South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-16

Knowing all conditions which
govern the biting" Of .hsh is a vain
and discouraging pursuit. To know
I positively before leaving ones home
7 tor a days outing that il IS the day
of all others of the season and that
/ the phase Of the moon, the condi-
! tions of the sky and atmosphere. the
/ direction and velocity Of the wind
and the temperature and conditions
of the water are just right 10 in
sure success and to know just what
bait or fly to use in what portion Of
the stream 10 fish under these con-
I ditions implies a state of knowl-
/ edge that can never be attained by
an ordinary mortal. Though the
angler be gifted with an exception
ally brilliant mind It involves
pursuit OF knowledge under such
| extreme difficulties that even the
most brilliant miscarry in the total
sum, for il leaves out the most i'm
portant factor in the calculation the
| hsh itself IL is in just this desire 10
/ reduce the matter to the certainty
/ of a mathematical proposition that
most fishermen are continually puz-
I cling their brains. The glorious I'M
\ certainty attending the "biting" Of
/ fish. even at favorable times, has
! been observed for a decade and has
/ invested the gentle art with an air
/ OF mystery in which the element OF
| chance or luck is a prominent fea-
| turc
The angler vending his way
homeward is accOsted at every turn
with the inquisitiveness of what luck
while the additional expression of
| fshcrman's luck adds sarcasm.
Many anglers in the absence of any
good reasons have conveniently
/ rclegated the whole fishing question
/ TO luck and have ceased to trouble
/ themselves much about theories ana
rules on the matter taking the gOod
with the bad in n spirit of meek
submission TO the inevitable. With
an the information that can be OBJ
/ tanned by close and careful obserVa-
/ ton OF the habits of the fishes and
/ the nature Of their surroundings
/ there is still left much 10 be eX
planned and some things that seem
! TO be beyond our comprehension,
I which we might safely leave to
/ chance or luck until we understand
/ them better. Perhaps il is best so
! for there has ever been q delightful
! uucertainty attending the angling
/ game ard therein lies one OF its
4 chiefest charms The pleasures OF
| anticipation have always exceeded
/ those of success and always Will
/ while hope is in the human breast
While IL is not wholly "A matter Of
/ luck on one hand and while OH the
/ other il is useless to expect to oh
/ tain an invariable rule governing the
/ biting of fish. there are many things
I that can be learned by intelligent
/ observation. 1t involves no great
( comprehension of the sciences Of
j ichtohology as PROGRESSED by some nor
Z of any hoCys-DoCus mysteries OF the
art as praCtiCed 10y others. There
/ is little reason in the changing Of
/ one species OF minnow for another
I or of shifting on the bait yet both
/ adherents to these rules have Ur-
I bounded faith in their respective
methods and probably faith has as
i much - do with successful angling
as any one attribute. But why do
fish eagerly take the bait one day
4 ANA steadfastlV refuse 10 the next
I when apparently all other conditions
ere equal This has banlcd obSer-
want fishermen for many years and
/ viI i'm all probability never be
solved satisfactorily. a short cut TO
ills solution IL might be said Will be
10 stick close TO real facts as condt-
-i0ns are observed from time 90
time. IS before stated there Is
uucn chat can b. learned by close
B ly observjng the habits of the FISH
\ sa .s 10 enable the angler 20 know
I So CAR as can be known when and
I where che n-h are ~ certain seasons
or az iinereu- STAGES of the water
/ when thev are most inclined 20 bits
and 20 know ar9roXimatly what bait
On use.
This information can ae acquired
i'm no other way bpt by patent and
1 continued 1bServa don, and without
il nm Is guess work II IS equally
as essential 10 the angler 60 know
Nj here 20 Ssh as 20 know now. il
me has a fair knowledge OF tht
habits of ash ne can at once sees
Qua ,he most likely places IN tht
streams Vow a nshcru an does MOI
ret a reputation OF being an eN'
merit Chat IS an easy matter WIZ
one who knows for having had one
.ood catch 90 his credit shat MI ~
'e attributed 20 luck. But when ne
has "a whole seasons record 20 Dr. -'
. .hen NJ may be clasSed aboNr q.
0vice. How ran you become
.Npert2 That ~ am easy matte.
With one who knows the ropes. Her,
IS a ru which never fails and ~
strictly folloVIne f. any one may
attain the reputation Of being Al