Laurel outlook., 1949-10-12
Fishing? It's An Art
ROtarians Are Told

tOOnIlQueQ lIOIl rage OUCJ
pear as a live fly floating along
in pursuit of life and happiness.
A trout knows that a stream fly
about the size of a mosquito has
not the strength to swim across
or against, or stay ever with a
fast current.
Fishing upstream, the speaker
said, is more productive than
downstream fishing. 1t is hard
er work, but keeping out of the
sight of the fish, who have their
heads pointed upstream when
watching for food, is very import
ant. 1t is more difficult to set a
hook when fishing upstream; more
strikes will be lost, but many fish
will come to basket in the long
run.
1t is of greatest Importance to
thoroughly cover the water by en-
tering the stream at the proper
place and placing the flies in the
right spots. Too often the fisher
man carlessly steps into a piece
of water and, because of getting in
at the wrong location, ruins the
stretch for the rest of the day.
The reel of the fishing outfit
is not very important except to
carry the line. A good basket, a
fishing jacket, a lightweight rain
jacket, a fishing tool, and waders
were recommended to complete the
fisherman's ensemble. Roberts de-
tests rubber boots. He thought a
landing net was optional. But no
outfit is really complete without
a battered and fly-bedecked hat.
"The fish aren't hitting is a
statement generally untrue, for
trout feed almost constantly ex-
cept in winter and for periods for
diet reasons. The chap who comes
in with a full basket is the only
one who gave the fish what they
wanted the way they wanted it.
The speaker ventured the state
ment that few large fish, five
pounds or more, are taken on flies.
Most of the big ones r caught
worms or finnows. Roberts
largest on a fly was five pounds
four ounces.
A n~ever-ending argument among
fishermen is whether fish can dis
tinguish colors or just see forms
Roberts was convinced they see
and cited his evidence.
A thing he has found out is
that fly species, j. e. natural, vary
IN the different streams. One sea-
son the preferred fly on the upper
Boulder was a professor, but at :
he same time the Saltwater fish -:
a Rio Grande king. The ::
next year the Boulder fish took :
he grey quill while the Saltwater
fish chose a ginger Quill. Always q:
The standard hackles will take fish
any stream at any time, if hand
ed with reasonable skill. :
Some other points: More fish :
ire taken on 20 to 40-foot casts -:
han on longer les The wrist I:
nd the rod do the work in fly :
asting. Landing the trout is a :
between the fisherman, the
and Providence, and the most
itiful sight in the world is that :
{ a detected fisherman sitting on !.
he bank with his head in his
ands and tears in his eyes as he
joks sorrowfully at a broken lead f.
!,
Roberts, general agent for Penn /,
Iutual Life Insurance company, j,
as introduced by o. M. Void, o
rogram committeeman.
Visitors and guests at the meet j;
lg were Arthur Barth, Worthing- C
m Smith and Aubrey Clapper of
filings, Elmer Reid of Red Lodge, W
=. E. Nelson of Glendive, Paul in
.arris of Great Falls, J. Melvin d
Villains of Laurel and Mr.. Not
ngham of Long Beach, Calf, ia II
Ter of DR.. d. A. Nottingham, vice u
resident who presided at the ses- =,