330 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[April 23, 189S. 
"I liave this to say: Nessmttk is- aii authority on 
woodcraft, but to quote him on fly-fishing is a new prop- 
osition. Wlien he Avas not near anglers any kind of 
bait that would take trout would serve his purpose. He 
was a part of nature, but somehow his sentimentality did 
not take the direction of trout fishing — ^more's the pity." 
"Well, what has this to do with the question of hand 
flies?" 
"Nothitig further than to refute your assertion that 
ovnr old friend Nessmuk was an authority on fl3''-fishing. 
I will concede him an intimate knowledge of camping, 
light canoes, and knowledge of tlie woods, but at fly- 
fishing he could hardly rank as a duffer, for he did not 
practice it. He fished merely to get meat, and he loved 
the woods as few men love it." 
"Well, Avell, we will admit all that. Go on and present 
your case for a single fly, and that a drowned one on 
the tail end of the cast. I'm a simmer if I can see where 
you have a leg to stand on." 
"My dear Jim," said I, "the tastes and fancie's tff a 
trout are various. On a stream or lake you may pre- 
sent three flies to at least 10,000 trout which are lying 
below. They all see them, but they only attract about fifty 
fish;, figure the percentage for yourself. Of that innn- 
ber about twenty take the fly and are caught, the rest 
miss it. Of these twenty at least fifteen are taken on the 
tail fly, if it is the one which has lured the most fish 
either in its present position or as a hand fly." 
"No, I object," said Mr. Geddes. "In this argument 
there must be no shifting of a favorite fly from a dropper 
to a tail fly." 
"Then we must bind ourselves to keep a fly in a cer- 
tain position," I replied, "and that would kill my prac- 
tice of putting the favorite as a tail fly and abolishing all 
others. In my experience the tail fly, if properly se- 
lected as a killer for that day, will take more trout 
than any other fly on the leader, because it is sunken 
and resembles a swimming thing, perhaps a gammarus 
or other crustacean, or some swimming beetle or fly, or, 
as I think more likely, the trout does not think about it 
nor mistake it for anything which it ever saw, but just 
snaps at it on general principles, just as a puppy will 
grab at a toad because it moves and then drops it when 
the toad burns his mouth with the secretions from its 
skin. Usually one lesson teaches the puppy the differ- 
ence between the acrid skin of a toad and that of the 
harmless frog, but the trout pays for the mistake with 
its life, Avhile the puppy froths at the mouth like a boy 
who has bitten an Indian turnip, and gets over it soon- 
er." 
I can't believe that a trout is an entomologist who 
casts his eye aloft at the imitation insect, and thus solilo- 
(juizes: "That moving thing cannot be a May fly; its 
tail does not cock up enough; it is probably not one 
of the ephemera, but rmy be some species of Phrj'ga- 
neidte Avhich I do not knoAV, and I'll sample it and try its 
flavor." 
If any of the "natural school" of fly-fishers who believe 
in copjdng the natural fly thinks that a trout reasons 
in that manner, and it pleases him to think so, we Avill not 
quarrel about it, but he would need to argue long to 
make me think so. In my first article T merely intimated 
that I had no belief in trying to imitate natural flies, but 
will now say that I haA'-e a belief on the subject, and that 
belief is that a trout Avill take a nondescript fly as quickly 
as any, if the fancy strikes the trout to seize it. It is an 
impulse that is acted on at once and is not reasoned out 
on entomological lines, just as I have slapped doAvn a 
beetle Avhich came too near before I ever thought of 
striking at it. I struck first and thought afterAvard, and 
I believe that a trout does the same. 
If every trout that saAV the angler's fly rose at it there 
would be no trout left. It is only the occasional fish, say 
one in a hundred, Avhich rises to the cast, and of this 
number there are many which miss. 
A Tfout Rises in Play. 
Many of the misses- seem plainly intentional. I have 
seen the same trout rise several times at the same fiy, 
cast after a few moments' rest, and miss it every time. 
