352 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



We must remember that our horizon does not include 

 the whole habitable globe. It may rain in the State of 

 New York, while the sun is shining in full splendor else- 

 where. The truth is there are few points in regard to 

 fly-fishing of which it may justly be said this is right and 

 that is wrong irrespective of attendant circumstances. 

 As the inhabitants of the Eastern States differ from 

 those of the West or South, so the fish of different locali- 

 ties differ in habit and inclination. The most killing flies 

 on the Maine waters would scare the trout of a Pennsyl- 

 vania brook into fits. We know next to nothing of the 

 causes which influence the conduct of fish. To-day they 

 will take any kind of humbug greedily to-morrow, with- 

 out apparent change of conditions, they act as though it 

 were a solemn fast, and ignore every form of temptation. 

 To-day they swarm to-morrow they have vanished. 

 Every angler can recall many instances of this kind. I 

 remember, six or seven years ago, I went out on one of 

 the piers which support the " Upper-dam " of the Rangely 

 Lakes. Before I could joint my rod, up rolled one of 

 those gigantic trout for which that locality is famous. 

 A swirl in the water like that from the blade of an oar, 

 and the sight of a tail as broad as my hand is long, set 

 me to work without unnecessary delay. From about 

 nine o'clock in the forenoon until late in the afternoon 

 I cast, except for a hurried lunch, without a moment's 

 cessation. Twelve rods were at work within sight all 

 this time, and except a comparatively little fish of three 

 and a half pounds which fell to my rod, not another 

 trout was taken during all that time ; yet these large 

 fish were constantly rising throughout the day. This is 

 by no means a solitary or unusual instance. Every one 

 accustomed to those waters has seen the same happen 



