JUNE, 1920 
FOREST A N 1) S T R E A M 
32 
tice then in vogue with us during the 
respective wet-fly and dry-fly casting of 
Frank and myself of late morning and 
early evening on the rift which emptied 
into our chosen Stillwater. This, how- 
ever, would have necessitated frequent 
dropping and lifting of the anchor stone, 
with resulting confusion and disturbance 
of the neighboring water, or the holding 
of the boat with the oars, obviously more 
obtrusive proceedings than the quiet 
guidance of the drifting boat which alone 
was required. As an outcome of our 
selection there was no commotion to 
arouse timidity in the rising trout once 
the flies had fluttered upon the surface 
and started on their way in wondrously 
lifelike manner down stream. 
Should the sportsmanlike qualities of 
this drifting method of dry-fly angling be 
questioned further, it may be repeated 
that we were fishing solely for the pleas- 
ure afforded by the occupation ; our catch 
was returned uninjured to the water. To 
my mind the method is not only free from 
objectionable features but is thoroughly 
scientific. Indeed, it impressed us as 
bearing a marked analogy to still-hunting 
and recalled early days spent among the 
sources of this same creek, when rifle had 
occupied the place now held by fly-rod 
and the tracking of deer on hardwood 
ridges was the activity of time and place. 
Moreover, this drift fishing as illustrated 
above is the most killing form of casting 
with which an experience of trout angling 
dating from childhood (I was reared 
among the haunts of the wild charr) has 
made me conversant. 
I T is difficult to demonstrate in print just 
wherein lies the glamour which I have 
attributed to this odd angling. Per- 
haps' it was not the accompaniment of 
cowdung and hare’s ear on their placid 
glide down the Stillwater with the re- 
sultant rises and catching of trout that 
solely contributed to the fascination that 
we found in this strange fishing, so con- 
ducive to the capture of big fish, and at 
a time, furthermore, when the fishing 
was impaired by the state of the stream 
and the low temperature of the water, 
and hence was poorly fitted to produce 
the hatching of the ordinarily numerous 
flights of insects upon which fly fishing 
so much depends— the association in a 
gladsome nature was a large factor in the 
enchantment that entered into our recre- 
ation. The calm of evening; the creeping 
shadows on the water and the hillsides 
bathed in the soft, diffused rays of the 
receding sun; fragrance of moist earth 
and herbage; the blue, mountain peaks in 
the distance and interesting scenery near- 
by — these and the hundred and one feat- 
ures that comprise the environment of a 
mountain watercourse at the end of day 
were everywhere manifest amid our sur- 
roundings. 
Nor was there wanting minor wild life, 
evidence of which about us furnished a 
pleasing incident of the hours afloat and 
added a zest to our pursuit: From their 
bogan habitat came boom of frog, “peep” 
of tadpole, drone of toad and the metallic 
chorus of newts; the low soar of red- 
shouldered hawk bent on twilight forag- 
ing for batrac’nians; on adjacent beech 
ridge the hammering of that indefatiga- 
Newton Arms Corporation 
Manufacturers of 
High Power Rifles and Ammunition 
GENERAL SALES OFFICES: 
WOOLWORTH BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY, U. S. A. 
f jp ForQuickShots 
1 or Finer Shooting 
LYMAN 
* SIGHTS 
Meet the Need 
Combination Rear Sight 
No. iA has two sizes of 
aperture — a large one for 
snap shots, a smaller one 
for finer shooting. A flip 
of the finger makes the 
change. Write for the 
Lyman Book on Sights. 
Lyman Gun Sight orp. 
110 West St. 
Middlefield, Conn, 
ROBERT H. ROCKWELL 
1440 E. 63rd St. 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
ITHACAS WIN 
This 17 year old boy, H. E. Woodward, 
won $525.00 at the Sunny South Handicap 
this year with an Ithaca. 
When only 15 years old he won the Cham- 
pionship of Texas with the same Ithaca. 
Catalogue Free 
Single Barrel Trap Guns, $75.00 and up 
Double Guns, $45.00 and up 
Address Box 25 
ITHACA GUN CO. ITHACA. N. Y. 
B 
Swallows Report Noise 
Cut out that unnecessary report noise. 
Get another shot when you miss. 
Don’t scare away all the other game. 
Equip your rifle with a 
MAXIM 
SILENCER 
Price, .22 cal.. S6.00. Send 6c In 
stamps for catalog and booklet of 
humorous stories of noiseless shooting. 
The Maxim Silencer Co. 
69 Homestead Ave- Hartford, Conn. 
