morning at the bridge1 with a six-mile stretch of clear1 cold1 rushing water to fish4 ,my old-fashioned creel held an honest twelve pounds of dressed trout1 and ,i do not recollect that ,i ever missed filling it1 with time to spare1 on that stretch of water4 ,nor1 though ,i could sometimes fill it in a forenoon1 did ,i ever continue to fish after it was full4 ,twelve pounds of trout is enough for any but a trout-hog4 ,but the peculiar phase of trout lore that most interested me1 was the 8run0 of trout that were sure to find their way up stream whenever we had a flood late in ,may or the first half of ,june4 ,they were distinct and different from the trout that came up with the early spring freshets4 ,lighter in color1 deeper in body1 with smaller heads1 and better conditioned altogether4 ,they could be distinguished at a glance2 the individuals of any school were as like as peas in color and size1 and we never saw them except on a summer flood4 ,the natives called them river trout4 ,they came in schools of one hundred to five times as many1 just as the flood was subsiding1 and they had a way of halting to rest at the deep pools and spring-holes along their route4 ,lucky was the angler who could find them at rest in a deep pool1 under a scooped out bank1 or at the foot of a rushing cascade4 ,at such times they seemed to lose their usual shyness1 and would take the fly or worm indifferently1 until their numbers were reduced more than one-half4 ,to 8meet them on the ,june rise0 was the ardent desire of every angler who fished the streams which they were accustomed to ascend4 ,these streams were not numerous4 ,the ,first1 ,second1 and ,third ,forks of ,pine ,creek1 with the ,otter1 comprised the list so far as ,i know4 ,and no man could be certain of striking a school at any time2 it depended somewhat on judgment1 but more on luck4 ,two or three times ,i tried it on the ,otter and missed2 while a friend who had the pluck and muscle to make a ten-mile tramp over the mountain to ,second ,fork took forty pounds of fine trout from a single school4 ,it was a hoggish thing to do2 but he was a native and knew no reason for letting up4 ,at length my white day came around4 ,there was a fierce rain for three days1 and the raging waters took mills1 fences and lumber down stream in a way to be remembered4 ,luckily it also took the lumbermen the same way1 and left few native anglers at home4 ,when the waters had subsided to a fair volume1 and the streams had still a suspicion of milkiness1 ,i started at #c ,p4,m4 of a lovely ,june afternoon for the ,trout-,house4 ,an easy two hours walk1 an hour of delightful angling1 and ,i reached the little hostelry with three dozen brook trout1 averaging about seven inches in length only1 but fresh and sweet1 all caught on a single red hackle1 which will probably remain my favorite bug until ,i go over the last carry 7though ,i notice it has gone well out of fashion with modern anglers74 ,a supper of trout2 an evening such as must be seen and felt to be appreciated2 trout again for breakfast1 with a dozen packed for lunch1 and ,i struck in at the bridge before sunrise for an all day bout1 8to meet 'em on the ,june rise40 ,i didn't do it4 ,i took the entire day to whip that six miles of bright1 dashing water4 ,i filled a twelve-pound creel with trout1 putting back everything under eight inches4 ,i put back more than ,i kept4 ,i had one of the most enjoyable days of my life2 ,i came out at the lower bridge after sundown--and ,i had not seen or caught one fresh-run river trout4 ,they were all the slender1 large-mouthed1 dark-mottled fish of the gloomy forest1 with crimson spots like fresh drops of blood4 ,but ,i was not discouraged4 ,had the trout been there ,i should have met them4 ,i walked half a mile to the little inn at ,babb's1 selected a dozen of my best fish for supper and breakfast1 gave away the rest1 and1 tired as a hound1 slept the sleep of the just man4 ,at #d o'clock the next morning ,i was on the stream again1 feeling my way carefully down1 catching a trout at every cast1 and putting them mostly back with care1 that they might live2 but' for an hour no sign of a fresh-run river trout4 ,below the bridge there is a meadow1 the oldest clearing on the creek2 there are trees scattered about this meadow that are models of arborial beauty1 black walnut1 elm1 ash1 birch1 hickory1 maple1 etc4 ,most of them grand1 spreading trees4 ,one of them1 a large1 umbrageous yellow-birch1 stood on the left bank of the stream1 and was already in danger of a fall by 8,the swifter current that mined its roots40 ,it was here ,i met them on the ,june rise4 ,i dropped my cast of two flies just above the roots of the birch1 and on the instant1 two fresh-run1 silver-sided1 red-spotted trout immolated themselves1 with a generous self-abnegation that ,i shall never forget4 ,standing there on that glorious ,june morning1 ,i made cast after cast1 taking1 usually1 two at each cast4 ,i made no boyish show of 8playing0 them4 ,they were lifted out as soon as struck4 ,to have fooled with them would have tangled me1 and very likely have scattered the school4 ,it was old-time angling2 ,i shall not see it again4 ,my cast was a red hackle for tail-fly1 with something like the brown hen for hand-fly4 ,i only used two1 with four-foot leader2 and ,i was about the only angler who used a fly at all in those days1 on these waters4 ,i fished about one hour4 ,i caught sixty-four trout1 weighing thirteen and three quarter pounds4 ,i caught too many4 ,i was obliged to string some of them1 as the creel would not hold them all4 ,but my head was moderately level4 ,when ,i had caught as many as ,i thought right ,i held up2 and ,i said1 if any of these natives get on to this school1 they will take the last trout1 if it be a hundred pounds4 ,and they will salt them down4 ,so when ,i was done1 and the fishing was good as at the start1 ,i cut a long 8staddle10 with a bush at the top1 and ,i just went for that school of trout4 ,i chevied1 harried and scattered them1 up stream and down1 until ,i could not see a fish4 ,then ,i packed my duffle and went to the little inn for breakfast4 ,of course every male biped was anxious to know 8where ,i met 'em40 ,i told them truly2 and they started1 man and boy1 for the 8,big ,birch10 with beech rods1 stiff linen lines1' and a full stock of white grubs4 ,i was credibly informed afterward1 that these backwoods cherubs did not succeed in 8,meeting 'em on the ,june rise40 ,i have a word to add1 which is not important though it may be novel4 ,there is a roaring1 impetuous brook emptying into ,second ,fork1 called 8,rock ,run40 ,it heads in a level swamp1 near the summit of the mountain4 ,the swamp contains about forty acres1 and is simply a level bed of loose stones1 completely overgrown with bright green moss4 8,rock ,run0 heads in a strong1 ice-cold spring1 but is soon sunken and lost among the loose stones of the swamp4 ,just where the immense hemlocks1 that make the swamp a sunless gloom1 get their foothold1 is one of the things ,i shall never find out4 ,but1 all the same1 they are there4 ,and 8,rock ,run0 finds its way underground for #hj rods with never a ray of sunlight to illumine its course4 ,not once in its swamp course does it break out to daylight4 ,you may follow it by its heavy gurgling1 going by ear2 but you cannot see the water4 ,now remove the heavy coating of moss here and there1 and you may see glimpses of dark1 cold water1 three or four feet beneath the surface4 ,drop a hook1 baited with angle-worm down these dark watery holes1 and it will be instantly taken by a dark1 crimson-spotted specimen of simon pure ,salmo fontinalis4 ,they are small1 four to six inches in length1 hard1 sweet2 the beau ideal of mountain trout4 ,follow this subterranean brook for eighty rods1 and you find it gushing over the mountain's brink in a cascade that no fish could or would attempt to ascend4 ,follow the roaring brook down to its confluence with ,second ,fork1 and you will not find one trout in the course of a mile4 ,the stream is simply a succession of falls1 cascades1 and rapids1 up which no fish can beat its way for one hundred yards4 ,and yet at the head of this stream is a subterranean brook stocked with the finest specimens of ,salmo fontinalis4 ,they did not breed on the mountain top4 ,they cannot ascend the stream4 ,where did they originate8 ,when1 and how did they manage to get there8 ,i leave the questions to savans and naturalists4 ,as for myself1 ,i state the fact--still demonstrable--for the trout are yet there4 ,but ,i take it to be one of the conundrums 8no fellah can ever find out40 ,p4 ,s4--,a word as to bugs1 lures1 flies1 etc4 ,now ,i have no criticism to offer as regards flies or lures4 ,i saw a ,gotham banker in #ahhj1 making a cast on ,third lake1 with a leader that carried twelve flies4 ,why not8 ,he enjoyed it2 and he caught some trout4 ,even the guides laughed at him4 ,i did not3 he rode his hobby1 and he rode it well4 ,fishing beside him1 with a five-dollar rod1 ,i caught two trout to his one4 ,what did he care8 ,he came out to enjoy himself after his own fashion1 and he did it4 ,like myself1 he only cared for the sport--the recreation and enough trout for supper4 7,i cannot cast twelve flies47 ,now my favorite lures--with forty years' experience--stand about thus4 ,tail fly1 red hackle2 second1 brown hen2 third1 ,romeyn4 ,or1 tail fly1 red ibis2 second1 brown hackle2 third1 queen of the waters4 ,or1 red hackle1 queen1 royal coachman4 ,sometimes trout will not rise to the fly4 ,i respect their tastes4 ,i use then--tail fly1 an angle worm1 with a bit of clear pork for the head1 and a white miller for second4 ,if this fails ,i go to camp and sleep4 ,i am not above worms and grubs1 but prefer the fly4 ,and ,i take but what ,i need for present use4 ,can all brother anglers say the same8 8,it has so happened that all the public services that ,i have rendered in the world1 in my day and generation1 have been connected with the general government4 ,i think ,i ought to make an exception4 ,i was ten days a member of the ,massachusetts ,legislature1 and ,i turned my thoughts to the search of some good object in which ,i could be useful in that position2 and after much reflection ,i introduced a bill which1 with the consent of both houses of the ,legislature1 passed into a law1 and is now a law of the ,state1 which enacts that no man in the ,state shall catch trout in any manner than in the old way1 with an ordinary hook and line40--,daniel ,webster4 8,if you do not know a river it is always most desirable to have someone with you who does40--,francis ,francis4 ,illustration3 #jaid #di4 ,the ,teal4 #ej4 ,reuben ,wood4 #ea4 ,red ,spinner4 #eb4 ,no4 #fh4 #ec4 ,hawthorne4 #ed4 ,dorset4 #ee4 ,widow4 #ef4 ,grasshopper4 #eg4 ,stebbins4 #eh4 ,march ,brown4 #ei4 ,shoemaker4 #fj4 ,orange ,black4 #fa4 ,king of the ,water4 #fb4 ,gen3 ,hooker4 #fc4 ,gray ,drake4 8,the angler atte the leest1 hath his holsom walke1 and mery at his ease1 a swete ayre of the swete savoure of the mede floures1 that makyth him hungry2 he hereth the melodyous armony of fowles2 he seeth the yonge swannes1 heerons1 duck's1 cotes1 and many other fowles1 wyth theyr brodes2 whyche me semyth better than all the noyse of houndys1 the blastes of hornys1 and the scrye of foulis1 that hunters1 fawkeners1 and fowlers can make4 ,and if the angler take fysshe2 surely1 thenne1 is there noo man merier than he is in his spyryte40--,dame ,juliana ,berners4 8,skill1 and trained skill at that1 does the good work1 and the angler's score is just in proportion to his knowledge of #8how to do it4'0--,wm4 ,c4 ,harris4 8,a gray-haired bait-fisher is very rare1 while the passion for fly-easting1 whether for trout or salmon1 grows by what it feeds upon1 and continues a source of the highest pleasure even after the grasshopper becomes a burden40--,george ,dawson4 8,it is not the number of fish he captures that makes the angler contented1 for the true angler can enjoy the mere casting of the fly if he has only an occasional fish to reward his efforts40--8,random ,casts40 8,the great charm of fly-fishing for trout is derived from the fact that you then see the movements of your fish1 and if you are not an expert hand1 the chances are that you will capture but one out of the hundred that may rise to your hook4 ,you can seldom save a trout unless you strike the very instant that he leaps4 ,the swiftness with which a trout can dart from his hiding-place after a fly is truly astonishing2 and we never see one perform this operation without feeling an indescribable thrill quivering through our frame40--,charles ,lanman4 8,there is nothing grovelling in fly-fishing--nothing gross or demoralizing40--,charles ,hallock4 8,angling is a maist innocent1 poetical1 moral and religious amusement4 ,gin ,i saw a fisher gruppin creelfu' after creelfu' o' trouts1 and then flingin' them a' awa among the heather and the brackens on his way hame1 ,i micht begin to suspee that the idiot was by nature rather a savage4 ,but as for me1 ,i send presents to my freens1 and devour dizzens on dizzens every week in the family--maistly dune in the pan1 wi' plenty o' fresh butter and roun' meal--sae that prevents the possibility o' cruelty in my fishin'1 and in the fishin' o' a' reasonable creatures40--,james ,hogg4 ,,why ,,peter ,,went ,a-,,fishing4 ,by ,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 ,never was night more pure1 never was sea more winning2 never were the hearts of men moved by deeper emotions than on that night and by that sea when ,peter and ,john1 and other of the disciples1 were waiting for the ,master4 ,peter said1 8,i go a-fishing40 ,john and ,thomas1 and ,james and ,nathanael1 and the others1 said1 8,we will go with you10 and they went4 ,some commentators have supposed and taught that1 when ,peter said1 8,i go a-fishing10 he announced the intention of returning to the ways in which he had earned his daily bread from childhood2 that his ,master was gone1 and he thought that nothing remained for him but the old1 hard life of toil1 and the sad labor of living4 ,but this seems scarcely credible1 or consistent with the circumstances4 ,the sorrow which had weighed down the disciples when gathered in ,jerusalem on that darkest ,sabbath day of all the ,hebrew story1 had given way to joy and exultation in the morning when the empty tomb revealed the hitherto hidden glory of the resurrection1 joy which was ten-fold increased by are interview with the risen ,lord1 and confirmed by his direction1 sending them into ,galilee to await ,him there4 ,and thus it seems incredible that ,peter and ,john--,john1 the beloved--could have been in any such gloom and despondency as to think of resuming their old employment at this time1 when they were actually waiting for ,his coming1 who had promised to meet them4 ,probably they were on this particular evening weary with earnest expectancy1 yet not satisfied2 tired of waiting and longing1 and looking up the hillside on the ,jerusalem road for ,his appearance2 and ,i have no doubt that1 when this weariness became exhausting1 ,peter sought on the water something of the old excitement that he had known from boyhood1 and that to all the group it seemed a fitting way in which to pass the long night before them1 otherwise to be weary as well as sleepless4 ,if one could have the story of that night of fishing1 of the surrounding scenes1 the conversation in the boat1 the unspoken thoughts of the fishermen1 it would make the grandest story of fishing that the world has ever known4 ,its end was grand when in the morning the voice of the ,master came over the sea1 asking them the familiar question1 in substance the same which they1 like all fishermen1 had heard a thousand times1 8,have you any fish80 99 99 99 99 99 ,the memory of this scene is not unfitting to the modern angler4 ,was it possible to forget it when ,i first wet a line in the water of the ,sea of ,galilee8 ,is it any less likely to come back to me on any lake among the hills when the twilight hides the mountains1 and overhead the same stars look on our waters that looked on ,gennesaret1 so that the soft night air feels on one's forehead like the dews of ,hermon8 ,i do not think that this was the last1 though it be the last recorded fishing done by ,peter or by ,john4 ,i don't believe these ,galilee fishermen ever lost the love for their old employment4 ,it was a memorable fact for them that the ,master had gone a-fishing with them on the day that ,he called them to be ,his disciples2 and this latest meeting with ,him in ,galilee1 the commission to ,peter1 8,feed my sheep10 and the words so startling to ,john1 8,if ,i will that he tarry till ,i come10--words which ,he must have recalled when ,he uttered that last longing cry1 8,even so come1 ,lord0--all these were associated with that last recorded fishing scene on the waters of ,gennesaret4 ,fishermen never lose their love for the employment1 and it is notably true that the men who fish for a living love their work quite as much as those who fish for pleasure love their sport4 ,find an old fisherman1 if you can1 in any sea-shore town1 who does not enjoy his fishing4 ,there are days1 without doubt1 when he does not care to go out1 when he would rather that need did not drive him to the sea2 but keep him at home a few days1 or set him at other labor1 and you shall see that he longs for the toss of the swell on the reef1 and the sudden joy of a strong pull on his line4 ,drift up along side of him in your boat when he is quietly at his work1 without his knowing that you are near4 ,you can do it easily4 ,he is pondering solemnly a question1 of deep importance to him1 and he has not stirred eye1 or hand1 or head for ten minutes4 ,but see that start and sharp jerk of his elbow1 and now hear him talk1 not to you--to the fish4 ,he exults as he brings him in1 yet mingles his exultation with something of pity as he baits his hook for another4 ,could you gather the words that he has in many years flung on the sea winds1 you would have a history of his life and adventures1 mingled with very much of his inmost thinking1 for he tells much to the sea and the fish that he would never whisper in human ears4 ,thus the habit of going a-fishing always modifies the character4 ,the angler1 ,i think1 dreams of his favorite sport oftener than other men of theirs4 ,there is a peculiar excitement in it1 which perhaps arises from somewhat of the same causes which make the interest in searching for ancient treasures1 opening ,egyptian tombs and digging into old ruins4 ,one does not know what is under the surface4 ,there may be something or there may be nothing4 ,he tries1 and the rush of something startles every nerve4 ,let no man laugh at a comparison of trout-fishing with antiquarian researches4 ,i know a man who has done a great deal of both1 and who scarcely knows which is the most absorbing or most remunerating2 for each enriches mind and body1 each gratifies the most refined taste1 each becomes a passion unless the pursuer guard his enthusiasm and moderate his desire4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to you1 my friend1 who know nothing of the gentle and purifying association of the angler's life1 these may seem strange notions--to some1 indeed1 they may even sound profane4 ,but the angler for whom ,i write will not so think them1 nor may ,i1 who1 thinking these same thoughts1 have cast my line on the sea of ,galilee1 and taken the descendants of old fish in the swift waters of the ,jordan4 ,trout fishing is employment for all men1 of all minds4 ,it tends to dreamy life1 and it leads to much thought and reflection4 ,i do not know in any book or story of modern times a more touching and exquisite scene than that which ,mrs4 ,gordon gives in her admirable biography of her father1 the leonine ,christopher ,north1 when the feeble old man waved his rod for the last time over the ,dochart1 where he had taken trout from his boyhood4 ,shall we ever look upon his like again8 ,he was a giant among men of intellectual greatness4 ,of all anglers since apostolic days1 he was the greatest2 and there is no angler who does not look to him with veneration and love1 while the ,english language will forever possess higher value that he has lived and written4 ,it would be thought very strange were one to say that ,wilson would never have been half the man he was were he not an angler4 ,but he would have said so himself1 and ,i am not sure but he did say so1 and1 whether he did or not1 ,i have no doubt of the truth of the saying4 ,it has happened to me to fish the ,dochart1 from the old inn at ,luib down to the bridge1 and the form of the great ,christopher was forever before me along the bank1 and in the rapids1 making his last casts as ,mrs4 ,gordon here so tenderly describes him3 8,had my father been able to endure the fatigue1 we too would have had something to boast of1 but he was unable to do more than loiter by the river-side1 close in the neighborhood of the inn--never without his rod40 8,how now do his feet touch the heather8 ,not1 as of old1 with a bound1 but with slow and unsteady step1 supported on the one hand by his stick1 while the other carries his rod4 ,the breeze gently moves his locks1 no longer glittering with the light of life1 but dimmed by its decay4 ,yet are his shoulders broad and unbent4 ,the lion-like presence is somewhat softened down1 but not gone4 ,he surely will not venture into the deeps of the water1 for only one hand is free for a #8cast4' and those large stones1 now slippery with moss1 are dangerous stumbling-blocks in the way4 ,besides1 he promised his daughters he would not wade1 but1 on the contrary1 walk quietly with them by the river's edge1 there gliding #8at its own sweet will1' ,silvery band of pebbled shore leading to loamy colored pools1 dark as the glow of a southern eye1 how could he resist the temptation of near approach8 ,in he goes1 up to the ankles1 then to the knees1 tottering every other step1 but never falling4 ,trout after trout he catches1 small ones certainly1 but plenty of them4 ,into his pocket with them all this time1 manouvering in the most skilful manner both stick and rod2 until weary1 he is obliged to rest on the bank1 sitting with his feet in the water1 laughing at his daughters' horror1 and obstinately continuing the sport in spite of all remonstrance4 ,at last he gives in and retires4 ,wonderful to say1 he did not seem to suffer from these imprudent liberties40 ,and ,mrs4 ,gordon gives us another exquisite picture in the very last day of the grand old ,christopher3 99 99 99 8,and then he gathered around him1 when the spring mornings brought gay jets of sunshine into the little room where he lay1 the relics of a youthful passion1 one that with him never grew old4 ,it was an affecting sight to see him busy1 nay1 quite absorbed with the fishing tackle scattered about his bed1 propped up with pillows--his noble head1 yet glorious with its flowing locks1 carefully combed by attentive hands1 and falling on each side of his unfaded face4 ,how neatly he picked out each elegantly dressed fly from its little bunch1 drawing it out with trembling hand along the white coverlet1 and then replacing it in his pocket-book1 he would tell ever and anon of the streams he used to fish in of old1 and of the deeds he had performed in his childhood and youth40 ,there is no angler who will not appreciate the beauty of these pictures1 and ,i do not believe any one of us1 retaining his mental faculties1 will fail1 in extremest age1 to recall with the keenest enjoyment1 of which memory is capable1 the scenes of our happiest sport4 ,was ,peter less or more than man8 ,was ,john not of like passions with ourselves8 ,believe me1 the old dweller on ,patmos1 the old ,bishop of ,ephesus1 lingering between the memories of his ,lord in ,galilee and the longing for ,him to come quickly yet again1 saw often