126 PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



limit in California. A three year old fish will weigh 

 between one and two pounds. 



EDIBILITY 



The rainbow trout is a good table fish but not equal 

 to the brook trout in this respect. They have a ten- 

 dency to get " soft " quickly so they should be the first 

 put on the table when mixed varieties are taken. 



GAMENESS 



Irideus is a most brilliant fighter. He rises oblig- 

 ingly to flies ; he is lightning fast ; makes long runs and 

 leaps like an acrobat. He is quite the equal of the 

 small mouthed bass: he jumps better and takes flies 

 more willingly but does not fight as doggedly. 



THE BROWN TROUT 

 (Salmo fario) 



HISTORICAL 



This is a fish of ancient lineage the " troute " 

 that Dame Berners, Izaak Walton and other British 

 writers laud so highly. This fish is found in the 

 British Isles and throughout continental Europe and 

 was transplanted to American waters in 1882-3. The 

 eggs were presented to Fred Mather by Baron Von 

 Behr, a German fish culturist, and for that reason 

 fario was once known as Von Behr or German brown 

 trout in this country. This fish has now been exten- 

 sively transplanted in American waters east of the 

 Rockies. 



