The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-13
MAY TRoUTTNG IN THE SNOW.
a Backvnoods Tradition Destroyed by . sports.
man who Finhed In an Icy stream.

man who F1nhed In an Icy stream.
IL wadedt through snow once up to my knees
to fish for trout said a New York sportsman.
and it was the middle Of May at that, and not
more than half a days journey from New York.
The stream was in tho Pocono Mountains, and
had gone there on purpose to enjoy some early
fishing. l got to the little backwoods village at
night and woke next morning to find n cold
northeast rainstorm on hand, and when l in
quired for a guide to go with me to the stream
the landlord Of the tavern looked at me as II he
thought l was crazy.
"You amt goin' 10 try to ketch trout to-day.
DO you = he asked. why. you can't git no
fish worms yit, and the woods is full O. snow
and the creeks has got ice on en-
~ don't want any worms / replied. smiling
at the thought. i fish with n fly l didn't be-
lieve his talk about snow and ice.
but trout won't jump at a fly yit,' the land
lord insisted. You've got to have worms
Il insisted on going to the creek. and he went
out and got n strapping big native to act as
guide. The guide himself was staggered at the
idea of a mans thinking of going out on such n
day. with the streams in the condition they
were alleged to be. to fish for trout. without
worms for bait, but no at last agreed to go on
my paying him SO and finding him in rum. and
we started. l found out from the guide on our
way to the creek that the local angler in the
trouting regions OF northern Pennsylvania was
always ready for action in the streams with
his bait and tackle as soon as the law al
lows fishing. and. IL the conditions were IA
vorable. he was ready a week or so
before. He used the worm not because
he could not cast the fly, but because from
time out Of mind he had stubbornly chung to the
belief that trout would not rise or jump, as he
expressed 1t. to the fly so long as there was snow
- T. A. ..-..t A. $780, L..
sorts had appeared on them. The mountain re-
gion through which the streams OF that part Of
northeastern Pennsylvania now was so APT to
been a rare thing for sportsmen from. the cities
to risk the discomforts and uncertainties OF n
visit TO II before May, although. the legal open
ing Of the season was on April l.. For this rea:
son the streams had been left to the inroads OF
the local angler. with his pole and worm, for
anything to alter his belief that trout would not
Jump to ma m. under ! ne ihin conditions "a rorr sme ,bn, nid.
time idea, and to show the native sportsman
that he didn't know as much about trout as he
I'VE arrived at the brook about o O'Clock In the
morning. 1t was in good condition rs 70 guam
when I saw that the story about the snow and
the ice e w M only sS9 trT Tho d II WIS the lG q, n
angler never yet saw much promise OF an en-
joyable days sport whilo tying on his flies
standing nearly up TO his knees in snow. and
ringing Il It as far as the eye could see. especially
II one OF the coolest and most penetrating OF
transforms was pclting furiOusly down upon
him. My guide tried to induce me to return 10
the shelter OF the tavern at once, but / had
travelled moro than 100 miles TO enjoy some
early May %trOuting, and ! was bound to enjoy
it-at least ! Was bound to have 1t.
"Well, l ilshcd that creek more than n mile
and IA half, and caught seventy trout. But,
bah! Ii was Just like catching suckers, pulling
them out. ] wouldn't have cared for the discom-
fort OF the days fishing II only the trout had
been capable of acting up to their nature. I
caught ono trout that was fifteen inches long.
but he had so little fight In him that l had no
idea ho was OF more than ordinary Size until l
landed him. The trout took the fly with so
little animation that, sometimes wouldn't
ing from any effort the trout would make. Out
Of one pool, on the bank above which was the re-
mains OF u nowdrift that reached nearly to my
waist, l stood and took fifteen trout, one after
tho other, like SO many sticks. Then l quit in
disgust. and rejOined my guide. who had gone
to a bark peelcr's cabin near by md built II roar
ing fire in the fireplace.
when VIC got back to tho tavern we found a
group OF woOdsmen. and / had hard work Ia
CONVINCE them that i had caught my trout with
a fly. The evidence of the guide alone estab
lishcd my declaration. But that experience cured
me OF a desire to enjoy early trouting in such a
region as that. | have been there many times
since, hut never before the LIST OF June. But / find
that the idea thar trout will not jump at the fy
while there is snow water in the creek no longer
prevails among the natives up there, and they
no longer wait until the ground is SO they car
dig worms before they go out to fish. So I'm q
little sorry ] destroyed that pet belief"