Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-11
TIME TO TAKE TROUT.
Only Two More Days of Grace Left
for the Speckled Beauties,
THE SEASON OPENING TUESDAY.
Peculiarities of tie Fish That Is So Hard tC
Get and Good to Eat.
ANGLERS wHVyE CAUGHT MANY OF En-

eel, he is unclean, having no scales. 1t is
evident that in Egypt, where Moses got his
bringing-up, there were no trout, or he
would have made an exception in his dietetic
regulations to their detriment. From the
10Th inst. until July 15 trout may be taken
with hook and line, but they are protected
from wholesale takers who operate with the
seine, and this protection amounts to consid-
cradle, as their taking is science which only
enthusiasts can master.
April 1 opens the season in New York
State, but this season it will not greatly de-
populate the trout, as he is not overly hun
cry until tempted by the wanton sunburst
which even 90 south has not been ardent
this spring. In this State no person is al
lowed to catch speckled trout with anything
save rod, hook and line, under penalty OF
$25, and he cannot use these implements on
Sunday under like penalty. They may be
caught otherwise for the purposes Of propa-
CATION, however.
In the Eastern part of the State on most trout
brooks the closed season lasts through this
year, and in some counties two years, as peo,
Pile are not allowed to fish in the denuded
streams until the fry placed in them have
attained three years growth, but on the
Western slope of the Alleghenies most Of
the brawling mountain brooks are open, as
the stocking was done several years ago, and
the streams were never fshed out as in the
East.
Trout Fishers of Allegheny County.
There are no trout worth speaking of in
this county, and consequently not. many
trout fishers. W. 6. Schirmer, pharmacist,
states that he doesn't know of more than 30
all told in these two cities, and he is an
enthusiastic angler who had rather pull Out
a we'll sized speckled beauty than eat spring
chicken and wafies. He and other enthu-
siasts will, in course of few years, be able
to take their favorite in most streams
adaptable ior trout culture in the State, as
in Lancaster county alone over loo, 900 fry
were distributed. Last year Mr.. Demuth also
put into the Conestoga, lot of croppie,
rock bass. calico bass and wall-eyed pike,
locally called Susquehanna salmon, and
some black banded sunish. There
does not seem to have been as much energy
displayed by the Fish Commission in the
western end of the State, but J. w. Hogue,
Fish Warden, is makiug a strong fight to
succeed Mr.. Long, and if he gets there, there
may be expected to be stirring of dry
bones, as Hogue is an enthusias twho works
with his sleeves rolled up.
Fishing for Trout Science.
Trout fishing is a science, and differs ma
terially from that of fishing for bull heads,
which anyone can catch if he be willing to
risk wounding from their spines, though
there are some people who exhibit skill in
catching the latter without hooks. They tie
the bait on the end of line, and when the
bull head or catfish pulls they draw him
gently within an inch or two of the surface
of the water, and then with a spasmodic
twitch, accompanied by considerable muscu-
lar effort, land him on the shore. This sys-
tenn requires dexterity that only comes
through practice. If the fsh's nose is al
lowed to come to the surface before the twist
of the wrist necessary to land him, he lets
90 and goes back into his element
Mr.. Schirmer, who is a successful trout
taker, says he Las no theory to PROFOUND
He states that he gets trout by sneaking up
on them like snake if necessary, but he is
inclined to indorse the method of Judge
Sutton, of Indiana county, who is supposed
to know more of the art than did old Izaak
Walton. Judge Sutton wears rubber suit,
or did some years age, that enables him to
wade to his, armpits if necessary. He starts
at the head of a brook and meanders
lesurely down stream, casting his fly ahead.
His success has been great, and some say it
is because the trout does not see up stream
very well.
How the Fish Is Usually Taken.
Mr.. Schirmer, however. thinks it is be-
cause the bait floating down does not appear
suspicious, as 1t does if the angler throw it
up stream, as the latter operation requires
more exertion, and is liable to discompose
the fish, which expects his prey to float
down stream, as it usually travels that way.
Mr. Schirmer states that he never had any
pronounced success fishing for trout with
flies but gets them with both feet with worm
bait, and he does not appear to have any
especial preference among worms. Mr.
Schirmer enters his protest against the law
which provides that bass shall not be taken
before June 1, as he says they afford no
sport after the time set and the taking OF
them in May would not interfere with spawn
ing.
Captain William NJ. Dalgleish, veteran
angler, who regards the trout as the only
PENNSYLVANIA fish worthy of the ambition of
an ichthyologist, says that, added to ordi-
nary gumption and experience, it is neces-
sary to take into consideration the state OF
the weather, and give the speckled beauties
a varied menu. Though they like flies, it
must be understood that they don't want
them as a steady diet, as the trout has a
dainty palate and wants variety. Captain
Dalgleish says that after a heavy shower
millions of flies are knocked down into the
brooks. The trout gorge themselves, and
the day following they must be offered a
change, or they will turn up their aristo-
1 loif fo, h,
nap. In such cases something in the way OF
dessert must be offered, and it is we'll to be
provided not only with flies, but with
worms in various colors.
Particular as to Their Food.
Once, up in Ligoner. the Captain states
that he was out with a large party, and they
fshed for an hour or two in large pool.
The trout paid no attention to flies, and they
tried worms. He was the only one of the
party who, at the start, could get bite.
After ne had drawn out half dozen the
party wanted to see his bait. They had
white grub-worms, large angle worms, mis-
cellaneous worms, bugs, etc., but nothing
that tempted the palate ofthe trout. 1t was
found that Captain Dalgleish had been bait
ing with bright red worm so thin that it
had but little more capacity than sufficient
to hide the hook. The party skirmished
until it had provided itself with the same
kind of bait, and the result was that over 100
large-sized fish were taken out of that pool.
While the trout is scarcely known in this
county, it is plenty in Westmoreland, Fay
ette, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset and Clear
field counties, and, in fact, in all the noun
tain counties where the brooks have not
been exhausted. The main trouble is that
the streams are fshed so persistently that
after few days in each season there are no
fish left large enough to be worth angling
tor Tho naorast ,,laoae for uood snort are