BROOK TROUT 



trout flies in the Jeannotte, and have been taken there 

 over seven pounds in weight. Fish from two to five 

 pounds are quite common in all the upper pools of the 

 river at this season, and sometimes the angler may enjoy 

 the sport of playing two or three of them at the same 

 time. They are extremely gamy, and often break water 

 several times before being brought to net. In spring 

 and summer, not one of these large fish is to be found 

 in the stream, though there are plenty of fingerlings 

 ready to seize the angler's flies. The big fellows are 

 all in the big lake. They grow big because of the 

 large extent of spring-fed water in which they roam, 

 and also because of the abundant food supply furnished 

 them by the innumerable shoals of minnows. 



The lack of much insect food for fish at Lake Ed- 

 ward is perhaps responsible for the habits of its trout. 

 At all events, the large ones are not to be seduced by 

 insect lures until they withdraw to the shallower water 

 of the spawning-beds in the stream below. In spring- 

 time they often come pretty near to the surface of the 

 lake, when they chase the vast shoals of minnows into 

 somewhat shallow water. The frightened little fish 

 fly by thousands in front of their pursuers, and as they 

 spring into the air and fall back into the lake, the splash 

 that they make resembles the sound of a heavy fall of 

 hail. A live minnow is a good bait, and catches of 

 four and five pound fish are of daily occurrence here 

 in the spring of the year. Worms and other ordinary 

 bait are used with good result, and so are mice, frogs, 



30 



