three kinds: fishing with the artificial fly sunk or "wet," fishing
with it floating or "dry" and fishing with the natural insect. Of the
two first methods the wet fly is the older and may be taken first.
Time was when all good anglers cast their flies downstream and thought
no harm. But in 1857 W.C. Stewart published his _Practical Angler_, in
which he taught that it paid better to fish up-stream, for by so doing
the angler was not only less likely to be seen by the trout but was
more likely to hook his fish. The doctrine was much discussed and
criticized, but it gradually won adherents, until now up-stream
fishing is the orthodox method where it is possible. Stewart was also
one of the first to advocate a lighter rod in place of the heavy 12
ft. and 13 ft. weapons that were used in the North in his time.
There are still many men who use the long rod for wet-fly fishing in
streams, but there are now more who find 10 ft. quite enough for their
purpose. For lake-fishing from a boat, however, the longer rod is
still in many cases preferred. In fishing rivers the main art is
to place the right flies in the right places and to let them come
naturally down with the stream. The right flies may be ascertained to
some extent from books and from local wisdom, but the right places
can only be learnt by experience. It does not, however, take long to
acquire "an eye for water" and that is half the battle, for the haunts
of trout in rapid rivers are very much alike. In lake-fishing chance
has a greater share in bringing about success, but here too the right
fly and the right place are important; the actual management of rod,
line and flies, of course, is easier, for there is no stream to be
reckoned with. Though there is little left to be said about wet-fly
fishing where the fly is an imitation more or less exact of a natural
insect, there is another branch of the art which has been stimulated
by modern developments. This is the use of salmon-flies for big trout
much in the same way as for salmon. In such rivers as the Thames,
where the trout are cannibals and run very large, ordinary trout-flies
are of little use, and the fly-fisher's only chance is to use a big
fly and "work" it, casting across and down stream. The big fly has
also been found serviceable with the great fish of New Zealand and
with the inhabitants of such a piece of water as Blagdon Lake near
Bristol, where the trout run very large. For this kind of fishing much
stronger tackle and a heavier rod are required than for catching fish
that seldom exceed the pound.
[v.02 p.0028]
_Dry Fly_.--Fishing with the floating fly is a device of southern
origin, and the idea no doubt arose from the facts that on the placid
south country streams the natural fly floats on the surface and that
the trout are accustomed to feed on it there. The controversy "dry
_versus_ wet" was long and spirited, but the new idea won the day
and now not only on the chalk-streams, but on such stretches of even
Highland rivers as are suitable, the dry-fly man may be seen testing
his theories. These theories are simple and consist in placing before
the fish an exact imitation of the insect on which it is feeding, in
such a way that it shall float down exactly as if it were an insect
of the same kind. To this end special tackle and special methods have
been found necessary. Not only the fly but also the line has to float
on the wafer; the line is very heavy and therefore the rod (split-cane
or greenheart) must be stiff and powerful; special precautions have
to be taken that the fly shall float unhindered and shall not "drag";
special casts have to be made to counteract awkward winds; and,
lastly, the matching of the fly with the insect on the water is a
matter of much nicety, for the water-flies are of many shades and
colours. Many brains have busied themselves with the solution of these
problems with such success that dry-fly fishing is now a finished art.
The entomology of the dry-fly stream has been studied very deeply by
Mr. F.M. Halford, the late G.S. Marryat and others, and improvements
both in flies and tackle have been very great. Quite lately, however,
there has been a movement in favour of light rods for dry-fly fishing
as well as wet-fly fishing. The English split-cane rod for dry-fly
work weighs about an ounce to the foot, rather more or rather
less. The American rod of similar action and material weighs much
less--approximately 6 oz. to 10 ft. The light rod, it is urged, is
much less tiring and is quite powerful enough for ordinary purposes.
Against it is claimed that dry-fly fishing is not "ordinary purposes,"
that chalk-stream weeds are too strong and chalk-stream winds too wild
for the light rod to be efficient against them. However, the light rod
is growing in popular favour; British manufacturers are building rods
after the American style; and anglers are taking to them more and
more. The dry-fly method is now practised by many fishermen both in
Germany and France, but it has scarcely found a footing as yet in the
United States or Canada.
