Year: 1877

---a'-0-.p----


Landing a Three-POund Trout.


Mr.. Murray, in his "Camp Life
in the Adirondacks," gives the fol-
lowing graphic account Of the
catching of an energetic trout:


Reader, did you ever land a
trout? I did not ask if you ever
jerked some poor little fellow out of
a brook three feet across, with a
pole six inches around at the butt,
and so heavy as to require both
hands and feet to hold it. Mo-
that's not landing trout. But
did you ever sit in a boat with nine
ounces of lance wood for rod and
200 feet of braided silk on your
double-acting reel, and hook trout
whose strain brought tip and butt
together as you checked him in
some wild flight, and tested your
quivering line from gut to real
knott No one knows what game
there is in a trout unless he has
fought it out, matching such a rod
against a three-pound fish, with
forty feet of water underneath, and
a clear, unimpeded sweep around
him. All, then, it is that one dis
covers what will and energy lie
within the mottled skin Of a trout,
and what miracle of velocity he
is when reused. love the rifle,
aud have looked along the sights
and held the lesping blood back by
the effort of will, steadying myself
for the shot, when my veins fairly
tingled with the exhilarating ex-
citement Of the moment; but if one
should ask me what is my concep.
ton of pure physical happiness, |
should assure him that the highest
bcatitude | ever expect to reach is,
on some future day, when the sun
is occasionally yeiled by clouds, to
sit in a boat once more upon that
little lake, and match again a Con-
roy rod against a three-pound trout.
That's what | call happiness.


"Well, as said, / struck, and as
we afterward discovered, the huge
salmon hook was buried to the
shank amid the nerves which lie at
the root of a trouts tongue. Then
came flight for the mastery, such
as never before had | waged with
anything that swims. Words
should have life in them to depict
the scene. Quick as a flash, before
| had fairly recovered my balance,
partially lost by the energy with
which | struck, the trout started,
and before | could get a pressure
upon the line not twenty yards were
left on the reel. A quick stroke
from John, and the boat shot to
one side, and bearing stoutly on
him, tasking the rod to the last
ounce of resistance, | slowly swayed
him about and recovered a little
slack, After a few short sweeps he
doubled on the line, and shot
straight for the boat as an arrow
from a bow.


"Double, and be hanged to
your shouted John, as he shield
the light shell to one side and
swung it round so as to keep me
facing the fish. IF you get under
this boat it will be because this
paddle breaks


" Failing in his attempt to run


under US, he dove to the bottom


Let him rest a moment said John


recover your line; you'll need it al


when he rises. He's big and ugly


and his next rush will be like light.


ming


"After | had slowed away some
forty yards upon the reel, winding


it on hard and evenly SO that il
would render well, I.began to fee
of the fish. The first pressure


elected only a shake. At the next
be described circle, still keeping


to the bottom, then came to {
standstill. He acted ugly. l felt
that when the rush came it would
try nerve and tackle alike. En-.
joining John to watch the fish and
favor me all he could, and by nc
means to let him pass under The
boat, i gave quick, sharp jerk.
Ny arm was still in the air, and tht
rod unstraightened, when eaught
a glance below me, and before
? had time to wink the huge fellow
/ parted the water almost within
reach of my arm, and when higl
} up in mid air be shook himself, thu
crystal drops being flung into m,
;; very face. Perhaps | shall liyl
/ long enough to forget the picture
: as that trout for an interval hung
in the air, his blue-back and azure


sides spotted with gold and agate
r his fms edged with snowy wkite
his eyes protruding, gills dlstended
] the leader hanging from his jaws
S while q shower Of pearIy drop
Y were shaken from his sides, II,
5 fellI but while still in the air tn,
: boat glided backward, and when h,
E touched the water l was thirty fee
e away and ready for his rush. l
], came; aud as he passed us, SOM