258 



TJic American Afio^lcr. 



and the large trout would not respond 

 to our efforts. But we had great sport 

 after dark, and took many large trout, 

 often hooking them within ten feet of 

 where we stood. 



Standing at the head of the rififles, 

 just where the water begins to turn deep, 

 we cast our flies gently down stream, 

 using a small white miller fly, tied to 

 an eight-foot leader. Allowing the fly 

 to settle gently 

 upon the water, 

 we held the rod at 

 an angle of about 

 thirty degrees and 

 drew the fly slowly 

 over the surface of 

 the water toward 

 us. The largest 

 trout would take 

 the fly very gent- 

 ly, an almost im- 

 perceptible tug at 

 the hook notifying 

 us that we had a 

 bite, but as soon as 

 this slight tug is 

 felt one must give 

 a quick jerk at the 

 wrist, thus holding 

 the fish. How- 

 ever gently a large 

 trout takes the fly 

 at night, the in- 

 stant he feels the 

 prick of the hook 



fights desperately, and must be played 

 very carefully and patiently, or he will 

 escape. 



I took twenty-one large trout from 

 one riffle and never moved from my 

 tracks, some of the largest trout taking 

 the fly within five feet of where I 

 stood. After dark the mosquitos stop 

 biting and a moonlight night is best ; if 

 the moon shines, wait until it is almost 



out of sight behind trees or a high 

 bank, when the fish begin to feed again. 

 Last night, at eight o'clock, just as 

 the darkness set in, the trout com- 

 menced to jump, and it was a great 

 experience ; the moon was partly hidden 

 behind clouds, and yet a peculiar light 

 shone upon the water, reflected from 

 the sky. The tall pines cast shadows 

 upon the surface of the stream, and the 

 night was very calm and beautiful, 

 the stillness being broken only by the 

 splashing of the trout or a shout from 

 one of the party telling of the hooking 

 of a large flsh. 



From June 15th until the end of the 

 season, August 31, if one would catch 

 large trout and enjoy great sport, 

 besides having an interesting and 

 novel experience, go trout fishing 

 at night. The best way to thor- 

 oughly enjoy trout fish- 

 ing is to get a party of 

 four, tent on some good 

 stream, and two can 

 fish side by side, which 

 affords good company. 



From Watersmeet, in 

 every direction the 

 country is broken 

 up and actually 

 crowded with 

 lakes and trout 



v. 



^; streams. The east 

 branch of the On- 

 tonagon River 

 flows from Crooked Lake, and crosses 

 the railroad track three times between 

 Crooked Lake and Watersmeet, and 

 one can run out of town about fourteen 

 miles by the morning train, fish all day, 

 and return to town by the evening 

 train. The river is about thirty feet 

 wide, and affords bait or fly fishing, 

 but always fish with flies if possible, as 

 it is more artistic and is the acme of 