before his dim eyes the ripple on ,gennesaret and the flashing scales of the silver fish that had gladdened him many a time before he knew the ,master4 ,it is one of the most pleasant and absorbing thoughts which possess the traveller in those regions1 that the child ,christ was a child among the hills of ,galilee1 and loved them with all the gentle fervor of his human soul4 ,doubtless many times before ,he had challenged the fisher on the sea with that same question which we anglers so frequently hear1 8,have you taken any fish80 ,he may have often seen ,peter and the others at their work4 ,perhaps sometimes ,he had talked with them1 and1 it may well be1 gone with them on the sea1 and helped them4 ,por they were kindly men1 as fishermen are always in all countries1 and they loved to talk of their work1 and of a thousand other things1 of which1 in their contemplative lives1 they had thought without talking4 ,in an age when few men were learned1 and1 in fact1 few in any grade or walk of life could even read or write1 ,i am inclined to think there was no class from whom better trained intellects could be selected than from among these thoughtful fishermen4 ,they had doubtless the ,oriental characteristics of calmness and reserve1 and these had been somewhat modified by their employment4 ,given to sober reflection1 patient to investigate1 quick to trust when their faith was demanded by one whom they respected1 slow to act when haste was not necessary1 prompt and swift on any emergency1 filled full of love for nature1 all harsh elements of character softened into a deep benevolence and pity and love--such are the fishermen of our day1 and such1 ,i doubt not1 were the fishermen of old4 ,they were men with whom a mother would willingly trust her young boy1 to whom he would become attached1 with whom he would enjoy talking1 and1 above all1 who would pour out their very souls in talking with him1 when among their fellow-men they would be reserved1 diffident1 and silent4 ,they were men1 too1 who would recognize in the boy the greatness of his lineage1 the divine shining out from his eyes4 ,who shall prevail to imagine the pleasantness of those days on the sea when ,peter and ,john talked with the holy boy1 as they waited for the fish1 and their boat rocked to the winds that came down from ,lebanon4 ,who can say that there were not some memories of those days1 as well as of the others when we know ,christ was with him1 which1 when he was tired of the waiting1 led ,peter to say1 8,i go a-fishing60 ,i believe that he went a-fishing because he felt exactly as ,i have felt1 exactly as scores of men have felt who knew the charm of the gentle art1 as we now call it4 ,the other has such attraction4 ,men love hunting1 love boating1 love games of varied sorts1 love many amusements of many kinds1 but ,i do not know of any like fishing to which men go for relief in weariness1 for rest after labor1 for solace in sorrow4 ,i can well understand how those sad men1 not yet fully appreciating the grand truth that their ,master had risen from the dead1 believing2 yet doubting1 how even ,thomas1 who had so lately seen the wounds and heard the voice2 how even ,john1 loving and loved1 who had rejoiced a week ago in ,jerusalem at the presence of the triumphant ,lord2 how ,peter1 always fearful2 how ,nathanael1 full of impulsive faith1 how each and all of them1 wearied with their long waiting for ,him on the shore of the sea1 sought comfort and solace1 opportunity and incitement to thought in going a-fishing4 ,i can understand it1 for1 though far be it from me to compare any weariness or sorrow of mine with theirs1 ,i have known that there was no better way in which ,i could find rest4 ,i have written for lovers of the gentle art1 and if this which ,i have written fall into other hands1 let him who reads understand that it is not for him4 ,we who go a-fishing are a peculiar people4 ,like other men and women in many respects1 we are like one another1 and like no others1 in other respects4 ,we understand each other's thoughts by an intuition of which you know nothing4 ,so closely are we alike in some regards1 so different from the rest of the world in these respects1 and so important are these characteristics of mind and of thought1 that ,i sometimes think no man but one of us can properly understand the mind of ,peter1 or appreciate the glorious visions of the son of ,zebedee4 ,,from 8,,game ,,fish ,,of ,,the ,,north40 ,by ,r4 ,b4 ,roosevelt4 ,there are innumerable rules applicable to trout fishing1 and innumerable exceptions to each2 neither man nor fish is infallible4 ,a change of weather is always desirable2 if it has been-clear1 a rainy day is favorable2 if cold1 a warm one2 if the wind has been north1 a southerly one is advantageous2 a zephyr if it has been blowing a tornado4 ,generally1 in early spring1 amid the fading snows and blasts of winter1 a warm day is very desirable2 later1 in the heats of summer1 a cold1 windy day will insure success4 ,dead calm is dangerous1 although many trout are taken in water as still1 clear and transparent as the heavens above4 ,the first rule is never to give up2 there is hardly a day but at some hour1 if there be trout1 they will rise1 and steady1 patient industry disciplines the mind and invigorates the muscles4 ,a southerly1 especially a south-easterly wind1 has a singular tendency to darken the surface1 and in clear1 fine waters is particularly advantageous2 a south-wester comes next in order2 a north-easter1 in which1 by-the-by1 occasionally there is great success1 is the next2 and a north-wester is the worst and dearest of all4 ,give me wind on any terms1 a southerly wind1 if ,i can have it2 but give me wind4 ,it is not known what quality of wind darkens the water2 it may be a haziness produced in the atmosphere1 although with a cloudy sky the water is often too transparent2 it may be the peculiar character of the waves1 short and broken1 as contra-distinguished from long and rolling2 but the fact is entitled to reliance4 ,slight changes will often affect the fish4 ,on one day in ,june1 in the writer's experience1 after having no luck until eleven o'clock1 the trout suddenly commenced rising1 and kept on without cessation1 scarcely giving time to cast1 till two1 when they as suddenly stopped4 ,there was no observable change in the weather1 except the advent of a slight haze1 the wind remaining precisely the same4 ,i was much disappointed1 not having half fished the ground1 and being prevented1 by the numbers that were taken1 from casting over some of the largest fish that broke4 ,as it was ,i caught seventy trout in what are ordinarily considered the worst hours of the day4 ,but in this particular1 also1 the same rules apply as to the warmth of the weather4 ,in early spring it is useless to be up with the lark1 even supposing such a bird exists2 no fish will break water till the sun has warmed the air2 but in summer1 the dawn should blush to find the sportsman napping4 ,in fact1 trout will not rise well unless the air is warmer than the water4 ,they do not like to risk taking cold by exposing themselves to a sudden draught4 ,there is a very absurd impression that trout will not take the fly early in the season2 this is entirely unfounded4 ,as soon as the ice disappears they will be found gambolling in the salt-water streams1 and leaping readily at the fly4 ,at such times1 on lucky days1 immense numbers are taken4 ,in ,march they have run up the sluice-ways and are in the lower ponds1 lying sullenly in the deepest water2 then is the ,cowdung1 politely called the ,dark ,cinnamon1 the most attractive fly4 ,in ,april1 ,may and ,june they are scattered1 and entrapped by the ,hackles1 ,professor1 ,ibis1 and all the medium-sized flies4 ,in ,july and ,august they have sought the head-waters of navigation1 the cool spring brooks1 and hide around the weeds and water-cresses1 whence the midges alone can tempt them4 ,any flies will catch fish1 cast in any manner1 if the fish are plenty and in humor to be caught4 ,a few feathers torn from the nearest and least suspicious chicken1 and tied on an ordinary hook with a piece of thread1 will constitute a fly in the imagination of a trout1 provided he follows1 as he sometimes appears to do1 the advice of young folks--shuts his eyes and opens his mouth4 ,i cannot recommend such tackle1 being convinced the most skilfully made is the best2 but ,i do advise simplicity of color4 99 99 99 99 99 ,good luck1 that synonym for all the virtues1 does not depend so much upon the kind of flies as the skill in casting1 and a poor fly lightly cast into the right spot will do better execution than the best fly roughly cast into the wrong place4 ,the lure must be put where the fish habit1 often before their very noses1 or they will not take it2 and when they lie1 as they generally do in running streams1 in the deep holes under the banks1 where the bushes are closest and cause the densest shade1 it requires some skill to cast properly into the exact spot4 ,sacrifice everything to lightness in casting2 let the line go straight without a kink if you can1 drop the fly into the right ripple if possible1 but it must drop gently on the surface of the water4 ,an ugly splash of a clear day in pure water1 and the prey will dart in every direction1 and the angler's hopes scatter with them4 ,a beginner may practice a certain formula1 such as lifting the line with a wave and smart spring1 swinging it backward in a half circle1 and when it is directly behind him1 casting straight forward2 but as soon as he has overcome the rudimentary principles1 he should cast in every manner1 making the tip of his rod cut full circles1 figure eights1 and all other figures1 behind him1 according to the wind2 bearing in mind1 however1 ever to make his fly drop as lightly as a feather4 ,he should use his wrist mainly1 and practice with each hand1 and should never be otherwise than ashamed of a bungling cast1 though he be alone1 and none but the fish there to despise him4 ,if the line falls the first time with a heartrending splash1 all in a tangle1 it is useless to make the next cast properly4 ,the fish have found out the trick1 and know too much to risk their necks in any such noose4 ,a skilful fisherman can cast almost any length of line1 but practically1 fifty feet1 counting from the reel1 is all that can be used to advantage4 ,some ,english books say only the leader gut links should alight in the water2 but this is nonsense1 for at least one-half the line must fall into the water1 unless the fisherman stand on a high bank4 ,with a long line1 the difficulties of striking and landing the fish are greatly increased4 ,in striking1 there is much slack line to be taken up4 ,in landing1 it requires some time to get the fish under control1 and he is apt to reach the weeds or a stump4 ,that most excellent fisherman and learned scholar1 ,dr4 ,bethune1 in his edition of ,walton1 ,part ,,ii41 page #gc1 says that candid anglers must confess that nine out of ten trout hook themselves4 ,this may be so in streams teeming with fish1 where a dozen start at once1 frantically striving to be the first2 but in clear1 well-fished streams1 not one fish in a thousand will hook himself2 and on ,long ,island1 an angler would grow gray ere he filled his basket if he did not strike1 and that quickly4 ,striking1 to my mind1 is by far the most important point1 and hundreds of fish have ,i seen escape for want of quickness4 ,it must be done quickly but steadily1 and not with a jerk1 as the latter is apt1 by the double action of the rod1 to bend the tip forward1 and loosen instead of tightening the line4 ,there are days when fish cannot be struck1 although they are rising freely4 ,whether they are playing or over-cautious1 ,i never could determine2 whether they are not hungry1 or the water is too clear1 they put a man's capacities at defiance4 ,their appearance must be signalled to the eye1 by that reported to the brain1 which then directs the nerves to command the muscles to move the wrist2 and ere this complicated performance is completed1 the fish has blown from his mouth the feathery deception1 and has darted back to his haunts of safety4 ,a fish will occasionally leap up1 seize the fly1 discover the cheat1 and shaking his head1 jump several feet along the surface of the water to rid his mouth of it1 and do this so quickly as not to give a quick angler time to strike4 ,how often fish are caught when they rise the second time1 as then the angler is more on the alert2 whereas1 on the first rise1 he was off his guard6 ,how often fish rise when the angler's head is turned away from his line1 or when he is busy at something else1 and how rarely are they caught6 ,in my experience1 it is so great a rarity1 that it might almost be said they never hook themselves4 ,in the language of youth1 the only hooking they do1 is to hook off4 ,dr4 ,bethune1 page #ig1 says the rod should not exceed one pound in weight4 ,indeed1 it should not2 and if it does1 it exemplifies the old maxim1 so far as to have a fool at one end4 ,if we could fish by steam1 a rod exceeding a pound and measuring over fourteen feet might answer well2 but in these benighted days1 while wrists are of bone1 muscles1 cartilages1 and the like1 the lighter the better4 ,a rod--and if perfection is absolutely indispensable1 a cedar rod--of eleven or twelve feet1 weighing nine or ten ounces1 will catch trout4 ,cedar rods can only be obtained in ,america1 and then only on compulsion2 but this wood makes the most elastic rods in the world4 ,they spring instantly to every motion of the hand1 and never warp4 ,they are delicate4 ,the wood is like woman--cross-grained1 but invaluable1 if carefully treated4 ,the reel should be a simple click1 never a multiplier1 but large-barrelled1 and fastened to the butt with a leather strap4 ,the line silk1 covered1 with a preparation of oil1 tapered1 if possible1 at each end1 and thirty to forty yards long4 ,the basket--positive--a fish basket2 the angler--comparative--a fisherman4 ,thus equipped1 go forth mildly1 approving where the writer's opinions coincide with yours1 simply incredulous where they do not4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there are several ways of landing a trout1 but not all equally sportsmanlike4 ,large trout may be gaffed2 small ones landed in a net2 and where neither of these means is at hand1 they must be dragged out of the water1 or floated up among the bushes1 according to the taste of the angler and the strength of his tackle4 ,a tyro was once fishing in the same boat with me1 using bait1 when he struck his first trout4 ,one can imagine how entirely misspent had been his previous existence1 when it is said he had never taken a trout1 no1 nor any other fish1 before4 ,it was not a large fish2 such luck rarely falls to the share of the beginner2 and in spite of what elderly gentlemen may say to the contrary1 an ignorant countryman1 with his sapling rod and coarse tackle1 never takes the largest fish nor the greatest in quantity4 ,were it otherwise1 sportsmen had better turn louts1 and tackle makers take to cutting straight saplings in the woods4 ,my companion1 nevertheless1 was not a little surprised at the vigorous rushes the trout made to escape1 but his line being strong and rod stiff1 he steadily reeled him in4 ,great was the excitement2 his whole mind was devoted to shortening the line1 regardless of what was to be done next4 ,we had a darky named ,joe with us1 to row the boat and land the fish1 and our luck having been bad during the morning he was delighted with this turn of affairs1 and ready1 net in hand1 to do his duty4 ,the fish was being reeled up till but a few feet of the line remained below the top1 when with a shout of 8land1 ,joe1 land him60 my companion suddenly lifted up his rod1 carrying the trout far above our heads4 ,there it dangled1 swaying to and fro1 bouncing and jumping1 while the agonized fisherman besought the darky to land him1 and the latter1 reaching up as far as he could with the net1 his eyes starting out of his head with wonder at this novel mode of proceeding1 came far short of his object4 ,never was seen such a sight2 the hopeless despair of my friend1 the eagerness of the darky1 who fairly strove to climb the rod as the fish danced about far out of reach4 ,what was to be done8 ,the line would not render1 the rod was so long we could not reach the tip in the boat2 and the only horrible alternative appeared to be my friend's losing his first fish4 ,the latter1 however1 by this remarkable course of treatment1 had grown peaceable and when he was dropped back into the water1 made but feeble efforts1 while my companion1 as quietly as he could1 worked out his line till he could land him like a ,christian4 ,great were the rejoicings when the prize earned with so much anxiety was secured4 ,that is the way not to land a trout4 ,one afternoon of a very boisterous day1 ,i struck a large fish at the deep hole in the centre of ,phillipse's ,pond1 on ,long ,island4 ,he came out fiercely1 and taking my fly as he went down1 darted at once for the bottom1 which is absolutely covered with long1 thick weeds4 ,the moment he found he was struck he took refuge among them1 and tangled himself so effectually that ,i could not feel him1 and supposed he had escaped4 ,by carefully exerting sufficient force1 however1 the weeds were loosened from the bottom1 and the electric thrill of his renewed motion was again perceptible4 ,he was allowed to draw the line through the weeds and play below them1 as by so doing they would give a little1 while if confined in them he would have a leverage against them1 and could1 with one vigorous twist1 tear out the hook4 ,when he was somewhat exhausted1 the question as to the better mode of landing him arose4 ,the wind was blowing so hard as to raise quite a sea1 which washed the weeds before it in spite of any strain that could be exerted by the rod1 and drifted the boat as well1 rendering the latter almost unmanageable1 while the fish was still so vigorous as to threaten every moment to escape4 ,i besought the boatman1 who was an old hand1 and thoroughly up to his business1 to drop the boat down to the weeds and let me try and land my fish with one hand while holding the rod with the other4 ,he knew the dangers of such a course1 and insisted upon rowing slowly and carefully for shore at a shallow place sheltered from the wind1 although ,i greatly feared the hook would tear out or the rod snap under the strain of towing both weeds and fish2 once near shore1 he deliberately forced an oar into the mud and made the boat fast to it1 and then taking up the net watched for a favorable chance4 ,he waited for some time1 carefully putting the weeds aside until a gleaming line of silver glanced for a moment beneath the water1 when darting the net down he as suddenly brought it up1 revealing within its folds the glorious colors of a splendid trout4 ,that was the way to land a trout under difficulties1 although ,i still think ,i could have done it successfully by myself4 ,generally the utmost delicacy should be shown in killing a fish1 but there are times when force must be exerted4 ,if the fish is making for a stump1 or even weeds1 he must be stopped at any reasonable risk of the rod's breaking or the fly's tearing out4 ,a stump is the most dangerous2 one turn around that and he is off1 leaving your flies probably in a most inconvenient place and many feet below the surface of the water4 ,but remember the oft-repeated maxim of a friend of the writer1 who had been with him many a joyous fishing day1 8,that one trout hooked is worth a dozen not hooked40 ,small trout are more apt to escape than large ones1 because the skin around the mouth of the latter is tougher4 ,with either1 however1 there is risk enough4 ,the hook is small1 and often takes but a slight hold2 the gut is delicate1 and frequently half worn through by continual casting4 ,fish are1 in a majority of instances1 hooked in the corner of the upper jaw1 where there is but a thin skin to hold them2 by long continued struggling the hole wears larger1 and finally1 to the agony of the fisherman1 the hook slips out4 ,there are occasions when force must be exerted1 and then good tackle and a well-made rod will repay the cost4 ,at dusk1 one night1 ,i cautiously approached the edge of a newly made pond1 that was as full of stumps as of fish1 both being about the extreme limit1 and casting into the clear water struck a fine fish of three-quarters of a pound4 ,not a minute's grace did he receive1 but ,i lugged and he fought1 and after a general turmoil ,i succeeded in bringing him to land1 in spite of weeds and stumps and twigs1 which he did his best to reach4 ,the same was done with ,severn fish after a loss of only three flies and with a rod that weighed only eight ounces4 ,in landing a fish wait till he is pretty well exhausted1 bring his mouth above water1 and keep it there till he is drawn into the net1 and warn your assistant to remove the net at once if he gets his head down4 ,by diving after him with the net the assistant would certainly not catch the fish and might tangle one of your other flies4 ,the fish should be led into the net1 and the latter kept as still as possible2 he knows as well as you do what it is for1 and if his attention is drawn to it will dart off as madly as ever4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the trout is admitted to be the most beautiful of all our fish2 not so large or powerful as the salmon1 he is much more numerous1 abounding in all the brooks and rivulets of our ,northern ,states4 ,he lives at our very doors2 in the stream that meanders across yon meadow1 where the haymakers are now busy with their scythes1 we have taken him in our early days2 down yonder in that wood is a brook filled with bright1 lively little fellows2 and away over there we know of pools where there are splendid ones4 ,who has not said or thought such words as he stood in the bright summer's day under the grateful shade of the piazza running round the old country house where he played--a boy8 ,he does not make the nerves thrill and tingle like the salmon1 he does not leap so madly into the air nor make such fierce1 resolute rushes2 he has not the silver sides1 nor the great strength2 but he is beautiful as the sunset sky1 brave as bravery itself1 and is our own home darling4 ,how he flashes upon the sight as he grasps the spurious insect1 and turns down with a quick little slap of the tail6 ,how he darts hither and thither when he finds he is hooked6 ,how persistently he struggles till enveloped in the net6 ,and then with what heart-rending sighs he breathes away his life6 ,who does not love the lovely trout8 ,with eye as deep and melting1 skin as rich and soft1 and ways as wildly wilful as angelic woman--who loves not one loves not the other4 ,who would not win the one cares not to win the other4 ,strange that man should kill the thing he loves but if to possess them kills them1 he must kill4 ,if women1 like the ,ephemerae1 died1 as they often do1 in their love1 we should still love them4 ,such is man2 do not think ,i praise him4 ,no one kills fish for the pleasure of killing2 but they cannot live out of water1 nor we in it1 therefore one of us must die4 ,the man who kills to kill1 who is not satisfied with reasonable sport1 who slays unfairly or out of season1 who adds one wanton pang1 that man receives the contempt of all good sportsmen and deserves the felon's doom4 ,of such there are but few4 ,we seek this1 our favorite fish1 in early spring1 when the ice has just melted1 and the cold winds remind one forcibly of bleak ,december1 and when we find him in the salt streams1 especially of ,long ,island and ,cape ,cod2 but we love most to follow him in the early summer1 along the merry streams of old ,orange1 or the mountain brooks of ,sullivan county2 where the air is full of gladness1 and the