Fishing in North Carolina. 63 



There is no more palatable fish anywhere 

 than the little dainty of the cold mountain 

 water, but it has become so scarce (it always 

 was difiicult to get at) that fishing for them is 

 a very unsatisfactory sport. 



My personal observation of the speckled trout 

 only extends, so far as this State is concerned, 

 to the head-waters of the New and Watauga 

 rivers in the Blowing Rock section; where I 

 whiled away one summer in the pursuit, got a 

 little sport and a plenty of toil. 



Not seeking health or society, I did not dwell 

 at the Rock, but went up into the artless hills 

 and meadows; away from the haunts of men 

 and petticoats, to the habitat of the never weary 

 trout. 



My equipment consisted of an eight ounce 

 bamboo rod, appropriate line and leader, a book 

 of flies, suitable for the month, the water and 

 the sky, a box of live grass-hoppers, and a boy 

 to "tote" the lunch et cetera. 



Starting about sunrise I would make for the 

 highest point of the stream, scramble through 

 the laurel thicket down to the water ; and fix for 



