Feb. 19, 1885.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



67 



waters, it must yield the palm of supremacy in others. 

 Why this should he so will never he known. It is a question 

 that can only be solved, after practical demonstration, by 

 the fishes themselves in their particular waters, and anglers 

 will never be able to reduce the matter to the certainty of a 

 mathematical problem. This is another of the "glorious 

 uncertainties" of angling (hat constitutes, to my mind, its 

 greatest charm. Angling is an experimental ail, and from 

 the very nature of it must ever be so, for we can never hope 

 to possess a thorough knowledge of the emotions, appetites, 

 idiosyncrasies and "true inwardness" of the fishes them- 

 selves. James A. Henshael. 



Cynthiana, Ky., Feb. 10, 1885. 



THE MOST KILLING FLY. 



■Editor Forest and. Stream: 



It requires more courage than I possess to name the trout 

 fly that, at all times and on all waters, is the most killing. 

 The best day's sport tbat ever I had with Salwlinvs fonUn- 

 alis was when 1 used an unknown fly that has brought me 

 small returns since that day, nearly twenty years ago. 1 

 have had this flj r duplicated by several fly-tiers, but none 

 knew its history, if it had one. I could never recall how or 

 where 1 got the half dozen that I found in my book; but the 

 trout came for no other when it was placed "before them on 

 that memorable day. The best day's brook trout fishing I 

 had last seasou was with the ' 'green drake. " The fish rose 

 to this fly with such unanimity that I spent some time testing 

 other flies on the same cast, but whatever the position of the 

 green drake on the leader, it took almost all the fish. The 

 gray drake, which is not greatly unlike it to the ordinary ob- 

 server, Avas of no avail. A few days later the friend who 

 was with me again fished the same water and the green 

 drake was useless, while the coachman and fin-fly did the 

 business. 



The late Reuben "Wood— peace to his ashes— in telling me 

 of the origin of the fly that bears his name, said he was 

 fishing certain waters where the trout were rising freely, but 

 he exhausted his fly-book without a rise to his flies, and he 

 had all the flies generally known to the fly-fisher as standards. 

 He then put down bis rod and caught some of the natural 

 flies upon which the fish were feeding, and tied an imitation 

 which the trout took readily. This imitation of a natural 

 fly is now known as the ' 'Reuben Wood. " I could easily mul- 

 tiply instances where the well-known flies of the fly-book 

 were unnoticed and some nondescript taken with avidity by 

 the fish ; but I should be loath to call any one of them the 

 most killing fly, for a fly that will kill on one day in one 

 stream may not kill on another day in another stream. If 

 the most killing trout fly should be discovered, it would mar 

 the kaleidoscopic appearance of our fly-books and do away 

 with many a pleasant hour of uncertainty when the angler is 

 engaged in fitting the proper fly to new waters. 



