296 
FOREST AND STREAM, 
IApril 9, 1904. 
where it is cool. The hatch will be confined to the even- 
ing and early morning hours, as the hot sun is not favor- 
able to any of these insects and may be fatal to some. 
In 1903 the month of March was unusually mild,_ many 
flies were on the water and trout were rising in our 
mountain streams just as they do in May. _ I have seen 
great numbers of ephernera hatching out in April, and 
have taken a basket of trout while the snow was falling. 
Of course, it melted about as fast as it fell; I do not 
mean that the air was very cold. 
At first the trout are hungry and foolish, and will take 
almost any fly, but they soon learn_ to be cautious and 
discriminating. Some patterns of flies will kill more or 
less all through the season, but when the fish get well 
on to a particular , color, more trout and a better average 
will be secured with a good copy of the natural. The 
color of the body is of the first importance. I remember 
a fly that was only good for a short time during one 
season, and that was a period of about three weeks in 
August. I have seen a few in subsequent years, but only 
a few. The water was low and the trout very shy, but, 
thanks to a good imitation of this small fly, I enjoyed 
most excellent sport among the large trout. I tried 
m.any experiments with other flies and compared results 
with other fishermen, and this fly easily led all others 
while, the natural was about. In the matter of size (of - 
fish taken), the difference was very remarkable. I have 
been led away from my subject proper. It is so easy to 
get oft" the track when writing on these matters. 
I .know so little of entomology that I do not pretend 
to instruct anyone. I only hope that a more competent 
person may take up the study of. the insect life of our 
trout streams. I do not advise the slavish foUowing of 
the imitative theory, I only claim that on some streams 
(particularly where there is much still water), a copy of 
the natural fly upon the water will often give _ one a 
good basket of trout when all other artificial flies are 
nearly, if not quite, useless. Again, big trout that con- 
fine themselves practically to a fish diet, are not often to 
be lured to the surface by small insects, yet may be taken 
by a large moth, particularly if fished for at night._ 
To me, the ephemera, or day flies, are the most inter- 
esting. It was formerly thought that they lived only for 
a day, hence the name. As inhabitants of the air, their 
life historv is short, not extending over a period of much 
more than two weeks, I believe, in any member of the 
family, but as larval insects in the depths, they pass from 
one to two years. If the water is shut off from a mill 
race or any similar place, and the bottom proves to be 
composed of stones, sand and gravel, it will be found 
very interesting to appoint oneself a committee of in- 
vestigation. The number of larva of various sorts and 
kinds will usually prove surprising. Many sizes will be 
found, brown, dull yellow, olive and dark orange are 
the common colors. All have good strong mandibles or 
pincers to seize their food, and all, or at least those I have 
found, of the ephemeral species, are active and full of 
life. When the time comes for these creatures to change 
their habitat, they swim upward to the surface, the shell 
of the larval forms splits down the back and the winged 
insect emerges, sometimes with a rapidity that almost 
defies the sight, and again slowly and with difficulty. 
How the change can be made in the former way puz- 
zles me. I have occasionally been able to take up a posi- 
tion directly above the place where the larva or nymph 
was coming up. In one instance the fly was a large one 
and I fancied that I could see the larva shooting up, 
the next instant two or three flies were floating down 
stream with their big wings erect upon their backs. In 
another instance, a very small insect was hatching out 
in swarms at short intervals. It was an unusually cold 
day, with blasts of wind and rain. After each flurry of 
wind and rain, the sun would peep out, and instantly 
the hatch Would come on and the trout be seen rising 
all over the pools. Taking a small space on the water 
for observation, one moment it would be vacant, the next 
a -dozen little flies would be dancing on the surface. 