The trout is a fair marksman, and Avhile it may miss 
a moAnng fly occasionally it Avill not repeat the miss 
many times. Why then does it so often rise and miss? 
Play, my boy, play; only this and nothing more. Most 
animals play, why not the lively trout? 
Some years ago. a subtile humorist, perhaps Charles 
Hallock, started anglers to arguing over the question 
whether a trout did not strike a fly Avith its tail and 
flip it into its mouth. The question was taken seriously, 
and as we have all seen a trout come up in play and 
toss the fly in air Avith its tail there Avas quite a lot of 
fun got out of the arguments. Verilj' the funniest thing 
is not a frog, although he has the reputation of it. 
Dotjfales, 
The reason why I wish to learn Avhich fly is the most 
killing and then to fish it alone as a tail fly is a dread 
of doubles. I would prefer to fish for an hour without 
a rise than to hook two trout at once. It may happen if 
you use more than one fly, and that is Avhy I prefer to 
fish Avith only one if I can hit on a fair killer for the 
day. The faA^orite of yesterday stands small chance to- 
day if the weather conditions differ, or if they do not. 
Woman has been charged Avith being capricious; in my 
limited experience I have not found her so, but if there 
is a living thing on. the earth or the waters beneath that 
is fickle in its fancies it is a trout. With two trout on 
the same leader there is no yielding of the rod betAveen 
them, nor giving of line which saves the day in the 
savage rush of a lusty trout when there is but one to 
handle. With a double there is danger of both jerking 
in opposite directions at the same instant, and then 
something may give Avay or so strain the gut that it is 
weakened. 
When the angler is so unfortunate as to hook two fish 
at the same time he must be patient artd humor them 
until they are tired enough to reel in, trusting that one 
may unhook itself or that thej'- may not jerk at the leader 
simultaneously. If, hoAvever, they are brought near 
enough to net, be A-ery careful; get the net well under 
the furthest trout and then take the other, but never 
try to net the near onp until the other is iji the tiet. 
Unlacky Strikes* 
Worse than, a, double .is a trout that strikes at the 
moment Avhen you are recovering for another cast. Of 
course it can't be prevented, and so T call it unlucky. 
Such a strike may break anything from a snell or a 
leader to the tip of the rod, and it happens to the best 
anglers. If the trout is a small one it- may be snatched 
out of the water and over' the head of the angler without 
breaking anything, but it puts a strain on tackle Avhich 
does it no good, while if the trout be of good size there 
is sure to be damage. 
Chacfc and Chance. 
This is a term of derision devised by tlae sticklers for' 
imitations of natural flies, to be hurled at the heads of 
anglers of my class AA'-ho do not care whether a fly imi- 
tates anything that lives or not, as long as a trout will, 
rise at it. We are "chuck and chance" anglers, and if 
the term pleases them it pleases us. 
What is there to do but to chuck and chance? Note 
the beautiful alliteration. We go to the lake or stream 
and "chixck" three differeitt flies; if one or more by 
"chance" proves acceptable, there Ave are. If, however, 
the trout will have none of them, Ave change flies and 
"chance" again and again tmtil Ave hit the right fly. 
Some have a rude formula Avhich prompts them to use 
dark flies on a bright da^r, light-colored flies at evening, 
but others reverse the rule. 
This mode of chance the "natural fly" man, who is 
much more common in British waters than here, con- 
temptuously calls imscientific. In his fly-book there are 
no nondescripts, such as the red ibis, queen of the Avater, 
and other flies Avhich have no resemblance to livmg 
insects, and therefore should not be used to lure trout, 
but he has all the so-called imitations of insects which 
ever by accident Or design appear on the surface of the 
water, and he believes that they are really imitations; 
a faith Avhich requires a strong imagination behind it. 
