The New York herald., 1922-05-07
Ueelinr for Trout. by o. w. 8.


This is a favorite method of mine In early
spring and on those streams where flyfish-
Ing is utterly out of the question. Yes,
mean Just that. where flyfishing Is utterly
ou, OF the question | can take the reaaer 'e.
10 sny number OF woods streams so brushy,
SO shaggy, so full OF all manner OF DEBRIS
that to fleck fly upon the surface OF the
water Is absolutely impossible II they were
feeders 20 open streams I would be content
10 let them remain natural hatcheries, would
be in favor of law making their iisning
with bait or by any method illegal; put so
often they but spring creeks enptying
in.o pickerel and bass waters, utterly uh-
tenable for trout OF any variety tna1 one
must fish them or not get trout. Iheh, 700,
even open streams IN early spring are put
indifferent fishing for the fly man: MY po-
sition in regard to this question or the per-
rnissibfity OF worming In early spring was
set forth In my last contribution 10 these
columns and need not be gone INTO again
/ am talking. though TO certain extent the
methods recommended for brushy creeks VIII
apply 10 them. The streams OF which write
are those sinuous woods broollets wandering
through a maze of tag alders and prickly
ash, willows and dogwood. the branches OF
which often obscure and sweep the surface
for rods at stretch. To walk along the
banks of such creeks with noiseless feet is
10 hear the splashing OF feeding fish away
back In the tangie-fish, judging from the
sound, that would weigh a pound or more.
They are to be taken from such cover, those
Ipound fish. / know. for ] have taken them.
The tackle required IL the tackle the fly
man uses, save that the rod must be bit
Efiffer ana considerably nedNlefs II NnOul1
be an So foot fly rod. weighing approxi-
mately ounces. In such fishing there Is
little or no casting. and the fish must be
lifted ordinarily from the water by main
strength and awkwardness, so the rod must
be sturdy. Do not employ a bait rod. how
ever with the reel seat above the hand--the
r..o,,iation fiv rod reel seat below the hand
being much more convenient ] use the fly
reel, single action, though l want Il large
enough that I can place core OF rough
line on the spool 20 speed up action. No
leader, of course, but a snelled hook. FOR this
II bait fishing-simon pure bait fishing. As
has been remarked before. use reasonably
large hook so that the little trout cannot
hook themselves, TO their own great harm
and hurt. I would not attach sinker, or
lie hook will be dragged to the bottom, and
that Is not what we want; we want IL TO
wander and twist down under those branches
about the then In a minute.
one can find openings IN the brush here
and there where the tip Of n rod can be in
serted. IN not. take along an axe and
make an entrance at opportune points, clear
ing away the brus1. that worm baltod
hook may reach the water With seventy
five yards OF lire on the reel you ready
10 begin operations. prop the worm down
INTO the water. paying out line slowly, only
as fast az the current can use t. no not
hurry, neither become anxious. This fishing
Is for the patient individual. The current
viii take the line down under the brush.
sometimes through them, when dead branches
reach down 10 the very bottom, rs r. often
the case. II may be that fish viii take
early in the journey OF the hook. and again
~ may not be until nearly all the line
is out that the worm will reach the feeding
ground OF n hungry trout. Make no mistake
about the matter n there Is a hungry fish
anywhere along the worms journey it viii
connect up nstanter. You see. few anglers
comparatively resort 20 the method indeed
possess sufficient faith 70 undertake tho
fishing. no the fish are not overly sus.
pici1us. Once the anglers real troubles
begin. To reel too fast II TO pull the fuh
70 the surface, wncre 1t will promptly tangie
amid the brush. and the battle Is apt 10
cod with the most vexatious tangle imagina-
bic. Upon the other hand. give too much
time allow slack and a bottom anarl or snap
r. the result. slowly. patiently reel I'm the
time. fates smiling. the fish will appear al
the opening and YOU may iift him from the
water.
have taken more than one one pound
fish from such streams once. and again TAX
ing three FOUNDERS. while number ~ two
Founders have found their way into ml creei
want TO say that the teasng--you cant
rorce--of trou, up through the labyrinth hiaa
course Is real feat and not 90 be lightly
regarded Sometimes the fish VIII fight
every foot OF the distance. and you viii think
The game up more than once. end more Otter
you fail than succeed before the fish reaches
lifted out upon tho bank I have fished foi
half n day at one opening. securing six OF
uIsht good fish a. reward and have
rome away fully satisfied. Don't Just be-
tnuse you have opened a wonderful bit oi
VIRGIN fehlur, take more than the fnOdiCum
catch. The day for the limit has long siuce
rasf4 ! have had many strange aud unusual
s<ses ences one Of the strangest and most
ntrax