FISH AND FISHING. 



125 



accustomed to spawn naturally. Is it any 

 wonder trout (\o not increase so fast as 

 they ought to by natural means? It seems 

 to me that this protection of their worst 

 enemies was a great mistake on the part 

 of someone. What do you think, Brothers? 

 Has anyone anything to say in defence of 

 these birds? To me it would seem far 

 wiser to put a bounty on them. 



W. L. Steward. 



CAMPING AND TROUTING IN COLORADO. 



Galena, Kas. 

 Editor Recreation : 



I spent last summer in Colorado. Hav- 

 ing fished the sources of the Arkansas 

 river and the Eagle river from Red Cliff 

 toward Glenwood some years ago, I de- 

 cided to try the Southern portion of the 

 State. Therefore I took a ticket to Wagon 

 Wheel Gap for my wife and myself. 



Arrived at our destination, we were soon 

 dressed for the day's sport with the trout. 

 Our first fishing was in Goose creek, a 

 branch of the Rio Grande. The stream 

 is 15 to 30 feet wide. We first strung 3 

 flies; a coachman in the lead, a professor 

 next and a grey hackle for the top. The 

 flies lit gracefully in the ripple. Zip ! went 

 the reel, and in a few seconds we brought 

 to creel a beautiful rainbow trout. We 

 continued along up the stream, took a rain- 

 bow, then an Eastern brook, and then a na- 

 tive mountain trout. When they ceased 

 biting we found we had 16 beautiful trout. 



Our first day was repeated almost every 

 other day for 4 weeks ; some days we met 

 better success than on others, but in all it 

 averaged nicely and was enough to satisfy. 

 We found some genuine sportsmen, and 

 only occasionally came across the detested 

 fish hog. A person fishing those waters 

 does not need a large assortment of flies. 

 The coachman is the favorite, the grey 

 'hackle next, then come the professor and 

 cowdung. 



Last season there was a good number of 

 campers all along the Rio Grande, from 

 Wagon Wheel Gap down the river for 6 

 miles. Fishing at Wagon Wheel is not so 

 pleasant as in the small creeks that empty 

 into the Rio Grande. Besides the fishing at 

 Wagon Wheel there are other interesting 

 things, especially the mountain climbing. 

 The drive to Creede, 10 miles, is charming. 

 The hot soda springs are located near the 

 hotel, 1^2 miles from the station. They are 

 considered as good as any. The water is 

 about 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate 

 at Wagon Wheel is cool. During July, so 

 saorching in the Bast, there was a white 

 frost on the board walks about the hotel 

 nearly half of the morning. 



S. N. Dwight. 



ONE DAY'S JOY. 



I was 12 years old that summer and the 

 most enthusiastic angler in the place, often 

 going out 3 or 4 times a week, and catching 

 possibly one trout for every half dozen 

 trips. That did not discourage me, but 

 rather made me more anxious to get a big 

 fellow. 



That particular day dawned dark and 

 cloudy; just the kind for July fishing. 

 Fred had started out ahead of me, and 

 when I stopped to catch grasshoppers for 

 bait, there he was by the brook, shouting 

 to me, and holding up a 9 inch beauty to 

 show me he knew how to fish. I decided 

 right there that I would catch a 9 inch 

 trout, or camp out till I did. After walk- 

 ing up the road about a mile and a half, I 

 struck over to 'the stream toward one of 

 my bunks. There was a sharp turn in the 

 brook. The mountain came right down to 

 the bank at that place, terminating in a 

 great rock, around which the water rushed. 

 I hadn't been there long before I got a 

 prize. He was the largest I had ever 

 caught, but my cup of happiness was not 

 quite full, for he lacked an inch of what I 

 wished to get. After rebaiting the hook 

 with a choice yellow grasshopper, I cast 

 into the rapids. The 'hopper floated down 

 to the big rick, passed it, and then with a 

 rush and a splash it was gone. I gave one 

 great, excited pull. Out • came a glistening 

 trout, and lay flopping at my feet ; but not 

 for long. The softest ferns were none too 

 good for such a king, and I took many a 

 peep at him as he lay in my creel. I fished 

 down stream and got one more, not quite 

 so large as his predecessor. I thought 

 they made the handsomest pair I had ever 

 seen. As soon as I reached the hotel they 

 were measured. The largest was g]/ 2 , and 

 his partner 9 inches. 



Fred came in with his solitary trout, but 

 when he saw mine he said nary a word, and 

 never crowed over me again that summer. 

 H. G. Hutchinson, New York City. 



1,450 TROUT. 

 The most remarkable catch of trout of the sea- 

 son was made at Green river last week by W. A. 

 Kuepferle, William Felitz, James Collins, George 

 Orth and Ace Sweesey, all of Seattle. Alto- 

 gether they succeeded in landing 1,450 fish. The 

 largest weighed 1% pounds. Mr. Felitz says: 

 "Everyone laughs when we tell of that catch, 

 but it is true, nevertheless." — Seattle (Wash.) 

 Times. 



When a subscriber sent me the above 

 clipping I wrote the men mentioned there- 

 in, asking if the report was true. Their 

 replies follow : 



You were correctly informed regarding 

 our catch in Green river. 



W. A. Kuepferle, Seattle, Wash. 



The report is correct. 



Wm. Felitz, Seattle, Wash. 



