The sun., 1903-05-03


Hut the Lust. Old Grandfathers VIII
Always Take Chance and the AM
gler's Rewards II He Knows the
" Game Are Well Worth the Trouble.
LAoHISE, Canada, May 2-March and April
having exchanged dates this season, flies
are scarce yet and trout fishers will not
have much Use for casting lines just at
present In these latitudes. For, gallant
bravo though he is. there is good deal
OF calculating power about trout, ana ne
is habitually cautious regarding flies out
of season. Just now 1t pays best to try
bottom fishing around the margins OF deep
holes in the brooks.
The bait must be dainty and peculiarly
tempting until the water becomes warm
enough to awaken the fish from the lethargy
which cold weather brings upon them
II pays, for instance, In digging for angle
worms, TO search for those Of the branding
variety-deep red in color with yellow
rincs-found only in tho richest ground,
or about old pastures. Failing these, the
best Of all the worms, those OF light pink
color which are commo2'y found coiled
into a ball, might be eougljt about old hot
beds, or near asparagus patches.
These should b. procured the day before
they are used, and secured thoroughly
by being kept until required in bran, with
a drop or two Of oil Of lavende", or oil of
cloves poured over 1t, to keep them properly
exhilarated Often little precautionary
care of this kind will make all the difference
between success nd failure.
-. G,,I tlot he ,pla
half of shrimp is at this season very
fair bait for brooks where the fish are large
enough to appreciate such dainties. A
bright lads plan Of securing bait is not on
all accounts to be commended. but was
effective In one special instance.
Rummag ging An the sideboard drawer for
some Of his mislaid belongings. he discov-
cred that some of the maternal table doiles
had been nibbled and frayed apart to make
a nest soft enough for family Of mice.
Replacing the linen. he carefully lost the
key Of tho drawer, and said nothing about
his discovery for a day or two until trout
fishing began. Then, having transferred
five little pink baby mice to his bait can,
he allowed the ruin Of the napery to be-
come manifest and, after deeply SYM
pat thizing with his housekeeping mother,
made for a well-known pool.
That morning the big fellows who had
refused to be beguilcd in former years were
on the lookout for niouse-veal. They
fought for the tender morsels as soon as
they neared the bottom. They simply
would not be refused, but sent up their
largest and best to the young fisherman
In earnest supp.icstion and in proof of a
desire for more BY careful manipulation
the boy landed six handsome trout with
his five tid-bits. by far the best fish taken
from the brook that year.
The angler at this season often has the
satisfaction Of taking the largest fish with
his ground tackle, though he has not the
inexpressible, supreme delight the trout
is so well calculated to afford to the fly
fisher. His line should be fine, carefully
weighted with small shot to suit the water,
his rod not too supple 80 that he can handle
his game without overmuch disturbance.
and he should remember that his bait must
be prominent enough TO attract attention,
and pink or red in color il possible. What
ever may be said about casting at other
see soEs, at this time of year, when the
water is heavy, the experienced anger
will fish up stream, casting his bait above
the hole he is fishing, and allowing it TO
drift toward him.
Fishing that way a fisher once noticed
his ba it stop al though it had caught against
line and put strain upon ii to set il free.
Then he shook it WELL and that failing.
peeped in to see what was the cause of the
detention.
He could just make out a black sunkcn
stick, to which he was fast, and proceeded
to poke it loose with his rod. To his. sur
prise there was rush through the water
Of his line, and he realized that what he
had fastened Oh TO was no bough, but the
snlky old eat-g!Slndfather Of al the
- l,.. in il,nt l,rnp ot-tv M
stout tackle he netteci his prize easily enough
and it was grim old warrior of two pounds
and half
The next fish he found dashed up stream
lfke a hurricane as he took the bait and
jumped cut of the water onto fiat stone,
where ho lay stunned long enough for the
man to secure him The two incidents
we'll illustrate the capricious character Of
trout even at this time of year, and also
. the kind Of sport to be had by bott tom fishing.
toes and black flies become too plentiful,
that tho most perfect kind Of brook fishing
. ytahs world affords may be indulged In Ivy
those who are IN the secret. The require
ments are light greenhcart and lance
wood rod, fine silk line an easy running
casting reel a full fly book a bark canoe
~ the size the Indians call two man and a
KIT" and n companion to manipulate IT,
The starting point should be farm
house some ten miles above the next nights
like the Kaz'ibaNla, Clearwater, or many
another wcll-stocked water in the. north
country Given warm. but not too bright,
weather, an early breakfast on fresh eggs,
homemade bread and napjacks, and the
angler is on the verge OF memorable
DAYS sport. combining the maximum Of
pleasure with the minimum Of toll,
: Seated in the bow OF the canoe. which is
allowed to drift downstream, the man IN
the stern merely moving his paddle suf.
fciently 10 keep clear of obetructio ions and
turns. the fisherman, using not too much
line, casts ahead into likely-looking spots
recling in smartly. especially after strike
Small fish he attends TO himself, larger ores
he passes back TO be netted by his COM
panion. Sometimes Il portage has 70 he
made, when the angler stretches his limbs
and looks after the trout which lurk about
the cascades or lie in whit at the foot ol
the falls.
A. the day progresses, he viii! find that
, theories are not always u bo depended
upon as regards the use Of flies. Probably
ne will be surprised to find that the gaudies
flies generally answer bcst in the brightest
weather. the duns and dark midges al
cloudy times. Unlike many good authors
tics, trout do not suspect that nature put
out her pre,tiest things 20 be spoiled by thu
damp, or to go uiIapprcciatcd in the gloom
e Fer the last cast ar two a, night. he will 10
,icc, II no uses mud hen and miller at the
same timo. that they are about equal!