What this flv was I do not know, but not an enhemera, 
possibly. I was too intent on my fishing during the short 
time that the fish were rising to catch any specimens and 
think that the flies were coming up too far out to do 
so, in any event. Strange as it may seem, a tiny cowdung 
fly was a good imitation of this natural, and I took 63 
trout in a short time, returning all of these except the 
best fish. After hatching out, the ephemera have to un- 
dergo a second transformation, from the dun to the spin- 
ner, or perfect insect. In the former state the colors are 
quite dull and the wings opaque. As soon as their wings 
gain strength the insect flies to the shore and hides among 
the bushes. After remaining in this condition for some 
days, it sheds its whole covering, coming out in bright 
colors and with clear, glassy, sparkling wings. These 
wings, by the way, cannot be well imitated, and the best 
thing to do is to dress the fly with hackles only. (A 
hackle with dark center and golden edge answers for 
wings and legs.) As duns and spinners these flies do 
not feed at all, their only duty in this latter state being 
to perpetuate their species. The males may be seen danc- 
ing up and down in the air, usually in the evening. They 
are then on the watch for the females, which are quickly 
caught when they leave the bushes in which they have 
sought shelter. The nuptial rites take place in the air 
and soon, after the females deposit their eggs upon the 
water. Their existence terminates soon after, as both 
■male and female are reduced to mere shells. The little 
egg quickly sinks to the bottom, on which it finds a lodg- 
ment among stones and gravel. In a few weeks it be- 
comes a larva, to follow its destiny as described._ 
When the stone fly wishes to change its shell it crawls 
out upon a stone and, gripping tight with its powerful 
claws, splits down the back and with considerable diffi- 
culty emerges. It is not in condition to fly, and is obliged 
to slink about under rocks, etc., until its wings are per- 
fectly formed. It goes through no second transformation. 
I do not remember ever seeing stone flies heavily on, 
though I have seen great numbers in the act of laying 
their eggs. These were of the yellow kind, and,_ although 
they were extremely clumsy, often being carried down 
for several yards by the current, not a trout touched 
them. I was told, however, that earlier in the season 
they were well taken by the fish. 
I know nothing worth mentioning in regard to the 
diptera or their life history. I have had fine sport with 
a small black pat, It is ^ goo4 pattern for night ar 
late evening fishing. The caddis flies hatch out largely 
at night, and are perhaps the most numerous of all the 
insects found upon our trout waters. They allow the 
angler few opportunities to study them, as he is too busy 
during the short hour or two allowed him after the sun 
is off the water to spare time to secure specimens or to 
study their life history. Quantities may be taken by 
means of an exposed lamp, however. We know that they 
hatch out in swarms and are well taken by the fish. They 
have the power of secreting a bubble of air at the end 
of the case, but I doubt whether this would enable them 
to rise to the surface, though I have heard that they did 
so. This is entirely unnecessary, as they move about the 
bottom from place to place, and can readily crawl out 
upon the shore or a stone when they wish to change their 
mode of life. They present a variety of colors, but the 
majority are brown, in many shades. The wings form a 
roof over the body and extend beyond it. The family 
of crane flies is a large one. The best known and most 
esteemed member being our friend the mosquito. For- 
tunately this is one of the smallest of the tribe, others 
being an inch in length. If we had mosquitoes of this 
size and proportionately ferocious, life would be intol- 
erable in many parts of the country. The next best 
known is the harry-long-legs, and I have found him in 
several colors, brown, dull orange and yellow. 
No one who spends even a very little time in the study 
of insect life, can fail to be astonished by the infinite 
variety and great numbers of species, varieties and colors 
of these flies. They fill an important place in nature, 
acting as scavengers in the larval stage and feeding the 
fish all through their existence. The birds also take 
heavy toll at times and possibly other creatures. They -' 
are among the most beautiful of all insects, delicate in 
form and exquisite in color. To me the ephemera are 
more beautiful than any of the moths, wonderful as are 
the coloring and markings of the latter. We have seen 
several handsome books treating of moths, butterflies, 
etc., and with excellent illustrations. Considerable at- 
tention has been given to the inhabitants of stagnant 
pools and ponds, but the insects which feed the trout 
have been neglected in this country. Some day I intend 
to import all the English works I can find that treat of 
the subject, but we would like to be able to identify our 
native flies when found during our fishing rambles. Un- 
less I am much in error- we have a greater number of 
species, and there are such differences in the insects found 
upon streams and lakes in various parts of the country 
that no foreign work would be satisfactory. 
From my small experience, I should say that the same 
species may not be found in waters not 50 miles apart. 
Some are common to all, while others are peculiar to a 
district or even to a stream. On a large river more big 
flies will be found. In petty brooks, the flies wiU be 
for the most part small, though the great stone fly ap- 
pears nearly everywhere I have been in this State. It is 
said that we have several kinds of May flies, some of them 
much larger than the old country type. 
