TROUT FISHING. 13 



Spearing the salmon is practised at night, with 

 torches, by professional fishermen, but seldom by 

 sportsmen or amateurs. 



The Trout. 



TROUT, which are caught in the numerous running 

 streams of the United States, vary in color, appear- 

 ance and size with the quality of the soil pertaining 

 to the streams they inhabit. They generally have 

 red and yellow spots on their sides concave tail, 

 and belly tinged with orange red. They have large 

 eyes, a wide mouth, sharp teeth, and scaleless skin. 

 The usual weight of brook trout is from one to four 

 pounds. Another species caught in New England 

 are dotted on the back with shaded brownish spots, 

 and the fins are tinged with yellow. The fish called 

 " black trout," which are found in sluggish muddy 

 streams, does not belong properly to the species. 

 Trout will vary as much in shape and flavor, as in 

 the color. They spawn in September and October, 

 and the time for taking them is in the Spring and 

 Summer. You may fish for trout until the 20th Au- 

 gust, though the finest ones are taken in the months 

 of May and June. They bite the best in March and 

 April. 



You can hook trout in several ways. Some prefer 

 fly fishing, and this is the most interesting mode in 

 Summer. The rod to be used should be light, and 

 the line made of hair, or silk and grass.. The fly 

 should be placed on a length of gut, or a single light 