He approaches the Avater in a thoughtful and observant' 
mood. He satisfies himself as to the kind of fly, or flies, 
Avhich are hovering over the water on that day, and if 
the trout are rising at them he searches his book for an 
irnitation. If he has nothing Avhich satisfies his jesthetic 
mind he catches one of the flies, counts the hairs on its 
off hindleg, and producing materials from his kit he pro- 
ceeds to tie Avhat he thinks to be an imitation of the 
insect, and having AA^asted an hour at this Avork begins- 
to cast, and if he takes a few brace of trout Avith his fly 
he is satisfied, and flatters himself that no other combi- 
nation of fur, wool and feather Avould have taken those 
trout. He is perfectly satisfied, and why should not Ave, 
the "chuck and chance" men, be satisfied? 
M}^ dear brother of the angle, if the "natural fly" an- 
gler Avill permit me to so address him, there is not the 
shghtest objection to your methods nor to your nursing 
of pet theories. You may be a trifle cranky, but you 
are a good felloAV after all; you are entitled to respect 
because you are sincere. We, Avho cast the derided non- 
descripts, are as sincere as you, and if avc choose to 
begin casting in Avhat you deridingly call the "chrrck 
and chance" manner, Avhy is not our sincerity entitled 
to as much respect as yours? 
I don't pretend to see with the eye of a trout nor to 
think Avith its brain. Just Avhat insect the trout may 
think, if it dues think, my fly may be is a matter of per- 
fect indifl^crence to me if the trout decides to take it. A 
i\y in a .tackle store may look to the buyer very different 
from its appearance to a trout who sees it wet and sod- 
den through 6ft. of Avater, against a' sky Avhich may be 
Avhite, gray or blue. 
These are radical vicAVS, but in the first article I de- 
clared myself a Philistine on the fly question, in order 
to anticipate the charge, if it should be made. Most 
anglers, especiafly American anglers, use more nonde- 
script flies than the alleged imitations, and by the Avord 
"alleged" I mean to assert that the imitations may serve 
to deceiA'e a trotit Avhich is lying in three or more feet 
of Avater, but to me have no resemblance of an insect. 
Take a "palmer," or "hackle," as it is often called; would 
a child of ten years old ever mistake it for a caterpillar? 
Never in the wide, Avide world. And so it goes; the 
imitations of natural flies are, to my eye, most imperfect 
imitations, and sometimes they are killers and at others 
the trout will have none of them, but prefer some gaudy 
nondescript, and if they do I indulge them in their fancy 
and "chuck for chance" Avithout a bit of respect for tra- 
ditions, or the rules laid doAvn that certain flies are only 
to be used during certain months, or any other rule 
Avhich I may consider nonsense; but then I am a Philis- 
tine, and what can you expect? 
ANGLING NOTES. 
Hockhocksen and Pine Btooks. 
Paterson,, N. J., April 14. — Editor Forest and Stream: 
Permit me to say a few words in regard to the com- 
plaint made in your last issue by Mr. Leonard Hulit, to 
the efifect that streams recently stocked by the State 
were unlaAvfully posted by a deputj^ warden. Shortlj^ 
after the streams in question Avcre stocked an applica- 
tion was made to me by Deputy BroAvn and others for 
notices prohibiting- fishing for three years; I replied that 
no such notices Avere used, as the laAV prohibiting fishing 
in stocked streams for three years applies only to 
streams Avhen first stocked. When I was informed that 
notices had nevertheless been posted by Mr. Brown I 
had the matter investigated, and I learned that about 
one-eighth of a mile of the stream Avas posted by a Avell- 
knoAvn lawyer of Long Branch, Avho was anxious to 
protect the fish against pot-hunters, but Avho never ob- 
jected to sportsmen indiflging their sport AAnth rod and 
line. Ever}^ property OAvner has the right to prohibit 
trespassing at all times, and if I am correctly informed 
nothing further was done. I am led to believe that Mr. 
ilulit was misinformed as to the extent of the posting. 
