Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-01-23
BRILLIANT BAIT.
Gaudy Lures by Which Salmon and
Trout Are Fooled.

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No one except a fisherman or a fly
dresser has the faintest conception of
the enormous variety of materials used
in the manufacture of flies, especially
salmon flies.
Trout flies are made to resemble va
rious real insects, but salmon flies
have no likeness to anything that in
habits earth, air or water, and to this
day no one knows why the king of
fish is fool enough to snatch at the
gaudy lures which are cast across the
pools above his head.
Take such a we'll known salmon fly
as the silver doctor" The feathers of
five different birds are used to build it
namely, those of the Indian crow.
the blue jay. the pheasant, the turkey
and the pintail duck. Silver wire. vel
low floss silk, sky blue hackle and
scarlet wool are also necessary for the
tying of this fly.
There is hardly any brilliantly plum
aged bird known whose feathers are
not in demand for fly tying. Jungle
fowl, blue chatterer. scarlet ibis. bus
tard, swan, macaw, peacock, mallard.
Indian roller, teal, wood duck, grouse,
eagle and tlorican are only a few Of
those whose feathers are slowed away
in the drawers of any fishing tackle
! manufacturer.
You will also find gold and silver
wire, gold and silver tinsel, silk of ev-
cry color under the SUM-, chenille of
many different hues. worsted, mohair
and fur of a number of different ami
mails.
There is an artificial gray gnat used
for trout fishing which is made partly
of mouse whiskers and is in conse-
quence one of the most expensive trout
flies which you can purchase.
Gaudy flies for salmon fishing are no
new invention. Writing two and a half
centuries ago, Richard Franck says:
Remember always to carry your
clubbing bag about with you. wherein
ought to be silk of all sorts, thread.
thrums, moccado ends and cruels of all
sizes and varieties of color. diversified
aud stained wool, with dogs and
bears hair. besides twisted fine threads
Of gold and silver. with feathers
FROM And he goes on with a long
list of birds of brilliant plumage.
But even for the noble salmon there
are many other bats used besides the
fy. The most deadly is without doubt
salmon roe, the use of which is pro-
hibited in almost every part of the
civilized world. The gardeners fan
GYM other words, the common lob
worms a first class salmon bait, and
so is prawn boiled to a delicate pink
hue. On most good rivers these bats
are OF course illegal.
Some believe in amounting their bats
with various strong smelling oils or I'M
guents. The above mentioned Rich
ard Franck did SO. He advocates put.
tingsthe worms into a lignum vitae box
which has first been anointed with
1.-THE chymical oil Of bays, sulphur,
Barbados tar, ivy or cornu cervi."
Poor worms! One wonders how long
they survived; in such q horrible mix
ture.
Trout will take a very wide variety
of bait. A grasshopper is most kill
ing, and so is a blue bottle set on a
small hook and used with a blow line.
The roach fisher knows the virtue of
boiled wheat. The softened grains
are taken with eagerness by these fish,
while perch will go vigorously for a
clump Of -four and water dough. A
perch has been taken by an angler who
had run short of bait with the eye Of
a previous capture stuck upon tile
point of q hook.