The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-07-07
THE TALLER TROUT.
A Lusty Denizen OF Southern Mng-
lish WAterA
How the Fish Got rte Peculiar Name-lt
IL Very voracions and Not ~
All Particular - TO
Its Food.

I'm several OF the shallow and slow
flowing streams of the south of Eng
land-notably tho upper waters OF tho
Lea, tho Vcr, nnd the Mimram, oil
Hertfordshirc strcams--thc taller" Ia
we'll known to the cxaspcratcd dryhy
fisherman. "And what on earth Is the
'tailer'?" the angler not acquainted
with these and other similar waters
may inquire without shame.
The taller" says the Poll Mall Bud
get, may be best described as rather
gross feeder, destitute Of the artistic
instinct and the culture which the dry
fly fisherman associates with the
trout that can only be taken by an
exact imitation OF natural fly. II is
called a taller" because, when It's
head is plunged into the weeds in pur-
suit of freshwater shrimp, its tail
breaks the surfnce of the stream and
waves in the air. At the commence
ment Of the fishing season the ''tail-
Ing" trout is usually very busy, and
very observable in several famous riv-
ers AT this season of the year the
larger fish are, us rule, in Indifferent
or In absolutely bad condition; they
arc exceedingly hungry after the ex-
haustion of spawning operations, and
are consequently not in the humor to
waste time on an occasional small
olive dun, or some other insignificant
fly. Water-shrimp is fat and appe-
tizing, and in many streams exceed.
ingly plentiful. 1t is not surprising,
therefore, that it forms the staple dish
of trout, which the pangs Of hunger In
the early spring assail almost unceas-
ingly. In early June the big trout
will cschew water-shrimp for May-fy,
and later on in the season, when they
are in fine condition, will feed with be-
fitting daintiness.
1t is not much use, rs a rule, fishing
up stream with II "dry" over taller. I"
Tho fish Is SO cngrossed in its pig-lilse
operations among the weeds that II
treats with contempt solitary little
dun endeavoring to tickle its nose.
The best lure for tailor" Is big and
CANDY alder, flshcd down stream with
in few inches of the fish, and worked
like salmon fly. At such q lure O
"tailer" will come sometimes with O
fierce dash, that brings the heart oi
the angler right into his throat. The
writer had the pleasure of landing Q
five-pound trout, hooked by FRIEND
in this manner in Hertfordshirt
stream on an early spring evening. A
much heavier trout, "tniling" under
the bank in On awkward place, va.
afterwards assailed, and pricked sev
eral times, but In vain.
A taller" is often difficult to scare
and even when actually risen ant
priclsed will rcco,nmcnce feeding In ,
few minutes, oblivious of danger. Ths
position Of the Ash. its head buried IL
the weeds and it's tail waving like {
flag in the air, naturally renders 4
easy to approach and difficult to alnrn
on such occasions. Moreover, taller
seems to riot in It's rather nasty meal
The water-shrimp glut takes posses
sion Of the big fish as completely as tn
May-hy glut
What creature tho taller" takes tn
big alder, flshed In tho manner dc
scribed, to DO Is very uncertain. Som
few people assert that fish tolsc o O.
under such conditions not from INC
tives Of hunger 80 much as OF ange
mingled with curiosity. But practica
anglers and naturalists laugh at sue
fantastic theories. No doubt the trou
takes the alder as tho salmon takes tn
silver doctor-because 1t looks good t
eat. But what particular food IL
mistaken for remains mystery.