FISHES AND FISHING IN THE ADIRONDACKS. 279 



coming in waters that practically have ceased to be inhabited by trout. A fine 

 feature in Adirondack fishing certainly has been added. 



The great enemy of the trout is the wicked pickerel. Anathema MaranatJia ! 

 say all sportsmen, upon the heads of the villains who for revenge or from pure, 

 unadulterated accursedness have introduced this fish demon into the happy home 

 of the trout family! 



How to catch trout, is the question the beginner asks, and the answers will 

 depend on various facts — seasons, waters, weather, times of day, and amount 

 and quality of food the fish are having, and the mood of the fish themselves. 

 Then, again, the ardent fly fisherman will decry bait fishing; the bait fisherman 

 will boast of his catches and tell you that his basket contains the larger and more 

 numerous fish. Again, the fly caster will descant upon flies learnedly and show you 

 such a variety that you will wonder how he learned so much of the tastes 

 and preferences of the trout family. 



However, some facts about the matter are plain. In May, after the ice goes 

 out of the rivers and lakes, the trout are hungry, and roam about in search of 

 food to break their long fast. Bait fishing is then in its best estate, and fly fishing 

 only mildly satisfactory. Earth worms and grubs seem to be most attractive, but 

 other kinds of bait will serve. Trolling in the larger lakes along the shores and 

 around rocky islands, with bright spoons to draw attention to the angle worms 

 trailing from the hook, is successfully practiced. Very early the fish begin to ascend 

 the rapids, and there fly fishing is likely to be good. 



Spring is the season when parties from the "border" come into the Adiron- 

 dacks and fish for the tub. They camp by a lake, and clean it out. It is said 

 that last year one such party, in two weeks, caught, in one of the smaller lakes 

 not far from Cranberry Lake, four hundred pounds, which they salted down like 

 so much pork! It is not surprising that the summer fisherman found that lake 

 "poor fishing." In Cranberry Lake, in the spring of 1904, a whole fishing 

 fleet trolled along the rocky points at the south end of the lake and around 

 Buck Island, day after day, taking a vast quantity of large trout. The following 

 summer, sportsmen wondered why that celebrated fishing resort had ceased to 

 afford the royal sport of former years and why the spring holes yielded so few 

 trout. The story of the spring fishing gave the answer. 



Late in June, and during July and August, the trout seek the cool water, 

 and crowd into the little coves where cold streams enter lake or river, or ascend 

 streams toward their fountain head. Then artificial flies are the most attractive 

 lure and give the sportsman his greatest pleasure. Bait, however, takes the big 

 sly fish that hug the bottom, although at certain hours, notably at evening, they 



