Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1910-10-14

T was upon a beautiful morning
that we started from the Koscius-
ko hotel for the upper waters OF
the Snowy. Our packs and tents
had been got ready overnight, and
by 1--WE o'clock we were making our
mile an hour. single file, over a rough
track that only an Australian bush
mau could Finland keep. Through
mass Of underground and tangle OF
scrub we eventually reached the
shoulder Of ridge, and got a peep
at Kosciusko. still partially snow
clad. fifteen miles away; then we be-
gan our descent OF some three thou
sand feet to the river, in many places
almost sheer down. BY lunch time
We were cutting our tent poles on
small sheltered clearing. to the music
of a huge body of water laundering
over the rocks in such a volume as TO
suggest rapidly melting snow on the
uplands. 1t was pretty evident that
there was too much water, so we
spent the afternoon in catching bee
ties and insects. and comparing them
with our English flies. We got many
species OF flying ant, dun. blue.
green and occasionally barred, like
zebra, in clear-cut bands of black and
yellow; flying grasshoppers an inch
and half long. brown in appearance
when at rest, and canery-color when in
flight; another much smaller, with
bright crimson inside the legs; but
everywhere color, almost bizarre, pre-.
dominating, ! have noticed the same
conditions when fishing other snow
waters. The Tasmanian Great Lake
has a similar variety OF brightly col
ored insects.
At five O'Clock next morning / was
at bend where the river widened out
and ran quietly over a single bed.
some distance from the fall lower
down. The mist was still rising from
the water as ! made my first cast.
II was cold and raw, but as the spot
was good one. l moved very little
until the first CLINT Of sun dispersed
the mists. The white moth began TO
leave the bushes and float across the
stream, as | came ashore and made
my way 10 the tail Of the race. | put
a second fly on Shrimp. and with
long line got as far as could across
stream; few minutes later | was In
rapid water with bright sunshine on
II. / drew the flies round behind me
as ! finished each cast, and at last |
had a glorious rise in the very water
where ! had made my first attempt.
The music from my reel told me had
powerful fish. The bushes right
down to the waters edge forced me
farther into the river. then. with moth
ing but a fine sheet Of water between.
us. we began the fight. The ish. came
up stream and flashed pss-f me and
into the fast water 81 once; before It
stopped had n long line out, and I
followed, baoping to turn It before II
got ~ rough water. steady strain
i eeid me that | would be unwise to
take liberties at this stage. and | let
It nave It's fling for FULLY ten minutes
before | thought Of attempting to d.
rect AFFAIRS. Up 10 this point ] had
not seen more than an occasional
swirl, but presently the fish turned
and went down stream into shallower
water, and / saw the beauty so prop
erly called Rainbow" Glad enough
was to get TO the quieter water.
where, five minutes later. lifted a
lovely female fish weighing SIX
pounds
! went back and Weakened the sleep
ing camp. and we had FISH for break
fast.
on that and ten succeeding delight.
fui days our spirits rose as the river
fell Twenty fish were killed by my
friend one morning. in water that only
a strong fisherman could stand In.