It was of bass flies, however, that I sat down to write, and 

 of the most tempting color for black bass rather than of the 

 most killing fly in its entirety. Mr. Orvis says in a recent 

 issue of Forest and Stream that I will probably defend 

 the fly that bears my name, 1 will, certainly, defend it for 

 what it has done for me and my faith in it remains unshaken, 

 but dealing in "futures" is risky — so a cotton-dealing friend 

 tells me. One does not have to tax his memory severely to 

 remember when the fly for black bass was a scarlet ibis or a 

 fly with red the predominating color. I could go back of 

 the ibis to the time when another fly was the fly, but after 

 the ibis era claimants for bass favors sprang up rapidly, and 

 the bass fly became obsolete. This was owing, undoubtedly, 

 to the fact that as black bass fishing was recognized as one 

 of the higher branches of the gentle art, anglers were not 

 satisfied to use the tools that had been considered "good 

 enough for bass" when S. fontinalis was king, but set about 

 experiments to devise something fit for a royal table, as in- 

 vestigation had shown that the bass was not of plebian 

 origin. Instead of the fly this game fish was offered a menu 

 beginning with huitres and ending with cafe, and even then 

 it declined many invitations to dine with its old and its new 

 friends. As one of its old friends I — after I found by a trial 

 of several weeks that it had little fondness for the red ibis 

 on my leaders — spent most of three months, one summer, 

 trying various colors and combination of colors to find which 

 the bass liked best in a fly dressing. The result was that I 

 concluded they liked any color if it was yellow, but did not 

 object to other colors in combination with yellow. The fly 

 looks as though it was ordered out for dress parade, but it is 

 simply made for actual service. I have tried it on various 

 waters and I have no cause to regret the time spent in con- 

 sulting the taste of the black bass in regard to the proper hue 

 of an artificial fly. 



I looked over my fly-book this afternoon to see how many 

 different bass-flies were contained therein having yellow in 

 their composition. The "Ferguson," an excellent fly, has 

 yellow body and yellow in wings and tail. Major Ferguson, 

 of U. S. Fish Commission, tells me he originated the fly for 

 Potomac river bass, but has found it attractive in all waters, 

 and some of his friends have found it killing for Rangeley 

 trout, Not long ago a gentleman writing from Pennsylvania 

 described in print a fly that was famous for bass where he 

 lived. It is called the "Sunbury," and it has a yellow body. 

 The "Oriole," a very taking fly, invented by Dr. Henshall, 

 has yellow wings. The "Oconomowoc" — a former pet name 

 of Dr. HenshalTs, and I judge that the fly was invented by 

 him — has a pale or lemon yellow body. The "Mather," 

 another good fly, has a yellowish green body and tail. The 

 "Jungle Cock" has yellow body, wings, hackle and tail; in 

 fact, nearly all yellow, but I have not found it as good as 

 the "Black and Gold," having only yellow body and a slip 

 of yellow in wings. The "Botts" has one-half of its body 

 yellow. The "McLeod" has yellow hackle and tag. The 

 "No Name" has yellow body. Prof. Mayer's "Lord Balti- 

 more" has an orange body, with the yellow "eye" of the 

 jungle cock showing in its wings. I speak of this fly as a 

 bass-fly, and it has proven itself an excellent one, but Prof . 

 Mayer made it in imitation of a natural insect upon which 

 he had seen trout feeding, so that it won fame as a trout fly 

 before it was offered to the black bass. Mr. Henry P. Wells 

 designed the "Parmachenee Belle" for the large Rangeley 

 trout of Maine, and for these fish it has proven a first-class 

 fly, Mr. Wells fashioned the fly to resemble somewhat the 

 belly fin of a trout, but it has a body of yellow mohair, and 

 I have found it a very good black bass fly. Willson's "Pro- 

 fessor" has a yellow body, and the bass like it, but I have 

 named a sufficient number to show that yellow enters largely 

 into the colors comprising a good bass- fly. 



I do not think any of the inventors or designers of the 

 excellent flies I have named would claim that his particular 

 fly was the most killing. I remember reading that President 

 Arthur had the greatest success with Florida, black bass. 



when using a yellow hackle, and in looking over some old 

 letters from Miss McBride, who succeeded her father, John 

 McBride, of Mumford, I find she says: "A yellow butter- 

 fly is the best fly for black bass in July, as a small yellow 

 ephemera makes its appearance in June on streams tbat flow 

 into lakes and ponds, or if the season is particularly ad- 

 vanced it appears the last of May." Miss McBride was not 

 only considered by many anglers the best fly-tier of her 

 day, but she was a close student of entomology as well. 



It is a good rule to otter the black bass of ponds and lakes 

 a large gaudy fly, cither in casting or trolling, and the black 

 bass of rivers and rapid streams a smaller and more somber 

 fly. But I am no nearer the most killing fly than when I 

 began this letter. A. N. Cheney. 