trees are heavy with foliage--where the birds are singing on every bough1 and the grass redolent of violets and early flowers4 ,there we wade the cold brooks1 leafy branches bowing us a welcome as we pass1 the water rippling over the hidden rocks1 and telling us1 in its wayward way1 of the fine fish it carries in its bosom4 ,with creel upon our shoulder and rod in hand1 we reck not of the hours1 and only when the sinking sun warns of the approaching darkness do we seek1 with sharpened appetite1 the hospitable country inn1 and the comfortable supper that our prey will furnish forth4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there is no fish more difficult to catch1 nor that gives the true angler more genuine sport1 than the trout4 ,his capture requires the nicest tackle1 the greatest skill1 the most complete self-command1 the highest qualities of mind and body4 ,the arm must be strong that wields the rod1 the eye true that sees the rise2 the wrist quick that strikes at the instant2 the judgment good that selects the best spot1 the most suitable fly1 and knows just how to kill the fish4 ,a fine temper is required to bear up against the loss of a noble fish1 and patient perseverance to conquer ill luck4 ,hence it is that the fisherman is so proud of his basket of a dozen half-pound trout4 ,he feels that any one more awkward or less resolute could not have done so well4 ,he feels conscious that he does not owe his success to mere luck1 but has deserved the glory4 ,he feels that he has elevated himself by the very effort4 ,do not suppose ,i mean that there is no skill in other fishing2 there is in all1 even in catching minnows for bait1 but most of all in trout-fishing4 ,,trout ,,flies4 8,that we are wise men1 ,i shall not stoop to maintain1 but that we do love angling we are assured of1 and therein we know that we are in unison with very many greatly wise and wisely good men40--,thaddeus ,norris4 8,the true angler is not confined to fly-fishing1 as many imagine4 ,when the fly can be used it always should be used1 but where the fly is impracticable1 or your fish will not rise to it1 he is a very foolish angler who declines to use bait40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,the creative power of genius can make a feather-fly live1 and move1 and have being2 and a wisely stricken fish gives up the ghost in transports40--8,j4 ,cypress1 ,jr40 ,illustration3 #jbbd #fd4 ,jungle ,cock4 #fe4 ,lake ,green4 #ff4 ,jenny ,lind4 #fg4 ,poor ,man's ,fly4 #fh4 ,pheasant4 #fi4 ,romeyn4 #gj4 ,morrison4 #ga4 ,katy-did4 #gb4 ,claret4 #gc4 ,hoskins4 #gd4 ,caldwell4 #ge4 ,iron ,dun4 #gf4 ,queen of the ,water4 #gg4 ,olive ,gnat4 #gh4 ,brown ,coffin4 8,the deftly-tossed fly1 taking wing on the nerve of a masterly cast1 will drop gracefully far out in the stream where the heavier gear of the bait rod would never aspire to reach40--,charles ,hallock4 8,fly-fishing may well be considered the most beautiful of all rural sports40--8,frank ,forester40 8,to be a perfect trout fisher1 to my mind1 a man should follow no other branch of fishing4 ,it spoils his hand if he does4 ,i myself1 from the practice of striking so hard in both salmon1 pike and other fishing1 lose numbers of fish and flies in the course of the season2 and what makes it the more vexing is that they are nearly always the best and heaviest fish40--,francis ,francis4 8,if a pricked trout is chased into another pool1 he will1 ,i believe1 soon again take the artificial fly40--,sir ,humphry ,davy4 8,it is only the inexperienced and thoughtless who find pleasure in killing fish for the mere sake of killing them4 ,no sportsman does this40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,we persevered1 notwithstanding the storm1 and got our hundred trout1 all alive and active1 into ,lake ,salubria4 ,they did not1 however1 multiply as we hoped they would4 ,for years one would hear occasionally of a great trout being caught in the lake1 till at last they were all gone4 ,they lacked the ripples and the running water4 ,they lived to be old1 and then died without progeny1 #8making no sign4'0--,s4 ,h4 ,hammond4 8,the trout is such a light food1 that eight of them1 some ten inches long1 will not make a supper for a hearty man1 leading this wilderness life40--8,porte ,crayon40 8,i believe ,i am sincere in saying that ,i enjoy seeing another man throw a fly1 if he is a good and graceful sportsman1 quite as much as doing it myself40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,i was content with my one glimpse1 by twilight1 at the forest's great and solemn heart2 and having once1 alone1 and in such an hour1 touched it with my own hand and listened to its throb1 ,i have felt the awe of that experience evermore40--,a4 ,judd ,northrup4 ,,the ,,poetry ,,of ,,fly ,,fishing ,by ,f4 ,e4 ,pond4 ,it has been said that the angler1 like the poet1 is born1 not made4 ,this is a self-evident fact4 ,few men have risen to the dignity of anglers who did not in early youth feel the unbearable impulse to go a-fishing4 ,there are1 of course1 noteworthy exceptions1 but the rule holds good4 ,it might be added1 too1 that the genuine angler is almost invariably a poet1 although he may not be a jingler of rhymes--a ballad-monger4 ,though1 perhaps1 lacking the art of versification1 his whole life is in itself a well-rounded poem1 and he never misses the opportunity to 8cast his lines in pleasant places40 ,this is particularly true of the artistic fly-fisher1 for with him each line is cast with the poetry of motion4 ,ned ,locus1 the inimitable character of ,j4 ,cypress' 8,fire ,island ,ana10 is made to aver that he 8once threw his fly so far1 so delicately1 and suspendedly1 that it took life and wings1 and would have flown away1 but that a four-pound trout1 seeing it start1 jumped a foot from the water and seized it1 thus changing the course of the insect's travel from the upper atmosphere to the bottom of his throat40 ,being quoted from memory1 these may not be the words exactly1 as ,toodles would say1 but the sentiment is the same4 ,there is the true poetical spirit pervading the very air1 whispering from the leaves1 murmuring in the brook1 and thus the surroundings of the angler complete that which nature began1 and make him a poet4 ,in common with other sports of the field1 though in greater degree3 8,it is a mingled rapture1 and we find ,the bodily spirit mounting to the mind40 ,bards have sung its praises1 traditions have hallowed it1 and philosophers have revelled in the gentle pastime1 from the days of ,oppian and ,homer down to ,walton1 ,christopher ,north and ,tennyson4 ,although the art of fly-fishing was not known to the ancients1 the poetry of angling has been enriched by the bards of ye-olden-time to a remarkable degree4 ,in ,pope's translation of the ,iliad1 the following passage occurs3 8,as from some rock that overhangs the flood1 ,the silent fisher casts the insidious food2 ,with fraudful care he waits the finny prize1 ,then sudden lifts it quivering to the skies40 ,one of the most familiar of sop's fables1 in rhyme1 is that of the ,fisherman and the ,little ,fish1 while ,theocritus1 who flourished about the year #bgj ,b4 c41 gives us a spirited idyl representing the life of a ,greek fisherman4 ,oppian and ,aristotle each prepared a classical volume on fish and fishing4 ,pliny in his 8,historia ,naturalis0 treats at length of the finny tribes1 and ,ansonius in his poem1 8,mostella10 describes the tench1 salmon and other varieties of fish4 ,among the early contributions to ,english literature on angling1 the 8,poetic10 generally attributed to a ,scottish balladist known as ,blind ,harry1 is conspicuous4 ,then the 8,boke of ,st4 ,albans10 by ,dame ,juliana ,berners1 and quaint old ,izaak ,walton's 8,compleat ,angler0--a brace of classic volumes dear to the heart of all who love the rod and reel4 ,in modern times the literature of angling has had scores of staunch and able supporters among the writers of ,britain and our own land4 ,sir ,humphry ,davy's 8,salmonia02 ,christopher ,north's essays on angling1 in 8,noctes ,ambrosian02 ,stoddart's ,angling ,songs2 all these and a score of others are familiar to rodsters on both sides of the ,atlantic4 ,the clever poet and satirist1 ,tom ,hood1 discourses thus in praise of the gentle art3 8,of all sports ever sported1 commend me to angling4 ,it is the wisest1 virtuousest1 discreetest1 best2 the safest1 cheapest1 and in all likelihood the oldest of pastimes4 ,it is a one-handed game that would have suited ,adam himself2 and it was the only one by which ,noah could have amused himself in the ark4 ,hunting and shooting come in second and third4 ,the common phrase1 #8fish1 flesh and fowl1' clearly hints at this order of precedence4 99 99 99 ,to refer to my own experience1 ,i certainly became acquainted with the angling rod soon after the birchen one1 and long before ,i had any practical knowledge of #8,nimrod' or #8,ramroch' ,the truth is1 angling comes by nature4 ,it is in the system1 as the doctors say40 ,it is no exaggeration to state that the real poetry of fly-fishing1 as given in the grand old book of ,nature1 is appreciated to the fullest by ,american anglers4 ,the breezy air of the forest leaves is found in the charming works of ,bethune1 of ,herbert1 ,hawes1 ,norris1 ,dawson1 ,hallock and many other worthies1 past and present4 ,the modern ,horace--he of the traditional white hat--never wrote a better essay than that descriptive of his early fishing days4 ,the same is true of ,rev4 ,henry ,ward ,beecher1 and ,charles ,dudley ,warner's most graphic pen picture is his inimitable sketch1 8,a ,fight with a ,trout40 ,the number of really good books on ,american field sports is principally made up of angling works1 a fact which goes far to establish the truth of ,wm4 ,t4 ,porter's assertion1 namely3 8,no man ever truly polished a book unless he were something of an angler1 or at least loved the occupation4 ,he who steals from the haunts of men into the green solitudes of ,nature1 by the banks of gliding1 silvery streams1 under the checkering lights of sun1 leaf and cloud1 may always hope to cast his lines1 whether of the rod or the #8record book1' in pleasant places40 ,this may be appropriately supplemented by the opinion1 poetically expressed by the same author1 with reference to the art of fishing with the artificial fly1 thus3 8,fly-fishing has been designated the royal and aristocratic branch of the angler's craft1 and unquestionably it is the most difficult1 the most elegant1 and to men of taste1 by myriads of degrees the most pleasant and exciting mode of angling4 ,to land a trout of three1 four or five pounds weight1 and sometimes heavier1 with a hook almost invisible1 with a gut line almost as delicate and beautiful as a single hair from the raven tresses of a mountain sylph1 and with a rod not heavier than a tandem whip1 is an achievement requiring no little presence of mind1 united to consummate skill4 ,if it be not so1 and if it do not give you some very pretty palpitations of the heart in the performance1 may we never1 wet a line in ,lake ,george1 or raise a trout in the ,susquehanna40 ,thomson1 the much admired author of 8,the ,seasons10 was in his youth a zealous angler1 frequently casting his fly in the rippling waters of the ,tweed1 a trout-stream justly famous along the ,scottish border4 ,the poet has eulogized his favorite pastime of fly-fishing in the following elegant lines3 8,now1 when the first foul torrent of the brooks1 ,swell'd with the vernal rains1 is ebb'd away2 ,and1 whitening1 down their mossy tinctur'd stream ,descends the billowy foam1 now is the time1 ,while yet the dark brown water aids the guile ,to tempt the trout4 ,the well-dissembled fly-- ,the rod1 fine tapering with elastic spring1 ,snatch'd from the hoary stud the floating line4 ,and all thy slender wat'ry stores prepare2 ,but let not on thy hook the tortur'd worm ,convulsive twist in agonizing folds1 ,which1 by rapacious hunger swallow'd deep1 ,gives1 as you tear it from the bleeding breast ,of the weak1 helpless1 uncomplaining wretch1 ,harsh pain and horror to the tender hand40 ,when1 with his lively ray1 the potent sun ,has pierc'd the streams1 and rous'd the finny race1 ,then1 issuing cheerful to thy sport repair2 ,chief should the western breezes curling play1 ,and light o'er ether bear the shadowy clouds1 ,high to their fount1 this day1 amid the hills ,and woodlands warbling round1 trace up the brooks2 ,the next pursue their rocky-c-hannel'd maze ,down to the river1 in whose ample wave ,their little ,naiads love to sport at large4 ,just in the dubious point1 where with the pool ,is mix'd the trembling stream1 or where it boils ,around the stone1 or from the hollow'd bank ,reverted plays in undulating flow1 ,there throw1 nice judging1 the delusive fly2 ,and1 as you lead it round the artful curve1 ,with eye attentive mark the springing game4 ,straight as above the surface of the flood ,they wanton rise1 or1 urged by hunger1 leap1 ,then fix1 with gentle twitch1 the barbed hook2 ,some lightly tossing to the grassy bank1 ,and to the shelving shore slow dragging some ,with various hand proportion'd to their force4 ,if yet too young1 and easily deceiv'd1 ,a worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod4' ,him1 piteous of his youth1 and the short space ,he has enjoy'd the vital light of heaven1 ,soft disengage1 and back into the stream ,the speckl'd captive throw2 but1 should you lure ,from his dark haunt1 beneath the tangled roots ,of pendent trees1 the monarch of the brook1 ,behooves you then to ply your finest art4 ,long time he1 following cautious1 scans the fly1 ,and oft attempts to seize it1 but as oft ,the dimpled water speaks his jealous fear4 ,at last1 while haply o'er the shaded sun ,passes a cloud1 he desperate takes the death ,with sullen plunge3 at once he darts along1 ,deep struck1 and runs out all the lengthen'd line1 ,then seeks the farthest ooze1 the sheltering weed1 ,the cavern'd bank1 his old secure above1 ,and flies aloft1 and flounces round the pool1 ,indignant of the guile4 ,with yielding hand1 ,that feels him still1 yet to his furious course ,gives way1 you1 now retiring1 following now1 ,across the stream1 exhaust his idle rage1 ,till floating broad upon his breathless side1 ,and to his fate abandon'd1 to the shore ,you gayly drag your unresisting prize40 ,angling1 like every other manly pastime1 has had numerous assailants--some of them 8men of mark10 as in the case of ,lord ,byron1 whose 8fine plirensy0 in denouncing ,walton and the gentle art failed not to draw down upon himself the laughter of a world4 ,the plaint of ,lord ,byron runs thus3 8,then there were billiards2 cards1 too2 but no dice1 ,save in the clubs no man of honor plays-- ,boats when'twas water1 skating when'twas ice1 ,and the hard frost destroy'd the scenting days2 ,and angling1 too1 that solitary vice1 ,whatever ,izaac ,walton sings or says2 ,the quaint old cruel coxcomb in his gullet1 ,should have a hook1 and a small trout to pull it40 ,another famous satirist of the old school defines angling as 8a stick and a string1 with a fish at one end and a fool at the other10 while a third1 the well-known ,peter ,pindar1 in closing a 8,ballad to a ,fish in the ,brook10 takes occasion to say3 8,enjoy thy stream1 oh1 harmless fish1 8,and when an angler for his dish1 ,through gluttony's vile sin1 ,attempts--a wretch--to pull thee out1 ,god give thee strength1 oh1 gentle trout1 ,to pull the rascal in40 ,all who love to go a-fishing can well afford to smile at the malicious flings of morbid critics1 and while recreating both mind and body in casting the mimic fly along the dashing mountain stream1 think of the deluded satirists in pity rather than condemnation4 ,let us1 then1 in unison with the quaint and charming poet1 ,gay3 8,mark well the various seasons of the year1 ,how the succeeding insect race appear1 ,in their revolving moon one color reigns1 ,which in the next the fickle trout disdains2 ,oft have ,i seen a skilful angler try ,the various colors of the treach'rous fly2 ,when he 8with fruitless pain hath skim'd the brook1 ,and the coy fish rejects the skipping hook4 ,he shakes the boughs that on the margin grow1 ,which o'er the stream a weaving forest throw2 ,when if an insect fall 7his certain guide7 ,he gently takes him from the whirling tide2 ,examines well his form with curious eyes1 ,his gaudy vest1 his wings1 his horns1 his size4 ,then round his hook the chosen fur he winds1 ,and on the back a speckled feather binds2 ,so just the colors shine through every part1 ,that nature seems to live again in art40 ,a ,,perfect ,,day ,by ,geo4 ,w4 ,van ,siclen4 ,i take my rod this fair ,june morning1 and go forth to be alone with nature4 ,no business cares1 no roar of the city1 no recitals of others' troubles and woes which make the lawyer a human hygrometer1 no doubts nor fears to disturb me as1 drinking in the clear1 sweet air with blissful anticipation1 ,i saunter through the wood-path toward the mountain lake4 ,as ,i brush the dew from the bushes around me1 ,i spy in a glade golden flowers glowing on a carpet of pure green1 mingled with the snowy stars of white blossoms2 with their fragrance comes the liquid1 bell-like voice of the swamp-robin1 hidden from curious eyes4 ,soon seated in my boat1 ,i paddle to the shade of a tall1 dark hemlock and rest there1 lulled by the intense quiet4 ,ever and anon as ,i dreamily cast my ethereal fly1 a thrill of pleasure electrifies me1 as it is seized by a vigorous trout4 ,i have long classed trout with flowers and birds1 and bright sunsets1 and charming scenery1 and beautiful women1 as given for the rational enjoyment and delight of thoughtful men of aesthetic tastes4 ,and if 8,by deeds our lives shall measured be1 ,and not by length of days10 then a perfect life has been lived by many a noble trout whose years have been few1 but who1 caught by the fisher's lure 7to which he was predestined1 as aforesaid71 has leaped into the air and shaken the sparkling drops from his purple1 golden1 crimson1 graceful form and struggled to be free1 to the intense delight of the artist who brought him to the basket1 where he belonged4 ,thus resting1 and floating apparently between the translucent crystal and the blue ether1 silent1 ,i have felt the presence of a spirit who inspires one with pure thoughts of matters far above the affairs of daily life and toil1 of the universe and what lies beyond the blue sky1 and of the mind and soul of man1 and his future after death4 ,i love the mountains1 and the meadows1 and the woods4 ,later satisfied1 but not satiated1 with fair provision of corn1 and wine1 and oil1 and my creel well filled1 the shadows lengthen and the day begins to die4 ,some day ,i shall hear no more forever the birds sing in the sylvan shade4 ,my eyes will no more behold the woods ,i love so well4 ,for the last time my feet will slowly tread this woodland road1 and ,i shall watch for the last time the changing shadows made by the clouds upon the hillsides4 ,there will come a time when the setting sun will paint the west as the bridegroom colors the cheek of the bride2 but ,i shall not know it1 and ,i shall never again share such hours of peace with the leafy trees4 ,then1 with folded hands upon my quiet breast1 my friends will briefly gaze upon my face and ,i shall be gone4 ,in that last day1 so full of deepest interest to me1 may my soul be pure4 ,filled with such thoughts1 ,i regret that ,i cannot express them like the poet1 whose name ,i know not1 but whose words ,i will recall3 8,good-bye1 sweet day1 good-bye6 ,i have so loved thee1 but ,i cannot hold thee2 ,departing like a dream the shadows fold thee4 ,slowly thy perfect beauty fades away2 ,good-bye1 sweet day4 8,good-bye1 sweet day1 good-bye6 ,dear were the golden hours of tranquil splendor4 ,sadly thou yieldest to the evening tender1 ,who wert so fair from thy first morning ray4 ,good-bye1 sweet day4 8,good-bye1 sweet day1 good-bye6 ,thy glow and charm1 thy smiles and tones and glances ,vanish at last and solemn night advances4 ,ah6 couldst thou yet a little longer stay4 ,good-bye1 sweet day4 8,good-bye1 sweet day1 good-bye6 ,all thy rich gifts my grateful heart remembers1 ,the while ,i watched thy sunset's smouldering embers ,die in the west beneath the twilight gray4 ,good-bye1 sweet day40 ,as the balsam-breathing night wind begins to blow1 ,i turn my back upon the silver glancing of the moonlight on the rippling waves of the fairy lake1 and step bravely into the darkness of the woods1 where ,i cannot see the places where my foot shall fall1 but ,i know that others have safely passed it before1 and that ,i shall find comfort and home at the end4 ,note4--8,description of a day on ,balsam ,lake 7headwaters of the ,beaverkill7 where no house was ever built4 ,from the lake it is two miles through the woods 7about ten miles in the dark7 to the nearest house10--,extract from letter accompanying article4 8,i handle this #8brown hackle' as gently as a relic1 not alone because it is the memento of an unusual achievement1 but because the sight of it brings up vividly before me the beautiful lake where the trout lay2 its crystal waters2 the glinting of its ruffled surface as the bright sun fell upon it2 the densely wooded hills which encircled it2 the soughing of the tall pines as the summer's breeze swept through their branches2 and the thrill which coursed through every nerve as trout after trout leaped to the cast1 and1 after such manipulation and #8play' as only those who have had personal experience can comprehend1 were duly captured40--,george ,dawson4 8,don't be in too great a hurry to change your flies40--,francis ,francis4 ,illustration3 #jbdb #a4 ,brown ,hackle4 #b4 ,scarlet ,hackle4 #c4 ,white ,hackle4 #d4 ,yellow ,hackle4 #e4 ,ginger ,hackle4 #f4 ,gray ,hackle4 #g4 ,black ,hackle4 #h4 ,coch-y-,bouddr4 #i4 ,gray ,hackle4 #a4 ,emerald ,gnat4 #b4 ,black ,c4 #c4 ,soldier ,gnat4 #a4 ,brown ,pennell4 ,pennell ,hackles4 #b4 ,yellow ,pennell4 #c4 ,green ,pennell4 8,and now we have got through the poetry of the art4 ,hitherto things have gone happy as a marriage bell4 ,i unhesitatingly declare1 and ,i confidently appeal to my brother ,angler1 whether he1 a fly fisherman1 does not feel similarly4 ,to me fly-fishing is a labor of love2 the other is labor--alone4 ,but notwithstanding such are my feelings1 it by no means follows that every one else so fancies it4 ,every one to his taste40--,capt4 ,peel 78,dinks07 8,when ,spring comes round1 look to your tackle with careful inspection1 and see that all are in perfect order4 ,above all1 look well to your flies2 reject all specimens that have been injured by use1 and all frayed gut lengths4 ,it is better to throw away a handful now1 than to lose flies and heavy fish together the first time you fasten to a rise40--,charles ,hallock4 8,that hook is for a very little fly1 and you must make your wings accordingly2 for as the case stands it must be a little fly1 and a very little one too1 that must do your business40--,charles ,cotton4 8,for some reason which ,i have not succeeded in fathoming1 the yellow fly always seems to kill best in the position of dropper1 or bob-fly1 and the green when employed as the stretcher1 or tail-fly4 ,the brown can be used in either position40--,h4 ,gholmon-deley-,pennell4 8,note that usually1 the smallest flies are best2 and note also1 that the light flie does usually make most sport in a dark day2 and the darkest and least flie in a bright or clear day40--,izaak ,walton4 8,no description with pen or tongue can teach you how to cast a fly4 ,accompany an expert and watch him40--,t4 ,s4 ,up de ,graff1 ,m4 ,d4 8,there is no more graceful and healthful accomplishment for a lady than fly-fishing1 and there is no reason why a lady should not in every respect rival a gentleman in the gentle art40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,everything which makes