The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-12
UP-TO-DATE FISH STORIES.
PROMINENT MEN SPIN YARNS ABOUT
THE REEL AND LINE.

Scientific Angling, and What Is
Brought Out-Tryins Il on the Dog.
Lawyer Coudert Has been Fishing.
New York Letter in st. Louis Globe Dem
ocrat
AS I walked through the corridor Of the
Holland house the other morning. spied
Thomas Nelson Page at breakfast. AS
I Joined him I saw that he was eating
fish (they were smelts) and that column
on fishing news lay spread out before him.
You are a fisherman I see" said l,
land I want you TO tell me the story of
your first good catch"
Page hesitated, He is not a fluent talk
err, and ne is least fluent when the SUBJ
ject is himself. Il can tell you of a most
excellent adshing experience" he said,
with oneoof his droll smiles, but must
let you be the judge of the catching, you
know.
1T was in Wales spring or two ago;
and Mr. Senior, the London sporting edi-
tor, and myself had run over for weeks
sport with rod and line The FISH were
trout, and Senior had provided us with
every sort and edition of new and i'm
proved fishing apparatus.
Il have been fishing a great many times,
and have courted the flnny fellows all
over the world, but I must say that never
saw the work done with the enthusiasm
and science which Senior put upon it. I
don't care for the catching. particularly
he would say, but 1 do love to fish, With
4.
science against the instinct and cunning
of the fish. Every morning he would get
me out at 2 clock, and would drag me,
more asleep than awake, to the row boat
and would propel me to the proper spot,
where, with rod in hand. we would sit and
wait for a nibble Senior would on no ac-
count speak during these waits, but when
I would fall asleep he would gently run
one Of the patent fish hooks in me-and I
would wake up and wait for my nibble.
1T was one of these mornings, and 1
was unusually sleepy, for it was rainy
and foggy and more suggestive of feat tn
er pillows than a seat in a rowboat. But
on this DAY Senior was very enthusiasts.
We shall catch them to-day, sure" he
said and I'll show you just where. You
see the dark spot, where the water runs
ripply and looks muddy? Wen, that is
the place for the fish. They will see
place to hide, you know, and finding 1t
muddy with insects and things, they will
congregate there in great numbers. See
my Fisherman's Guide, page 260.'
so to that spot we Went; and no sooner
had the line been cast than Senior had a
bite. 1t was unmistakable; and / never
saw a man so overcome with joy. Science
did itr he kept exclaiming, as he began
verbally peculiar to get out OF the water,
and this little fellow baffied even the
science of my friend. He would
wind and wind upon his limo
and Just as the end was al
most reached there would come sudden
tug and a whir-r-and out 1t would go
spinning again. II was very exciting.
1t'H be a beauty, and no mistake, said
Senior, but l must have patience to tire
him out He's strong and clever enough
to break my rod if 1 pull him in by main
force
so we worked away. At length the
fish got tired. We could tell 1t by the way
he gave in when Senior wound the reel
for the eleventh time. We've got him
nowr he shouted, and then, with a sud
den splurge and splutter, the FISH left
the water, swung high into air and land
ed in the boat. And he was a beauty /
quite loved him, for ne was the cunning
est little minnow you ever saw. And the
hook was fast in mis- tail. Senior went
home that day broken-hearted. And my
faith in science got terrible shock"
While Page had been talking John Fox,
the young story writer and special pro-
tege of the southern writer, hard Joined us
II can tell you fishing story" said he,
that isn't such a funny one-more like
a tragedy Il happened down In Tennes-
see, and the actors were myself and a
friend
we had both been planning this 1st
Of April catch. and promptly when the
game law allowed we were at a little
fishing hamlet upon the prettiest river In
Tennessee. Ny own dress was Just
rough-and-ready--i fact my Oldest suit
but my friend went 10 for beauty. and
was adorned IN blue velvet knlckerbock-
ers, a corduroy coat, tennis shoes and a
very natty cap. ~ couTse, we had pat
ent rodf. with lashes that would bond al
right angles without brenklng.
'Bat the aFst morning a. breakfast