The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-16

|" Scrtion That the best Presi-
dents W have had have been
the best fishermen, and the
character Of Washington in this re-
spect received Justice when President
Cleveland. who had himself landed a
good many fish, wrote: 81 am much
pleased to learn that the only element
Of greatness heretofore u~nnoticed In
the life Of Washington is thus sup
Piled"
The true follower of fly fishing
knows that merely to fish is but an
adjunct to he sport. simply the tag
Of the art. while it's pursuit fills the
nostrils with the fragrance of leaves
and wild flowers the melody of rip
ping waters liz ever in his ears. the
benefcent green OF providcnt nature
rests his eyes and happiness and sweet
content soothe his soul. This liz why
the angler loves to shun the habita-
lions and contentious of men and
wander alone by the stream. casting
his flies Jpon its bright waters. or
In his fragile canoe to skim the broad
lake. where no sound pcnetrates his
ear and where no human form save
his W comes within the range OF
vision.
It is safe to assert that those who
have acquired the fishing habit exceed
vastly in numbers the followers Of
m other outdoor sport. and. I believe
It might justly be said. Of all other
outdoor pastimes united. II Is esti-
mated that in New York city alone
fully a quarter Of a million Of good
and true men. have become conscien-
tious members OF the illustrious fra
tcrnity OF Walton. OF whom ABOUT
thirty thousand are active members
OF fishing clubs.
Along the South Bay. the Sound,
Princes Bay. the Kills. rs wei as far
down the Jersey shore. n for that
matter all along the Atlantic coast to
the tail end Of Florida. h houses OF
fishing clubs will be found at little
intervals and Of every degree of archi-
lecture. and some without any archi-
lecture whatever. just slapped to-
ecther for shelter. The non-affiated
anglers Of New York arc countless and
every pleasant morning during the
season the early boats and cars leav-
ing the city for the shore arc
with them.
Fly fishing Is ~incomparably above
the less artistic methods followed
along the coast and in the estuaries,
and its pursuit Is regarded with an
affection incomprehensiblc to those
who have not participated in its
pleasures, while no sport in existence
holds higher favor in this country or
abroad. Fly fishing is cleanly. 1t is
artistic. 1t requires PERSISTENCE and
no little skill--you can W. yank a
fsh into the boat with a fly roland
Il ministers to all the poetic feeling
IN the gentler and better nature OF a
man.
Since fy fishing meets its only re-
ward in fresh waters. the enthusiast
seeks his pastime inland, and
wherever a mountain brook dances
down the hillside the red spotted trout
Is patiently waiting to give battle, and
its species-the SalmonidP and the
Pcrcid@, which includes the black
bass-are the only game fish extant
whose courage OF taste impels them
TO seize their quarry in the air or on
the surface Of the water.
There is scarcely a brook from Port
land to Portland that does not or can
not afford a prosperous abiding place
for the beautiful and valorous brook
trout, and II il does not II IL because
II Is given no chance II local con-
ditions do not kill or drive away the
trout, and IL it is not worked to
desolation by greedy anglers. 1t Is
hound to TEEN with these fish. Many
Of these brooks, however. have passed
by purchase or lease into the pos
session Of clubs and. being replen-
ished and protected. soon afford pie
thoric sport for the fortunate club
lists.
Within a few hours ride from the
city there are splendid open brooks.
where excellent sport and n delightful.
outing may he enjoyed. The CATS
kills. the Adirondacks, the Pocono
Mountains, and all the brooks falling
into the Delaware between Mill Rift
and Deposit, as we'll as all in Western
Connecticut and Massachusetts, are
natural breeding waters for trout. and
often yield fine fish, especially in the
early season and Immediately after a
heavy rain has run of.
The brooks OF Pike and Monroe
counties, Pennsylvania. some four
hours railway journey from New
York. contain trout in assorted sizes
and numbers. while some are famous
for the large fish and great numbers
they have yielded. A young New York
woman only recently took a basket
full Of fine trout from the Bushki!l
River, a few miles above Milford,
Pa, and among them was n trout
OF seventeen inches and another OF
fifteen inches in length.
An ideal stream for trou is the Sho-
hola, in Pike county, but this splen-
did little river. nestled among high
mountains amid magnificent scenery
has been depopulated of its trout
through the construction of dams in
its upper waters, whereby the stream
has become muddy. a condition which
drives trout away with aiacrity.
And although the trout ave pretty
we'll departed there remain a decd
eddy exciting sport along the Sholola
in the capture Of rattlesnakes alive
Ut Is a new sport and every sense a
man possesses must be keenly alert
constantly, for a single unguarded
step may result in an almost invisible
stab that will mean great suffering
or possibly death. A RATHER overtaker
or disturbed will invariably endeavoi
TO escape, M there is no known in
stance In which II deliberately at
tackled q human being, but once
brought to bay It quickly coils ant
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