Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-07-14
A Chapter on Game Fish.
How THE FIssr TRIBE MAY BE LURED FROM
THE WATERS.

THE WATERS.
The most beautiful thing in human nature
I think, is the answering fidelity with which
every man will cling to the idea that he know
how to fish. man who fiddles a little vii
hesitate to scrape a gut after Remenyi OIL
Wilhelm. and most men who shoot with bott
eyes shut will acknowledge that they are moi
crack gunners; but give chump rod
which ten TO one he will call ''pole"-givs
him line and hook and a box of worms
and he will take bee line for the lake with
the confidence of one who knows all about IL
and will resent as deadly insult any attempt
al advice or suggestion. Nevertheless the
chump has hard time He will tell .ou
that he can go out with a bean pole and
worms and catch more fish than the expert
with hi. dainty tackle, but away. down in his
heart he knows he is lying and his string
never bears him witness.
The chump is a fsherman-that is. man
who catches or tries to catch fish. If wanted
TO be fisherman | should get seine or sci
out 200 or 300 trot lines and be done with it.
/ should not go fooling around with stick
and a string for measly pickerei or two.
three or four perch, or mess OF suckers.
like angling. To angle means to take delicate
tackle, study the habits Of game fishes, lure
them TO the hook, pit your skill again their
willy maneuyres and mad PUSHES, land them
scientifically, put them Immediately out Of
pain, and feel that the contest, take 1t all IN
all, has been nearly equal. This is sport.
The rough hauling IN Of small fish hand
over hand on a clothes line is butchery.
The game fishes most familiar to our in
land waters are the brook trout, the black
bass, and the pike. Land-locked salmon are
found in some waters and are being rapidly
introdu ed, but are as vet infrequent. The
striped bass, which ranks next to the salmon
as a fighter. runs up many of our rivers to
spawn, notably the Potomac and Delaware,
where he may be captured in March aud
April in waters rushing like mill race, but
he soon returns to salt water, in connection
with which | shall speak of him hereafter.
Pickerel and perch are hoodlum fishes, Loaf
ing around to steal bait, but. of no value to
the sportsman. The lake trout is large and
strong fish and first cousin Of the Jeweied
bro prince. but somehow, bv comparison, l
suppose, is not favorite among the knights
of the fly. The salmon is lord of all game
6sht s, and may return again to our waters in
plenty, but at present he is in Canada with
the other millionaires, and proposes to stay
there.
loved of anglers The first, most scientific,
and arttul is by the fly. Casting the artificial
fy Is like PLAYING billiards it is easy to learn
the rudlments, but only the gifted few reach
the golden round of excellence, and there is
always room for improvement. 1t is impos-
sible to learn the motion by written rule; the
only way is to get some experienced angler to
show you and then practice yourself. But
there are points it is well to know, and these
relate to the rod and tackle.
The rod should be light and willowy, taper
ing so as to form curve like trajectory
when under strain-that is, it should curve
from butt to tip If it describes parabola
don't buy it: the second joint is wea6. A
serviceable greenheart or Lakewood fly rod.
10 feet long and 9 ounces in weight, capable
of handling the largest trout or black bass,
can be obtained from first-class maker for
from Sc to SO Get one on which the fer
rules are either plain brass or German silver
Nickle plate is shoddy and soon wears. Sc
that it has solid steel plate, or the swelling
of the wet butt will lock the reel and cause
you to forget the third commandment. Avoid
rod too frequently whipped with silk be-
tween the guides. Straight grained wood
needs no whipping. Betnabsra is an excel
lent material, but tr;tie heavy.
If you can afford it, get split bamboo rod
and get the best. A split bamboo is made OF
six strips of selected cane carefully fitted and
whipped 1t is light and springy, elegant and
graceful. the ideal rod for fly fishing. Get
the best. A cheap split bamboo deceives the
eye, but will ruin your salvation in less time
than three card monte. The best maker:
charge from S25 to S35 for their rods, and
they are worth the money. and will last a life
time with proper care. For trout and black
bass n seven-ounce split bamboo is thorough
ly safe for even tyro-not for chump-
but practiced angler can take tour-ounce
Leonard and land a five pound bass with ease
The Kineo Trout Club casting for the large
Moosehead trout, use split bamboos under five
ounces in weight Remember, too, not to gel
an imported rod Our New York makers beat
the English on their own ground in both rod:
and lines, and took first prizes at the Fisher.
les Exposition.
There il only one line to be used in fly fish
ing, and that is the tapered polished water.
proof silk line. You cast by the weight OF
the line, hence line made heavy with the
waterproof compound has more momentum
to carry the flies forward. From 80 to &c
yards are all you will need for trout or bass
Size ID is my favorite, being light enough for
delicate rod and heavy enough to cas-,
against a moderate wind.
Leaders should be selected with great nice
~, and carefully tested. Mist-colored gut is
to be preferred. For large trout or bass a
leader should bear at least a two-pound pull
against a spring balance. A weak leader
gets more fishermen in trouble with the re-
cor6ing angel than strong drink. Leaders for
bass or trout should be six feet long, to be
used with two flies, though beginners should
use yard leader and one fly. Get single
leaders only. A leader is to keep the fish
from tracing the deadly relati IN between the
fly and the line, and double or twisted lead
ers are worse than none at all
The only reel for fly fishing is the single
action plain click-the lighter the better
hence | prefer one with rubber panels
good click reel costs from 81 up The cheap.
er grades are not economical. Screws viii
come out aud the click will break or wear
and often the casualty comes when you have
big fish on, and you thus depart from the
narrow path of righteousness for the sake o
a couple of dollars. The click is to keep the
line from rendering as you cast, offer resist
snce enough as you strike to enable you Il
hook your fish, and discourse sweet music
when corker gets on and tries to run witt
your tackle to Jerusalem.
Take bit of good advice and select your
ties with discretion, and get typical breeds
There are about 800 varieties catalogued
but with a dozen species you are abundant,
supplied. For trout, brown and gray hack