The sun., 1897-03-21
FLY ROD CROSBY OF MAINE.
a CHAT WITH THE HOST EXPERT OF
WOMEN EL1- CASTERS.

Cornclia T. crosby, Shc WIS OlR drawing caro-
at the sportsmen = Exhibition that closed at tho
Madison Square Garden last night Every old
Rangeley soJourncr who visitol the show felt II
his pleasant dnty TO call her and her escort OF
guides at the MSino camp, and she had lot OF
fresh 1sh stories 10 tell thorn.
Miss Crosby is tho most expert woman fiy
caster in the world. She halls from the woods
Of Maine and she Is proaid OF it She says that
she Ia glad that she was born In the country and
always stayed there. Ono moro week OF tho
show would have about finish cd her; and yet
sho thinks nothing Of trnmping twenty miles In
n day through her nativewilds in the hope Of find.
ing an undiscovered pond or bring down deer
with her rifle. When 1t comes 10 interviewing
her, her friend the trout isn't in 1t with her as
regards elusivcncss. She rpther brir KS to mind
the slippery eel She Is hero and thero and
yonder speaking to this person and that and tho
other, and II the interviewer catches her at all
It has to be on the fly.
"Did catch many big a sh last sumincrl" sho
said, in her quick, snappy way, as she actually
sat down for n few mnutev. well, had
very successful summer. though 1 did not fish
us usual. Truth to tell, don'tNgo In so much for
big fish as for big numbers. l mado some trc-
mendous records last summer. No, no. now,
shan't tell them. because people would only
laugh and say, Something fishy about those
called here at the camp and said:
"'AIiss Fly Rod, 1 want to take my hat or TO
you
'What for = said /.
ooh YOU don't remember me- he answered,
but wns at Loon Lake Camp on the Rangeleys
last summer and carly one morning you came in
with guide carrying thirty-two trout that you
had taken in thirty.two minutes. all on the fly.
helped to cat EN-
"'Of course l took 'em on the fy. for
wouldn't fish with anything else but a iy.' re-
tortcd, and he laughed and passed on.
"The largest trout took last season weighed
five pounds and two ounces Size, however, has
fully ats yanking a fish as fast you can
cast fly that makes angling the greatest st. sport
claimed, and was of like. sky rocket toarrange
somsthng With some some Of , her :, guides ; ,,,on .,o
returned. "oh, Yes, 1 know, was going to say
h ns iey 70 s hn s sn s
Board OF Fish Commissioners in our State, ana
they have been making specially OF hsh CPL
creasing their supply Of trout and salmon to a
very great extent through protection and re-
Ave years ago lakes Maranacook and ,Cobosse-
heI na ohfG sa
anywhere in the state.
MANY private hatcherics are maintained by
uals, and all these are working in harmony with
the Commissioners for the general promotion OF
Then again, IN AroostooE county, which is
larger than the State OF Massachusetts, there
are many M p1nas @ nna sKss so IN 1sa a
only woman who has ever angled in many of our
ponds and lakes in the wilds, and know about
these things. Nobody need have any fear but
notch"
men to learn to cast a ,fyi" asked the inter.
viewer, Miss Crosby began to look around
!e Oh, hi hundreds. She answered and then modi-
1t ,c any
wealthy New York women. saw great many
more women fishing last summer than ever
hadn't been for me- they ~ would never
have taken to it: Lots Of men got me
The Want % the "s there s %
welcome. The men hall them with delight and
meet meet them en- on & the M footing Of chums s Do you
feet on men and women. A true sportsman-not |
q sporting man, mind you-is always gentle
mer Is largo, but ! don't know many sporting |
men. The sportsmen glad that women are |
mth as!
Mount Holyoke last summer and all we're en-
"Do women make good anglers meni I |
think when weman loves the woods she Is
even more devoted to the life than a man. be-
thing: II q woman is a real angler she never
tires. and she can catch just as many fish as a
she never tires il she is dressed properly. Tho
trouble about sportswomen is that they don't
wer h
and winter. black tights, short skirt,
high,laced boots with thick soles and low. broad
latter. believe in comfort, solid comfort. Now
most sportswomen are silly about their feet. I'm
six boot. Pride doesn't affect q real sports
woman. Do you know what think Common
sportsmen. or sportswomsn. or whatever
you call em are rapidly inSsreasng mere in
Fight II and dress THy cdmo4t
ablyi I hate society. It's false. That's tho
tp love the woods TIE people meet
you when they wish you were at home. II they
don't want you around they tell you to make
are sincere and honest"
Can the average woman keep cool and eX- |
hibt the necessary nerve when she hooks big
trout T. asked the interviewer as Miss Crosby re-
c9 cear the that
Indeed she can, answered the expert indig-
nantly. 1T doesn't take any nerve to begin
with, and its rare thing to sec 'TOman sports
man who isn't level lheaded and cool when cast |
ing flies. Women have more perseverance and
act like fools in tho woods. There was II time |
when they thought 1t was horrid, and said was
have s Gat Il I'm spone ! a1S
doctors practice. |
"a had great sport with some women in the
woods last year." she went on, laughing merrily |
at the thought of 1t. II was at Moose Head |
Lake. There was gentleman there from this
city who had been very kind to me- One day ho
came mp and said:
Fly Rod, ] want you to do me big favor
play.
"' want yon to get my wife into the woods
he cOnhded. I'm crazy for her to become good |
sportsman. It's so much jollier for fellow TO
have his wife In the game. too. Now you per- |
spade her and her two friends to go with us into
the woods for day or two
"Wen, promised TO try. and did. All three |
women were very wealthy and very cranky.
First they would go, then they wouldn't, and |
nnAly they agreed that they would, and the time |
for our departure WAS ixed OF course, they had |
never me- spent night in the woods IN their lives.
long, .silk-lined skirts, French kid boots, silk |
and lace underwear. was afraid TO
say anything for fear they would back out of |
going, / happened to reniark that would take !
"'Oh. mercy. no. won't go a foot II you do
fcreamed one Of tho women. i won't go any |
where with a rifle
"'But suppose we should meet q big bear or
want to give a sgnaf said /, trying TO scare |
her. we would need rifle