Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-05-23
Going a TrOuting.
A boys STORY OF THE SEASON.


When was boy we lived near lots of
trout-brooks. trout, you know, is fish
that is very particular about the kind of
water he lives in. No muddy or lazy streams
will do for him. He loves cold, clear water
starting from springs, and running over a
pebbly bottom, or clean saud-part of the
way through dark woods where he can 90
when the sun is hot, and catch the Juicy mil
lers and fat flies that he loves so well, and
part of the way through meadows, where the
green grass grows clear down to the waters
edge, and the willows stand thick and high,
to make him hiding place. lie is the
handsomest; the cleanest the smartest, and
the best to eat of all the fishes.
Well, my big brother was famous trouter,
and before | was a dozen years old began
to tease to go with him. But he said, "Oh,
bother wait till you grow up. big
trout would catch you, now" Big brothers
are always forgetting that they were ever
little | used to think. But | kept on teas
ing every year, until one pleasant May day,
when | was twelve years old, he said, like
the splendid good fellow he was at heart,
"Well, let mother get you ready, and you
may go along. You can carry the basket, if
you can't fish,
So they rugged me up long but slender
fish-pole, and got me stout pair of boots
and some old clothes, and box for angle
worms, and basket of lunch could
hardly sleep that night, was so excited, and
we were to start before sunrise in the morn
ing. | was awake with the first little COO.
ing bird-notes that you hear Just as soon as
it is the least bit light when the robins are
stretching their legs for another last nap.
Brother was awake too, and we ate big
bowl of bread and milk, and crammed some
ginger cookies into our pockets to eat on the
way, and were soon walking with long steps
across the dewy meadows.
have seen a good deal of fun and been
happy as most men ever are, since then, but
the earth never seemed so bright, nor the
sky so fair, nor my heart any lighter, than
when | went hurrying down to the trout
brook after my brother, with my pole across
my shoulder and my basket at my side, Just
like man.
Pretty soon we came to the brook, and
fixed our lines and baited the hooks.
"Now," said my brother, "the trout are a
very shy tish-the most scary fellows you
ever heard of. And if they catch sight of
you, or even of your shadow, off they 90
like streak of ightning. You just watch
me, and see how I'll coax one of the beauties
to come in out of the wet" So | watched
him as he stopped low down and went to-
ward the brook just as carefully and slow
as cat creeps toward mouse. When he
got within reach he dropped his line softly
into the musical little brook, just where it
made a still pool under the roots of an old
stump. Quick as flash something grabbed
the worm and darted for the bottom. My
brother gave a quick but gentle twitch to
his pole, and out came splendid speckled
trout. about six inches long, wiggling and
Topping in way that showed how sur
prised he was. | remember as though it
were only yesterday how handsome he
looked, with his silver belly, his red fins,
his bright scarlet spots and dark brown
back.
That's the way" said brother, now you
go down there by that big log and try your
luck"
So | crept carefully down and tried to do
just as he did; and sure enough something
grabbed my hook. But was so excited
that jerked "hard enough to lift cod
fish," my brother said, and caught nothing
except my line in the branches of tree
near by.
"Never mind-try again." said he, after
he had got the line loose, sand keep cool
Remember, a boy needs four things to make
a good trouter Pluck, patience, caution
and love of the sport. Pluck, so he can
stick 10 il, and fish half-a-day, if need be, with
out a bite patience to keep him cool and
contented caution, SO that he shall not get
careless, and skip or lose half the fish; and
love for the SPORT so that he shall enjoy it,
and do it well. Now try again"
tell you boys, the best lessons had when
lad, came from kind people who would
give me another chance, and say, "Try
again" "I-don'tcare boys, and 81 can't !"
boys, never learn to catch trout or do much
else in life.
So tried again, and pretty soon got
another bite, and landed beautiful little
trout, and in few minutes another. Of
course scared good many caught my
hook on roots, and got it lodged in trees
But by remembering what my brother said
and sticking to it, | managed to catch ten
trout by noon, and a prouder boy never
walked than | was, though brother had fifty
or sixty.
How good the lunch tasted - how hun.
cry | was - and oh, how tired, as ! got
home about sun-down | remember how
kindly mother beamed on me out of her
dear, kind eyes,-and how when the crisp
fish were set before my plate at the break
last table, with green parsley leaves around
them, | gave all the family taste, and
thought nothing ever tasted so good.
hope you will sometime have chance to
learn trouting.-GOlden Rule