NEW BOTTOM-CREEPER BAITS FOR TROUT 53 



length. To be successful in fishing the artificial, 

 like the caddis, it should be attached to the end 

 of the leader, cast out as a fly to deep water and 

 allowed to sink to the bottom, where it must be 

 continually moved from place to place. 



This little hellgrammite is more common as food 

 for brook-trout, and the artificial is very attrac- 

 tive to them. I have taken several fine trout on 

 it, when they have run up from deep water be- 

 fore the creeper got near the bottom. It cannot 

 fail to attract bass, though tied on hooks much 

 too small for that fish; yet if used and played like 

 a fly it succeeds in giving excellent sport. It will 

 be found a taking cast if alternated with the cad- 

 dis-creeper at end of leader with the nymph above 

 it on the leader. In addition to the colored repre- 

 sentations of these three insects, I give pen-pic- 

 tures side by side, to show the stages from creeper 

 to insect, with the artificial imitations of both 

 fly and creeper, in order to simplify the differences 

 between them. Personal preference will dictate 

 how the angler shall fish them, whether singly, 

 as a dry fly, in doubles, or in trebles. I try all, 

 according to conditions. In this chapter I hope 

 to convince fly-fishermen how much better, how 

 superior in artistic attainment it is to have along 



