56 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



For brook fishing use a short, light, rather whippy rod, about 

 seven feet long. A long rod is very unwieldly in the brush, while 

 a short casting rod is too stiff. Fifteen or twenty yards of medium 

 weight oiled silk line is plenty for this fishing. The reel is the 

 least important item. Use a three-foot light leader single hook 

 loop. Very often the only line out will be the leader. A half 

 dozen No. 8 sneck hooks will complete the outfit. 



Fish slowly and carefully and keep well out of sight. This 

 point cannot be too strongly emphasized. These little trout are 

 extremely wary, and any sudden movement of the fisherman 

 sends them off in a flash to hide under some rock or sunken log 

 till they are reassured. 



Fish the deeper pools under overhanging banks and beside 

 submerged rocks. Pinch a split shot onto the leader above the 

 hook, and lower it into the likely places, being careful to keep 

 it moving slowly with the current. 



Freshets and swollen streams cause the banks to cave off 

 here and there, and the fish eagerly watch these places for worms 

 and grubs. They are hungry and vigorous in the early spring, 

 and will bite readily, although rarely will they take food from 

 the surface. 



The day is spent working along the stream from pool to pool, 

 taking a fish here and losing one there. 



Budding nature greets us upon every hand, and if we do not 

 bring home three wild flowers to every trout, we have missed 

 the essence of the excursion. 



We will clean our little catch before we leave the stream, 

 being careful to keep them away from the water as much as 

 possible. Fish cleaned dry keep much better than those washed 

 and packed in wet grass. A few fresh ferns lining the basket 

 keeps the fish cool and firm. Garnish the pack with water cress, 

 and if my humble stream has not yielded a full complement to 

 your yawning basket, fill the top with wild flowers. 



With this offering you should be able to buy permission for 

 another jaunt, and reconcile "her" to the idiosyncracies of a 

 fisherman. 



