and the Maritime Provinces. 233 



time for fly-fishing, as the bass are then approaching their feeding-grounds. 

 On dark and cloudy days the same condition of affairs obtains to a modi- 

 fied degree, but on very bright, sunny days, with still and clear water, the 

 bass retire to the deepest holes, whence the angler must try to coax them 

 with bait only. 



Some ten or twelve years ago when the Quebec and Lac St. John 

 Railway was completed only to the Batiscan river, I went up that river, 

 trout fishing, to a point a few miles from Lake Edward, and had royal 

 sport, so-called, but the trout were too plentiful and totally uneducated. 

 There was really not much sport, though the trout ran from one-half to two 

 pounds, for they were too eager to seize the fly, no matter of what color or 

 size. But at Lacs de Rognon, near the railroad crossing of Batiscan river, 

 I met Captain Seaton, of Quebec, president of the club that leased these 

 lakes. He showed me a basket of glorious trout, averaging five pounds, 

 perhaps, that he had taken with the trolling spoon and a long line. He 

 assured me that the trout of said lakes could not be induced to rise to the 

 fly, giving as a reason that the trout were so accustomed to feeding on 

 chubs, with which the lakes abounded, that they would not notice the arti- 

 ficial fly, much to the regret of the club members. 



The true reason, to my mind, was that the water was so clear that the 

 angler was always in sight of the fish, under which condition it is love's 

 labor lost to cast a fly or bait during daylight ; at night, however, I imagine 

 that with a "miller" or "coachman" there would be a different story to 

 tell, and that there would be but little difficulty in filling one's creel. Very 

 clear water should never be fished except with a very brisk breeze to ruffle 

 its surface, for obvious reasons. 



The sight of game-fishes is very acute, the angler being always seen 

 by the fish before he gets a glimpse of his quarry, and once seen he will 

 cast his fly in vain so long as he remains in sight of the fish. I once saw, 

 on Slate river near Gogebic lake, a large trout rise with open mouth to a 

 field mouse swimming across the stream, and when within six inches of it 

 he saw me watching him, he immediately closed his mouth and disappeared. 

 I have observed similar circumstances time and again. I have had black 

 bass seize my fly or bait numbers of times when reeling my*line or retriev- 

 ing for a new cast, and when it was but a few feet away, but suddenly 

 seeing me they would eject the lure and quickly disappear. Black bass, 

 while brave and gamy, are likewise cautious and wary. Several times I 

 have had them take the bait or fly almost out of my hand, but they were 

 hiding under my boat, and seeing nothing but the lure had leaped for it 

 and hooked themselves before being aware of my presence. 



The bass that is hooked always redoubles his exertions to get away 

 after he has discovered the angler who has him in hand, and he always 

 makes this discovery upon his first leap from the water, if not before. It 

 is at the first leap that so many bass break away. 