deception more alluring should be resorted to by an ,angler2 for1 let his experience be ever so great1 he will always find opportunities to regret his deficiencies40--,parker ,gilmore4 ,,suggestions ,by ,charles ,f4 ,orvis4 ,during my long intercourse with the angling fraternity1 ,i have always found its members very ready to receive and impart suggestions1 in the most friendly manner4 ,it appears to me that those who are devoted to 8the gentle art10 are especially good-natured2 and while very many have their own peculiar ideas as to this or that1 yet they are always willing and anxious to hear the opinions of others4 ,believing this1 ,i am prompted to make a few suggestions1 in regard to fly-fishing for trout1 and the tackle used for that purpose2 and if ,i differ from any1 which will be very likely1 ,i trust that what appears erroneous will be regarded charitably2 and if ,i shall be so fortunate as to make any suggestions that will add to the enjoyment of any 8brother of the ,angle10 ,i shall be content4 ,the rod1 of course1 is of the first importance in an outfit1 as very much depends on its perfection4 ,for ordinary fly-fishing for trout1 a rod from ten to twelve feet in length will be found most convenient4 ,i use a ten-foot rod1 and find it meets all my requirements4 ,it is well to let your rod have weight enough to have some 8back-bone0 in it2 very light and very limber rods are objectionable1 because with them one cannot cast well against1 or across the wind2 and it is impossible to hook your fish with any certainty--especially with a long line out--or to handle one properly when hooked4 ,a very limber rod will not re-act quickly enough1 nor strongly enough to lift the line and fix the hook firmly2 because1 when the upward motion is made1 in the act of striking1 the point of the rod first goes down2 and1 unless it is as stiff as it will do to have it and cast well1 it will not re-act until the fish has found out his mistake and rejected the fraud4 ,rods ten to twelve feet long should weigh from seven and one-half to ten and one-half ounces1 depending on the material and weight of mountings1 size of handpiece1 etc4 ,many1 perhaps1 would say1 that eight to ten ounces1 for a single-handed fly-rod1 is too heavy2 that such rods would prove tiresome to handle4 ,much depends on how the rod hangs4 ,if a ten-ounce rod is properly balanced1 it will be no harder work to use it than a poorly balanced seven-ounce rod--in fact1 not as fatiguing4 ,some men can handle an eleven-foot rod with the same ease that another could one that was a foot shorter4 ,hence1 the rod should be adapted to the person who is to use it4 ,the stiffness of a split bamboo rod is one of its great merits4 ,when ,i say stiffness1 ,i mean the steel-like elasticity which causes it to re-act with such quickness4 ,for material for fly-rods1 bamboo ranks first1 lance-wood next2 after mentioning these1 there is not much to say4 ,green-heart is too uncertain4 ,paddlewood is very fine1 but as yet1 extremely difficult to obtain in any quantity4 ,the balance1 or 8hang10 of a rod is of the greatest importance4 ,let it be never so well made otherwise1 if not properly balanced it will be worthless4 ,the elasticity should be uniform1 from tip to near the hand2 a true taper will not give this1 because the ferules interfere with the uniform spring of the rod4 ,for this reason a little enlargement between the ferules should be made1 to compensate for the non-elasticity of the metal4 ,these enlargements cannot be located by measurements1 as much depends on the material and the length of the joint4 ,spliced rods can be made nearer a true taper1 for obvious reasons2 although there is no doubt that a spliced rod is stronger and much more perfect in casting qualities1 yet they require such care to preserve the delicate ends of the splice1 and are so troublesome in many ways1 that few will use them4 ,the details of rod-making having been so often told1 ,i do not purpose making any suggestions on that subject1 but will say that1 in order to make a good fly-rod1 the maker ought to know how to handle it1 when finished4 ,i believe in a very narrow reel1 and use one that is only one-half inch between outside plates4 ,as both outside and spool plates are perforated1 my line never mildews or gets tender4 ,hence1 it is unnecessary to take the line off to dry it1 as should be done when solid reel plates are used4 ,with such a reel my line never tangles4 ,if your reel be narrow between plates1 and large in circumference1 it will take up line rapidly1 and obviate the use of a multiplier1 which is objectionable for fly-fishing4 ,a light click is desirable1 just strong enough to hold the handle and keep the line from over-running4 ,more friction is of no use1 and may cause you the loss of many fish4 ,experience satisfies me that you should use your reel on the under side of your rod1 with handle towards the right--because the weight of the reel so placed holds the rod in proper position without your giving it a thought1 and your right hand finds the reel handle without trouble2 because your reel is thus entirely out of the way of your arm2 because with the rod always in proper position1 your left hand finds the line every time1 to draw it from the reel when wanted for a longer cast2 because with the reel on the under side the rod is always exactly balanced1 and you will not have to grasp it with anywhere near the force required with the reel on the upper side4 ,and you can make your casts with ease and lay out your flies gently and more accurately than you could with the firmer grip needful to be kept on the rod with the reel in the latter position1 and because1 without constant attention1 your reel is never on the upper side of the rod to any certainty1 but anywhere and everywhere4 ,keep your reels well oiled4 ,enamelled1 or water-proof1 braided silk1 tapered1 ,american fly-lines1 are the best made for fly-fishing4 ,it is important that the size of the line should be adapted to the rod4 ,a heavy line on a very light rod would be bad4 ,a very light line on a heavy rod would be worse4 ,no4 #c or ,e1 and ,ko4 #d or ,e1 are the two best sizes4 ,i find many are inclined to use too light lines1 supposing the lighter the line the less trouble there will be in casting it4 ,this1 ,i think1 is an error4' ,it is impossible to cast well against or across the wind1 with a very light line2 and very light lines do not 8lay out0 as easily or accurately as heavier ones4 ,leaders1 or casting lines1 ,i like rather heavy1 proportionate to the line4 ,to use a very light leader on a ,ko4 #d line is not well2 for what is the leader but a continuation of the line8 ,therefore it should approximate the size of the line1 that there may be no sudden change in size where the leader begins1 in order that the flies shall keep ahead1 where they belong4 ,leaders should be made with loops at proper intervals1 to which the flies are to be attached4 ,leaders with such loops will last at least twice as long as those without them4 ,three flies are generally used2 perhaps two are just as good4 ,but ,i use three and often find the increased number to work well1 as presenting a greater variety to the fickle notions of the many trout1 and it is best to take all the chances4 ,the first dropper loop should be about thirty inches from the stretcher1 or tail-fly4 ,second dropper1 twenty-four inches above first dropper--depending somewhat on the length of the leader4 ,let the flies be as far apart as ,i have indicated4 ,a greater distance is not objectionable--a lesser is4 ,leaders should be tapered and made of the best quality of round gut4 8,mist colored0 or stained leaders are1 by many1 thought to be better than the clear white gut2 but ,i must say ,i never have been able to see that they are1 or that there is any difference1 practically4 ,there is no great objection to the colored leaders1 and ,i use them myself usually4 ,i will not undertake to settle the much-discussed question4 ,either plain or colored are good enough1 if properly made and from good gut4 ,always let your leader lie in the water awhile before commencing to cast1 that the gut may soften--or you may lose your leader1 fish and temper1 and blame some one because you think you have been cheated1 when no one was in fault but yourself in your haste4 ,when you have finished fishing1 wind your leader around your hat1 and the next time you use it it will not look like a cork-screw1 and bother you half an hour in casting4 ,to one who has not acquired the art of fishing with the fly1 let me suggest that a day or two with an expert will save much time and trouble4 ,there are many little things that cannot well be described1 and would take a long time to find out by experience1 that can be learned very quickly when seen4 ,it is not easy to tell one exactly how to fish with the fly4 ,i remember well my first trout2 ,i remember as well1 the first fine rod and tackle ,i ever saw1 and the genial old gentleman who handled them4 ,i had thought ,i knew how to fish with the fly2 but when ,i saw my old friend step into the stream and make a cast1 ,i just wound that line of mine around the 8pole0 ,i had supposed was about right1 and ,i followed an artist4 7,i never used that 8pole0 again47 ,i devoted my time that afternoon to what to me was a revelation1 and the quiet1 cordial way in which the old gentleman accepted my admiration1 and the pleasure he evidently took in lending to me a rod until ,i could get one1 is one of the pleasant things ,i shall always retain in memory4 ,to really enjoy fly-fishing one must be able to cast at least fairly well2 to cast a very long line is not at all important--to cast easily and gently is4 ,fifty to sixty feet is all that is necessary for practical purposes1 the great majority of trout are taken within forty feet4 ,it is not easy to tell one how to cast4 ,the art must be acquired by practice4 ,as ,i have said1 much can be learned by observing an expert4 ,there is one great mistake made by most beginners2 i4e41 far too much strength is used4 ,let me suggest to the novice to begin with the line about the length of the rod2 learn to lay that out gently1 and as you take your flies off the water1 do it with a quick movement1 decreasing the motion until your rod is at an angle of not quite forty-five degrees behind you1 this angle to be varied according to circumstances which cannot be foreseen4 ,then the rod must come to a short pause1 just long enough to allow the line and leader time to straighten out fairly1 no more4 ,then the forward motion must be made with a degree of force and quickness in proportion to the length of line you have out1 decreasing the force until the rod is about horizontal2 do not bring your rod to a sudden stop1 or your line and your flies will come down with a splash and all in a heap2 but lay your line out gently1 my friend1 and your flies will fall like snowflakes4 ,it is not muscle but 8gentle art0 that is required4 8,take it easy0 and keep trying4 ,in an open space1 from a boat for instance1 take your flies very nearly straight off the water2 never dropping the point of your rod much to the right1 as this leaves your line on the water and makes it hard to lift4 ,take your flies up with a quick movement1 nearly vertical1 and wait for them to straighten and cast again directly towards the point to which you wish them to go4 ,after you have acquired the skill to cast straight #8before you will be time enough for you to practise side casts1 under casts1 etc41 that you will have to use where there are obstacles before and behind you4 ,the same movements to cast and retrieve your lines1 will apply under all circumstances1 whether in open water or on streams overhung with trees1 or fringed with bushes4 ,much vexatious catching of flies may be avoided by not being too eager1 and by not using too long a line4 ,let me add--just before your flies touch the water1 draw back your rod slightly and gently2 this will straighten the line1 and your flies will fall exactly where you want them4 ,cast your flies so that they fall as lightly as possible1 with your leader extended to its full length2 then draw your flies in the direction you wish1 being careful not to draw them too far1 or you will have trouble in retrieving your line for another cast4 ,with your rod too perpendicular you cannot lift your line quickly enough to carry it back with sufficient force to straighten it out1 and your next cast will be a failure4 ,there is also much danger of breaking your rod4 ,usually you will get your rise just an instant after your flies touch the water1 or before you have drawn them more than a little distance4 ,it is better to cast often and draw your flies back just far enough so that you can easily lift your line for another cast4 ,moreover1 with your rod too perpendicular it is not easy to hook your fish2 so cast often and cover all parts of the pool4 ,i think most skilful fly-fishers draw their flies with a slightly tremulous motion1 to make the flies imitate the struggles of an insect1 and ,i believe it to be a good method4 ,it certainly is not objectionable1 and you will find it can be done without thought2 the habit once formed and it will be difficult for you to draw your flies otherwise4 ,the instant you see a rise at one of your flies1 strike quickly1 but not too strongly1 nor with a long pull1 but with a short1 sharp motion1 not too strong or long enough to raise even a small fish from the water1 but just enough to drive the hook firmly in4 ,this may be done by an upward and inward motion1 or a side motion1 as circumstances may dictate4 ,a slight turn of the wrist is often all that is required2 but if you have a long line out1 you will have to use your arm and more force4 ,your fish hooked1 keep him well in hand2 don't give him any more line than is necessary4 ,when he is determined to run1 let him do so2 but keep your fingers on the line and put all the strain on him you safely can1 increasing the strain the further he goes4 ,turn him as soon as possible1 and the instant you have done so1 begin to reel him in4 ,when he runs again1 repeat the dose and get his head out of the water a little as soon as you dare4 ,this exhausts him quickly4 ,don't raise him too far out of the water1 or in his struggles he will break loose4 ,should a fish try to run under the boat1 reel up until your line is no longer than your rod1 or nearly so1 then firmly guide him around the end--remembering always 8it is skill against brute force40 ,in stream-fishing1 always wade if you can4 ,when fishing from a boat never stand up if you can help it1 but learn to cast sitting down4 ,it is just as easy if you once learn how4 ,on streams it is better to wade1 because your feet produce no jar for you cannot well raise them out of the water1 and dare not often4 ,and for various reasons a person alarms the fish less in wading than in fishing from the bank4 ,fish down stream always if possible4 ,you can1 in so doing1 look over the pools and approach them to the best advantage4 ,it is easier to wade with the current1 and as you cast your flies you can let them float naturally for just an instant1 without their being drawn under the surface4 ,this instant is the time that1 in a great majority of cases1 you get your rise4 ,every one who has fished much with a fly knows how often he has whipped every inch of a pool and failed to get a rise where he was sure his flies could be seen from any part of it1 and at last1 when he placed his flies in one particular spot1 his hopes were realized in an instant4 ,why did not the trout rise before8 ,because he waited until his food came to him4 ,in streams1 especially1 trout usually rise an instant after the flies touch the water1 and ,i believe that trout in streams commonly wait for their food to come to them1 and do not often dart out from where they are lying to any great distance1 but wait until the fly comes nearly or quite over them1 and then rise to the surface and take the fly with a snap and instantly turn head down to regain the position they had left4 ,in doing this they often turn a somersault and throw themselves out of the water2 as they go over1 their tails come down on the water with a splash1 which some persons think is intentionally done to strike the fly or insect in order to kill or injure it and then afterwards capture it4 ,such persons fail to see the trout's head at all1 for very often it barely comes to the surface1 but the quick motion to go down throws the tail up and over--hence the error1 as ,i consider it4 ,any one who will take the trouble to throw house flies to trout in an aquarium1 will never again think trout strike their prey with their tails4 ,the kinds of flies to be used vary with the locality1 stream1 state and stage of the water1 weather1 etc4 ,the fly that pleased the fancy of the trout to-day--to-morrow perhaps in the same stream and under the same conditions1 as far as any one could see1 would fail4 ,the only way is to keep trying until the one is found that does please4 ,don't change too often1 but give each 8cast0 a fair trial4 ,i do not believe in certain flies for certain months in the year4 ,i have stood up to my knees in snow and taken trout1 in mid-winter1 with the same flies ,i had used in mid-summer4 ,in low1 clear water1 especially in streams1 small flies should be used4 ,in higher water1 larger flies are better1 as a rule4 ,when the water is high--as early in the season--larger and brighter-colored flies may be used to more advantage4 ,later1 when the water is low and clear1 smaller flies and more sober colors are best4 ,i believe1 however1 that rules for the choice of flies have a great many exceptions1 and the best rule ,i know of1 is to keep trying different kinds and sizes until successful4 ,it is often said1 8there is no need of so great a variety of flies40 ,i do not think this is true4 ,doubtless there are many styles that might well be dispensed with1 but one never knows which to discard1 and no man can tell him1 for the very flies one man would say were worthless1 another would consider the best--and prove it1 plainly1 by the success he had had with that very fly4 ,so it is well to be provided with many kinds and sizes4 ,i have learned of the merits of so many different kinds of flies that ,i sometimes think nearly all are good--at some time or under some circumstances4 ,there is much doubt in my mind as to the necessity of having the artificial flies like the insects that are near or on the water4 ,one of the best flies that has ever been known--the ,coachman--does not in the least resemble any known insect1 ,i believe--and but few of the many patterns made imitate anything in nature4 ,the ,cowdung fly1 another one of the most 8taking0 flies--does very much resemble the natural fly of that name--but ,i never saw or heard of their being on or near the water4 ,early in the season1 while the weather is yet cold1 the middle of the day is usually quite as good1 and ,i think the best time for fly-fishing4 ,later1 in warm weather1 the evening is the best1 and often the last two hours of a pleasant day are worth all the rest of it4 ,generally speaking1 a gentle southerly breeze is the most favorable wind2 yet ,i have had splendid sport during a strong north-easterly wind1 but not often4 ,in conclusion1 be patient and persevering1 move quietly1 step lightly1 keep as much out of sight of the fish as possible1 and remember1 trout are not feeding all the time4 ,perhaps during the last hour before dark you may fill your basket1 that has been nearly empty since noon4 ,don't give up1 as long as you can see--or even after--and you may when about to despair take some fine large fish4 ,unless one can enjoy himself fishing with the fly1 even when his efforts are unrewarded1 he loses much real pleasure4 ,more than half the intense enjoyment of fly fishing is derived from the beautiful surroundings1 the satisfaction felt from being in the open air1 the new lease of life secured thereby1 and the many1 many pleasant recollections of all one has seen1 heard and done4 ,,bass ,,flies4 8,doubt not1 therefore1 sir1 but that angling is an art1 and an art worth your learning2 the question is1 rather1 whether you be capable of learning it1 for angling is somewhat like poetry1 men are to be born so3 ,i mean with inclinations to it1 though both may be heightened by discourse and practice2 but he that hopes to be a good angler must not only bring an inquiring1 searching1 observing wit1 but he must bring a large measure of hope and patience1 and a love and propensity to the art itself2 but having once got and practised it1 then doubt not but angling will prove to be so pleasant that it will prove to be like virtue1 a reward to itself40--,izaak ,walton4 8,the black bass are unquestionably as fine a fish for angling purposes as any we possess1 and as an article of food are equal to our best40--,parker ,gilmore4 ,illustration3 #jbfj #a4 ,cheney4 #b4 ,white ,miller4 #c4 ,la ,belle4 #d4 ,scarlet ,ibis4 #e4 ,shad-,fly4 #f4 ,green and ,gold4 8,never use too much power in casting2 it is not only not necessary1 but it is injurious4 ,you cast the line with the top and half the second joint1 and very little force suffices to bring this into play4 ,if you use more1 all the effect is to bring the lower part of the rod into action1 which has very little spring compared with the top of it40-- ,francis ,francis4 8,although trout are taken with numerous angle worms1 still frequently all these will fail1 and a colored imitation fly will lure them1 and herein lastly consists the science of the fisherman1 in judging what style of fly is appropriate to a peculiar state of the atmosphere or reality40 ,a4 ,robinson ,warren4 8,black bass when struck and played will always head down stream40--,w4 ,c4 ,harris4 8,fish always lose by being #8got in and dressed4' ,it is best to weigh them while they are in the water4 ,the only really large one ,i ever caught got away with my leader when ,i first struck him4 ,he weighed ten pounds40--,charles ,dudley ,warner4 8,the aim of the angler ought to be1 to have his artificial fly calculated1 by its form and colors1 to attract the notice of the fish2 in which case he has a much greater chance of success1 than by making the greatest efforts to imitate any particular species of fly40 --,professor ,rennie4 8,i fear it will be almost deemed heresy to place the black bass on a par with the trout2 at least1 some such idea ,i had when ,i first heard the two compared2 but ,i am bold1 and will go further4 ,i consider he is the superior of the two1 for he is equally good as an article of food1 and much stronger and untiring in his efforts to escape when hooked40--,parker ,gilmore4 8,the one great ingredient in successful fly-fishing is patience4 ,the man whose fly is always on the water has the best chance4 ,there is always a chance of a fish or two1 no matter how hopeless it looks4 ,you never know what may happen in fly-fishing40--,francis ,francis4 8,in bass fishing we have thought the moon to be an advantage4 ,if it does not guide the prey to the lure1 it at least lends beauty to the scene and bathes in its pale light the surroundings of the fisherman1 which are often so exceedingly beautiful4 ,in addition1 it assists him in his work and enables him to handle his tackle more easily and play his fish more comfortably40--,seth ,green4 ,,the ,,resources ,,of ,,fly-,,fishing4 ,by ,dr4 ,james ,a4 ,henshall4 ,the charms of fly-fishing have been sung in song and story from time immemorial by the poetically gifted devotees of the gentle art1 who have embalmed the memory of its aesthetic features in the living green of graceful ferns1 in the sweet-scented flowers of dell and dingle1 and in the liquid music of purling streams4 ,the fly-fisher is a lover of ,nature1 pure and simple1 and has a true and just appreciation of her poetic side1 though he may lack the artist's skill to limn her