THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 55 



within a few hours of Portland. We think of the famous old 

 Columbia Gorge, with its many dashing water courses. There is 

 Herman creek, near Cascade Locks; Eagle and Tanner creeks, 

 near Bonneville ; Pierce creek, Dry creek, Williams creek, Bridal 

 Veil creek, Latourelle creek, Gordon creek, Trapper creek, Cedar 

 creek, and many others. All good. But my own little pet brook 

 for early April fishing I have purposely refrained from mention- 

 ing. Being particularly fond of this tiny stream, I am loath to 

 let you in on my secret. It is quite the prettiest, coolest, daintiest 

 little rill that I know of, and each year it affords me quite a 

 respectable creel of small cutthroats. So I have learned to con- 

 sider it, with its accompaniment of blossom and brake, my own 

 •tiny April domain. But I know this is selfish indeed, so I turn 

 it over to you in its wild loveliness. Young's creek! We shall 

 try its purling waters. 



This creek tumbles down through the rocky defiles of Shep- 

 pard's Dell, near Bridal Veil, and finds its way to the Columbia 

 about a mile west of that point. But it cannot be ascended from 

 its mouth. In places the water plunges sheer for many feet, and 

 the footing is uncertain. So we will follow the Bridal Veil Lum- 

 ber Company's logging road till we get up onto the bench land 

 to the right of Bridal Veil creek. Then take the road to the right 

 over the divide, and a few minutes' brisk walk brings us to the 

 rough little stream. If we are lucky enough to be first in, and 

 are not discouraged by brambles and rough walking, we should 

 take a fair catch of pretty cutthroats. 



The Right Bait. 



It is too early for fly fishing. We will have ample oppor- 

 tunity to indulge that later. This is a plain case of bait. Come 

 with a bait box full of fresh, clean angle worms. To toughen 

 and prepare them for bait, place in a clean earthen jar, half -filled 



with moss which has been dipped in water and squeezed nearly 

 dry. On this drop a teaspoonful of milk and a light sprinkling 

 of corn meal. After worms have been left in the jar for twenty- 

 four hours they will be found bright, tough and lively. 



