Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-18
MAY TROUTING IN THE SNOW.
A Dackwoods Tradition Destroyed by
a New York Sportsman.

New York Sportsman.
From che New York Sun
L waded through snow once up to my
knees to fish for trout said a New York
sportsman. and 1t was the middle of May
at that. and not more than half days
journey from New York. The stream was
in the Pocono mountains. and 1 had gone
there on purpose to enjoy Some early fish
ing. l got to the little backwools village
at night and woke next morning to find a
cold northeast rainstorm on hand and
when inquired for a guide to go with me
to the stream the landlord of the tavern
looked at me as if he thought 1 was crazy
You amt goin' to try to ketch trout to-
day. be you? he asked. Why. you can't
git no fish worms yit. and the woods is full
snow and the creeks has got ice on en-.
don't want any worms / replied
smiling at the thought L fish with fly
l didn't believe his talk about snow and ice
But trout won't jump a fly yit' the
landlord insisted. You've got to have
worms
Il insisted on going to the creek, and he
went out and got strapping big native to
act as guide. The guide himself was stag
gered at the idea of 4 mans thinking of
gong out on such day with the streams
In the condition they We're alleged to be- to
fish for trout. without worms for bait. but
he at last agreed to go on my paying him
- and finding him in rum and we started
found out from the guide our way to
lhe creek that the local angler in the trout
ing regions of northern Pennsylyaria was
always ready for action in the streams
with his bait and tackle as soon as tn. law
allows fishing. and. if the conditions were
favorable, he was ready a week or SO be-
fore. He used the worm not because he
could not cast the fly, but because from
time out of mind he had stubborny chung
to the belief that trout would rot rise or
jump, as he expressed it, to the fly so long
as there was snow water in the streams
nor until the natural insects had appeared
on them The mountain region through
which the streams of that part of north
eastern Pennsylvania flow was so apt to
have winter lingering with it late that it
had been rare thing for sportsmen from
the cities to risk the discornforts and un-
certainties of visit to it before May, al
though the legal opening Of the season was
On April ]. For this reason the streams
had been left to the inroads of the local
angler. with his pole and worm, for weeks
at a time, and the native had never seen
anything to alter his belief that trout
would not jump to a fly under the condi-
tons mentioned. 1t was my mission /
think, TO correct that cld-tin1e idea and to
show the native sportsman that he didn't
know as much about trout he thought
he did.
I'VE arrived at the brook about 3 O'Clock
In the morning. 1t was in good condition
as to quantity of water, but my heart sank
within me when I saw that the story about
the SHOW and the Ice was only too true
and it the 18th of May, 1888 The most
enthusiastic angler never vet saw much
promise of an enjoyable days sport while
tying on his flies standing nearly up to his
knees in snow. and gazing stream with
deep borders of ice lringinS it as far the
eye could see especially if one of the cold
est and most penetrating of transforms was
pelting furousy down upon him. Ny
guide tried to induce me to return to the
shelter of the tavern at once, but had
Travelled more than 100 miles to enjoy some
carly May trouting, and l was bound to
enjoy it-at least l was bound to have it.
We'll. | fished that creek more than
mile and half, and 1 caught seventy
trout. But. bah! 1t was just like catching
suckers, pulling them out. wouldn't have
cared for the discomfort of the days fish
ing If only the trout hal been capable of
acting up to their ;lature. l caught one
trout that was fifteen inches long, but he
had so little fight In him that had no flea
he was of more than ordinary size until
landed him. The trout took the fly with SO
little animation that sometimes l wouldn't
know that my feather had been touched
judging from any effort the trout would
make. Out of one pool. on the bank above
which were the remains of SnowdIift that
reached nearly to my waist l stood and
took fifteen trout. one after the other like
SO many sticks. Then quit in disgust, and
rejotned my guide. who had gone to bark
peeler's cabin nearby and built a roaring
fire III the fireplace.
When We got back to the tavern we
found group of wocdsmen, and had
hard work to convince them that 1 had
caught my trout with a fly. The evidence
of the guide alone established my declara-
ton. But that experience cured me of
desire to enjoy early trouting in such
region as that. 1 have been there many
times since. but never before the LIST Of
June. But find that the idea that trout
will not jump at the fly while there is snow
water in the creek no longer prevails
among the natives up there. and they no
longer waH until the ground Is so they can
dig worms before they go out to fish. So
I'm little sorry destroyed that pet be-
lief"