beauties1 or the poet's genius to describe them4 8,to him who in the love of ,nature holds ,communion with her visible forms1 she speaks ,a various language40 ,and what delightful converse she holds with the fly-fisher1 as with rod and creel he follows the banks of the meandering stream1 or wades its pellucid waters1 easting1 ever and anon1 the gossamer leader and feathery lure into shadowy nooks1 below sunny rapids1 over foam-flecked eddies1 and on silent pools4 ,she speaks to him through the rustling leaves1 murmurs to him from the flowing stream1 and sighs to him in the summer breeze4 ,she is vocal in a myriad of voices1 and manifest in innumerable ways4 ,the still fisher1 reclining on the mossy bank1 is disposed to dreamy reveries1 to pleasant fancies2 but the fly-fisher1 with quickened senses1 has an ear for every sound1 an eye for every object1 and is alive to every motion4 ,he hears the hum of the bee1 the chirp of the cricket1 the twitter of the sparrow1 the dip of the swallow2 he sees the gay butterfly in its uncertain flight1 the shadow of the drifting cloud1 the mossy rock1 the modest violet1 the open-eyed daisy2 he is conscious of the passing breeze1 of the mellow sunlight1 of the odors of the flowers1 of the fragrance of the fields4 ,nothing escapes his keen notice as he casts his flies1 hither and yon1 in the eager expectation of a rise4 ,fly-fishing is1 indeed1 the poetry of angling4 ,the capture of the salmon is an epic poem1 the taking of the trout an idyl4 ,but it is not my presumptuous purpose to ring the changes on the delights of salmon or trout fishing1 for they have been immortalized by the pens of gifted anglers for ages4 ,my feeble effort would be but a sorry imitation of those glorious spirits who have made their last cast1 who have crossed to the other side of the river1 and 8,gone before ,to that unknown and silent shore40 ,so1 leaving the salmon1 the trout1 and the grayling to their well-earned laurels1 ,i wish to say a word for several less pretentious1 because less known1 game-fishes1 whose merits are perhaps as great for the fly-fisher as those familiar game-beauties of the waters4 ,it is among the possibilities1 in this world of transitory things1 that fly-fishing for the salmonids in the ,united ,states will1 in the near future1 be known only by tradition4 ,it should1 therefore1 be a source of great consolation to the fly-fisher to know that there are now1 and perhaps will ever be1 in the streams and lakes of this broad land1 percoid game-fishes equally worthy of his skill1 which require only to be known to be properly appreciated4 ,first among these is the black bass1 which already ranks the brook trout in the estimation of those anglers who know him best3 and when ,i say black bass1 ,i include both species4 ,the black bass is1 at least1 the peer of the trout in game qualities1 and in rising to the artificial fly1 under proper conditions4 ,an allusion to a few of these conditions may not seem out of place4 ,as a rule1 the best time of day for fly-fishing for the black bass is from an hour before sunset until dark1 though there are times when he will rise to the fly at almost any hour of the day4 ,it is important that the angler keep out of sight1 and that the shadow of his rod be not disclosed to the wary and suspicious bass2 for if he sees either1 he will not notice the flies1 however skillfully and coaxingly they may be cast4 ,thus it is that the earlier and later hours of the day are best2 the angler1 facing the sun1 the shadows are cast far behind him2 or1 before sunrise or after sunset1 or on cloudy days1 the shadows are not so apparent1 and the bass are more apt to rise4 ,if the fly-fisher for black bass will faithfully follow these precautions1 he will not be disappointed at the result4 ,there is another condition1 equally important1 that must ever be borne in mind3 ,the black bass will rise to the fly only in comparatively shallow water1 say from one to six feet in depth4 ,this is a feature often overlooked by many fly-fishers in their first experiences in black bass fishing4 ,they seem to think that he should rise to the fly in any situation where he can be taken with bait2 but a moment's consideration will show this to be fallacious4 ,a brook trout will take a bait twenty feet below the surface1 but will not rise to a fly from the same depth4 ,trout streams are generally shallow1 while the salmon swims very near the surface2 thus it is that the angler is seldom disappointed in their rising to the fly4 ,on the other hand1 the black bass1 while inhabiting larger and deeper streams1 is1 unlike the trout1 a great rover1 or forager1 frequenting both deep and shallow waters4 ,as a rule1 he is in shallow water early in the season1 retiring to the depths in the hottest weather2 again appearing on the shallows in the fall1 and in winter seeking the deepest water to be found4 ,trout inhabiting deep ponds and lakes rise to the fly only when in comparatively shallow water1 or when near the surface4 ,the fly-fisher1 therefore1 must expect to be successful only when the proper conditions exist4 ,i would like to pursue this subject further1 but in so brief an article as this1 only the most general and important features can be noticed4 ,any good trout fly-rod1 from ten to eleven feet long1 and from eight to nine ounces in weight1 will answer for black bass fishing2 the heavier rod to be used only where the bass run quite large1 averaging three pounds or more4 ,the best line is one of braided silk1 tapered1 waterproof1 and polished4 ,the leader should be six feet of strong single gut1 and but two flies should be used in the cast4 ,as to flies1 the angler must take his choice4 ,my experience has led me to confine myself to a dozen varieties for black bass fishing1 and they are usually1 though not always1 best in the order named3 ,polka1 ,king of the ,waters1 ,professor1 ,oriole1 ,grizzly ,king1 ,coachman1 ,henshall1 ,oconomowoc1 ,ped ,ibis1 ,lord ,baltimore1 ,white and ,ibis1 and the various hackles 7palmers71 the best being the brown4 ,the ,abbey1 or ,soldier1 may often be substituted for the ,king of the ,waters1 being similar in appearance1 and others may be substituted in like manner for several in the above list4 ,the ,polka1 ,oriole1 ,oconomowoc and ,henshall1 are flies of my own designing1 and are usually very killing1 especially the ,polka1 ,their construction is as follows3 ,polka4--,body1 scarlet1 gold twist2 hackle1 red2 wings black with white spots 7guinea fowl72 tail1 brown and white1 mixed4 ,oriole4--,body1 black1 gold tinsel2 hackle1 black2 wings1 yellow or orange2 tail1 black and yellow1 mixed4 ,oconomowoc4--,body1 creamy yellow2 liackle1 white and dun 7deer's tail72 tail1 ginger2 wings1 cinnamon 7woodcock74 ,henshall4--,body1 peacock herl2 hackle1 white hairs from deer's tail2 wings1 light drab 7dove72 tail1 two or three fibres of peacock's tail-feather4 ,the ,lord ,baltimore fly originated with ,prof4 ,alfred ,m4 ,mayer1 of the ,stevens ,institute of ,technology1 ,hoboken1 ,new ,jersey1 its formula being as follows3 ,lord ,baltimore4--,body1 orange2 hackle1 tail1 and wings black1 with small upper wings of jungle-cock4 ,professor ,mayer and myself1 being natives of ,baltimore1 designed1 unknown to each other1 a fly to embody the heraldic colors of ,lord ,baltimore and the coat of arms of ,maryland--black and orange4 ,he named his fly1 8,lord ,baltimore10 while mine ,i designated the 8,oriole10 from the ,baltimore oriole1 or hanging bird1 which beautiful songster was named in honor of ,lord ,baltimore1 its colors being black and orange4 ,black bass flies should not be too large1 nor yet too small1 the largest brook trout flies being about the right size4 ,they should be tied on ,sproat or ,o',shaughnessy hooks1 the first-named being the best1 from ,nos4 #b to #e4 ,in the above list of flies1 most of them are 8general0 flies1 one of which1 at least1 can be used in the cast under almost any circumstances4 ,the darkest ones are best for bright days and clear water1 the brighter ones for dark days or high water1 and the lightest ones1 e4 g42 ,coachman and ,white and ,ibis1 after sundown4 ,there are several other inland fishes belonging to the same family 7,centrarchidoe7 as the black bass1 which1 though generally lightly esteemed1 are good pan-fishes1 are quite gamy1 will rise eagerly to the fly1 and in the absence of more desirable fishes1 afford good sport to the fly-fisher with light and suitable tackle4 ,the ,rock ,bass 7,ambloplites rupestris71 sometimes called 8,red-eye10 is well-known west of the ,allegha-nies4 ,its color is olive-green1 with dark mottled markings and brassy and coppery reflections4 ,the iris of the eye is scarlet4 ,the dorsal fin has eleven spines and eleven soft rays2 anal fin1 six spines and ten soft rays4 ,it has a large mouth1 rises well to the fly1 and when it attains its maximum weight of a pound or two1 fights vigorously on a six-ounce fly-rod and light tackle4 ,any of the 8general0 trout flies1 tied on ,sproat hooks1 ,nos4 #e to #g1 will answer for rock bass4 ,the ,calico ,bass 7,pomoxys sparoides71 variously known as 8,northern ,croppie10 8,strawberry ,bass10 8,grass ,bass10 8,silver ,bass10 8,chincapin ,perch10 etc41 is a very handsome fish1 bright green and silvery1 with purplish reflections1 and numerous dark spots or blotches4 ,the fins are also much mottled1 especially the anal fin4 ,it has a smaller mouth1 and is not quite so gamy as the rock bass1 but is1 withal1 a great favorite with many anglers4 ,the radial formula of its fins are3 ,dorsal1 seven spines1 fifteen soft rays2 anal1 six spines1 eighteen soft rays4 ,the ,southern ,croppie 7,pomoxys annularis7 is also called 8,bachelor10 8,tin-month10 8,speckled-perch10 8,new-light10 8,campbellite10 etc4 ,it is closely allied to the last-named species1 but is not quite so deep in body1 and has a larger1 thinner1 and more delicate mouth4 ,it is also much lighter in color1 olivaceous1 and silvery1 sometimes quite pale1 with much smaller spots1 and the anal fin is pale and scarcely marked4 ,its dorsal fin has but six spines1 and fifteen soft rays2 anal fin1 six spines1 eighteen rays4 ,both the 8,croppies0 have large anal fins1 fully as large as the dorsals4 ,they grow to two or three pounds in weight1 usually swim in schools1 and lurk about logs1 brush1 or fallen trees1 under dams1 etc4 ,they give fair sport on a five-ounce rod4 ,trout flies of subdued tints should be used for croppies1 as the gray1 brown and red hackles1 gray drake1 brown drake1 stone fly1 black gnat1 blue dun1 etc4 ,the ,black ,sunfish 7,chaenobryttus gulosus71 known in the ,south as the 8,war-mouth ,perch10 is more nearly related to the black bass than any other member of the family in its large mouth1 the radial formula of its fins1 and to some extent in its coloration2 it also partakes of the gamy nature of the black bass to no inconsiderable degree4 ,its color is dark olive-green on the back1 the sides lighter1 with blotches of blue and coppery red1 the belly brassy or yellowish2 iris red2 ear-flap black1 bordered with pale red4 ,it has teeth on the tongue4 ,dorsal fin1 ten spines1 nine soft rays2 anal1 three spines1 eight rays4 ,with a six-ounce fly-rod1 and any of the flies named for black bass1 the fly-fisher will find this fish worthy of his steel1 as it grows to two pounds in weight4 ,the ,blue ,sunfish 7,lepomis pallidus7 is a very common and widely-diffused species4 ,in the ,south1 it is known as the 8,blue ,bream10 and 8,copper-nosed ,bream40 ,its mouth is quite small4 ,in color it is olivaceous or bluish-green1 with a distinct dusky spot on the last rays of dorsal and anal fins4 ,the dorsal has ten spines1 eleven rays2 anal1 three spines and ten soft rays4 ,it is closely allied to the following species4 ,the ,long-eared ,sunfish 7,lepomis megalotis71 or 8,red-bellied ,bream10 or 8,red-bellied ,perch10 of the ,southwest1 is one of the handsomest sunfishes4 ,its color is bluish on the back1 with the belly red or orange2 cheeks with blue and red stripes2 colors very brilliant2 iris bright red2 ear-flap very large1 black1 with pale border4 ,dorsal fin with ten spines1 ten soft rays2 anal1 three spines1 ten rays4 ,both this and the last-named species are quite wary1 very gamy1 and are greatly esteemed by ,southern anglers1 and not without reason4 ,when they reach a pound or two in weight they furnish excellent sport on a five-ounce rod4 ,any of the trout-flies of gay patterns1 as ,red ,ibis1 ,white and ,ibis1 ,professor1 ,grizzly ,king1 etc41 on ,sproat hooks1 ,nos4 #h to #aj1 will answer1 if the day be not too bright1 in which event less showy flies should be used4 ,as a rule1 any of the hackles 7palmers71 are good flies for these or any fishes of this family4 ,the striped-bass group1 or sub-family 7,labracinoe71 is composed of some of our best game-fishes4 ,they will all rise to the fly1 but more especially the fresh water species4 ,those of the coast1 the striped-bass or rock-fish 7,roccus lineatus71 and the white perch 7,roccus americanus71 when they enter brackish and fresh-water streams1 are frequently taken with a gaudy fly4 ,the ,white ,bass 7,roccus chrysops71 also called 8,striped ,lake ,bass10 and 8,fresh-water ,striped ,bass10 is a well-known game-fish of the great lakes and ,upper ,mississippi ,valley1 and is rightly held in much favor by western anglers4 ,its color is silvery1 darker above1 with a number of dark stripes along the sides1 four or five being above the lateral line4 ,the mouth is large4 ,there are two distinct dorsal fins1 being entirely separated4 ,the first dorsal has nine spines2 the second dorsal1 one spine and fourteen soft rays2 anal fin has three spines and twelve soft rays4 ,a patch of teeth on base of tongue4 ,its usual weight is one to three pounds1 though it is occasionally taken up to four or five pounds4 ,it is good game1 rises well to the fly1 and on a six or seven-ounce rod is capable of giving fine sport4 ,the ,yellow ,bass 7,roccus interruptus71 or 8,brassy ,bass10 or 8,short ,striped ,bass0 takes the place of the white bass in the ,lower ,mississippi ,valley1 and is closely allied to it1 though it usually does not grow so large by a pound or two4 ,it has a smaller mouth1 and has no teeth on the base of its tongue4 ,its color is brassy1 olivaceous above1 with seven very black stripes along its sides4 ,the dorsal fins are somewhat connected at the base4 ,first dorsal has nine spines2 second dorsal has one spine and twelve soft rays2 anal fin1 three spines1 nine soft rays4 ,any of the flies recommended for the black bass1 though made smaller and tied on ,sproat hooks1 ,nos4 #d to #f1 will be found excellent for the white and yellow bass4 ,in the perch family 7,percidoe7 are several species that are excellent for the table1 and not to be despised as game-fishes4 ,the most commonly known is ,the ,yellow ,perch 7,perca americana71 which inhabits most of the waters of the ,northwest and ,east1 being found in both fresh and brackish waters4 ,in color it is dark olive with yellow sides1 and some halfdozen dark vertical bars2 upper fins1 dusky yellowish2 lower fins1 reddish4 ,mouth moderate in size4 ,first dorsal fin has thirteen spines2 second dorsal1 one spine and thirteen soft rays2 anal1 two spines1 eight soft rays4 ,it grows usually to a pound1 though sometimes to double that weight4 ,it rises pretty well at times1 to a small gaudy fly1 and on a five-ounce rod will give considerable sport to the angler4 ,the ,pike-,perch 7,stizostedium vitreum71 likewise known as 8,mall-eyed ,pike10 8,glass ,eye10 and in some waters called 8,salmon10 and in ,canada known as 8,pickerel10 is a fine table fish1 growing occasionally to fifteen or twenty1 and even to forty pounds1 though its usual weight is from four to six pounds4 ,its color is a greenish-olive1 mottled with brassy yellow2 it has a large black spot on the first dorsal fin4 ,eye large4 ,first dorsal fin has thirteen spines2 second dorsal1 two spines and twenty soft rays2 anal1 two spines1 twelve rays4 ,there is a much smaller variety of this species 7var4 salmoneum71 which grows to but two or three pounds4 ,it has a larger eye4 ,its color is bluer1 or greener than the above1 and not so brassy4 ,first dorsal has fourteen spines2 second dorsal1 one spine1 twenty soft rays2 anal fin1 two spines1 thirteen soft rays4 ,both of these fishes1 together with the next-named1 are hard-pulling1 vigorous fishes on the rod1 though they do not exhibit much dash or take much line4 ,they swim away rather slowly1 but are constantly jerking1 tugging and pulling on the line in such a way as to compel the angler to handle them carefully to preserve his tackle intact4 ,they are regarded with much favor by anglers in the ,west and ,northwest4 ,the same tackle is used as for black bass4 ,the ,saugek 7,stizostedium canadense7 is also called 8,jack10 8,sand-pike10 8,gray-pike10 and 8,battle-snake-pike40 ,it is closely related to the foregoing species1 though smaller1 growing to a length of twelve to fifteen inches4 ,it is longer and rounder in proportion than any of the pike-perches1 with a more pointed head and smaller eye4 ,its color is paler1 grayish above1 with brassy sides1 which are marked by several blackish blotches or patches4 ,first dorsal fin has two or three rows of' round black spots4 ,first dorsal has twelve spines2 second dorsal1 one spine1 seventeen soft rays2 anal1 two spines1 twelve soft rays4 ,both species of pike-perch are nocturnal 7the last not so much so71 and are very similar in their habits4 ,usually they rise best to the fly at sundown1 continuing until late in the evening1 especially on moonlight nights2 therefore at least one fly in the cast should be some light-colored fly1 as the ,coachman1 ,white and ,ibis1 or ,miller4 ,sometimes1 however1 darker flies are just as good after nightfall as during daylight4 ,the flies for pike-perch should be as large or larger than bass flies1 and should be tied on ,sproat hooks1 ,nos4 #a to #c4 ,the angler who is so unfortunately situated as to be debarred from salmon1 trout1 or black bass fly-fishing1 can always find in the small streams or ponds near him1 one or more of the fishes described in the foregoing account1 when1 by the use of very light and suitable tackle1 he can enjoy to a great degree the delights and pleasures of fly-fishing4 ,even the despised pike or pickerel species 7,esocidoe7 and some of the catfishes will rise to a large and gaudy fly4 ,in ,florida ,i have taken catfish with the artificial fly until my arms ached and ,i was fain to cry quits4 ,i have also taken many marine species with the fly1 as red-fish1 blue-fish1 sea-trout1 snappers1 groupers1 crevalle1 bone-fish1 snooks1 etc41 etc41 and once1 as a matter of experiment1 a five-foot alligator4 ,the #8gator was taken with a 8fly0 tied on a shark-hook1 the hackled body being a squirrel's tail1 with wings of a small seagull4 ,the rod1 used on that occasion only1 was a light pine sprit 7belonging to the sail of a small boat71 fifteen feet in length1 an inch and a half in diameter at the centre and tapering to an inch at each end4 ,thus it will be seen that the opportunities and resources for fly-fishing are nearly as great as for baitfishing1 and that it only remains for the angler to take advantage of them1 study the habits of the fishes1 attain the necessary skill in casting1 and practice due caution in fishing4 8,all the charm of the angler's life would be lost but for these hours of thought and memory4 ,all along a brook1 all day on lake or river1 while he takes his sport1 he thinks4 ,all the long evenings in camp1 or cottage1 or inn1 he tells stories of his own life1 hears stories of his friends' lives1 and if alone calls up the magic of memory40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,it is a mooted question among the very best #8fly-fishers1' whether an exact representation of the living insect is necessary to insure success in angling with the fly4 ,the ,scotch flies are not imitations of living insects2 and the best anglers in that country maintain the opinion that it is absolutely useless and unnecessary to imitate any insect either winged or otherwise40--8,frank ,forester40 ,illustration3 #jbgh #g4 ,henshall4 #h4 8,oconomowoc40 #i4 ,oriole4 #aj4 ,polka4 #aa4 ,ondawa4 #ab4 8,w4 ,t40 8,sometimes1 of course1 the loss of fish1 or even fish and tackle1 cannot be avoided3 but good1 careful work and the best materials will frequently obviate so annoying an ordeal4 ,however1 having struck your fish1 the tackle and your own coolness are generally responsible for the issue1 and woe betide you if careless knot or indifferent tying should have been made in constructing your leader or fry10--,parker ,gilmore4 8,it is well known that no person who regards his reputation will ever kill a trout with anything but a fly4 ,it requires some training on the part of the trout to take to this method4 ,the uncultivated1 unsophisticated trout in unfrequented waters prefers the bait and the rural people1 whose sole object in going a-fishing appears to be to catch fish1 indulge them in their primitive taste for the worm4 ,no sportsman1 however1 will use anything but a fly1 except he happens to be alone40--,charles ,dudley ,warner4 8,the true fly-fisher1 who practises his art con amore1 does not delight in big catches1 nor revel in undue and cruel slaughter4 ,he is ever satisfied with a moderate creel1 and is content with the scientific and skilful capture of a few good fish4 ,the beauties of nature1 as revealed in his surroundings--the sparkling water1 the shadow and sunshine1 the rustling leaves1 the song of birds and hum of insects1 the health-giving breeze--make up to him a measure of true enjoyment1 and peace1 and thankfulness1 that is totally unknown to the slaughterer of the innocents1 whose sole ambition is to fill his creel and record his captures by the score40--,james ,a4 ,henshall1 ,m4,d4 8,in the fly book the sportsman collects his treasures--the fairy imitations of the tiny nymphs of the water side--and it is the source of much delight in inspecting1 replenishing and arranging during the season that the trout are safe from honorable pursuit40--,r4 ,b4 ,roosevelt4 8,there have been caught in ,walden1 pickerel1 one weighing seven pounds1 to say nothing of another which carried off a reel with great velocity1 which the fisherman safely set down at eight pounds1 because he did not see him4 ,i am thus particular1 because the weight of a fish is commonly its only title to fame40--,henry ,d4 ,thoreau4 8,wet days in camp try #8grit4' #8,clear grit' brightens more crystalline the more it is rained upon2 sham grit dissolves into mud and water40--,theodore ,winthrop4 ,,winter ,,angling ,by ,frank ,s4 ,pinckney4 ,the best winter angling is to be had in that charming interval between the hallowed old holidays and that sloppy period which1 of late years1 heralds the slow approach of spring in these our latitudes4 ,the practice of angling at this season of the year for large trout1 immense black bass and preternatural mascalonge1 has grown of late to proportions which seem to warrant some special mention of so delightful1 if unseasonable1 a sport1 as well as some brief description of the tackle and paraphernalia required for its fullest enjoyment4 ,to the winter angler a first-class outfit is of prime importance4 ,the poles should be of well-seasoned hickory or hard maple1 from eight to ten inches in diameter1 in sections about three feet in length4 ,these need not to be divested of their rich covering of bark1 curved1 bronzed and lichened1 but should be fitted1 fresh from the sheltered pile1 with careful skill into an old-fashioned open fire-place1 about which1 in years agone1 the angling forefathers of the angler of to-day told marvellous tales of deeds of 8derring do0 with 8dipscys10 bobs and poles2 and about which now his children list with wonder1 not unmingled with some tinge of incredulity1 to ,his yet more wondrous recitals of brave contests and curious captures with dainty rods and delicate reels4 ,the winter anglers wading shoes may be made of any soft material that will protect his feet should they chance to slip from the old brass fender down upon the sombre painted brick hearth below1 during some delicious drowse4 ,most anglers have lady friends--fair cousins and others1 who make them nicely with substantially embroidered lily-pads and firm strong rosebuds and vigorous elastic daffadowndillys4 ,these are a good protection--but the soles8 ,two dollars and a half1 without hob nails1 and no deduction for small feet6 ,even winter angling has its drawbacks4 ,the winter angler's fishing coat should be warmly quilted to protect him from the cold1 and may be of a color to suit his complexion if he has one4 ,it should be given him by his wife or 8ladye faire0 as a sample of her skill in manipulating the needle and--the dressmaker4 ,as to the kind of lure required1 much must depend upon the taste of the individual angler1 but it certainly ought to be hot and not have too much water in it4 ,for protection against black flies1 midgets and mosquitoes1 he may1 if he likes1 smear his face and hands with oils either of tar or of pennyroyal1 or he may build a 8smudge0 on the library table1 but the most successful winter anglers ,i know use for this purpose a hollow tube of convenient length with a bowl at one end and a set of teeth1 either real or artificial1 at the other4 ,the bowl may be filled with any harmless weed capable of burning slowly as1 for example1 tobacco4 ,as a rule1 one of these will answer the purpose1 but if the flies are especially troublesome1 or the angler should chance to be bald-headed1 he may be forced to ask a brother angler to come to his assistance with a contrivance of a similar nature4 ,together they will probably be able to defy all attacks of the black flies or even the blues4 ,as to creels 7or baskets7 the merest mention will suffice4 ,at the nearest newspaper office will be found one of suitable size and fair proportions4 ,it is called a 8waste basket0 and is specially constructed to hold the abnormal catches made by winter anglers4 ,possibly the highest charm of winter angling 7or as some call it 8,fireside fishing07 is the grand wide ranging freedom of it4 ,three vast realms are at one's command4 ,the realm of ,memory1 with its myriad streams of recollection filled with the fish and fancies of the ,past4 ,the realm of ,anticipation bright with golden dreams of the coming open season1 and lastly the realm of ,pure ,lying1 wherein from the deep1 dark pools of his own inner turpitude the angler at each cast hooks a speckled-sided ,hallucination 7,salmo ,hullucionidus71 a large-mouthed ,prevarication 7,micropterus ,prevaricatrix71 or a silver-gleaming ,falsehood 7,salmoides ,falsus71 each more huge than the other1 and all 8beating the record0 quite out of the field4 99 99 ,note--,the writer respectfully submits this nomenclature to revision by ,dr4 ,henshall1 an unquestioned authority4 ,what wonderful vistas1 what remotely narrowing perspectives1 stretch away into the vague distances of the first two of these grand realms6 ,how far reachingly the life-lines of anglers uncoil in both directions from the reel of time--8playing0 the hoarded treasures of memory at one end1 and making tournament casts into the future with the other6 ,are not the time-worn rod-case and the well-thumbed fly-book and note-book on his table1 side by side with the last daintily tapered product of his plane1 rasp and scraper--his rod1 just finished for the coming summer--which1 perchance for him may never come8 ,is he not at once revelling in the past and dreaming of the future8 ,there is no sport1 when known in all its branches1 that is so fully an all-the-year-round delight as is angling4 ,many an idle hour of the long winter evenings may be pleasantly passed by the angler in 8going over0 his tackle1 oiling his reels1 airing his lines1 and re-arranging his flies1 freeing them from the moth and rust that do corrupt4 ,he is but a slovenly worshipper at the shrine of the good ,saint ,izaak1 who casts aside his panoply after the last bout of autumn and gives no thought to it again till spring makes her annual jail-delivery of imprisoned life4 ,constant care of the belongings of his art1 be he fly or bait fisher1 is characteristic of the faithful angler1 and only simple justice to the tackle maker4 ,there is nothing sadder or more dejected-looking than a crippled rod and a neglected 8kit0 full of snarled lines1 rusty hooks1 and moth-eaten flies4 ,in the matter of winter angling1 the fly-fisherman has a decided advantage over him who uses bait alone4 ,the art for him has more side issues4 ,he may1 if he can1 learn to tie flies or contrive and construct newfangled fly-books4 ,the effort to learn will probably ruin his temper and break up his domestic relations if he has any1 but it is not for me to say that 8le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle40 ,if no domestic ties trend him toward caution as yet1 and he dreads none in the future1 he may even venture the attempt to make his own rods4 ,let me say a word here of amateur tackle-making from the standpoint of personal experience4 ,it is agreeable--it is even fascinating1 but it does not pay2 very few have the mechanical deftness1 the patience1 taste1 and judgment combined to really excel in any of its branches4 ,no young man with a career to make for himself by dint of constant toil or close application to a business or profession has any right to devote to these arts the time and attention they demand if even a fair degree of skill is to be attained4 ,for the angler of 8elegant leisure0 this has no weight perhaps1 but he too will1 as a rule1 find better tackle than he can make1 readily at his command at a cost so inconsiderable as to quite justify me in saying that his amateur work will not pay--for1 if he be young1 out-of-door sports will far better serve to lay up in his still developing frame the treasures of health and vitality for future use4 ,there are those1 indeed1 for whom it is a proper employment of time and who are endowed with the peculiar faculties required4 ,to such it is a charming occupation1 a delightful distraction1 and a choice factor in the enjoyment of the winter angler by the fireside4 ,every angler ought to keep a record or diary of his angling bouts4 ,most anglers do so1 ,i think4 ,therein should be recorded not only the weight and size of daily catch1 the number saved1 and the number thrown back1 7,i look back with especial pride upon my record in this direction71 but also some jottings of scenes1 impressions1 and incidents4 ,reading therefrom years after at the fireside he will detect a faint perfume of old forests in the winter air1 and hear again in fancy the swirl of swift waters sweeping among mossy rocks4 ,i take up my own1 quoting from it almost at random note1 if you please1 how1 in untamed words1 have expressed themselves the exhilaration of the stream--the tingling of healthy blood through ample veins--the joy in nature's aspects1 and the delightful sense of unrestraint that comes only of fresh air1 of wholesome exercise1 of angling4 8,may #bjth4-- 99 99 99 ,the streams hereabout lack two important elements which are the charm of my favorite ---- kill1 to wit1 picturesqueness and the possibility of large trout--large1 ,i mean1 for our mountain brooks where still found au naturel4 ,i went over the other day to ,bright's ,run4 ,i don't know exactly where it is1 and ,i consider it 7next to ,bright's disease of the kidneys7 the very worst thing ,bright has developed4 ,it is a stream such as might properly empty into the ,dismal ,swamp1 and find itself quite at home there4 ,it is totally devoid1 of romantic beauty--and nearly so of trout4 ,i never worked so hard in my life for twenty-two little ones1 that put me to the blush as ,i put them in the basket4 ,i was perpetually in a row with the overhanging thickets and the underlying logs1 and my thoughts were a monologue of exclamation points4 ,i would not angle in ,bright's turgid waters again for all the trout the most minute analysis might discover in them4 8,yesterday ,i had a much more agreeable day without a seven-mile ride on a pesky buck-board4 ,i went quite alone1 up the ,buckhill as far as the ,fall4 ,this is a pleasant stream full of nature--and sawdust--with here and there a speckled trout and here and there a black snake4 7,by special permission of mr4 ,tennyson47 ,there really are now and then cool little nooks which make one envy the trout2 and an occasional spring dripping with a fresh rat-tat-tat over rocks and moss and into one's whiskey in spite of all one can do4 ,this sort of thing is what makes a trout-stream after all4 ,you may catch a whale in a goose-pond but it isn't angling4 ,to me much depends upon surroundings4 ,i like to form a picturesque part of a picturesque whole4 ,even when there is no audience in the gallery4 8,given1 a dark glen fringed with pines that sigh and pine high up aloft--a pool whose sweep is deep1 around which rocks in tiers1 mossy as tombstones centuries old1 bow their heads in mourning--heads crowned with weeds1 and grave-mounds of mother earth1 and pallid flowers1 pale plants and sapless vines that struggle through shadows of a day in coma1 laid in the hearse of night1 without a proper permit1 and ,i am happy4 ,i don't know just why1 but if ,i meet an undertaker ,i mean to ask him4 ,all these deep1 dark hiding spots of nature seem but so many foils to the keen sense of life and thrills of vitality that fill me4 ,my nervous system sparkles against such sombre backgrounds4 8,then1 too1 the ,fall was lovely4 ,next to ,niagara1 the ,kauterskill and ,adams'1 this ,buckhill ,fall is one of the most successful1 in a small way1 that ,i know of4 ,it might be bigger and higher and have twenty-five cents worth more water coming over it out of a dam2 but for a mere casual ,fall gotten up inadvertently by nature1 it is very good1 in an amateurish sort of away1 you know6 8,there is1 ,i believe 7hang it1 there always is67 a romantic legend connected with--but stay6--you already guess it4 ,big ,buck ,indian--years ago--in love with mother-in-law--commits suicide--jumps over the ledge--ever since on moonlight nights1 water the color of blood 7probably tannery just above the ,fall71 ,buck ,kill1 now corrupted into ,buckhill4 ,in the march of civilization the last impedimenta to be left by the wayside are the beautiful superstitions of ignorance4 8,i am now quite alone here4 ,a young music composer1 hitherto my companion1 left yesterday1 so ,i am handcuffed to nature in solitary confinement4 8,by the way1 my composer was a voluntary exile from the domestic arena4 ,he had but recently married--to formulate it by proportions--say about a ton of mother-in-law to about an ounce of wife1 and when the contest waxed fiercer than became the endurance of a sensitive nature1 he packed his bag and came a-fishing4 ,he was a capital angler--a phenomenal musician and had an appetite and digestion like one or more of the valiant trencher men of ,england's merrie days1 so he solaced his grief with ,sonatas and buckwheat cakes in the mornings and tears and ginger-bread in the evenings4 ,he was a born genius and as beautiful as a dream1 so ,i advised him to go home1 choke his m-in-l1 kiss his wife and live happily all the days of his life4 ,i think he has gone to try the plan4 8,speaking of buckwheat cakes1 you can go out here most any time and catch a nice mess running about a half a pound and game all the way through4 ,no6 ,no6 8,i'm thinking of the trout6 ,i mean they are light as a feather1 and taste to me just as did those ,i never had half enough of when ,i was a lad with my good old ,presbyterian grandmother1 who would not #8set' the batter on ,saturday night lest it should #8work' on the ,sabbath4 8,just here ,i wish to record an event which has happened to me while yet each detail is fresh in my memory4 8,the day had been showery1 yet the fishing had been very poor1 so ,i went at sunset to try my luck in the stream near the house1 where are some fair pools and a semi-occasional trout4 8,the darkness had begun to gather1 indeed it was so dark that ,i knew only by the instinct of habit where my flies fell upon the water1 for ,i could not fairly see them4 ,i had just made a cast across a little rock which protruded somewhat above the surface into a small pool behind1 and was slowly drawing my line toward me1 when ,i perceived a frog seated upon the rock1 watching the proceedings with some apparent anxiety4 ,hardly had ,i made out his frogship in the gloaming1 when pop6 he went into the water4 #8,kerchung6' ,at this instant ,i felt a strike and returned the compliment sharply1 so as to set my hook well in and make sure of my trout4 ,he was very game1 and ,i was obliged to play him with a five and a half ounce rod for some time1 but finally landed him in good form1 only to discover that instead of a trout ,i had taken froggy on a black hackle fly1 setting the hook firmly into the thin membrane which connects the two hind legs and just where the tail ought to be4 ,this left him the fullest freedom of action and gave him so good a chance to fight me that ,i never suspected him of being anything less than a half-pounder4 ,he must have jumped from the rock directly on to the fly trailing behind it and been thus hooked by my #8strike4' ,mem4 --,this story is true as gospel1 but better not tell it where you enjoy an exceptional reputation for veracity4 8,july #aith4 99 99 99 ,nothing has happened6 ,nothing ever does happen here4 ,delightful existence1 free from events6 ,i remember hearing ,homer ,martin once say that it was the height of his artistic ambition to paint a picture without objects4 ,the confounded objects1 he said1 always would get wrong and destroy his best effects4 ,how far this was intended to be a humorous paradox and how far the suggestion of an artistic ideal1 ,i know not1 but ,i surely somewhere have seen a painting--from whose brush ,i cannot say--which quite nearly fulfilled this strange condition4 ,it represented an horizon1 where met a cloudless1 moonless1 starless summer sky and a waveless1 almost motionless sea--these and an atmosphere4 ,the effect was that one could hardly perceive where the sea ceased and the sky began4 ,i wonder if it would not be thus with a life quite devoid of events--would one be able to distinguish such from ,heaven8 8,the charm of it is that it leaves both the physical and intellectual in one to develop freely4 ,when a cow1 grazing in a woodland pasture1 comes at noonday to the brook to drink and then calmly and not without a certain ungainly majesty of movement1 crosses the deep pool and climbs the steep hank on the other side1 by no apparent motive urged save of her own sweet will1 she always looks refreshed and filled in some sort with the stolid bovine expression of great contentment4 ,mark how different it all is when the same cow crosses the same brook driven by the barefooted urchin with a gad and shrill cries and a possible small dog in the background4 ,how wearily and breathlessly she wades1 and with what distressful pan tings she climbs1 and how unhappy and enduring and long-suffering she appears1 as you watch her shuffle away down the cow-path homeward6 ,it's the ,must that hurts4 ,it's the barefooted urchin ,necessity with his infernal gad ,ambition and his ugly little cur dog ,want1 always chasing and shouting after one1 that makes it so tiresome to cross the stream4 8,then1 too1 as to the mind4 ,shall not one gain better intellectual growth when beyond the reach of the imperial ukase of daily custom which fixes the mind upon and chains the tongue to some leading event of the passing hour8 8,in swift and endless succession come foul murders1 robberies1 revolutions1 sickening disasters1 nameless crimes1 and all the long list of events1 and are as so many manacles upon the mind4 8,i hate ,events4 ,they bore me4 ,all except taking a pound trout4 8,alas6 what a rent these last words make in the balloon ,i have been inflating6 ,logic 7another troublesome nuisance1 evolved1 probably1 at ,hunter's ,point7 forces me from the clouds to earth and insists that ,i shall accept a trite aphorism3 #8,little events fill little minds2 great events for big ones4' 8,then if ,i take refuge in the cowardly device of saying ,i don't want a big mind1 what becomes of my theory of intellectual development as the outgrowth of an eventless life6 8,i decline to follow out more in detail this or any other line of argument4 ,one can't argue in the face of such an event as the thermometer in the nineties away up here in the mountains4 8,this chance allusion to logic reminds me that ,i have recently heard from a dear old angling friend4 ,he writes incidentally that since his return to his active professional duties he has made money enough to pay many times over the expenses of his recent two weeks' fishing bout with me4 ,i have written him that he might find it well to start at once upon another trip4 ,i have no doubt there exists a certain correlation of forces whereby a week's fishing1 with its resultant increase of oxygenation1 and rebuilding of gray tissue1 accurately represents a certain amount of possible mental labor and thus1 indirectly1 a fixed sum of money4 8,it is then alarming to think how abnormally rich a man might become if he fished all the time40 ,if ,i have thus quoted somewhat at length vaporings of other days from my note book it has been only to suggest to others1 whose angling experiences are and have been wider and more varied than my own1 how readily they can organize a 8preserve0 for winter angling4 ,believe me1 no event1 no feeling1 no passing observation of your surroundings can be too trivial to record1 and each written line will1 in years to come1 suggest a page of pleasant memories when as 8,nessmuk0 says-- 8,the ,winter streams are frozen ,and the ,nor'west winds are out40 8,mr4 ,webster's sport of angling has given him many opportunities for composition1 his famous address on ,bunker ,hill having been mostly planned out on ,marshpee ,brook2 and it is said that the following exclamation was first heard by a couple of huge trout immediately on their being transferred to his fishing-basket1 as it subsequently was heard at ,bunker ,hill by many thousands of his fellow-citizens3 #8,venerable men6 you have come down to us from a former generation4 ,heaven has bounteously lengthened out your lives that you might behold this joyous day4'0--,lan-man's ,life of ,webster4 8,how1 ,i love fishing dearly4 ,there is no sport like it for me1 but there is a vast deal in fishing besides catching fish40--,h4 ,h4 ,thompson4 ,illustration3 #jbif #ac4 ,the ,triumph4 #ad4 ,alexandra4 #ae4 ,seth ,green4 #af4 ,jungle ,cock4 #ag4 ,fitz-,maurice4 #ah4 ,caddis4 #ai4 ,davis4 8,when fish are basking during the mid-day hours in the hot summer months1 they are not always to be drawn to the surface4 ,but the combination more suitable for this method is the dressing known as the #8,alexandra ,fly4'0--,david ,foster4 8,the exertion of crossing the ,atlantic for fly-fishing will be amply repaid the sportsman by the quantity and weight of the fish he will capture2 for there the fish are not troubled with the fastidiousness of appetite which in ,great ,britain causes it always to be a source of doubt whether the water is in proper order1 the wind in the east1 or thunder overhead1 either of which1 or all combined1 too frequently cause the most industrious to return1 after a long and laborious day1 with an empty basket40--,parser ,gilmore4 8,of all places1 commend me1 in the still of the evening1 to the long placid pool1 shallow on one side1 with deeper water and an abrupt overhanging bank opposite4 ,where the sun has shone all day1 and legions of ephemera sported in its declining rays2 the bloom of the rye or clover scenting the air from the adjoining field6 ,now light a fresh pipe1 and put on a pale ,ginger ,hackle for your tail-fly1 and a little white-winged ,coachman for your dropper4 ,then wade in cautiously--move like a shadow--don't make a ripple4 ,cast1 slowly1 long1 light2 let your stretcher sink a little4 ,there1 he has taken the ,ginger--lead him around gently to the shallow side as you reel him in1 but don't move from your position--let him tug awhile1 put your net under him1 break his neck1 and slip him into your creel4 ,draw your line through the rings--cast again2 another and another--keep on until you can see only the ripple made by your fly2 or know when it falls1 by the slight tremor it imparts through the whole line down to your hand--until the whip-poor-will begins his evening song1 and the little water-frog tweets in the grass close by not till then is it time to go home40--,thaddeus ,norris4 8,you may always know a large trout when feeding in the evening4 ,he rises continuously1 or at small intervals--in a still water almost always in the same place1 and makes little noise--barely elevating his mouth to suck in the fly1 and sometimes showing his back-fin and tail4 ,a large circle spreads around him1 but there are seldom any bubbles when he breaks the water1 which usually indicates the coarser fish40--,sir ,humphry ,davy4 8,it is not difficult to learn how to cast2 but it is difficult to learn not to snap the fins off at every throw40--,charles ,dudley ,warner4 ,,not ,,all ,,of ,,fishing ,,to ,,fish ,by ,a4 ,nelson ,cheney4 8,we cast our flies on many waters1 where memories and fancies and facts rise1 and we take them and show them to each other1 and1 small or large1 we are content with our catch40--,w4 ,g4 ,prime4 ,the commonly accepted definition of fly-fishing is the casting--with a light1 strong1 elastic1 pliant rod--of two1 three or four artificial flies1 on a delicate leader attached to a fine tapered silk line over the surface of waters inhabited by the lordly1 silver-coated salmon2 that aristocratic beauty1 the speckled trout1 or the more sombre-colored but gamy black bass4 ,this1 in truth1 is called the acme of fishing1 the highest degree attainable in the school of the angler4 ,but of what a small portion1 comparatively1 of the pleasure of angling does the mere casting of the fly1 however artistic1 and the creeling of the fish1 however large1 consist4 ,if it were all of fishing to fish2 if fish were only to be obtained in pools1 in a desert waste that never reflected leaf or twig2 from walled-in reservoirs1 where fish are fattened like a bullock for the shambles2 from sluggish1 muddy streams within the hearing of great towns1 redolent of odors that are bred and disseminated where humanity is massed between walls of brick and mortar1 or even from a perfect fish preserve1 where everything is artificial except the water2 or if the beginning of fishing was making the first cast and the end the creeling of the last fish1 would the gentle art under such conditions have been a theme for the poet's pen1 a subject for the artist's brush1 or a topic for the interesting story during the centuries that have passed since the first line was written1 or the first words sung8 ,i think not4 ,fishing for the fish alone would not have inspired ,dame ,juliana ,berners1 ,izaak ,walton1 ,charles ,cotton1 ,sir ,humphry ,davy1 ,john ,bunyan1 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 8,christopher ,north10 and other and more modern writers to tell of the peace1 the quiet1 the health and the pleasure to be gained in the pursuit of this pastime4 ,the skill exercised and the delicate tackle used by a past master of the art would have been unnecessary to cultivate or fashion1 solely to supply the brain with food through the alimentary canal4 ,an angler's brain is fed by absorption as well as by assimilation4 ,there might be reason in calling a fisherman with an eye simply to the catching of fish1 