_Fishing with the Natural Fly._--The natural fly is a very killing
bait for trout, but its use is not wide-spread except in Ireland.
In Ireland "dapping" with the green drake or the daddy-longlegs is
practised from boats on most of the big loughs. A light whole-cane rod
of stiff build, about 16 ft. in length, is required with a floss-silk
line light enough to be carried out on the breeze; the "dap"
(generally two mayflies or daddy-longlegs on a small stout-wired hook)
is carried out by the breeze and just allowed to touch the water. When
a trout rises it is well to count "ten" before striking. Very heavy
trout are caught in this manner during the mayfly season. In the North
"creeper-fishing" is akin to this method, but the creeper is the
larva of the stone-fly, not a fly itself, and it is cast more like
an ordinary fly and allowed to sink. Sometimes, however, the mature
insect is used with equally good results. A few anglers still practise
the old style of dapping or "dibbling" after the manner advised by
Izaak Walton. It is a deadly way of fishing small overgrown brooks.
A stiff rod and strong gut are necessary, and a grasshopper or almost
any large fly will serve for bait.
_Other Methods._--The other methods of taking trout principally
employed are spinning, live-baiting and worming. For big river trout
such as those of the Thames a gudgeon or bleak makes the best spinning
or live bait, for great lake trout (_Jerox_) a small fish of their
own species and for smaller trout a minnow. There are numberless
artificial spinning-baits which kill well at times, the Devon being
perhaps the favourite. The use of the drop-minnow, which is trolling
on a lesser scale, is a killing method employed more in the north of
England than elsewhere. The worm is mostly deadly in thick water, so
deadly that it is looked on askance. But there is a highly artistic
mode of fishing known as "clear-water worming." This is most
successful when rivers are low and weather hot, and it needs an expert
angler to succeed in it. The worm has to be cast up-stream rather like
a fly, and the method is little inferior to fly-fishing in delicacy
and difficulty. The other baits for trout, or rather the other baits
which they will take sometimes, are legion. Wasp-grubs, maggots,
caterpillars, small frogs, bread, there is very little the fish will
not take. But except in rural districts little effort is made to catch
trout by means less orthodox than the fly, minnow and worm, and the
tendency nowadays both in England and America is to restrict anglers
where possible to the use of the artificial fly only.
_Grayling._--The only other member of the salmon family in England
which gives much sport to the fly-fisher is the grayling, a fish
which possesses the recommendation of rising well in winter. It can be
caught with either wet or dry fly, and with the same tackle as trout,
which generally inhabit the same stream. Grayling will take most small
trout-flies, but there are many patterns of fly tied specially for
them, most of them founded on the red tag or the green insect. Worms
and maggots are also largely used in some waters for grayling, and
there is a curious contrivance known as the "grasshopper," which is a
sort of compromise between the fly and bait. It consists of a leaded
hook round the shank of which is twisted bright-coloured wool. The
point is tipped with maggots, and the lure, half artificial, half
natural, is dropped into deep holes and worked up and down in the
water. In some places the method is very killing. The grayling has
been very prominent of late years owing to the controversy "grayling
_versus_ trout." Many people hold that grayling injure a trout stream
by devouring trout-ova and trout-food, by increasing too rapidly and
in other ways. Beyond, however, proving the self-evident fact that a
stream can only support a given amount of fish-life, the grayling's
opponents do not seem to have made out a very good case, for no real
evidence of its injuring trout has been adduced.
