254: MEN 1 HAVE FISHED WITH. 



an interest in them. I also had several cane "poles," as 

 we called them,, and loaned one to each of the boys. I 

 was inclined to be a "dude" sportsman in that early day, 

 if we interpret that abused term to mean a man who likes 

 to own the best things that he can get, and who will pay 

 a quarter of a dollar for a light natural cane in preference 

 to using a heavy sapling cut in the woods to be thrown 

 away after using. In fact, I would to-day, if not then, 

 rather be a "Sunberry Fisher" than his opposite. In 

 these days of game hogs and of men who fish for count 

 and brag, I say with due deliberation and with full knowl- 

 edge of the ridicule to which a man with fine fishing 

 tackle is subjected if he is unsuccessful in a day's fishing, 

 that I would rather be in his place and own tackle to be 

 proud of than to be the proverbial boy with an alder pole, 

 a "letter in the post-office," and a big string of trout; but 

 the fact is that a good angler with good tackle can beat 

 the boy, if he knows the stream well. 



With the man who loves fishing for itself and not for 

 the fish, the capture of a record-breaking string is of no 

 consequence. The old story of the "funny man" catches 

 the popular fancy. To-day when I fish for trout I use a 

 rod which cost $35, and it is worth every cent of it. My 

 reel, line and book of flies cost as much more, and on a 

 trout stream there is no bare-footed farmer's boy with 

 his alder pole and worm who can, day after day, take 

 more trout than I or thousands of other anglers can. He 

 might on an odd day, where he knew all the trout holes 

 but not as a rule. And if he did? Still I say: I would 

 prefer to be the Sunberry Fisher who "caught nothing 

 at all," for why do we prefer a gold watch to a silver one? 

 It may keep no better time. We like elegant harness on 

 our horses, but they pull the carriage no better than if 

 tied to it with bits of rope. Now you young anglers can 