Glens Falls. N. Y. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Millard's red flannel fly, as he tells it in your issue of the 

 5th, reminds me of my own experience in catching the wary 

 trout with bait that was not a red ibis. Some years ago I 

 was fishing on the outlet of Silver Lake, one of the most 

 beautiful sheets of water to be found in the State. By some 

 mishap I lost my fly-book and found that all I had to fasten 

 on my line was a single snell and hook which I had fortu- 

 nately left wound around my hat. I had no bait; it was dif- 

 ficult to find worms and hard to tear up the sod with only 

 my band for a hoe. A happy thought struck me. From 

 the red morocco fining of my pocket book I cut a strip the 

 shape and size of a small willow leaf. Through the wider 

 end I put the hook and then two of the white petals of a 

 daisy for the wings of this new kind of fly. My very first 

 cast, brought a nice trout and when night came my creel was 

 nearly full. The body of my fly stood the hard usage well, 

 but 1 had to furnish new wings with every catch. It was a 

 matter of great wonderment to me that this improvised bait 

 should be so "taking" when we think so much care must be 

 taken in the make up of the flies we use to make the decep- 

 tion complete. 



Another experience, although of a different kind, I would 

 like to relate. Perhaps some brother sportsman can give me the 

 "why" of it. I have never been able to explain it. Iwas 

 fishing on Broadheads Creek. After my day's work,which 

 I had shortened that I might reach Oakland station in time 

 for the night train, I put my tackle up, and with my com- 

 panion started on our tramp. A few hundred rods from the 

 main stream we crossed a little run, and as I stepped over it 

 my foot slipped back into the water which seemed almost 

 ice cold. I was sure that if there was some pool where the 

 trout could lie we would find them and have some sport in 

 this cool spring water. We laid down our traps aud fol- 

 lowed it some ways. When near its junction with the creek 

 it spread out and became a little pond perhaps ten feet wide 

 and three times as long. Peering through the brush I noticed 

 this and told my companion to follow me along, but keep- 

 ing some ways from the water, while I carefully crept up to 

 the place. On my hands and knees I crawled along until 

 near the overhanging, 1 bank, when I'carefully opened the 

 brush and looked in Such a sight I had never seen before. 

 There on the white gravelly bottom were perhaps a hundred 

 beautiful trout lying quietly, hardly moving, save the gen- 

 tle motion of their fins. I backed out as quietly as I came 

 and told my companion of my "rich find." We knew that 

 the only way to catch them in this clear, open place, was to 

 keep entirely out of sight. I fixed my line and flies, and 

 crawling up behind a bushy birch, inch by inch, I pushed 

 my rod ahead until the line was clear of the bank, let the 

 flies drop gently on the water. Before they fairly touched 

 it, a splash and I had two hooked. Without rising I threw 

 them back to my companion; after taking them off the 

 hooks he drew the rod back, then pushed it toward me 

 that 1 might again get my line out as 1 had done at first. 

 This continued until I had landed thirty-two. But now the 

 strange part of this adventure : After this I could not get a 

 single rise. I whispered to my companion and one by one 

 he changed the flies until we had tried every one in our 

 books, but not a bite; then a hook with a worm, then a white 

 grub, but no use ; there they lay by the dozens aud there 

 they stayed until I called my friend and we both rose up. 

 With a rush that fairly made the water boil, they went 

 through the riff into the deep water of the large stream. We 

 gathered up our trout — all measuring within half an inch of 

 seven inches in length — and took the trail for the station. 

 We were well paid for our hurried walk and the disappoint- 

 ment in missing the train by almost an hour. Will some one 

 give me the "why?" Seicewood. 



Centralia, Pa., Feb. 7. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I think that your correspondent who first propounded the 

 query as to the best fly did it with reference to Colorado 

 waters. In my experience there the coachman stood first, 

 the grizzly king being next, while a brown hackle with 

 green body, and gray hackle with green body, stood third on 

 the list. With these four flies, adding perhaps a queen of 

 the waters, one may fish successfully there in all months 

 during the entire season. M. 



