Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-07-16
Trout Fishing-The Fly VS.. Worms.

Judge Fitzhugh's favorite amusement
was trout fishing His nice apprecia-
ton of the piscatorial art gave him the
name of "The Walton of Western New
York" While fishing he always used the
fly; there are many who still remember
his skillful manner of throwing it, lie
entertained the most sovereign contempt
for any other mode of capturing trout
the aristocrat of the brook, as he termed
that fish. One day when on a fishing ex-
cursion he met fisherman whose we'll
filled basket proved his success.
"You have a fine basket of trout there"
said the Judge.
Eyes, sir, but ! should have caught
more, only my bait gave out" said the
bait! Bait! What, are you one of
those fellows that kill quart of angle
worms or peck of grubs to catch one
fish? One of those fellows who can't
appreciate the nature of trout any
more than an ape can literature" said
the Judge.
Il mean to say that / caught these fish
with angle-worms for my bait, and I'd
like to know what that is to your" said
the man.
Don't you know that it is unmanly
and vulgar to fish for trout in that way?
| would as soon eat carrion as a trout
caught with hook baited with angle
worms" said Fitzhugh
"Who the deuce are you that goes
about telling folks what they should fish
with? Maybe you haven't read the
Declaration of Independence, said the
fisherman.
81 am gentleman, sir, and you are
not A man can't be gentleman that
fishes for trout with angle-worms."
"Is ii any of your business what man
fishes with? You talk as though you
owned all the fish IN this country. You
don't, though--Pve great mind to throw
you into the creek; but you are such an
ugly looking cuss you'd scare all the fish
out of it, should like to thrash my COW.
yard with you," said the man in tower.
ing passion.
Attempt any violence upon me and
I'll make live bait of you in a minute. i
tell you ii is my business what a man
fishes with 1t is the business Of all civ
ilized and Christianized people. Fishing
with angle-worms degenerates trout to IA
common sucker-a crab-it battles
science-it teaches that splendid fish the
habits of common bull-head, that any
idiot can catch. Fishing with fly is fair
game between man and a trout; it gives
them both a chance to exercise their
skill
"What odds does it make how you
catch trout if you only get him? !
catch fish because / like TO eat them,
said the man.
That's because you are nothing butt
cannibal. Fishing with a fly is fair
Lnt.. /. 4.
gives them both chance to exercise
Their skill. A trout darling for fly re.
minds me of the swoop of an eagle; there
is some thing daring and brilliant in his
movements; he charges on his prey like
a hero, and if caught he dies gal
lantly, not sucking sinking angle-worm
like a hungry lubber," said the Judge.
"See here, what's your name? BY
golly, you talk well. I'd like to hear
that over again. Tell a Teller your
name"
my name is Fitzbugh-a name have
never disgraced, and never shall until j
am caught in the turnkey business OF
catching trout with angle worms"
" Are you Judge Fitzhugh, the man
that can catch trout with buncomb fly
on his hook, where there amt any, just
as well as he can where there's plenty OF
them?"
"They call me Judge Fitzhugh."
"Well, I'd half mind to thrash youjust
now, you was so COMPOUNDED sassy.
They say you are the sassiest man in the
world, and / believe it. Those shaggy
eyebrows, and those great black eyes,
and that black hair--well, guess don't
want to get hold of you, so let's DC
friends. Judge, do you think l could
learn to catch trout with fy?"
9 Yes" said the Judge, amused at the
mans manner and words. Go with me,
and Ivi give you lesson They were