Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-18
T,,o s,.AKrro RE CAUGHT.

A Willy old Trout Laughs At Anglers
 and Scorns the Most Tempting
 Flies.
 CANADENs1s, Pa., May 16.-A score of mountain streams flow into common brook mile above Spruce Cabin Falls and then come tumbling to the falls in perfect tor rent and dash over it into the deep pool be- low. The waters find their way then through wilderness of bush and wind in and out for miles and miles. In one of the deepest pools near the falls there turks a trout that is model for beauty and size.
 The water is as clear as glass when the
 weather has been fine for few days and the outlines of the speckled beauty can be plaiE- ly seen. Judging his size through the de- captive water he is fifteen inches long, and so bold is he that an angler can walk up the stream within twenty feet of his home and throw fly right over his nose without
 alarming him in the least. He has evident- ly lived through many trout seasons and braved dangers enough to make 1t clear that no artificial fly will ever be the means or landing him. His fame has spread among the local anglers, and many man ln this little hamlet has started out with the deter
 imitation of catching the big fellow, but every attempt has proved futile. The pool in which the beauty lives is in rather portion of the brook and in an extremely desolate spot even for this lonely place.
 An angler who brides himself on his skill went out yesterday with dazzling assort- ment of flies and determined to have the old veteran of the brook for supper. Re had heard SO much of the ignominious failure of ether able anglers who had tried it that he went forth alone, so as to have no witnesses if he was beaten. Softly he crept through the brush and entered the brook hundred yards below the old fellows lurking place.
 With stealthy steps he forged his way along until he came near enough to get full view of the.pool. There, right in the center of it, poised half way between the bottom and the surface, was the coveted prize. He was motionless, save for an occasional 6irt of his tail or perceptible culver of a fin. His pug nacious snout, and quick, bead-like eyes, were clearly seen, and the angler breathlessly licked his flies up the stream and let them drop several yards above the pool. These flies had been carefully selected, with due regard for the season, and they were all so dark that when they touched the water they were near enough the color of it to induce confidence.
 The angler brought them down toward the
 pool in little skips and saw them pass over
 the old fellows head without attracting the slightest attention from him. Again were they sent up the brook and brought down in gentle jerks, but the clear cut figure of the trout was motionless. Once again the angler ! tried it and this time he got strike. He played his fish tenderly and after landing | it he looked into the pool and was embar- | rasssd to find that the big trout had reversed his position and was now headed down the brook with his saucy eyes and snout pointing straight at the angler. This embarrassed him very much and when he had made uE his mind that the fish was laughing at him he determined upon Q desperate move.
 He crspt into thick tangle of bush and I removing his flies from the line replaced l them with three small hooks. A short ! search under rocks and logs resulted ir | finding a number of fat worms. Inwardly praying that no one would detect him in ! this unsportsmanliks act of fishing fol \ trout with worms he fastened split shot on his line and then worked over the hooks the choicest worms he had. Stepping back to the brook he ficked his hooks up to | the pool and then dropped them in. Tine \ shot carried them down until they were \ right in front of the old fellows nose. Il | was a moment of intense excitement for the | angler, for he was sure the bsit would prove ! too attractive for the willy old chap. The re- verse was the fact. The trout wagged his \ tail and lazily moved around each one of the I worms, sniffng at them ss he went. Then he | would back little and become almost mo- { tionless again.
 This satisfied the angler that the old fel- low wasn't hungry, sand to prove this he drew the worms from his hooks and threw { touched the water before the old fish, with 8 \ lightning dart, gobbled them up and then, ! resuming his old position, gazed in seornful | and dreamy way at the angler. The old vet- eran is still in the pool, and those who think they can catch him arc welcome to try.