SIZE AND WEIGHT OF BLACK BASS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In common with "Woodcock," I have often wondered at 

 the reports of the lengths and weights of black bass, as 

 reported in the columns of the Forest and Stream. 



Have caught a great many black bass during the last 

 eighteen years, and find my weights and measurements agree 

 with "Woodcock's" table as given in your issue of Feb. 5. 

 The fish measured were small-mouth black bass, fat and well 

 conditioned. The largest caught last summer measured 21 

 inches in length and weighed 3 pounds 14 ounces, weighed 

 two hours after it was caught. Now according to published 

 accounts, a black bass caught in Lake George of 21 inches 

 would weigh from 6 to 8 pounds. Now, brother anglers, 

 let us hear from you. N. 



Espebance, N. Y., Feb. 9. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The inclosed list of measurements of small-mouthed black 

 bass, taken in the month of May (at the Bass Islands, Lake 

 Erie), when they are in prime condition, are in every respect 

 correct : 



Length. Girth. Weight. 



12 inches 8 incb.es 1 pound, 6 ounces. 



14 " 11 " 2 " 6 



15 " 11% " 2 " 14 " 



20 " 13 " 4 " 5 '* 



20 '• 14U »* 5 



21J^ " Va% <' fi M 8 " 



I have plaster casts of each fish, with measure and weight 

 marked on them when taken. 

 My impression is: that "Woodcock's" bass were not well 



fed, for certainly a fish of this kind fifteen inches long and 

 weighing only one pound and eight ounces, must have pre- 

 sented a very gaunt appearance. Da, E. Sterling. 

 Cleveland, O., Feb. 7. 1885. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Commenting upon the difference in the weight of black 

 bass of the same length, as set down in a, table by himself 

 and "Poke-o'-Moonshine," your correspondent "Woodcock" 

 says: "If they were small-mouthed I don't see how a table 

 can be' at all accurate in different sections of the country." 

 In this statement he is correct; a table good for one section 

 is useless in another. 



Last summer I kept a record of some of the bass I took; 

 they were small-mouthed, taken in Saratoga Lake. The 

 measures are from tip of nose to ends of caudal fin: 17 inches 

 long, 3 pounds; 144 inches Jong, 1 pound 12 ounces; 13| 

 inches long, 1 pound 8 ounces. A table of the length and 

 weight of brook trout good for Pennsylvania or New York 

 is not accurate for Colorado or California. M. 



VAGARIES OF FLY NOMENCLATURE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In reading the Forest and Stream for Feb. 12, 1885, I 

 am somewhat puzzled by the following from the pen of Mr. 

 Fred Mather : 



"I have gone over and compared the list of names only in 

 Holberton's and Orvis's list, without comparing the flies 

 which are called by the same name, as 'White Hackle' found 

 great differences there. On Holberton's plate there are 

 sixty-four named flies, and in Orvis's list there arc seventy- 

 eight, yet Holberton names thirty-seven which are not in 

 Orvis's, the latter omitting the Montreal and Alder flies, and 

 naming forty which Holberton has not. Including hackles, 

 I find that only twenty-eight names are used in common by 

 these two authorities Orvis names brown coffin and also 

 marsh brown, while Holberton gives both names to one fly 

 which has a blue wing and is like the brown coffin of Orvis; 

 the marsh brown of the latter has a brown wing." 



I do not desire to enter into any controversy in regard to 

 trout flies, or any of the implements used in fishing. Fear 

 of this has many times restrained me from giving my opin- 

 ions. It is always a pleasure to me to read the views of 

 others, and it has sometimes been hard for me to keep still. 

 In my recent letter I yielded to the temptation to "join in," 

 hoping it might interest some of your readers to learn some- 

 thing more of the fiies mentioned by other correspondents. 

 I wrote only in the desire to exchange information aud define 

 my position as one who sought not to create confusion, but 

 to ascertain a correct standard 5nd steadfastly adhere to the 

 same. I do not wish to assert myself in opposition to any one. 

 I only give the conclusions drawn from personal investiga- 

 tions, hoping they may be of service to the angling fraternity. 



