Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-09
ANGLERS ALL SET
TO HOOK FESTIVE
TROUT NEXT WEEK
e.asor in Pennsylvania Will
Omen Friday, With Most
Streams Well Stocked
oCAL FISHERS FAVOR
MONROE AND PIKE COS.
BY W. Z. MEEHAN
,..,s.,, NJ Paramount rark Aquarium

11pS
Tho long looked for day. tho opening
=. ,ho ,ront season in Pennsylvania. is
y, o,oso at hand. Next Friday it vii he.
.rJ moro than 100000 persons have
r"' bor weeks been anticipating 1t and
counting the days. ..,
Their rods and other equipment are
all ready and. IL tho weather ls propi-
tious, II is more than probable that b..
forc tho opening day is many hours "'d
,Lo-o will be anglers on nearly every
Nv, Wv ~ tho more than 5000 streams In
W.. w., ,i,,v.sevpn counties Of the state.
Most Of the Philadclphinns who go
..ou,inc on the opening day and the
srst weok Of the season visit the streams
~ Monroe and Pike counties. some be
"oneo tbcir fathers and perhaps their
.r,ndfothcrs did before them. and be-
souso thcv are still the nearest places
,Snre thprp is nm abundance of trout.
ss many. in fnct, as there were half n
century ago. >,..
Chester, DeIh"hrr' 'n"', s"",'lH
pncks and even Philadelphia have
streams in which there arc trout. but,
r;tb thc exception Of the first named.
tho fish are few in number and angling
;s Of very little account after tn" hrst
tsu DAYS. Lehigh and northampton are
,he nearest points where there are really
sood streams-thc Little Lchigh and
Cedar in the first named, the Saucon'
Monocncy md Bushkill in the latter.
prt good as these streams are. those
i Monroe are about ms easily and as
on,rklv reached and more favorably sit
psted in the matter of accommodations.
A. this time, one week ahead. the
o,osnects for good opening day are
yery bright both as to weather and the
fsbing But there is nothing so unsafe |
ss m place any confidence in April
weather, particularly with respect TO
III. 14th and 10th.
Last wear the opening day was bright
and clear, with snow f1urries the week
before. In 1910 the week preceding was
much like It was this week. and until
tbo morning Of the 18th. when there was
cold rain all day. The year before
that. from the Sth to the l4th, 1t either
rsined or showed every day. but the !
18th while clear. was cold and windy. !
Tho year before that the 18th was on
Sunday, but the following day. which .
was the legal opening on account of the .
archaic law in Pennsylvania, was clear !
and bright.
But without regard to the character
Of the weather there ought to be
many fish caught. for according to many
reports received, the streams are just
about right for fishing and not for
long while have there been so many
trout or in as good condition.
While a more or less mild weather
is TO be looked for every alternate year
the one now over has been unusually
temperate and consequently there has
been n minimum loss from starvation,
ice and other natural causes. More
over. there has been huge output of
ycarling trout from the State hatcheries
this spring and these under the existing
laws are all catchable, even il most Of
them are unfit TO keep for food.
Almost invariably the most successful
fishing for the first week or two of the
season is with the worm and the artiti-
cial fly takes n very poor second place.
That is because in most Aprils insect
life has scarcely become numerous and
the water is too cold for much activity
on the part of the trout. When the
waters temperature is low the fish hug
the bottom. take the bait sluggishly and
put up n very poor fight compared with
their powers when the temperature j.
higher and insects are abroad and falling
on the water.
Unless there is a big change for tho
N'''' ~ NV Nfilufl III Tue HtAI lt"
days, however, while most anglers un-
doubtedly will stick to bait fishing the
opening day il it is clear should make
fy fishing as good as the other form.
Dark or gray flies. such for example as
March brown, hares ear, brown palmer
and ashy haCkle are apt to be more
taking than light or gayly- colored flies.
The dark, it might he said, are not
n" best for PENNSYLVANIA streams at
any time during the season. with the cN-
cepuon Of Paramaccnie vile, scarlet
ana white fly. on streams where the
majority of the fish are Matching bred
ana recently planted. Under such con-
dItIons this fly is attractive because the
trout takes it for a piece Of lung or
lyer, the food 1t was accustomed TO
Will" in captivity.
l., another article by Mr.. Meehan will appear !
" inc Evening publlC I edp neNt Satur- I