Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-07-22
Bill Arp on Fishing.

For few days past have been going,
fishing. The creek is close by, and the
fish are spelling for the frying pan, and
fishing is such quiet, contemplative work
or play, or whatever you call 1t. 1t is the
only occupation | know of that is common
to white folks and niggers, to gentlemen
and vagabonds. They are all equal on the
banks of the creek, or around the mill
pond, and the fish are no respecters of per-
sons. had not enjoyed my usual spring
fishing, and SO thought I would make up
for lost time. Day after day I have been
throwing bait to the fnny tribe, but the
weather has been cold and the wind all
wrong and l have had awful bad luck.
Carl can beat me anyhow. He catches
two to my one and does not try half SO
hard, nor watch his cork half so earnestly
as l do. Nabor Freeman can beat me.
He hangs out minnow and goes Oft
awhile and then comes back and finds a
trout and tells me next day how good he
was for supper. But nevertheless l like
fishing, even if they do nibble and nibble
until they get all of my bait. 1 wonder
what makes us humans love to catch things
and kill things that are trying to dodge us.
Nobody wants to shoot a chicken in the
yard, but we will hunt all day to kill few
birds, or squirrels, or catch a rabbit. we
will wear out a dollars worth of clothes
while hunting for DIMES worth of game.
We take no pleasure in pursuing anything
ker after that which is wild and trying to
escape. Ireckon its nature, just nature;
the love Of dominion. If the fish and the
squirrels would come at our call and sur
render, we would turn them loose and say,
$50, gentle creature: l will not harm
you" The Scriptures say, 81 will give
dominion over the fish of the sea, and the
fowls of the air, and the beasts of the
field" and when the fish and the fowls and
the beasts say catch me if you can, we go
at it. But after all it looks rather small In
a grown up man, or philosopher, OF a
preacher, to sit on a log half day trying
to outgeneral few little innocent perch
and drown them in the air, and all for
sport, most all; we wouldn't give more
than twenty-five cents for the average lot
But / like fishing, nevertheless, and the
business is both Scriptural and apostolic.
1t is the opinion at my house, however,
that | am poor fisherman and that it does
not pay, and that some things are more i'm
portant just now. So / shall quit for a
time, that is until the water gets warm and
the sweet South wind comes breathing
upon the violet banks. never did know
what the fish had to do with the wind, but
Isaak Walton has settled that question.
They will not bite when the North wind
blows. 1t will change their appetite in a
night. Neither will they bite in the light
of the moon like they will wheu the nights
are dark. A dark moon and a South wind
make fish hungry and eager for bait. Some
men are fishermen by nature and instinct.
Some wander up and down all day and
change their base every ten minutes, and
some will sit in the same spot all day long.
I knew a famous fisherman in Rome, long
time ago, who would wager dollar that
he could catch a cat, or trout, or suck
er, or Dream, at will He would let you
name the kind and then he would catch
that kind on the first trial. He knew their
haunts and holes and habits, and what
bait they loved, and knew how to fish for
them. I can't do that. I have watched
nibble at my hook for half an
hour and :jerked half dozen times, and at
last pulled up little dirty mud turtle,
That is disgusting and aggravating, but
when long-suffering fisherman acciden-
tally and unexpectedly finds a big trout has
grabbed his hook and shows fight
and darts around and pitches and cavorts
and lashes the water and bends your pole
almost double, and you brace yourself for
the great occasion with hope in your eye
and your heart in your mouth and begin to
draw him in aud up and out, and just at
the inexpressible moment of success and
triumph he gives fiirt and falls back. Oh,
what a fall was that my countrymen!
What goneness, what helplessness, what
crushing, subduing feelings come over a
man. He couldn't smile if he was going to
be hung if he didn't. 1t is worse than to
have cow die, or to be left by train.
have experienced that. and gone home as
humble as wet cog. 1t is q ten dollar
grief over the loss of q half dollar fish
But such is life. Little things effect US
moro thove l;rzEss mr.