122 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



streams, a pound trout is considered a large one. In 

 Maine, brook trout have been taken up to ten pounds 

 and Frank Forrester (1848) tells of one brought into 

 the Soo by an Indian that weighed 1 1 pounds. In his 

 " Sportsmen's Gazetteer " (1877) Hallock mentions a 

 brook trout of 17 pounds but unfortunately he gives 

 no particulars. The present record for the Nipigon 

 waters, and perhaps of any waters, is a specimen of 

 141/2 pounds caught in 1916 by Dr. Cook of Fort 

 William, Ont. 



EDIBILITY 



One who has never tasted a brook trout fresh from 

 the water and cooked over a fire on the streamside is 

 not competent to pass on the edible qualities of this 

 fish. Take small trout, cook with bacon in the open 

 so that the flavor of the wood fire can be tasted as 

 the paper from our home town puts it : " nuf ced ! " 



GAMENESS 



Beyond any possibility of doubt the brook trout 

 deserves a place in the front ranks as a game fish. No 

 angler ever sees one flash from an overhanging bank 

 and seize the fraudulent feather without being thrilled, 

 for the brook trout is the very embodiment of speed 

 and natural grace. Once he is hooked he fights with 

 unequaled determination and strength but he has one 

 fault: he does not leap on a slack line. For this rea- 

 son I am tempted to place him just a shade below the 

 rainbow trout and small mouthed bass as a game fish, 