_Char._--The chars (_Sahelinus_) are a numerous family widely
distributed over the world, but in Great Britain are not very
important to the angler. One well-defined species (_Sahelinus
alpinus_) is found in some lakes of Wales and Scotland, but
principally in Westmorland and Cumberland. It sometimes takes a small
fly but is more often caught with small artificial spinning-baits. The
fish seldom exceeds 1-1/2 lb in Great Britain, though in Scandinavia
it is caught up to 5 lb or more. There are some important chars in
America, _fontinalis_ being one of the most esteemed. Some members of
the genus occasionally attain a size scarcely excelled by the
salmon. Among them are the Great Lake trout of America, _Cristinomer
namaycush_, and the Danubian "salmon" or huchen, _Salmo hucho_. Both
of these fish are caught principally with spinning-baits, but both
will on occasion take a salmon-fly, though not with any freedom
after they have reached a certain size. An attempt has been made to
introduce huchen into the Thames but at the time of writing the result
cannot yet be estimated.
_Pike_.--The pike (_Esox lucius_), which after the _Salmonidae_ is the
most valued sporting fish in Great Britain, is a fish of prey pure and
simple. Though it will occasionally take a large fly, a worm or other
ground-bait, its systematic capture is only essayed with small fish
or artificial spinning-baits. A live bait is supposed to be the most
deadly lure for big pike, probably because it is the method employed
by most anglers. But spinning is more artistic and has been found
quite successful enough by those who give it a fair and full trial.
Trolling, the method of "sink and draw" with a dead bait, referred to
previously in this article, is not much practised nowadays, though at
one time it was very popular. It was given up because the traditional
form of trolling-tackle was such that the bait had to be swallowed
by the pike before the hook would take hold, and that necessitated
killing all fish caught, whether large or small. The same objection
formerly applied to live-baiting with what was known as a gorge-hook.
Now, however, what is called snap-tackle is almost invariably used in
live-baiting, and the system is by some few anglers extended to the
other method too. Pike are autumn and winter fish and are at their
best in December. They grow to a very considerable size, fish of 20
lb being regarded as "specimens" and an occasional thirty-pounder
rewarding the zealous and fortunate. The heaviest pike caught with a
rod in recent years which is sufficiently authenticated, weighed 37
lb, but heavier specimens are said to have been taken in Irish lakes.
River pike up to about 10 lb in weight are excellent eating.
[v.02 p.0029]
America has several species of pike, of which the muskelunge of the
great lake region (_Esox masquinongy_) is the most important. It is a
very fine fish, excelling _Esox lucius_ both in size and looks. From
the angler's point of view it may be considered simply as a large
pike and may be caught by similar methods. It occasionally reaches the
weight of 80 lb or perhaps more. The pickerel (_Esox reticulatus_) is
the only other of the American pikes which gives any sport. It reaches
a respectable size, but is as inferior to the pike as the pike is to
the muskelunge.
_Perch_.--Next to the pikes come the perches, also predatory fishes.
The European perch (_Perca fluviatilis_) has a place by itself in the
affections of anglers. When young it is easy to catch by almost any
method of fishing, and a large number of Walton's disciples have been
initiated into the art with its help. Worms and small live-baits are
the principal lures, but at times the fish will take small bright
artificial spinning-baits well, and odd attractions such as boiled
shrimps, caddis-grubs, small frogs, maggots, wasp-grubs, &c. are
sometimes successful. The drop-minnow is one of the best methods of
taking perch. Very occasionally, and principally in shallow pools, the
fish will take an artificial fly greedily, a small salmon-fly being
the best thing to use in such a case. A perch of 2 lb is a good fish,
and a specimen of 4-1/2 lb about the limit of angling expectation.
There have been rare instances of perch over 5 lb, and there are
legends of eight-pounders, which, however, need authentication.
_Black Bass_.--The yellow perch of America (_Perca flavescens_) is
very much like its European cousin in appearance and habits, but it is
not so highly esteemed by American anglers, because they are fortunate
in being possessed of a better fish in the black bass, another member
of the perch family. There are two kinds of black bass (_Micropterus
salmoides_ and _Micropterus dolomieu_), the large-mouthed and the
small-mouthed. The first is more a lake and pond fish than the second,
and they are seldom found in the same waters. As the black bass is a
fly-taking fish and a strong fighter, it is as valuable to the angler
as a trout and is highly esteemed. Bass-flies are _sui generis_,
but incline more to the nature of salmon-flies than trout-flies. An
artificial frog cast with a fly-rod or very light spinning-rod is also
a favourite lure. For the rest the fish will take almost anything in
the nature of worms or small fish, like its cousin the perch. A 4 lb
bass is a good fish, but five-pounders are not uncommon. Black bass
have to some extent been acclimatized in France.
