The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-06-16
A DELIGHTFUL DUEL.
SPORT WHICH THRILLS A MAN
TO HIS FINGER-TIPS.
The First Trout Caught by an Enthu.
siastic Angler-A Vivid Descrip-
tion Of the Struggle Be-
tween Man and Fish.

In breezy article on trout-fshing in
the Outing the writer relates the expe-
rience of novice at the sport. He says:
And now the neophyte is to test his
prowess and his newly purchased tackle.
Secretly trembling at the enforced COM
parison with the casts of veteran breth-
rem of the gentle craft, conscious that
his guide waits to assign him his rank as
angler, he takes his rod in the right
hand, holding the leader, already wet,
for an instant in the left, until the back
ward sweep of the rod straightens the
line, for he wisely makes but short casts
at first.
There is nothing close to the shore,
save, perhaps, sa intrusive club. The
reel yields more line. and the cast grows
longer. How easy it looks, that Slight
motion of the rod which sends the line
flying backward until it straightens out
we'll up into the air, returning obedicnt
to the easy forward movement of the rod,
and uncoiling above the water, until
leader and flies drop gently on the sur
face. The current sweeps the flies lit
tie downward. Then the leader straight
ems itself, and the flies, drawn easily
across tempting eddies and patches Of
dark water, leave a tiny wake behind.
Then suddenly the tension of suspense
is broken by a splash and glimpse of a
dark form just behind the strrtchcr fly.
The reopythe strikes somewhat ner-
vously, do doubt, but flies and leader
come dancing back alone into his very
face. His speech is plain and emphatic.
His excitement is not soothed by the
guides "Thar's no fool of trout;
But the guide does not confne him
self to words. He straightens out line
and leader, marks down the exact spot of
the rise and says: "Cast over him again,
sir. You've stirred him up" Once
more the line is gradually lengthered un-
til the flies skim the water over the very
place. One cast is perhaps fruitless.
The angler bitterly curses his failure to
hook his fish on the first rise.
Meantime the trout. agitated by the
appearance of these morsels just above
his head. piqucd perhaps by his own fail
ure to comfort his gluttonous appetite
with dainty tid-bit, is balancing him
self over hard, sandy, bottom, his fins
slowly tanning the water, his keen eyes
turned expectantly upward. Once more
these Turing flies dance across the water.
There is sudden movement of the broad
tail, quick rush upon the prey, which
gives an instanr's glimpse of dark mottled
black and cleaning vermillion spots at
the surface, and then the cheat betrays
itself.
The angler, every sense on the alert,
strikes quick and hard. and a heavy re-
sistance to tine bending. quivering rod
tells that the hook is driven home. The
palate of the trout is tickled by no choice
morsel, but instead there is sting Of
mortal agony. Downward through the
clear water darts the fish, carrying that
burning pain, while, on the shore, the
anglers reel sings cheerily rs in derislon.
"You've hooked him well, sir. Now
buckle yer rod to him" exclaims the
guide.
A fair and honorable duel has begun.
On one side an eight-ounce rod, thread
of silk, an almost invisible strand OF gut,
directed by human brain; on the other,
the strength and cunning of a powerful
maddened trout. A little below are dan
gerous rapids. If the fish bolts into the
strong current and down the rapids,
there is chance that he may free him-
self, and at best the neophyte must leap
over the rocks or founder through the
shadows in hot pursuit.
There is reason in the guides advice.
s:Buckle yer rod to him" The rod is
kept up we'll that all tie strain of its
spring may be felt by the fish. At each
wild rush there is heard the music of the
reel, but the line is reeled back whenever
a chance offers, and the trout kept to the
stiller water as persistently as lhe angler
dares. And now there is silence.
The fish is sulking at the bottom,
shaking his head from time to time in
vicious bulldog fashion, seeking to shake
out the wounding hook, or to rub it out
against stone. A turn or two of the
reel brings harder strain to bear, and
there comes rush which nothing seems
to check. The lengthening line cuts into
the white water, and is swept downward
as the fish is hurried away by the cur
rent.
"Snub him" shouts the guide, and
taking in all the line he dares, the neo.
phyte brings all possible strain to bear,
until the rod bends perilously and every
thing is taut. A critical moment, this,
for if you ''snub" your fish too suddenly
or too hard, in strong current, his loss
may not be the greatest of your disasters.
Rather coax him firmly, yet with moder-
alton, relaxing your severest strain when
the weight of water begins to tell.
Now, aided by friendly back set, the
trout has emerged from the foaming
water, and the anglers suspense becomes
more tolerable.
Who can explain the exquisite fascina
tion of such struggle? 1t is almost af-
fcction that the true fisherman feels for
his gallant victim, and yet the escape of
that victim from death would we'll nigh
break the anglers heart. The two are
in close, fairly electric communion
through this delicate tackle. The moods
of the fish are clearly read by the brain
behind the rod.
When each succeeding rush grows
shorter and fecbler when now and then
there comes glimpse of white, as side
flecked with gold is turned up now. that
brain begins to compose pnan of vic
tory. The plucky trout is nearly done
for. His strength has turned to weak
ness, and his free. wild life in the clear
Rangeley waters is drawing to an end.
Fainter and fainter grow his struggles,
as the line. steadily reeled in. draws him.
swaying from side to side. toward the
shallow water where the guide awaits him,
md tho rnnshns Of the landing net cut