290 The Trout s of America 



cyprinoids (carplike), and a large one of six or 

 eight or even ten inches, if the lake trout run 

 big, is most seducing to them. Many anglers 

 do not use the spoon, relying entirely upon the 

 attractiveness of the natural bait ; but my experi- 

 ence has convinced me that the revolving wings 

 or flanges of a bright spinner draws the atten- 

 tion of fish to the bait from a long distance, and 

 that, when reaching it, they take the minnow 

 voraciously, seldom striking at the spoon. 



The question as to the lake trout taking an 

 artificial fly when cast on the surface has been 

 a vexed subject of discussion among anglers. 

 In my judgment and experience it is merely 

 one of where we find the lake trout. If at the 

 mouths of large rivers, such as the Nepigon, or 

 in comparatively shallow waters over ledges of 

 rocks in the lakes, during the early spring 

 months, or in the case of the river just named 

 or similar ones, some miles upward from their 

 mouths, the lake trout will surely take an artifi- 

 cial fly. This has been verified by anglers of 

 high standing and of undoubted good faith, 

 who used flies dressed on No. 8 hooks and of 

 the patterns known as Seth Green, Bishop, and 

 Silver Doctor. 