The _ruffe_ or _pope_ (_Acerina vulgaris_) is a little fish common in
the Thames and many other slow-flowing English rivers. It is very
like the perch in shape but lacks the dusky bars which distinguish
the other, and is spotted with dark brown spots on a golden olive
background. It is not of much use to the angler as it seldom exceeds
3 oz. in weight. It takes small worms, maggots and similar baits
greedily, and is often a nuisance when the angler is expecting better
fish. Allied to the perches is the pike-perch, of which two species
are of some importance to the angler, one the wall-eye of eastern
America (_Stizostedion vitreum_) and the other the zander of Central
Europe (_Sandrus lucioperca_). The last especially is a fine fighter,
occasionally reaching a weight of 20 lb. It is usually caught by
spinning, but will take live-baits, worms and other things of that
nature. The Danube may be described as its headquarters. It is a fish
whose sporting importance will be more realized as anglers on the
continent become more numerous.
_Cyprinidae_.--The carp family (_Cyprinidae_) is a large one and its
members constitute the majority of English sporting fishes. In America
the various kinds of chub, sucker, dace, shiner, &c. are little
esteemed and are regarded as spoils for the youthful angler only, or
as baits for the better fish in which the continent is so rich. In
England, however, the _Cyprinidae_ have an honoured place in the
affections of all who angle "at the bottom," while in Europe some of
them have a commercial value as food-fishes. In India at least one
member of the family, the mahseer, takes rank with the salmon as a
"big game" fish.
_Carp, Tench, Barbel, Bream_.--The family as represented in England
may be roughly divided into two groups, those which feed on the bottom
purely and those which occasionally take flies. The first consists
of carp, tench, barbel and bream. Of these carp, tench and bream are
either river or pool fish, while the barbel is found only in rivers,
principally in the Thames and Trent. The carp grows to a great size,
20 lb being not unknown; tench are big at 5 lb; barbel have been
caught up to 14 lb or rather more; and bream occasionally reach 8 lb,
while a fish of over 11 lb is on record. All these fish are capricious
feeders, carp and barbel being particularly undependable. In some
waters it seems to be impossible to catch the large specimens, and the
angler who seeks to gain trophies in either branch of the sport needs
both patience and perseverance. Tench and bream are not quite so
difficult. The one fish can sometimes be caught in great quantities,
and the other is generally to be enticed by the man who knows how to
set about it. Two main principles have to be observed in attacking all
these fish, ground-baiting and early rising. Ground-baiting consists
in casting food into the water so as to attract the fish to a certain
spot and to induce them to feed. Without it very little can be done
with shy and large fish of these species. Early rising is necessary
because they only feed freely, as a rule, from daybreak till about
three hours after sun-rise. The heat of a summer or early autumn day
makes them sluggish, but an hour or two in the evening is sometimes
remunerative. The bait for them all should usually lie on the bottom,
and it consists mainly of worms, wasp and other grubs, pastes of
various kinds; and for carp, and sometimes bream, of vegetable baits
such as small boiled potatoes, beans, peas, stewed wheat, pieces of
banana, &c. None of these fish feed well in winter.
_Roach, Rudd, Dace, Chub_.--The next group of _Cyprinidae_ consists
of fish which will take a bait similar to those already mentioned and
also a fly. The sizes which limit the ordinary angler's aspirations
are roach about 2 lb, rudd about 2-1/2 lb, dace about 1 lb and chub
about 5 lb. There are instances of individuals heavier than this, one
or two roach and many rudd of over 3 lb being on record, while dace
have been caught up to 1 lb 6 oz., and chub of over 7 lb are not
unknown. Roach only take a fly as a rule in very hot weather when
they are near the surface, or early in the season when they are on
the shallows; the others will take it freely all through the summer.