a 8lover of cruel sport10 but the cruelty would be of the same kind1 but in a less degree1 as that displayed by the butcher who supplies our tables with beef and mutton4 ,to an angler the pleasures of the rod and reel are far-reaching and have no boundary save when the mind ceases to anticipate and the brain to remember4 ,i have had the grandest sport on a midwinter's night with the snow piled high outside and the north wind roaring down the chimney1 while ,i sat with my feet to the blaze on the hearth1 holding in my hand an old fly-book4 ,the smoke from my lighted pipe1 aided by imagination1 contained rod1 fish1 creel1 odorous balsam1 drooping hemlock and purling brook or ruffled lake4 ,i seemed to hear the twittering birds1 leaves rustled by the wind and the music of running water1 while the incense of wild flowers saluted my nostrils4 ,the heat of the fire was but the warm rays of the sun and the crackle of the burning wood the noise of the forest4 ,thus streams that ,i have fished once or twice have been fished a score of times4 ,i had nothing to show for the later fishings1 but ,i could feel that ,god was good and my memory unimpaired4 ,the fish in the pipe-smoke has been as active as was the fish in the water1 and afforded as fine play4 ,my reel has clicked as merrily in the half-dream as on the rod in the long ago1 and my rod has bent to the play of the fish as though it were in my hand instead of lying flat on a shelf in a cool room up-stairs4 ,i have had in my musings all the pleasure of actual fishing1 everything but the fish in the flesh4 ,when ,winter comes and the ravages in tackle have been repaired and all is in perfect order for another season1 ,i put my rods where they will not be injured by the modern furnace heat1 each joint of each rod placed flat on a shelf4 ,but the tackle trunk1 securely locked that no vandal hand may get to its treasures1 is where my eye rests upon it daily1 and my fly books are in one of the drawers of my writing desk where ,i can easily reach them4 #8,when ,i take one of the books out of an evening1 or at any time during my walking hours in early winter1 ,i generally seek out some tattered fly that is wrapped carefully in a paper and placed in one of its pockets4 ,the book may be full of flies1 sombre or gorgeous in all the freshness of untried silk1 mohair1 feathers and tinsel2 but take for instance this one with the legend written on its wrapper3 8,puffer ,pond1 ,june1 #ahfg4--,thirty-five pounds of trout in two hours4 ,the last of the gentlemen that did the deed40 ,this1 to me1 tells the story of a very pleasant week spent in the ,adirondacks4 ,i remember1 as ,i hold the ragged1 faded fly in my hand and see that it still retains something of the dark blue of its mohair body and the sheen of its cock-feather wings1 that it was one of six flies that ,i had in my fly-book that ,june day that stands out from other ,june days1 in my memory1 like a ,titan amongst pygmies4 ,the fly had no name1 but the trout liked it for all that1 and rose to it with as much avidity as though they had been properly introduced to some real bug of which this was an excellent counterfeit4 ,that glorious two hours' time--with its excitement of catching and landing without a net some of the most beautiful and gamy fish that ever moved fin--comes back to me as vividly as though at this moment the four walls of my room were the forest-circled shores of that far-away pond1 and ,i stand in that leaky boat1 almost ankle deep in the water that ,frank1 the guide1 has no time to bail1 occupied as he is in watching my casts and admiring my whip-like rod during the play of a fish1 or fishes1 and in turning the boat's gunwale to the water's edge to let my trout in when they are exhausted4 ,it is sharp1 quick work1 and the blue-bodied fly is always first of all the flies composing the cast to get a rise1 until ,i take off all but the one kind1 and then one after another ,i see them torn1 mutilated and destroyed4 ,later they will be put away as warriors gone to rest and the epitaph written on their wrappings3 8,thy work was well done2 thy rest well earned40 ,now there is no time to mantle the fallen or sing paeans to the victors2 the action is at its height4 ,i put my last blue fly on my leader and cast it again and again with success1 before those dark open jaws1 that come out of the water every time it falls on the surface1 have destroyed its beauty forever4 ,frank says the time is up and we must go4 ,the boat1 propelled with broken oars1 is headed for the landing-place1 and ,i sit back in the stern admiring those sleek beauties that lie in the bottom1 and that have fought so well and so vainly4 ,my rod is inclined over my shoulder and the blue fly is trailing on the water astern4 ,suddenly ,i feel a twitch and hear a splash1 and turning around find ,i am fast to a fish1 the noblest ,roman of that1 day's struggle4 ,once1 twice1 thrice he shows himself in all his fair proportions4 8,two pounds and a half1 if an ounce10 says ,frank4 ,i get down on my knees in the water of the cranky boat1 as the reel sings the merriest tune that ever delighted the ear of an angler4 ,two or three mad dashes1 and ,i think the trout is tiring4 ,i reel him slowly in1 but the sight of the boat gives him new life and he darts under it in spite of my efforts to swing him around the stern4 ,the rod tip is passed clear of the boat and the fight continues4 ,exhausted8 ,the fight is only begun4 ,the unwieldy boat is far too slow to follow the fish1 and ,i see my line growing rapidly less on my reel with no sign of weakness on the part of the fish4 ,i am compelled to advance the butt of the rod and the tip droops nearer and1 hesitatingly1 still nearer to it1 as though the tip would whisperingly confess that the strain is greater than it can bear1 while the stout nature of the wood rebels at the confession4 ,involuntarily ,i raise myself by a muscular action as though the cords and sinews of my body could relieve the pressure on the lancewood and save the rod4 8,you'll smash your pole60 is the warning ,frank utters4 ,i care not now1 for the fight has been a glorious one1 but the 8pole0 survives to fight many another fight2 the trout is turned and1 at last1 comes side up1 to the boat1 vanquished but not subdued4 ,here1 in another paper1 are three flies fastened together4 ,a ,chicken ,red ,palmer ,hackle1 a ,grizzly ,king and a fly with black body1 brown wings1 red tail and tip4 ,they are large trout flies and won honorable retirement by catching three small-mouthed black bass at one and the same time4 ,fishing from a boat in the ,hudson ,river1 above a long rough rapid1 ,i cast inshore and saw the stretcher fly taken by a small bass2 immediately after the two droppers were taken by other bass that did not show themselves when taking the lures4 ,my rod was the same that ,i have already mentioned1 an ash and lancewood of eight ounces--scale weight--and my entire attention was directed to it and the fish1 that were bending it like a willow wand2 when1 suddenly1 ,i discovered that the boatman had also been interested in the play of the fish and allowed the boat to drift into the swift water at the head of the rapids4 ,the boatman made an effort to row up stream at the same time the fish decided to go down1 and ,i found ,i must either smash my tackle and lose the fish--at this time ,i had seen but the one bass that took the stretcher fly--or run the rapids at the risk of an upset4 ,i was very anxious to see the size of the fish that were struggling on my leader in that swift running water1 and every angler will know the decision that was instantly made1 to 8shoot the rapids40 ,the sight of these old tinseled lures brings back to me the wild excitement of that driving1 whirling ride through the racing1 seething waters4 ,hatless ,i crouch down in the boat1 one hand clutching the gunwale of the broad river craft1 and the other holding aloft my rod4 ,i give no thought to the possible fate of the occupants of the boat4 ,my anxiety is for the fish4 ,when the curved line is straight again1 will ,i feel the bass at the end or only the bare flies8 ,these very flies6 ,very soon the boat is rocking in the lumpy water at the foot of the chute1 and ,i stand up1 fill my lungs1 and find my fish are still fast4 ,here in the broad water ,i bring to net three small-mouthed bass that together weigh four and one-quarter pounds1 only one of which1 at any time1 showed himself above water4 ,as ,i put the faded flies back into their paper coverings ,i find that my pulse has quickened and my pipe no longer burns4 ,i must not exhibit all my treasures here1 to the public4 ,these old souvenirs are only for the eyes of sympathizing angling friends when we meet to blow a cloud and talk of other days4 ,a little brown-eyed maiden once1 looking into my fly-book1 asked why ,i had the old frayed flies tied up in separate papers and marked1 while the nice new flies did not show this care4 ,had she been of maturer years ,i might have quoted ,alonzo of ,aragon's commendation of old friends1 but instead1 ,i merely said3 8,the nice new flies ,i can easily buy1 but no one sells such old flies1 therefore ,i take the greater care of them because of their rarity40 ,the new flies will not be slighted1 for they1 also1 have their season of admiration and caressing touch4 ,when their day has come the old veterans of many a fight will not be forgotten either1 but while maturing plans for augmenting their numbers1 the recruits in their new1 bright dress will be inspected to see what claims they may have for future honors4 ,the lengthening days and diminishing snowbanks naturally turn the angler's thoughts forward1 and he sniffs the south wind as though he would discover some slight remaining odor of fragrant apple blossoms borne to him from the far southland as the forerunner of warm air1 blue sky1 bursting buds1 open streams1 green grass1 8gentle spring10 and time to go a-fishing4 ,then the untried flies are examined and speculation is rife as to their excellence1 each for its own particular kind of fish4 ,day dreams and evening musings give place to an activity of mind and body when fishing is under consideration4 ,the lessons of the last season and other seasons are brought to bear to perfect all arrangements for a fresh campaign4 ,consultations with brother anglers are frequent1 and plans many and various are weighed and discussed4 ,the tackle box is overhauled again and again1 notwithstanding the attention paid to it at the close of the last season1 to be sure that nothing is wanting or left undone4 ,lines are tested2 leaders are subjected to the closest scrutiny to see that no flaws or chafed places exist to give way at a critical moment during some future contest1 when a trifle will turn the scales2 reels are taken apart and carefully oiled2 rods sent to the maker for a new coat of varnish1 and1 perhaps1 a few new whippings for the guide rings2 fishing shoes1 although they have a row of holes just above the soles1 get an extra dressing of oil to keep the leather soft2 and an inventory of the wardrobe is taken and old garments are selected that appear for the time1 considering the use they are to serve1 far more faultless than when first sent home by the tailor4 8,about these days your business letters1 if written to people into whose souls the love of angling has entered1 may terminate as follows3 8,p4 ,s4--,what are the prospects for the spring fishing in your neighborhood8 ,did the late freshets of last fall destroy the trout eggs deposited in the streams about you80 or1 8,did the unusual severity of the winter cause destruction to the trout spawn in the headwaters of your brooks80 ,some evening when the 8fever is on0 you will write to a guide up in the ,north ,woods1 some honest1 faithful fellow that you have known in all weathers for many seasons3 8,be sure and take a boat over to ,mahogany ,pond1 7that is not the name of it1 for its title is taken from a domestic wood that grows on its shores71 before the snow goes off and keep me informed as to the condition of things1 for ,i wish to start and be with you as soon as the water is free from ice4 ,i shall bring a friend with me1 the gentleman ,i told you about last summer1 who knows the name of every plant that grows in the woods1 as well as the name of every fish that swims in the water4 ,the old camp1 with a few repairs1 will answer1 as ,mr4 ------ is an old woodsman and angler of the first order1 and requires no more than the few simples that you usually take to camp4 ,he1 like myself1 goes into the woods to fish and fill his lungs with the pure mountain air that you live in40 ,when ,dick reads the letter he smiles1 for it contains nothing unknown to him before4 ,it is his own idea to carry a boat to the pond on the snow1 for there is no road1 path or trail1 but he only says to himself3 8,he's got it just as bad this spring as ever4 ,the medicine will be ready for him40 ,the angler does all this and more2 mind1 ,i say the angler1 for the other fellow that goes a-fishing because it is the thing to do1 or because he has heard some one dilate upon the pleasure to be found in practising the art1 will do nothing of the sort4 ,it is too much trouble1 or1 more likely1 these things never occur to him4 ,how the man of severe aspect who1 if he smiles1 looks as though he wore a petrified smile that he had bought at a bargain1 and whose sole ambition and pleasure is to make money1 live as long as he can in doing so1 and die as rich as possible2 this man1 if he could know1 and comprehend1 what is passing through the angler's mind at this season1 would say such vagabonds are the cumberers of the earth2 but he could not find a 8cumberer0 in all the land who would change places with him1 take his joyless life1 sapless heart1 frozen visage1 narrow views and great wealth1 and give in return the angler's light heart1 happy disposition1 love of ,god1 his fellow-man and ,nature2 his resources within himself1 engendered by his fondness for the wild woods1 to enjoy the past and anticipate the future1 whatever betide2 his desire to see good in every thing1 his clear conscience and his fishing tackle4 ,bear in mind that the pleasure of angling is not alone the consummation of your hopes for a large score4 ,hear what ,sir ,humphrey ,davy says on this subject3 8,from the savage in his rudest and most primitive state1 who destroys a piece of game1 or a fish1 with a club or spear1 to man in the most cultivated state of society1 who employs artifice1 machinery1 and the resources of various other animals1 to secure his object1 the origin of the pleasure is similar1 and its object the same3 but that kind of it requiring most art may be said to characterize man in his highest or intellectual state2 and the fisher for salmon and trout with the fly employs not only machinery to assist his physical powers1 but applies sagacity to conquer difficulties2 and the pleasure derived from ingenious resources and devices1 as well as from active pursuits1 belongs to this amusement4 ,then1 as to its philosophical tendency1 it is a pursuit of moral discipline1 requiring patience1 forbearance1 and command of temper4 8,as connected with natural science1 it may be vaunted as demanding a knowledge of the habits of a considerable tribe of created beings--fishes1 and the animals that they prey upon1 and an acquaintance with the signs and tokens of the weather1 and its changes1 the nature of waters1 and of the atmosphere4 ,as to its poetical relations1 it carries us into the most wild and beautiful scenery of nature1 amongst the mountain lakes1 and the clear and lovely streams that gush from the higher ranges of elevated hills1 or that make their way through the cavities of calcareous strata4 ,how delightful in the early spring1 after the dull and tedious time of winter1 when the frosts disappear and the sunshine warms the earth and waters1 to wander forth by some clear stream1 to see the leaf bursting from the purple bud1 to scent the odors of the bank perfumed by the violet1 and enamelled as it were with the primrose and the daisy2 to wander upon the fresh turf below the shade of trees1 whose bright blossoms are filled with the music of the bee2 and on the surface of the waters to view the gaudy flies sparkling like animated gems in the sunbeams1 whilst the bright and beautiful trout is watching them from below2 to hear the twittering of the water-birds1 who1 alarmed at your approach1 rapidly hide themselves beneath the flowers and leaves of the water-lily2 and1 as the season advances1 to find all these objects changed for others of the same kind1 but better and brighter1 till the swallow and the trout contend as it were for the gaudy ,mayfly1 and till in pursuing your amusement in the calm and balmy evening1 you are serenaded by the songs of the cheerful thrush and melodious nightingale1 performing the office of paternal love1 in thickets ornamented with the rose and woodbine40 ,while it is not all of fishing to fish1 it does not consist entirely of preparation1 and it must have something substantial as a basis for the day dream or fireside musing4 ,you must catch some fish1 as capital stock1 to talk about4 ,i never knew an angler that was satisfied to do all the listening4 ,in my native ,state the law makes it legally possible to wet a hook for speckled trout1 for the first time each year on ,april first1 and this day has come to be called 8,opening ,day10 and is spoken of in such glowing language that one might think it the opening of some vast commercial enterprise instead of the opening of the fishing season4 ,as the result of an angler's hopes and preparations1 as ,i have tried1 imperfectly1 to sketch them1 ,i will quote from my fishing diary what is there set down as one consummation3 8,april #ast1 #ahgh4--,opening day4 ,fished ,halfway brook from ,morgan brook to1 and through the woods2 then fished ,ogden brook from ,van ,husen's road to ,gleason's4 ,banks more than full of roily snow water2 weather decidedly cold2 strong wind from the ,northwest2 cloudy sky4 ,caught one small trout that ,i returned to his native element to grow2 discovered from my single specimen of the ,salvelinus fontinalis that they have the same bright spots that they have always had2 look the same1 smell the same1 feel the same2 other peculiarities lacking4 ,warm sun and rain required to develop the characteristics we so much admire in our leaping friend4 ,managed to fall into the ,ogden brook--in fact1 went in without the slightest difficulty1 amid applause from the bank2 discovered from my involuntary plunge that the water is just as wet as last year1 and if memory serves1 a trifle colder4 ,reached home in the evening1 cold1 wet1 tired and hungry4 ,nevertheless1 had a most glorious time40 8,these flies1 ,i am sure1 would kill fish40--,charles ,cotton4 8,i would advise all experts to keep a well-filled fly-book4 ,it is a pleasure to experiment1 and the educated eye takes delight in looking at the varieties of colors1 shapes and forms which the skilled workman in fly-art has provided as lures for the speckled beauties40--,george ,dawson4 8,fly-fishing and bait-fishing are co-ordinate branches of the same study1 and each must be thoroughly learned to qualify the aspirant to honors for the sublime degree of ,master of the ,art40--,charles ,hallock4 8,americans have reason to be proud of the black bass1 for its game qualities endear it to the fisherman1 and its nutty1 sweet flavor to the gourmand40--,parker ,gilmore4 ,illustration3 #jcaf #bj4 ,black ,maria4 #ba4 ,tipperlinn4 #bb4 ,premier4 #bc4 ,grizzly ,king4 #bd4 ,ferguson4 #be4 ,californian4 8#8,what flies do you most affect here8' #8,any1 at times1 and almost all4 ,in some weather ,i have killed well with middlesized gaudy lake-flies2 but my favorites1 on the whole1 are all the red1 brown1 orange and yellow hackles1 and the blue and yellow duns4'0--,henry ,wm4 ,herbert4 8,fish will frequently1 although breaking freely1 refuse the fly1 but generally a few will be misled1 and occasionally one will be caught40--,p4 ,b4 ,roosevelt4 8,the natural and acquired skill actually necessary before any man can throw a #8neat fly' is only known to those who have made this method of angling their study and amusement40--8,frank ,forester40 8,luck has little to do with the size of an angling score2 for skill in handling1 a knowledge of the haunts of the fish1 of the conditions of wind1 weather and water1 character of baits to be used1 of the changes and drift of tideways1 sun-rays and shadows1 and a familiar acquaintance with the natural history of the family pisces1 their habits1 habitat1 and idiosyncrasies 7for no other animal is so erratic as these scaly fins71 all go to make up the complete angler1 known as such from the days and writings of ,izaak ,walton1 in the seventeenth1 up to this great nineteenth century40--,wm4 ,c4 ,harris4 8,what is the use of my telling you what manoeuvres that trout will perform before he comes to the landing-net1 gently as a lamb8 ,i don't know what he will do2 never saw two of them act alike40--,oliver ,gills1 ,jr4 8,probably the secret of the infatuation of this amusement to most or many of the brothers of the angle1 is to be found in the close and quiet communion and sympathy with nature essential to the pursuit of the spoil of the water40--,john ,lyle ,king4 8,the principle of the rod is in reality only this1 that it is the home end of the line1 stiffened and made springy1 so that you can guide and manage it--cast and draw it1 keep a gentle pressure with it on the hook1 so that the fish shall not rid himself of it1 and finally lift him to the landing net40--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 ,,fly-,,fishing ,,in ,,florida ,by ,dr4 ,j4 ,c4 ,kenworthy4 ,the votaries of the rod and reel have overlooked an important field for sport1 for1 in my opinion1 no portion of the ,united ,states offers such advantages for fly-fishing as portions of ,florida during the winter months4 ,the health of the ,state is beyond cavil or dispute2 the climate is all the most fastidious can ask2 there is an almost total absence of insect pests1 and last though not least1 a greater variety of fish that will take the fly than in any other section of the ,union4 ,my own experience is mainly based on opportunities for observation on the south-west coast1 and it is possible that points on the eastern coast1 as the ,indian ,river inlet and the outlet of ,lake ,worth1 may offer advantages over the section referred to4 ,as far as my knowledge extends1 fly-fishers are indebted to my friend1 ,geo4 ,c4 ,johnson1 of ,bridgeport1 ,conn41 for the development of fly-fishing in ,florida4 ,some years since ,i met ,mr4 ,johnson on his arrival in this city en route to ,homosassa4 ,he remarked that he had brought his fly-rod with him1 and ,i suggested that a heavy bass rod would prove more serviceable4 ,on the evening of his arrival at ,homosassa he visited the dock in front of ,jones' house1 and noticed fish breaking water near the shore4 ,he proceeded to the house1 rigged his rod1 and was followed to the dock by a number of laughing sceptics1 who ridiculed the 8spindly rod and feather baits40 ,in compliance with ,mr4 ,johnson's request1 ,dr4 ,ferber rowed him a short distance from the dock1 and the fun commenced with large-mouthed bass and red trout2 and from that evening fly-fishing became an established institution on the south-west coast of ,florida4 ,for a number of years ,dr4 ,ferber has devoted his winters to fly-fishing on the south-west coast1 and it is to be regretted that he was not requested to give his ripe and ample experience1 instead of one who is far beneath him in experience and ability to wield the split bamboo or pen4 ,the next season after ,mr4 ,johnson's visit to ,homosassa ,mr4 ,francis ,endicott1 of ,new ,york1 visited the locality and indulged in fly-fishing4 ,he informed me that he had captured with the fly