We certainly have one fly bigger than anything to be 
found across the Atlantic. That is the horned corydalis, 
the larva of which fills such an important place as a 
bait for the black bass. I refer to the hellgramite, or 
dobson. This is a queer beast. I have seen it appear in 
large numbers early in June. That is, the fly hatched 
out at that time. Its habits are very peculiar, as after 
living as a larva in the rapids of our streams for a year 
or more, it comes out and burrows in the soil. Some 
people say that it returns to the w^ater before becoming 
a fly, but I have found it in the transition stage upon 
land, before it was perfectly developed. All the corydalis 
I have seen were, when I observed them, headed up 
stream and were flying rapidly. One evening (it was 
always late in the afternoon that they appeared) I saw 
a number of individuals strike the water in a river where 
thc'-c were many trout, but they were not taken." I also 
caught several and threw them in at the top of a big 
pool without result. The trout were probably afraid of 
such a huge black thing. I have heard of the capture 
of at least one big trout with the hellgramite as bait, 
and there are few better for bass. I have but touched 
upon the subject of the flies that feed the trout, as I 
feel my lack of thorough equipment to treat it as it should 
be done. I crave indulgence for scanty information and 
probable errors, pleading my love for all things con- 
nected with fly-fishing in extenuation. 
Theodore Gordon. 
Fish Chat. 
BY EDWARD A. SAMUELS. 
Oat Old Darling, the Troat. 
Although nominally our spring begins on March 21, 
there are then really but few indications of its arrival in 
most sections, of the North and East; it seems at that 
time difficult to shake off the firm grip that old winter 
has held upon the face of the country. But on the 
advent of April, conditions have changed very con- 
siderably in many favored localities, and nature appears 
to have awakened from a long hibernation. The maple 
begin to blush with pleasure, the buds of the willows 
swell and blossom, and the birds are again arriving 
among us. 
The song sparrow is trilling his sweet melodies in 
the sheltered thickets ; an occasional robin is seen flit- 
ting about the pastures and orchards, and the black- 
birds are calling in the swamps. These, the earliest 
of our migratory birds, will soon be followed by other 
species, and, later on, there will come the insect-eat- 
ing varieties which abide with us through the summer. 
The pleasure that all these bring to lovers of nature 
is beyond description, but the opening of the month 
confers an additional enjoyment on devotees of the rod 
and reel, for it marks in many sections the beginning 
of the open season for trout fishing. 
The Early Troat Gets the Worm, 
Now, while it is true that the use of the fly at this 
early date usually brings but very poor results, one 
may occasionally find a spot where it may be profitably 
employed, but, generally speaking, the angler places 
his main dependence on the minnow or angle worm. 
Th^re are some who do not care niucti fpr e^rly trQUt 
fishing, particularly those who restrict themselves to 
the use of the fly, and I have a friend who goes so far 
as to declare there is no genuine sport at fishing until 
thfe mosquitoes and black flies bite. 
I understand fully what his meaning is and agree 
with him partially but not wholly, for I am one of 
those enthusiasts who desire to get all the fishing that 
is to be had, and am perfectly willing to "try my luck," 
even in early April when the winds are still far from 
balmy and the water is so cold that an occasional thin 
sheet of ice form along the shore at night when the 
mercury drops to the freezing point. 
From the brooks and small streams the creel is filled 
by the use of bait; the fish are then ravenously hungry, 
their food supply being exceedingly limited, and the 
minnow or angle worm that is dropped in the pools 
and lurking places of the trout is seized with avidity. 
I have another friend who maintains that he gets 
as much sport in following the meanderings of a brook, 
dropping his minnow here and there behind an old 
stump or rock or beneath the shelving bank of the 
stream in which the "trout do hide," as others possibly 
can obtain with the fly in more open localities. 
Well, he may be right; there is a lot of pleasure to 
be derived from such sport, and it requires no small 
degree of skill to handle a good sized fish in most of 
the brooks in which trout occur, filled as they are 
with old stumps, roots of trees and submerged bushes. 
