The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-08-10
SPEOKLED BEAUTIES,
Trout Fishing In Columbia County.

The following is taken from the
Steelton Ads'0tah of Saturday, July |
40. 1t is written over the signature
of II. w. W.:
Columbia Co., Pa, July 81, 1899.
have been sojourning in the upper |
end of this county for few weeks
past have been mistaken by great
many as candidate for some county
Office, as they are thicker than flies
have been invited to have connection
with number of these wou!d-be
Thomas Jeffersons when they and
their constituency would line up at
the hotel where have been stopping;
have helped smoke the "two fers"
have been taking in the mountain
scenery and soaking my feet in the
cold mountain streams in vain en-
deavor to beguile the many brook
trout to take the tempting fly that l
SO dexterously cast with my complete
SIS anglers outfit.
1t looks SO nice in the picture books
to see the angler with his fish basket,
rod and reel, on the bank of the trout
stream, with fish about a foot or SO
in length dangling from the end of the
line and the lid of the basket had to
be fastened down on account of its
being SO full Of the "speckled beau
ties" that is the poetical term gener-
ally used in describing trout), which
on the bank of the stream, in full
view, can be seen several more of the
"beauties"-sort of an overflow from
the basket!
When one looks at the picture he
has feeling of sympathy for the poor
fish, that the heartless fisherman
should be allowed to so wantonly
waste them The picture is rudely
dispelled, though when, after wading
streams, fighting gnats, hungry, wet,
and footsore, with an empty basket,
ditto stomach, and the best portion of
your bargain outfit swaying from the
branches of some sturdy oak, owing
to your lack of skill in casting, you
wander back towards your hotel, and
on the way meet some ragged farmers
boy with a crooked pole and naught
but angle worms for bait, carrying a
string Of fish that excites your admir-
alton and envy. AS general rule
you forthwith begin to bargain for
his catch, which, after deal of per-
suasion and the payment Of silver
half-dollar, besides a goodly amount
of hooks and lines to boot, the bar.
gain is consummated, and you proud.
3 ly transfer his string into your basket
You are complimented by all on youl
great catch on your return to the ho
tel, and you have them served up fol
: your breakfast next morning and ea
. them with the same relish as if you
.. had caught them yourself.
The sport of trout fishing is very
fine, and the trout streams hereabou
: are full-of fishermen. Indeed, it il
! estimated by careful observers tina
y there is fisherman for every trout il
Fishingcreek. the principal trou
stream in this section.
r. Conditions have not always bee
:, thus, however. l was down to tn
- - village store the other evening ant
e was impressed with the wisdom an
:. Intelligence of one of the Oldest in
\ habitants, by name Jake Dawson. H
" was a typical jay with flowing tut
- of chin whiskers, straw hat, pants {
:, the high water style, communicative
! mood, sitting on bench outside tn
>, :, store door waiting for his weekly pa
~ per, and noticing that was the strar
!, ger he had seen start out with m
=, fishing outfit day or so before, h
~ ~ soon got into a conversation with m,
, l remarked upon the scarcity Of hs
- - now and he conceded with my view
!. but ventured the following:
= "Waal," says he, "there be sgl
. O difference now in fishin' round hel
from what it uste be twenty-five yea
ago. l can recollect the time TIL
this ere crick was so full O. trout th
or everybody used 'em same as mea
There warn't no trouble to run dow
to the crick in the mornin', put
's- scoop net in and pull out big me
A., for breakfast none of your little one
ia deither. Why we wouldn't be bot
lip cred cleanin' 'em. Why they was
n, common like that, that the people
ip, sort O. got tired eatin' 'em and didn
lst and the natural result was that Il
n stream got fuller and fuller O. fs
n That was just after the time tn
"a Coles grist mill was built. You S
on they had to have long race from I
ID. dam to the mill in order to get +
g, enough to turn the wheel.
n Coles dam was great place
trout them days, and you cud set (
lin the bank O. the stream an watch t
on trout goln' up over the dam in drov
} 2 hundreds of 'em, kinder like as if tn