RANGELEY LAKES, MAINE: FISHES, ANGLING, AND FISH CULTURE. 557 



the trout by fly alone or not at all. Mr. Rich, writing under date of October i, 1880, 

 stated that trout of the largest size could, and now can be, seen lying upon their spawning 

 grounds, but they charily rise to the fly. The most of those taken are baited with spawn, 

 although many parties will not deviate from the more sportsmanlike way of fly hook and 

 delicate rigging. 



As long ago as 1887 a correspondent of the American Angler wrote: 



The character and modes of both fishermen and fishing have greatly changed during the past 10 or 

 15 years ; formerly most who visited the region fished either by trolling or " plug fishing ' ' (from an anchored 

 boat over a place baited to attract the fish). As an illustration, permit me to mention the fact that the 

 first time I saw one of Maine 's most distinguished Senators of a score of years ago he was "plug fishing" 

 for the greater part of the day, but now, no doubt (for he still lives), he would scorn the idea of using any- 

 thing but a fly. Scarcely a fisherman now goes out to troll without taking his fly rod with him, while 

 many never think of using anything else, and we trust the day is not far distant when all other modes of 

 trout fishing will be abandoned. 



The season for fly fishing also varies, but, as previously stated, it begins in general 

 at about the decline of the spring trolling. Regarding it, an experienced angler, under 

 date of June 10, 1893, wrote to a sportsmen's paper: 



The height of the trout season in Maine waters is over so far as the spring season is concerned , and 

 many of the parties have returned and are returning. Still, there are others who will go fly fishing 

 purely, and they will follow up all of the month of June and well into July. There will then be a lull 

 till late in August, or during the heated term, after which the fall fly fishing will begin. 



The earliest date of the opening of the fly-fishing season was mentioned in a letter 

 dated May 23, 1898, to a sportsmen's paper, in which it was stated that at Mill Brook one 

 person took 30 trout on a fly in one day, early as it was, and that it seemed that the trout 

 began to rise as soon as the smelts were done running. The next earliest was mentioned 

 under date of May 30, 1891, when it was said that trout had just begun to come up to the 

 fly at Upper Dam, and the same was true of the upper lakes, but up to that time the 

 weather had been unusually cold. On June i, 1877, at Upper Dam it was reported that 

 the trout had commenced rising finely to the fly, and about 50 fish had been taken in that 

 manner in the previous 24 hours. On the other hand, on June 10, 1882, it was stated 

 that there was no fly fishing owing to the retarded season. On June 7, 1889, trout and 

 salmon were reported to be rising to the fly. 



The fishing is mentioned in July as follows: July 9, 1874, many under 3 pounds were 

 taken on flies. This, however, probably refers to the last of June fishing, at least in part. 

 July 10, 1899, it was stated that the fishing continued better than usual after the hot 

 weather came in, although there was the same complaint that trout did not rise to the 

 fly as readily as in former seasons. Still, there had been some fair fly fishing at the Upper 

 Dam and at other places. On July 17 of the same year it was reported that a good many 

 small trout had been taken on the fly at Haines Landing and at Bemis; and again on 

 July 22 it was said that fly fishing was holding out well. On July 26, 1899, a report was 

 to the effect that at Mountain View trout were just beginning to rise to the fly and at 

 sundown when flies hovered over the lake the trout fairly jumped out of the lake to catch 

 them. On July 28, 1892, there were reports of remarkably good fly fishing on the large 

 lakes after the water began to fall. At Upper Dam, for the week previous, fly fishing 

 had been the best of the season. 



A report dated August 14, 1905, stated that during the previous 10 days over 20 

 trout and salmon had been taken on the fly, most of them weighing over 2 pounds but all 

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