There are many brooks throughout the country, such 
as, for example, those in Plymouth county and other 
localities in Massachusetts, in which the acme of pleas- 
ure is reached with bait fishing with the minnow. Fly- 
fishing .is practically impossible, for they flow through 
heavy growths of alders whose tops almost touch above 
them, and the angler is obliged to wade a good portion 
of their length in order that he may reach the lurking 
places of the spotted beauties, upon whose backs are 
traced the hieroglyphics which from time immemoral 
have had for the devotees of the angle an indescribable 
charm. 
The Surface Fly. 
But there are exceptions to every rule, and sometimes 
trout will come to the surface fly even if the water 
is icy cold, provided it is not very deep. I have 
proved this to my great satisfaction more than once. 
On one occasion I was out with the late Dr. John T. 
Stetson, of Boston, one of the mOst genial and com- 
panionable men I ever met, and an enthusiastic angler 
withal. We were fishing from a boat on one of the 
large submerged cranberry bogs in Tihonet in Plymouth 
county, Massachusetts, owned by. Capt. Bessee; the 
water was nowhere more than two feet in depth, ex- 
cept where the ditches ran, in which places it may 
have been a foot or two deeper. 
The day was bitterly cold — it being in the first week 
of April— and there was still a little snow left on the 
shores and a thin crust of ice flecked the weeds and 
grasses around the bog. It was about the last day 
one would choose for surface fly-fishing, but the Doctor 
and I had exceptionally good success, our catch being 
nearly four dozen between us. It is true they were not 
large fish, none of them exceeding a half pound in 
weight, but they were as lively and gamy as we could 
wish. The flies we used were the red-hackle, scarlet- 
ibis, fiery-brown-hackle, and the silver-doctor. 
Now it is probable that if we had used angle worms 
or minnows our catch would have been larger, but we 
restricted ourselves to the use of the flies and em- 
ployed them as surface flies at that; we could not very 
well have sunk them much for the water was too 
shallow. The fish, of course, were very hungry, and a 
hungry troUt will come at almost anything that is in 
motion. 
At the beginning of spring trout as a general thing 
fare on pretty short commons; there are no insects 
flying or spiders moving, and the larvae of aquatic 
species and an occasional minnow are about all the 
food they can procure, and if we examine the stomachs 
of those we have taken we find but little in them, the 
larvae of caddis fly, dragon fly and now and then a 
shrimp being all they contain. The fish are then, of 
course, not in the best condition, there being no fat 
around the viscera at all, and but very little in the 
flesh itself. 
Six weeks later conditions have changed very ma- 
terially, the caddis flies are awing, the May flies 
(Ephemera) are in great abundance, and myriads of 
other insects, worms and spiders, together with fresh- 
water shrimps, minnows, etc., help to complete the 
menu of . the speckled darlings. And if we then ex- 
amine their stomachs we find that they are fully dis- 
tended, there is an abundance of fat around the intes- 
tines and the flesh of the fish is rich and curdy. 
The flies that I have mentioned above have been my 
most successful ones in early spring fishing, but in deep 
water, of course, I sank them well down. My father 
used to tie a fly that, for early trout fishing, was the 
most satisfactory of any I ever used. It had a pretty 
full red cheneille body, yellow wings, and a rather 
thick reddish hackle; it was a fly that could be seen 
quite a distance well under the water, and it would 
always move a trout if there was one in sight of it. 
My first success with it was at the Middle Dam, at 
the Rangeley Lakes, it was then very early in the sea- 
son, the ice having but just gone out, and the water 
was, of course, very cold. There were nearly a dozen 
anglers at the camp, and all of them were using min- 
nows or angle worms. They killed a number of large 
fish, for such were abundant in those days, but bait 
fishing did not give the real pleasure that the angler 
looks for, and so my father and I rigged up our fly 
tackle and took positions on the piers and boom just 
above the dam from which we began casting. The 
water was at least fifteen or twenty feet deep at that 
point, and surface fly-fishing was futile. We tried it 
for upward of an hour and got hardly a rise. At length 
I put on one of the red and yellow flies I have described 
and cast well out into the deep water; before recalling 
it I stopped to reHght my pipe, during which interval 
the fly sank deep into the water. I lifted it gently and 
drew it toward me, fearing it might possibly get caught 
in drift stuff at the bottom. While I was thus m^oyin^ 
