280 REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



rise to the fly; and if the fisherman's chief desire is to fill his basket, without 

 regard to the pleasure, he may perhaps successfully with bait compete with the- 

 fly fishing sportsman. This he can do, however, only where there is deep water. 

 There is no comparision in the pleasure of the two methods, even when baskets 

 are even. 



Lake trout may be taken, in the spring, by trolling along the shallow water 

 near shore or around rocky ledges, and in the summer with bait or by deep 

 trolling. Such fishing, however, is mainly a matter of providing a breakfast, 

 and can hardly be called sport. 



On no point do sportsmen differ so much, perhaps, as upon choice of, or 

 preference for, certain flies. The amateur will show you a gorgeous hued assort- 

 ment that would bewilder the wisest fish and cause inextinguishable laughter in 

 his family. The old-timer — who has had that craze and recovered from it — 

 meanwhile will have a half dozen tried and true favorites, each with a history 

 of victories fairly won, and now on the retired list, while recruits of the same 

 sort are on duty. If, however, one were on a tramp through the forest, and 

 his life depended on now and then capturing a trout, and he could have but one 

 fly, it should be the humble, modest brown hackle. It is perhaps suited to more 

 times, seasons, waters and fish appetites than any other — and yet one may still 

 have his half-dozen favorites. For use on the dark Adirondack waters trout flies 

 may be larger than those used on clearer waters. 



As for rods, the good old ash and lance wood variety of former days has 

 disappeared, and the light, strong, supple split bamboo has taken its place. A 

 good bamboo rod is the acme of excellence. The steel rod has its admirers also. 

 The automatic reels are a delight to those who have learned how to use them 

 and when and when not to "push the button." The finer the tackle the more the 

 pleasure with a skillful hand at the butt. The success, however, measured 

 by the basket is not always commensurate. The rough and tumble of much of 

 Adirondack fishing suggests the use of a fairly substantial fishing outfit. 



By reason of destructive agencies, some of which have been mentioned, only 

 on the private preserves, in streams and lakes somewhat inaccessible to the less 

 enterprising sportsman, and here and there a lake unusually fitted for the growth 

 of trout, are they found in anything like satisfactory numbers. Do what they 

 may, the State hatcheries cannot do much to. meet or arrest the decrease while 

 these abuses continue, and the sportsman predicts in sadness that if they are 

 not checked the next generation very likely will know nothing of Adirondack 

 trout fishing except from tradition and books. 



