The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-29
FLY FISHING PLENTIFUL.
Sportsmen Can Find Many Game FISH
in Savannah Waters.

Sportsmen Can Find Many Game Fish
in Savannah Waters.
Fly fishing: which is considered the
acme of sport in the fishing line, is com
comparatively new sport around Sayan.
nah, but recent experiments in this direc-
ton show that there is no reason why it
cannot be INDUCED in with success by any
spOrtsmen who are looking for pleasure
Of this kind.
There is no doubt but that it is the fad
OF the day with the sportsmen, but it has
not been many months since it was first at
tempted by the spOrtsmen of Savannah.
Nor has it taken them long to discover
that there are numerous fish in Savannah
waters that will rise to a fly, and fish,
too, that are of as gamy disposition as
can be found anywhere.
The black bass which is common in the
fresh waters around this section is known
as game fish. and heretofore has been
caught with live bait. Spinners and
spoons have also been tried and also an
piece of red flannel sewed on small
hook with short, strong line and a
heavy rod 1t has been found, however,
that this fish will readily rise to fly and
he is favoTite with the sportsmen.
The black bass is known by many as
trout. There are other fish found in the
fresh waters which are equally as game
as this one. They are those known under
the general name of sun fish. Those found
in this section are known as blue Dream,
rec, breasted perch Yarmouth and the cal
leo bass, which is also a species of perch
All these fish will rise to the fly and many
OF them have been caught in this way by
the well-known sportsmen of this city
The iiieS used are similar to those used in
salmon and brook trout fishing The
idea is TO represent something very
much like a butterfly made of feathers of
various colOrs 1t is said by many author
ities on the subject that there is much
science required in fly fishing in order to
tell what kind of fly to use for a certain
kind of fish at a certain time of the year.
1t IS said, too that the color to be used
depends great deal on the state of the
weather. The local sportsmen, however,
say that it is almost altogether a matter
of trial and observation, as a fish will bite
one kind of fly one day and will not touch
it the next.
1t has been found well, however, to
vary the color Of the fly in accordance
with the color of the water where the
fishing is done. In the waters, colored by
the red Savannah river water light
colOred flies have the preference, while in
the swamp waters, which are of a clearer
color, brightly colored flies are used.
The color of the fly, too, is varied with
the state of the weather, and on this ac-
count it has been found well to try a
variety of flies on the same line. The
trout or black bass bite best at the
scarlet colored flies. The blue Dream and
the redbreasted perch, however, are
found to be about the best game fish in
these waters.
The fishermen here use a small silk line,
a light fly rod anda silk gut leader. II
Is Il matter of much skill to land the fish,
| as both the line and the rod are easily
broken by any usudden jerk. Sometimes
it has been found expedieDt to use three
different flies on one line, as a fish may
bite one and not another
For good hyfiishing, the fish have
to be found in tolerably shallow
water, as in deep water they
very rarely come to the surface
for the fly. Flyfshing here is
most successful in the rice field canals
which open into the Savannah river, as
| these waters are still and shallow ano
they are also the best breeding grounds
for the varieties of fish mentioned