eight distinct species of fish on the ,homosassa ,river2 and ,i will ask where else in the ,united ,states can the devotee of the gentle art capture eight distinct species of fish with the fly on a river but ten miles in length8 ,my friend1 ,dr4 ,ferber1 on his return from the southwest coast in ,april last1 visited me1 and stated that he had caught on that coast1 with artificial flies1 eleven distinct species of fish4 ,among the number ,i may mention large-mouthed bass 7trout of the ,south71 channel bass1 cavalli1 ravallia1 skip jacks1 sea trout1 brown snappers1 roach1 and three species of bream4 ,instead of wading icy-cold and over-fished brooks1 tearing clothes and flesh in creeping through briers and brush1 and being subjected to the sanguinary attention of mosquitoes and black flies in bringing to creel a few fingerlings1 in ,florida the angler can cast his fly from a sandy beach or boat1 inhale an invigorating atmosphere1 bask in the sunshine1 and capture specimens of the finny tribe1 the weight of which can be determined by pounds instead of ounces4 ,sea trout of the ,south are closely allied to the weak fish of the ,north1 and frequent rapid waters1 oyster beds and weedy flats4 ,they range from one to five pounds1 are good biters and make a noble resistance to avoid the landing net4 ,large-mouthed black bass 7trout of the ,south7 exist in great numbers in the lakes and streams of the ,state4 ,in very clear lakes and streams they are not disposed to indulge in artificial baits4 ,as fighters they are unworthy of the notice of experts4 ,it has been my lot to capture them in many localities1 and ,i have found that after the first few struggles they open their mouths and come to gaff like a grain bag4 ,brown snappers exist in countless numbers in some of the streams of the ,state--as in the ,homosassa4 ,they range from six ounces to one pound1 and cannot resist the temptation to capture a hook decorated with feathers4 ,they are good biters and full of game4 ,owing to the presence of a number of rat-like teeth1 they play sad havoc with flies2 and we would advise those who propose engaging in the capture of this fish to provide an ample supply of feathery lures4 ,skip-jacks 7or bone-fish7 visit the streams in schools4 ,they range from two to six pounds4 ,they readily take a fly and die game4 ,owing to their build1 size of fins1 and muscular development1 they are worthy of notice4 ,on one occasion ,i was camped at ,little ,gasparilla pass1 and at the bay side of the inlet there existed an eddy in which ,i could see hundreds of skip-jacks4 ,for some time ,i amused myself by casting1 and the moment the bait would touch the water the surface would be in a boil4 ,i would strike and the next instant a bone-fish would be two or three feet in the air4 ,as a rule they enter the streams with the flood tide1 and as they are constantly breaking the water they can be followed in a boat4 ,by following the fish on the flood and ebb the rodster may enjoy a number of hours of exciting sport4 ,between ,esteno and ,marco passes ,i have seen them for hours at a time feeding on minnows near the beach4 ,the ,ravallia is a fish with which ,i am unacquainted1 although ,i have reason to believe that it exists in quantity at certain points on the south-west coast4 ,my friend ,dr4 ,ferber1 informed me that in one of his cruises he entered ,billy ,bow ,legs ,creek and noticed a deep pool4 ,he made a cast and landed a ravallia4 ,nearly every cast he would land one or two ranging from one to three pounds1 unless a ravenous cavalli interfered4 ,the cavalli of large size would seem to tire of the flouncing and floundering of their neighbors1 and would join in the fray1 when the doctor would part with a fly or leader4 ,the doctor assured me that the sport was kept up until he was surfeited4 ,he describes the fish as resembling a pike perch of the ,north1 and is loud in its praise as a game fish4 ,friends have informed me that they have captured specimens of this fish1 with cut bait1 weighing thirty pounds4 ,my impression is1 that if pools and inlets south of ,punta ,passa were thoroughly tried with the fly that the piscator would be rewarded with large-sized specimens4 ,bream of several species exist in great numbers in many of the streams and lakes of the ,state4 ,they range from four ounces to one pound1 and afford considerable sport on a light rod4 ,roach are not plentiful1 but there they exist they will not refuse a brown hackle4 ,in many of the streams of the ,state war-mouthed perch exist in numbers1 ranging from one to three pounds4 ,when the streams are low1 they readily take a fly1 and give the angler all lie can attend to4 ,in some of the creeks tributary to the ,st4 ,johns' and in some of the interior lakes1 pickerel exercise their snapping propensities1 and do not object to appropriate a gaudy fly in the early mom or at the close of the day4 ,on the ,eastern ,coast1 more especially at ,indian ,river inlet1 small blue fish congregate in numbers during the winter months1 and at times will not refuse a fly4 ,they are fair fighters1 and as the piscator can fish from a sandy beach1 much enjoyment can be secured4 ,in ,florida cat fish will take a fly1 and ,i may also add a spinner4 ,in this ,state we have a number of species of this fish1 and one is a surface feeder4 ,in the evening1 when they are feeding on the surface1 they will not reject a large and gaudy fly4 ,to those who have been accustomed to capture with a stout rod diminutive specimens of catties1 ,i will say1 hook on to a catty weighing from six to twelve pounds and there will be 8music in the air10 and unless skill is exercised on the part of the fisherman the leader will go to where the 8woodbine twineth40 ,in ,florida1 as everywhere else1 the best fishing is near where ,a41 ,b4 or ,c4 run a hotel or keep a boarding house1 or where certain steamboats make a terminal landing4 ,but in my experience the best places to fish1 as a rule1 are where there are no hotels or specimens of the colored persuasion with their cast nets4 ,when 8,i go a-fishing0 ,i leave civilization1 hotels1 and boarding-houses in the rear4 ,the best points for fly-fishing for large-mouthed bass are on the upper ,st4 ,johns1 the tributaries of ,indian river1 the ,kessimmee and the streams and lagoons on the south-west coast4 ,for pickerel and bream the best points are the tributaries of the ,st4 ,johns between ,mandarin and ,lake ,monroe4 ,for war-mouthed perch1 the best streams will be found in ,alachua ,county4 ,from all that ,i can glean from gentlemen who have fished the locality1 the lower ,indian ,river and its tributaries will furnish a fine field for the fly-caster4 ,west of ,cedar ,keys to ,st4 ,marks is a shoal coast covered with marine alg2 and the coast line is cut up with a number of small streams stocked--nay1 swarming--with fish4 ,this section is uninhabited1 the streams have not been fished1 and a fine field for sport awaits the fisherman4 ,in addition1 hand line or bass rod fishing can be enjoyed for sheepshead and channel bass4 ,the woods abound with deer1 the hummocks contain plenty of turkeys1 and the bays and grassy flats during the winter are alive with ducks1 and in certain localities geese and brant will be found4 ,beech birds1 as snipe and curlews1 can be bagged in quantity4 ,the first stream worthy of notice on the southwest coast is the ,homosassa ,river1 forty miles south of ,cedar ,keys4 ,but this beautiful river has lost its greatest attraction1 8,mother ,jones40 ,i have been informed that she left ,homosassa1 and1 as a sequence1 there will be wanting the clean rooms and beds1 the stewed and scalloped oysters1 the aromatic coffee1 the delicious breakfast bacon1 and the luscious sheepshead done to a turn4 ,with 8,mother ,jones0 will depart many of the attractions of the place1 more particularly the cuisine4 ,i write feelingly1 for ,i was the first to make known the attractions of my favorite ,homosassa4 ,according to my friend1 ,dr4 ,ferber1 ,billy ,bow ,legs ,creek1 a tributary of ,sarasota ,bay1 presents many attractions to the fly-fisher1 more especially in the capture of cavalli and ravallia4 ,long ,boat ,inlet1 an entrance to this bay1 must not be overlooked4 ,many points in ,charlotte ,harbor offer inducements to the fly-fisher4 ,if he tires of using the split bamboo1 he can troll with a spinner and land large channel bass and cavalli2 for diversement he can seat himself in an arm chair on the dock at ,punta ,passa and imitate my friend ,matthew ,quay 7late ,secretary of ,state of ,pennsylvania71 who landed fifty-six large sheepshead in one hour4 ,if dissatisfied with this description of sport the piscator can indulge in the capture of ,jew-fish1 weighing from one to three hundred pounds4 ,on the ,calloosahatchee1 above the islands1 the fly caster can be satiated with sport in landing large-sized cavalli4 ,from ,charlotte ,harbor southward every entrance1 bay1 pass and lagoon will afford royal sport4 ,delicate mist-colored leaders are not a necessity1 for ,florida fish have not been educated or posted with regard to the tricks of the craft4 ,they seem to recognize but little difference between a single strand of gut and a clothes-line4 ,the main things requisite are strong leaders and large-sized hooks1 for when fish are so plentiful and valueless the fisherman is apt to try and see how many he can land within a given period4 ,with regard to flies1 almost any of the more common ones will answer a good purpose4 ,my choice for channel bass1 cavalli1 sea trout and bone fish is a large-sized gaudy fly with a large-sized hook4 ,to reach the south-west coast persons can go direct from ,savannah or ,fernandina1 or visit ,jacksonville en route4 ,at ,cedar ,keys1 ,tampa1 or ,manatee they can charter a sloop or schooner of from four to six tons for five or six dollars per day4 ,this amount will cover captain1 boy1 small boat1 bedding1 stove and cooking utensils4 ,fish1 beach birds1 oysters and clams are plentiful1 and the expense of the culinary department will be from fifty cents to five dollars per capita per diem1 according to the ,dutch proclivities of the persons comprising the party4 ,the coast is shallow1 the ten-fathom line ranging from thirty to forty miles from shore1 and as a consequence there is no undertow1 rollers or heavy seas4 ,the passage from ,cedar ,keys to ,bay ,biscayne can be made in a small boat at almost any time4 ,on one occasion the writer made the trip from ,key ,west to ,cedar ,keys in a boat sixteen feet in length4 ,fly-fishing in ,florida is a recent development1 and it offers a large field for experiment and investigation2 and ,i trust that the period is not far distant when the sport will be indulged in by the many4 ,by the first of ,january1 #ahhd1 ,tampa will be reached from this city in twenty-four hours via ,sanford and ,kissimmee4 ,from what we know of railroads in this ,state we feel assured that one will be completed to ,punta ,passa within two years2 when ,charlotte ,harbor and ,estero ,bay1 the greatest of fishing points1 will be rendered accessible to all4 ,in preparing this article we have used the common names of fish1 and the reason for so doing will be obvious to all4 ,in passing through this city1 if fly-fishers will call upon me between #ab m4 and #b ,p4,m41 ,i will endeavor to smooth the road for them4 ,jacksonville1 ,fla4 ,,fly-,,fishing4 ,by ,col4 ,e4 ,z4 ,c4 ,judson4--8,ned ,buntline40 ,fishermen are born such--not made6 ,that is my private opinion1 publicly expressed4 ,it is founded upon the experience of full half a century on ocean1 lake1 river1 and brook4 ,i have taken a mature man with me on a fishing trip1 who had never cast 8a line in pleasant places10 lent him rod and tackle1 made a few casts in his presence1 caught perhaps a half a dozen trout1 and then watched his imitative power combined with the tact born in him4 ,if he was one of the right sort he would go right on improving every hour1 and in a little while begin to fill his creel with the best of us4 ,my personal knowledge of fish and fishing began early4 ,my father had few superiors as an angler1 and trouting was his specialty4 ,he made his own rods1 lines and flies4 ,the first was a tapering ashen pole--generally about ten feet long--scraped1 oiled and varnished till it was as smooth and bright as glass4 ,the line was made from horse-hair and braided with a care and patience that used to be a wonder to me4 ,the blue-jay1 the red-headed woodpecker1 the pheasant and wood-duck were shot for fly-feathers4 ,when ,i was a wee toddler in skirts ,i used to hold hooks and snells and play at 8helping papa40 ,all this was done here at the head of the ,delaware1 where both my father and myself were born4 ,but a change came4 ,when ,i was about six years old my father bought a large tract of wild land in the wildest part of ,wayne ,county1 ,pennsylvania1 and settled on it4 ,the ,lackawaxen ,creek ran right through it1 and that then lovely stream was literally alive with speckled trout4 ,from the day we entered our log house there ,i was a fisher-boy4 ,i caught trout every day in the summer1 for a big spring rose within a rod of the house and from it ran a lively brook to the main stream1 ten rods away1 and even a pin-hook and linen thread would draw them out4 ,as ,i grew older ,i would go with my father to the big eddies and deep holes1 where he would lure the largest to his fly and ,i was only too--too utterly happy when allowed to wade waist deep in the water to carry or float his string of trout toward home4 ,since then never a summer has passed1 except when actively engaged in naval or military service for my country1 that has not found me fishing somewhere4 ,i have covered the best waters in ,maine1 ,new ,hampshire and ,vermont2 ,canada and the ,british ,provinces know me of old2 ,california1 ,oregon and ,british ,columbia--all along the ,big ,rockies--have seen me testing flies and bait1 the former often tied rudely on the spur of necessity1 but generally very effectively4 ,for where trout are very plenty1 food is scarce1 and they will bite at anything4 ,i speak of trout mostly1 for that is my favorite fish4 ,salmon next1 although the work comes in when you strike anything over eight or ten pounds1 and sport degenerates when it becomes labor4 ,i have heard of 8labors of love10 but ,i never took stock in anything of the kind4 ,in all this active piscatorial life1 ,i have studied ,fishermen as well as fish4 ,and ,i have come to the conclusion which opens this article--that fishermen are born for it and can't he manufactured out of raw material6 ,i have felt thankful to our ,father above that nine out of ten of the tourists who take to the streams in easy reach1 are indifferent fishermen4 ,for thereby the streams still contain fish4 ,were all who fish in them skillful and hoggish1 in a little while there would be no fishing except in 8far-away0 places1 difficult to reach4 ,i do not claim to hold a ,master's ,degree as a fly-fisherman4 ,i do delight in the art1 for one of the arts and sciences it surely is4 ,i have bowed my head in reverence before the skilled hand of my dear friend1 ,george ,dawson--now beside the bright waters of the ,happy ,land above4 ,i have stood silent and pleased while ,seth ,green deftly made casts which ,i could only feebly imitate4 ,yet those who know me best say that ,i can use a fly-rod and catch trout and salmon therewith1 so ,i essay a few words on the subject1 speaking only from my own experience4 ,i have never been observant enough to see a trout strout strike a fly with his tail1 drown it and then eat it4 ,i always take a trout in the mouth on my fly--generally hooked in the upper lip1 showing that he does his part of the business in a straightforward way and does not come tail first to the lure4 ,i own to be a little particular about my rod1 the middle joint not too limber1 but with back-bone as well as spring2 it suits me if it tapers so as to describe a perfect arc when the tip is brought near to the butt4 ,i specify no makers--though ,i own to favorites in that line4 ,i wish to make no petty jealousies here4 ,a rod as near ten feet long as may be1 for trout fishing1 weight from seven to eight ounces1 never over ten1 with the reel close to and under the butt2 an easy running click-reel2 a line of braided hair and silk1 strong and weighty enough for a cast against the wind as well as with it2 a clear1 strong1 looped leader for a quick change of flies2 a book well supplied with the latter to give the speckled beauties a choice1 and ,i am ready for work4 ,the idea of special flies for special seasons of the year ,i have found to be a humbug4 ,trout are exceedingly whimsical about flies4 ,watch those that are on the stream1 see which the trout leap for and get as near the like of them as your book will allow4 ,always1 if possible1 fish down stream4 ,it is easier4 ,you can detect swirls1 eddies1 shaded pools1 coverts of rock1 mossy-banks and overhanging branches1 from above1 better than below4 ,trout do not scare so easily that a cast of fifteen or twenty feet will not find them ready to rise if they are hungry4 ,you have also the aid of the current in guiding your fly to each coveted spot after it touches the water4 ,enter a stream1 say its average width is seventy-five or one hundred feet1 few of our mountain streams are so much1 and a skilled rodster can cover it with ease--for wading down lie chooses his water1 makes his casts1 seldom over twenty or twenty-five feet of line to a cast1 much of oftener less1 and in 8good waters0 fills his creel4 ,for a forward cast1 with your line as far out as may be necessary for the distance1 throw your rod sharply back to an angle of not over fifteen degrees1 and then bring it forward quickly till1 as your line and flies are extended1 the tip is on a level with your breast1 never lower so as to dip water4 ,with a line 8taut10 so to speak1 if a trout rises as your fly or flies touch the stream1 a sharp1 quick turn of the wrist will strike the hook home and secure him4 ,your strike must be firm and decisive2 give the trout one second to understand and he spits the fly out4 ,laugh if you will1 but that is what he does4 ,when hooked1 if not too large for your tackle1 draw the trout swiftly to you1 lift him out1 and break his neck1 by bending back the head where it joins the back-bone4 ,thus he is out of pain1 and does not bruise and flop himself soft1 while dying1 in your creel4 8,playing0 a trout for the mere fun of the thing1 is unnecessary torture2 besides1 you frighten more than you secure1 in the process4 ,a very large trout1 of course1 must be weakened in the water1 but many fishermen think there is no sport without they 8play0 a fish1 no matter how small he is4 ,never cast a foot more line than you need4 ,you cannot gather slack half as easy as you can pay it out4 ,in regard to flies--,i have found the brighter the day1 as a general thing1 the darker fly do trout want4 ,at early dawn1 or in the soft twilight of evening1 a very light fly--a ,coachman1 is best4 ,next1 ,gray ,miller1 and especially the ,stone fly4 ,i use more ,coachmen1 ,black ,gnats and ,stone flies in one season1 than ,i do of all other flies put together in three summers4 ,be sure1 of all things1 that your line runs easy through the standing guides1 or guide-rings4 ,i like the former best4 ,in casting right or left1 to reach under bushy or over-hanging limbs1 the same sharp1 or quick action which makes an over-cast successful1 is required1 and great care not to draw any slack line when your fly drops where you want it4 ,many fly-fishermen are considered adepts according to the length rather than the grace and certainty of their casts4 ,i do not think in actual stream fishing an average of a day's casting1 would reach over fifteen feet to a cast4 ,i never made but one very long cast in actual angling in my life4 ,once1 on the bank of a mill-pond in the upper part of ,alder ,brook1 in ,ulster ,county1 ,n4 ,y41 ,i saw a trout in shoal water1 the largest ,i ever caught in that vicinity4 ,to reach him without alarm1 ,i cast seventy-two feet1 measured afterward from a knot on my line near my reel1 and got my fish4 ,he weighed two and a quarter pounds1 and ,i had to play him some to save him4 ,and now1 with a word to young fishermen and old beginners1 ,i will close4 ,learn first to cast a line and take a trout with bait before you try a fly4 ,you will thereby gain confidence1 learn to hook your fish at the instant he strikes1 and gain the supple use of arm and wrist which makes the fly-fisherman skillful4 ,my dear wife1 by whose sick bed ,i pen these words1 for one long joyous summer in camp1 fished by my side1 using bait while she saw me casting no lure but flies4 ,the next time we went on the stream she had a six-ounce fly-rod1 and fifty beautiful trout in two hours to her basket proved how apt a pupil she had been4 ,with many words of cheer to all who love the glorious pastime1 ,i remain1 as of yore--,uncle ,ned--a born fisherman4 8,eagle's ,nest10 ,delaware ,co41 ,n4 ,y4 8,there are two peculiarities of all sorts of fish1 which are frequently unnoticed2 that they are largely attracted to their food by scent1 and that they feed at night40--,seth ,green4 8,the first and last object of the fly-fisher is to show as much of the fly to the fish as possible1 and as little of anything else40--,francis ,francis4 8,the notion of the main mass of anglers would appear to be1 that if an unusually cunning fish takes up an impregnable-looking position he is to be religiously left unassailed4 #8,breakers ahead6' seem to be scented by the over-cautious pliers of the rod1 when the chances of conquest are really #8as even' as in less dangerous localities2 and even supposing this were not so1 the greater the difficulties the more exciting the sport1 and the keener the pleasure40--,david ,foster4 7,illustration ,missing7 #bf4 ,manchester4 #bg4 ,blue ,jay4 #bh4 ,imperial4 #bi4 ,mc,leod4 #cj4 ,black and ,gold4 #ca4 ,white and ,jungle ,cock4 8,many men of fame1 even equal to ,dr4 ,johnson's1 have been eminent as anglers1 and have redeemed and disculpated angling from his surly and foolish sneer40--,john ,lyle ,king4 8,i invariably endeavor1 when dressing a fly1 to imitate the living insect2 still ,i have seen nondescript flies beat all the palmer hackles and the most life-like flies that ever graced a casting-line40--8,frank ,forester40 8,if we are content with an ungainly fly1 we will be satisfied with inferiority of rod and tackle2 and although the fish may not see the difference1 the angler may become1 from neglecting one point1 slovenly in all4 ,a well-made fly is a beautiful object1 an ill-made one an eye-sore and annoyance2 and it is a great satisfaction both to exhibit and examine a well-filled book of handsomely tied flies40--,r4 ,b4 ,roosevelt4 8,what is life1 after all1 but just going a-fishing all the time1 casting flies on many rivers and lakes1 and going quietly home as the day is ending80--,w4 ,c4 ,prime4 8,this fishing story is at an end2 not for want of material1 for there are other scenes and other times of equal pleasure that crowd my memory as ,i write these lines4 ,and so it will ever be to you1 my friend1 should you1 even in your later years1 take up the angler's art3 it grows with its growth1 and strengthens with its strength1 and1 if uncurbed1 may perchance1 with many of us1 become a passion4 8,but1 for all that1 it will fill the storehouse of our memories with many a scene of unalloyed pleasure1 which in the sunset of life we may look back upon with fondest satisfaction4 8,if in the minds of any one of you who as yet are ignorant of the charm of fishing1 as it has here been revealed4 ,i have induced the desire for a test1 #8,stand not upon the order of your going1 but go at once1' provided it be the season1 and1 the word of an old fisherman for it1 you will thank me for these random pages40--,charles ,w4 ,stevens4