April, 1922 
FOREST AND STREAM 
179 
in deep pools where there was scarcely 
any current. 
Rainbow trout frequent the deeper 
portions and little pockets in the bed of 
the swift water of the stream. If the 
up-stream fisherman knows these peculi- 
arities of the different species he is in 
search of he can adapt his attack ac- 
cordingly. Yet it is evident that the up- 
stream method requires perhaps less ver- 
satility for the different species than 
does the down-stream method. In everji 
case the approach is made from below. 
Of course, the water must be carefully 
studied. There must be something in 
this matter of approach, because a friend 
and I have often fished the same stream 
and he caught more rainbows, while I 
was more successful with browns. 
T here are other sporting consider- 
ations which should influence the 
angler on the opening day. There is a 
saying, confirmed by my own observation 
to a certain extent, that brown trout be- 
gin to feed well only after the hatches 
of flies have begun, and that they do not 
reach their best condition until the month 
of May. Then it would seem good 
sportsmanship to pass up this species at 
first, until opportuity has been given for 
it to take on weight and strength. 
A specimen in good condition will evi- 
dently be able to put up a better fight 
and therefore to give the fisherman more 
sport than an ill-conditioned one. If one 
does fish on the opening day in a stream 
known to be frequented by this species, 
he should be careful to examine each fish 
caught. If found to be a “slink” it should 
at once be returned to the water in as 
unharmed a condition as possible. 
My experience with rainbow trout has 
not been extensive or varied enough for 
me to pronounce upon this characteristic 
in connection with the species. But it 
would at least be good sportsmanship for 
the early-season angler to observe care- 
fully with regard to the matter, return- 
ing to the water any fish not in first-class 
condition. Such a specimen is not good 
for food and might recover and benefit 
another angler at a later day. 
Experience and observation both seem 
to concur in the fact that our native trout 
is an early feeder and in condition both 
for sport and as food by the time the 
opening day has arrived. 
I presume the whole matter might be 
explained in connection with heredity 
and environment. Our winters are colder 
than are those of the corresponding lati- 
tudes in Europe, our spring is somewhat 
later even than in England, and the fish 
are influenced by considerations of the 
thermometer rather than of the calendar. 
It would be well, theoretically, to have 
the season for brown trout at least, if 
not for rainbows, begin somewhat later 
in our northeastern states. But such an 
arrangement would be difficult to carry 
out in practice. When related varieties 
of fish are in the same body of water, it 
is rather difficult to distinguish among 
them legally. But the true sportsman 
keeps ahead of the law, studies condi- 
tions, both helpful and harmful, and fol- 
lows the good, while disregarding the 
bad. 
Practically, then, in the early season 
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