Dace or Fallfish 



bait, being hardy, bright and silvery in 

 color. Trout anglers have no liking for 

 it, because it constantly rises and takes the 

 fly intended for more desirable fish. In 

 smaller rivers like the Beaverkill, it is so 

 numerous that twenty dace will rise to one 

 trout; but they often rise short, getting just 

 pricked in the lips, so that they are very 

 often whipped off in recasting the fly. They 

 invariably lie at the rocky bottoms of swift 

 running water, feeding on vegetable matter, 

 worms and insects, constantly rising to the 

 surface for any floating food passing above. 

 I have caught them up to two pounds' 

 weight on every possible bait. They will 

 take a small artificial or live mouse, a silver 

 minnow, hellgramite or small frog, but 

 for general all round fishing they give more 

 play on the artificial fly or live worm. In 

 running water the regular trout tackle is 

 best suited to dace fishing, a light nine-foot 

 rod, oiled silk line, with a six-foot leader 

 and small, easy running click reel. For 

 worm fishing the hooks should be No. 9 to 



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