Ordinary trout flies do well enough for all four species, but chub
often prefer something larger, and big bushy lures called "palmers,"
which represent caterpillars, are generally used for them. The fly may
be used either wet or dry for all these fish, and there is little to
choose between the methods as regards effectiveness. Fly-fishing for
these fish is a branch of angling which might be more practised than
it is, as the sport is a very fair substitute for trout fishing.
Roach, chub and dace feed on bottom food and give good sport all the
winter.
_Gudgeon, Bleak, Minnow, &c_.--The small fry of European waters,
gudgeon, bleak, minnow, loach, stickleback and bullhead, are
principally of value as bait for other fish, though the first-named
species gives pretty sport on fine tackle and makes a succulent dish.
Small red worms are the best bait for gudgeon and minnows, a maggot
or small fly for bleak, and the rest are most easily caught in a
small-meshed net. The loach is used principally in Ireland as a trout
bait, and the other two are of small account as hook-baits, though
sticklebacks are a valuable form of food for trout in lakes and pools.
_Mahseer_.--Among the carps of India, several of which give good
sport, special mention must be made of the mahseer (_Barbus mosal_),
a fish which rivals the salmon both in size and strength. It reaches a
weight of 60 lb and sometimes more and is fished for in much the same
manner as salmon, with the difference that after about 10 lb it takes
a spinning-bait, usually a heavy spoon-bait, better than a fly.
[v.02 p.0030]
_Cat-fish_.--None of the fresh-water cat-fishes (of which no example
is found in England) are what may be called sporting fish, but several
may be caught with rod and line. There are several kinds in North
America, and some of them are as heavy as 150 lb, but the most
important is the wels (_Silurus glanis_) of the Danube and
neighbouring waters. This is the largest European fresh-water fish,
and it is credited with a weight of 300 lb or more. It is a bottom
feeder and will take a fish-bait either alive or dead; it is said
occasionally to run at a spinning bait when used very deep.
_Burbot_.--The burbot (_Lota vulgaris_) is the only fresh-water member
of the cod family in Great Britain, and it is found only in a few
slow-flowing rivers such as the Trent, and there not often, probably
because it is a fish of sluggish habits which feeds only at night.
It reaches a weight of 3 lb or more, and will take most flesh or
fish baits on the bottom. The burbot of America has similar
characteristics.
_Sturgeon_.--The sturgeons, of which there are a good many species in
Europe and America, are of no use to the angler. They are anadromous
fishes of which little more can be said than that a specimen might
take a bottom bait once in a way. In Russia they are sometimes caught
on long lines armed with baited hooks, and occasionally an angler
hooks one. Such a case was reported from California in _The Field_ of
the 19th of August 1905.
_Shad_.--Two other anadromous fish deserve notice. The first is the
shad, a herring-like fish of which two species, allice and twaite
(_Clupea alosa_ and _C. finta_), ascend one or two British and several
continental rivers in the spring. The twaite is the more common, and
in the Severn, Wye and Teme it sometimes gives very fair sport to
anglers, taking worm and occasionally fly or small spinning bait. It
is a good fighter, and reaches a weight of about 3 lb. Its sheen when
first caught is particularly beautiful. America also has shads.
_Flounder_.--The other is the flounder (_Pleuronectes flesus_), the
only flat-fish which ascends British rivers. It is common a long way
up such rivers as the Severn, far above tidal influence, and it will
take almost any flesh-bait used on the bottom. A flounder of 1 lb is,
in a river, a large one, but heavier examples are sometimes caught.
_Eel_.--The eel (_Anguilla vulgaris_) is regarded by the angler more
as a nuisance than a sporting fish, but when of considerable size (and
it often reaches a weight of 8 lb or more) it is a splendid fighter
and stronger than almost any fish that swims. Its life history has
long been disputed, but it is now accepted that it breeds in the sea
and ascends rivers in its youth. It is found practically everywhere,
and its occurrence in isolated ponds to which it has never been
introduced by human agency has given rise to a theory that it travels
overland as well as by water. The best baits for eels are worms and
small fish, and the best time to use them is at night or in thundery
or very wet weather.
_Sea Angling._