New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-08

wind, started to the fails as soon as lad swaI.
lowed a cup of coffee. Found the rl'Ier little
lower than yesterday. Took my stand on the big
rock near the tail of the rapid; I1led several flies
without success, and ultimately put up two black
hackles one with salmon GolOred body other
with blue. On the second cast, raised heavy
fish, which prcked turned around and took
half dozen throws in another direction, hoping the
big one would in the meantime forget his rough
treatment Took two little fellows Just over half
a pound, which | returned to their element
/ Thought I'd give the big one another show, and
4 got fast to him first cast with all my exertion
could not prevent him making the rapid, taking
out nearly all my line nevertheless, having put
the brake on; succeeded in turning him, when he
came back to me like skyrocket, preventing me
from taking in the slack. | feared that this run
had effected his liberation, but on getting reeled
up, was @agreeably surprised to find that I still
| held him. Five minutes more brought him on his
side, when Collins neatly handled his landing net
and had the satisfaction of safely securing good
| four and half FOUNDER. Within in an hour and
half, l had killed eleven fish, averaging two and
quarter pounds, when suddenly they stopped ris-
| ing and all my skill was wasted, for could not
raise q fin This striking popularity in both trout
and salmon fishing, which no fisherman can fail to
| have Observed l am unable to account for. That
| all the inhabitants OF portion of stream should
| desst to feed instantaneously, when few min.
utes previously they have been seizing with avid
ity young flies, is subject on which should like
| to hear the opinion of some competent authority
| | remember asking an old hand, whose success in
response was that twas caused by sudden change
! in the atmosphere. This answer somewhat aston
ished me, nor could reconcile myself to the idea
that fish who, in the majority of instances, lay
| some distance beneath the surface of the water,
sheuld be cognzant of change which is impercep-
| ube to us. From want of continued success, |
| changed my position, and removed to a hole some
| way further down. After much difficulty from
the quantity Of brush that grew on the margin Of
the stream, and the handling of rod among such
obstacles, | reached the water. The appearance
OF the pool much pleased me, but it was difficult to
fish, from the timber growing so close the water,
and wading being almost out Of the question: from
the rough and irregular bottom, thicky packed
with large bOulders. Being obliged to make
virtue OF necessity, with short line and quick
contracted cast, commenced operations My
companion informed me that he much dOubtedif a
line had been wet there this season from the
result, think his statement must have been cor
rect Scarcely hadmy flies touched the water, when
two beauties, radiant in their handsome golden
hues, simultaneously dashed at the deception one
hooked firm and strong, and soon brought him
to net a dozen times did go through the same
performance only Varing by occasionally hooking
brace Of the same cast Cleared, with such in
Cessant work, my perfect little rod would get
strained, but was dsincned to give up. Hav-
ing once filled my large basket, and being in fair
way to repeat the performance, | moved forty
yards lower down towards the tail of the stream,
where from the placid appearance Of the surface,
haG little doubt | could wade. With the assis-
lance of the pole of my landing net, l succeeded
in staggering out to shoal bank of gravel, about
ten yards from the edge, and although quite up to
the knee, established d firm footing each cast
rose or hooked fish.
The water appeared to be alive with trout;
first one would spring several feet clear of the
water with a vim and energy positively speaking
of determination another would only barely come
to the surface, leaving other indications of his
presence than miniature whirlpool, while third
would roll over like granpus displaying a good
view Of his golden, strongly proportional hand
q n in
the breast Of the fishermen. / have frequently
thought for satisfactory reason for the different
degrees of ardOr which fish exhibit in taking the
fly. | am inclined to believe that much is to be
attributed to caprice and not hunger for it is very
rare to see heavy fish entirely dsengage himself
from the water when about to seize the cunningly
devised Imitation. Several fine fish had fallen to
my proWess and step by step, with cautious care,
advanced down the river, till l had almost got
within casting distance Of the bottom of the
pool, where the stream was contracted previous to
forming another rapid In taking my last throw,
was so near the broken water that my trail fly
was without doubt in it, when without seeing
fish, felt smart pluck at my line On eeva-
ting the top of my rod, found that small club
had taken my hook Keeling up to get rid of the
lncumhrance, and fetching him to the surface,
what was my surprise to see an immense trout
dash at the unfortunate captive and in the twink
ling Of an eye had my reel going at telegraph
speed. Here was an adventure truly, but one out
OF which could scarcely expect success. Run
ming out something like fifteen yards, the interlo
per became stationary, and well l knew he had
returned to his sanctum, to probably pouch his
bait at pleasure. With but slight strain upon
my rod, | waited the pleasure of his mightiness,
hoping hewould not be long ere his royal pleasure
would dictate swallowing the booty. Ten minutes
at least, remained in StdtU quo, when, supposng
due courtesy had been extended | took a slight
pull just by way of reminder. Alas! the club
came away, and, being now dead, combined with
the rapidly Of the water trailed upon the sur
face, was not disappOinted-the result was but
al ~
hook Of the mangled corpus, had not more than
taken few feet in, when nlirdJae dictL, the same
episode was enacted, and the unfortunate desecra-
ted remains Of the sinner We're borne off, appa-
rcnty to the same location, Patiently now de-
teTmiued to wait, hoping against chance, that in
sportive mood, while playing with his intended
deiunee his highness would get the point of the in
sidious hook attached to'his royal person. What
time elapsed know not, but my necessary inert
ness and disagreeableness OF my position induced
me to endeayor to bring the drama to finish
With gentle strain | evoked a succession of
rapid quick jerks, adm0nishng me that / had
gentleman Of short temper to deal with. Gradu-
ally continued shortening my line, which, al
though an unusual proceeding thus early | sue
ceeded in doing, without the least hindrance.
Still the dead strain that existed proclaimed that
no ordinary contestant was at the other end. In
all my previous experience I had never seen a fish
come without an effort almost up to my hand,
without once making rush or giving chance to
Judge of his PAGES. BY this time nearly all nv
line was IN and the trout could not have been over
fourteen feet from me, but he was down in deep
water, moving slowly in rings of foot or two in
diameter. Whatever some persons might have
done, did not feel exactly like bivouaeking in
two feet of rapid water, with very precarious
footing, and cloud of mosquitoes singing
either requiem or lullaby about my IN.
protected face. My patience was exhausted,
and inwardy made up my mind,
let the results be what they would, that I'd make
the giant declare himself. Gradually raising the
| point of my rod, inch by inch, with steady mo.
ton, to my establishment | brought him to the
surface, giving me good view of his graceful
shape. The club was across his mouth as a
| spaniel would carry stick, and ID hook had
| touched him! Worse than ALL it was apparent
from the constant strain that my hold of the i'm
promptu bait was worse than precarious. Being
humbugged and yictimized is at all times disagree
able, and as the laugh was decidedly against me,
with sharp jerk disengaged my flies, anathem-
atizing the brute who had caused me so much
trouble, and sincerely hoping his breakfast would
! disagree with him. With flourish of the tail my
tormentor bid me good morning, and ! returned
to the shore in far from an enviable frame of
mind, Onmy way to the shanty for my morning
meal scarcely spoke word, no doubt meraiz-
4 ing OF the uncertainty of ali worldly affairs, but
Just as was entering the domici with feelings of
dire revenge, told my attendant not to say
I SiOuln JVNr an +ln Fo, 7