TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



There is a great difference of opinion as to what force, 

 or pounds-pull, a trout can and does exert upon the fly-fish- 

 ing equipment; and for that reason it is well to consider 

 the subject at some length in order to arrive at a logical 

 not speculative conclusion. 



Let us assume as a fair basis with which to start that 

 trout weighing from one to ten pounds possess the ability 

 to exert the same proportionate pounds-pull according 



to their weight that is a one-pound 



trout can exert a one-pound pull, a five-pound trout a five- 

 pound pull and a ten-pound trout a ten-pound pull. 



From experiments made by Henry P. Wells and men- 

 tioned in his book, entitled "Fly-Rods and Fly-Tackle," 

 under the chapter on leaders, it would seem as if this as- 

 sumption was reasonably correct as a rule, although in 

 some instances a greater pull per pound of weight may 

 be exerted. 



My own experience and experiments lead me to be- 

 lieve that a trout can exert against a dead resistance a pull 

 equal to at least its own weight in still water and a consid- 

 erably greater pull in fast running water. 



It should be borne in mind that this is the pounds-pull 

 that can be exerted by a trout when working against a 

 dead resistance, not the pounds-pull that is exerted against 

 a yielding resistance, such as when a trout is being played 

 with the rod, line and leader, because the pounds-pull ex- 

 erted by the trout at that time will be materially less, due to 

 the spring of the rod. 



By a very simple and at the same time interesting ex- 



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