The State Commission certainly never has prcA^ented 
fishing in streams because they had been recently 
stocked. Chas. A. Shriner. 
The Pikes. 
A GENTLEMAN iu Pennsylvania sends me the folloAV- 
ing questions: Being very much interested in a con- 
troA-ersy in which the mascalonge and pike have played 
an important part, I thought I Avould write and get 
your opinion on the following questions :^ , • 
First — Is the true mascalonge (Esox ndbilior) found 
inhabiting Chautauqua Lake? 
■Jl Second — ^What is the most marked difference bctAveen 
the mascalonge {Esox nobilior) and pike (Esox lucms}? 
Third — Do these two species of fish ever cro.ss.? 
Fourth — What is the average Aveight of the pike (Eso.v 
Indus) in tliis country? 
Replying to tliese question in their order: 
First — The mascalonge is found in Chautauqua Lake, 
and is propagated by the State of New York artificially. 
.!( is, however, no longer knoAvn by the scientific name 
Esox nobilior, as according to Jordan & Evermann's 
classification it is Lucius masquinon.gy, and the pike, 
formerly Esox lucius, is now Lucius luciiis. 
While the Chautauqua Lake mascalonge is not col- 
ored like the St. Lawrence River fish, it is structurally 
the same, and this is also true of the Wisconsin fi.sh 
in comparison. The Chautauqua fish, instead of having 
' PICKEREt. 
Gliceks and operclcs cginpletdy scaletl. 
round brown spots on a light ground, has spiasheS 
of brown, quite irregular in shape, on a light ground. 
Qccasionally these marks are i] early round, some of 
them on some specimens. The Wisconsin fish, like the 
OttaAva River fish, is unspotted, but they are aU true 
mascalonge. 
Second — ^The most marked dift'erence, perhaps, that 
is constant is the scales on cheek and gill covers. In 
the case of the mascalonge the scales cover the upper 
half only (generally about eight rows of scales) of the 
cheeks and gill covers; Avhile in the case of the pike 
the cheeks are entirely coA'ered Avith scales, and the 
lower half of the .gill covers is bare the same as the 
mascatonge. The coloring of the pike is more constant 
Cheeks scaly. XiQwer half of opercles naked. 
than the coloring of the mascalonge. The pike of this 
country and Europe are the same, and ahvays it is found 
Avith lemon-colored, bean-shaped spots on a darker 
ground. Within a year, I think, F''orest and Stream 
has published cuts of the scales of pike, mascalonge 
and pickerel on cheeks and gill covers in a manner 
to show the difference beyond a question. 
Third — No; not in nature. It is man that makes 
mules, and up to this time man does not appear to have 
thought of making a hybrid pike, but he may when 
he does think of it, in Avhich case Ave will have a fish 
that is not as good as either parent. 
Fourth — It is difficult to give the aA'erage weight of 
pike in this country, but probably from 4 to islbs. The 
largest I knoAV of being taken came from a lake in 
The- FoEEST AND STREAM is put to press each week on 
Tuesdouy. Correspondence intended for piiMication 
should reach us at the la,test by Monday, and as much 
earlier as practioahle. 
MASCALONGE. 
Lo%er half of cheeks and opercles naked. 
Pennsylvania, and weighed 3Slbs. A pike of 561bs. Avas 
caught in Ireland. T mentioned this fish, at the time 
of its capture, in this journal; and several times since 
that time lists of big pike have been printed in the 
English papers, Avith never a mention of the 561b. fel- 
loAV. Very recently I read a letter from a gentleman 
who gave the details of the capture of the fish in ques- 
tion, and noAV I presume it Avill be included in future 
lists printed in England. Some years ago — I cannot 
give the date — Forest and Stream published in con- 
nection with my notes a half tone of a pike catight in 
Lake George, N. Y,, and it was one of the best pic- 
tures of the fish I have seen, and it was because the 
