The San Francisco call., 1895-05-18

not much OF an art, but those who have
made it study think very differently.
An angler may be so far advanced as to
cast tolerably nice fly, but unless he has
had considerable experimentation can
be attained only through years of prac-
tice--he will find that after whipping
three or four miles of a stream his catch
will not compare with that of an expert
who has followed in his footsteps over
the same stretch of water. If he
should ask the question of his
more fortunate brother angler who
was handicapped by following up how such
a difference in their baskets could pos
them had used the same flies, etc, the
"follower-up" will say, elf he will": Ny
dear boy, you cast very pretty fly,
will admit; but you neglected to study the
water and the places where the fishes
hide. Your flies foated over waste
ground, while mine dropped under over
hanging banks and limbs, where Mr..
Trout can always be seen during feed
ing hours, watching and waiting for his
quarry"
Yes, there is much more required of an
angler than perfection in hy-casting to in
veigle cunning and lazy old denizen of
the brook from his summers residence.
The condition of the water must first be
taken into consideration, then again the
w
found among the trees must be initiated as
closely as possible. If the day is bright
and warm trout that are feeding will be
found in the ripples near the head of a
deep pool, and as evening approaches the
largest fish generally drop down to the
end of the pool, where the water is shallow
and placid.
1t is quite amusing to hear some men,
who are supposed to know something
about fiy-fshing, tell you of the great sue
cess they had on the ''gray hackle," ''red
hackle," "black hackle," etc. Why, if an
order came to a fy-dresser for a dozen
gray hackle or red hackle flies, so called,
he would be at his wits end to know what
kind of fly the sender actually desired.
A red hackle, for instance, may appear
over red, black. yellow or white body.
Then, again, the wing may be of different
colors so as to initiate divers kinds OF
insects, and there may be no wing needed
for that matter.
If the desired fly or flies cannot be named
according to their given title, anglers, when
sending for ''killers," should mention as
near as possible the color of the wing, BODY
and legs of the flies, inhabitants of the
river or stream they intend to whip.
As Jimmy Watt was plowing through
the rippling waters of Paper-miii Creek q
few days ago in the vain endeavor to catch
trout OF a size larger than five inches, he
WdS dCCoStcu Ny oil EdStern gentleman who
had grown tired and weary of returning
ingerlings to their element.
whats your luck, sir2" asked the
stranger.
..Oh, pretty good, pretty good" was the
quick rejoinder of Mr.. Watt. Gust take a
peep into this basket, my friend, and see
for yourself
Mr.. Watt, who is probably better known
as the Doc, was all smiles as he gently
raised the lid of his imported creel. He
expected to hear the stranger remark,
Gracious, what beautiful basket of fish !''
but such was not the case, however.
The Eastern angler drew back in abject
disgust and astonishment when he had
feasted his eyes on the mess of sprats, and
looking the Doc in the face, said: 81 am
surprised, sir, that gentleman of your
appearance would pollute his basket with
so many little ingerlings. have returned
to the creek, my dear sir. many fry OF
larger size than your largest fish. By the
way what do you call them?''
The Docs smile had departed and his
eagle eyes flashed fire.
What do | call them, Ell? Steelheads,
sir, steelheads: and if you knew anything