To return to the paragraph quoted from Mr. Mather's recent 

 communication. I say I am puzzled by his statement that 

 "Orvis omits the Montreal and alder flies," for the Montreal 

 is represented among the flies for Maine or lake trout fishing, 

 in plate No. 3, fly No. 3. It was included among flies for 

 larger trout, being so much of a favorite among fly-fishers 

 for those fish, and it seemed unnecessary to duplicate the 

 pattern among the smaller flies, as the only difference would 

 be that caused by the size of the hook. In my previous 

 letter I gave a brief account of my researches in regard to 

 the Montreal fly. 



The alder is third in the list of flies; it can be found on 

 page opposite 171, plate. No. 7, fly No. 37. It is an old Eng- 

 lish fly, and I could give authority for its general appear- 

 ance from numberless writers. One finds mention of it in 

 nearly every work on trout flies. Alfred Ronalds in "The 

 Fly-Fisher's Entomology," classes the natural insect as fol- 

 lows- 



Alder fly (orl fly, in Wales called the humpback). Order, 

 Neuroptera; family, SiaUdce; genus, SiaUs; species, Luta- 

 rius. 



He says of it: "This fly comes from a water nympha. 

 It is earlier on some waters than on others. It lays its eggs 

 upon the leaves of trees which overhang the water, and 

 delights to skim the brook, but it may also be found at 

 some distance from it. Imitation: 



Body — Dark mulberry floss silk, or peacock herl, tied 

 with black silk. 



Wings— From a feather of a brown hen's or peahen's 

 wing. 



Legs — Dark umber-stained hackle, or in case of need 

 a black cock's hackle will answer tolerably well." 



In "Superior Fishing" Mr. Robert Roosevelt, in speaking 

 of artificial flies, says: 



* 'I am indebted to Mr. J. James Hyde, a gentleman, who, 

 though an amateur, is one of the most finished anglers and 

 neatest dressers of a well imitated trout-fly in the United 

 States, for the following directions for tying trout flies with 

 the feathers of American birds." Among "these directions 

 are those for tying the alder, viz. : 



Body —Peacock herl, tied with black silk. 



Wings — From a feather of a brown hen, made large and 

 full. 



Legs— Black cock's hackle. 



In "Game Fish of the North," by the same author, we 

 find: "The fly-fisher, however, relies for his pleasures 

 mainly upon his imitations of the neuroptera and diptera. 

 The neuroptera, or net- winged insects, florjliegen, gauze flies, 

 as they are called by the Germans, include the principal pets 

 of the fly-fisher. Their bodies are long, tapering and deli- 

 cate; their wings (four) almost transparent and marked with 

 netlike veins. They keep in continual motion for the pur- 

 pose of catclung smaller insects, on which they mainly feed, 

 and generally deposit their eggs in the water, where the 

 grubs live from one to two years on plants or other insects," 



Mr. Francis Francis, in his "Book on Angling," declares: 

 "The alder or orl fly is one of the best flies that "comes upon 

 the water, and was a great favorite of the late Canon Kings- 

 ley." Mr. Francis Francis gives the same directions for 

 dressing the imitation as does Mr. Ronalds. 



Michael Theakston in his remarkable and exhaustive work 

 classifying flies and their imitations writes of the "light 

 dun" in a note explaining that it is "the alder fly of other 

 writers," and says of the natural insect: "Wings better than 

 half an inch; the top ones wear the shade of the outer skin 

 of a dried onion, with faint mottles and crossings a shade 

 darker. Is altogether of a dim ambery tinge and dim trans- 

 parency." 



Frank Forester in "Fish and Fishing" gives Ronald's 

 formula for the imitation of t?«te alder fly. Thaddeus Norris 

 in Mr. Hallock's "Sportsman's Gazetteer" gives the alder as 

 "clout body, black hackle, slate-colored wing." In the 

 "American Angler's Guide," published rna,ny years, ago b^» 



