Ill 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Jan. 27, 1912. 
Lines for Fly-Fishing. 
Sullivan County, N. Y., Jan. 22. —Editor 
Forest and Stream: The subject of lines for 
fly-fishing is a very interesting one and much 
discussed by anglers. Twenty years ago Ameri¬ 
can enameled waterproof lines were considered 
the best in the world, and large quantities were 
exported. This is still true in lines of medium 
or low price, but we import many of the Eng.ish 
tapered lines of high grade. This is due prob¬ 
ably to the discovery of the air pump method 
of dressing with pure boiled linseed oil and its 
general adoption by manufacturers on the other 
side of the water. The process is a rather 
tedious one, as in the best lines many soakings 
of oil under the air pump are required and time 
allowed for drying and rubbing down between 
coats. 
Several of the English lines bought by me 
have had but a short life of usefulness, while 
others have been excellent. However, it is no 
longer necessary to go abroad for quality, as the 
very best lines of any taper required are now 
made in the United States. This matter of the 
taper desired varies with the rod or the indi¬ 
vidual. One man prefers a rapid three-yard 
taper, another a taper of either five or six yards. 
I fancy that the short taper works best on a very 
stiff rod; that is, in regular stream fishing; I 
am not thinking of tournament casting. We all 
have our notions and I do not like the very 
heavy lines for fine fishing with small flies unless 
one has to butt into a strong adverse wind. 
Long casts are the exception, not the rule, and 
delicacy and accuracy of delivery are the main 
requisites. Our trout are not foolish in the day 
time, whatever they may be at night, and a heavy 
line falling and lying across the surface of a 
placid pool does not encourage them. 
On hard-fished public water in this country 
the trout have a pretty hard time of it, as they 
are tempted to destruction in every way, both 
by day and by night, and it is only by constant 
restocking that we can hope to answer the de¬ 
mands made by the constantly increasing army 
of fishermen. 
The careful distribution of the fly or finger- 
lings is of the greatest importance and requires 
time and discretion in the selection of the most 
suitable places. The State has been very liberal 
in answering requisitions, but cannot be e.xpected 
to supply all applicants with all the young fish 
they ask for. 
I'he “rare fish” which ‘“was supposed to have 
followed the yachts from the West Indies ” etc., 
reported in the New York Times as having been 
caught by Mayor H. B. Marshall, of Greenwich, 
Conn., proves to have been a handsome striped 
bass of fourteen pounds. T learned the facts in 
the case only recently. 
A fourteen-pound bass taken near Greenwich 
is certainly a fine fish, but by making a “story” 
of its capture, the reporter led many people 
astray. Scientific pisciculturists were interested 
in the strange and rare wanderer “fifty-three 
inches long and only twenty-eight pounds in 
weight,” and naturally enough made inquiries in 
regard to it. 
By the way, it seems to me that a very com¬ 
mon fish found along our rocky coasts in large 
numbers is not appreciated as its merits de¬ 
serve. The blackfish or tautog affords much 
sport all along shore and is a good table fish 
when properly prepared. It should be skinned 
before cooking. 
It is very strong and when fished for with rod 
and reel puts up a good fight. Special hooks 
are made for this work and clams seem to be 
as good a bait as anything, besides being tough 
and staying on the hook well. Gunners are apt 
to worry one when he is using lobster or crab 
baits. I have taken eighty pounds on a tide at 
the eastern end of Long Island Sound years 
ago, and believe that conditions have not changed 
since that time. Very large tautog are some¬ 
times caught. Theodore Gordon. 
Fly-Casting in Australia. 
Sydney, Australia, Dec. 13. — Editor Forest and 
Stream: I notice that in your issue of Sept. 30 
of this year, referring to Mr. Anderson’s letter 
to you, you state that Dr. Maitland’s cast of 129 
feet odd was not a world’s record. 
We are given to understand that the record 
is held by Messrs. Mills and Leonard, with 120 
feet each, and that the other records are not 
recognized as standards, as they are made by 
laying the line along the bank and ripping it Off 
when there is a favorable puff.. If this is so, 
surely it cannot be recognized as fly-casting. 
I presume you are aware of "our methods. We 
cast off a punt, and have to lift the line in front 
of us sheer off the water, and cast clean and 
high at the back, without allowing the fly to 
touch the water. If it should touch, it is no 
cast, and we have to commence again. 
I might mention that it is the exception (I 
might say that it never happens) when a caster’s 
line IS fully extended that his fly touches the 
water behind him. 
I should be glad to have any information from 
you in reference to this matter. As you are 
aware, we are very enthusiastic in this country, 
and are very fond of the sport, but we insist 
upon its being carried out in a fair and clean 
manner. H. J. Solomon. 
[While it must be admitted that Dr. Maitland’s 
cast was not a record, it is only fair to inform 
our good friends in Australia that the American 
records for distance fly-casting were, unfortu¬ 
nately, made under conditions which, although 
permissible, are found only where the high rec¬ 
ords have all been made; name'y, on Stow Lake 
in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. We are 
informed by sportsmen who have cast or wit¬ 
nessed the casting there, that the casting point 
is at the head of a valley and very high above 
the sea; that when the steady trade wind is 
blowing there is a strong draft up tlv’s depres¬ 
sion ; that the cast is made down wind in a way 
best adapted to that particular spot; that in a 
high back cast the line is whipned forward by 
the wind and carried many yards further than 
is possible on any other well known casting 
water, resulting in the wonderful scores that 
have been made so frequently as to be regarded 
as commonplace. We are also told that there 
is not water, but a bank of air behind the plat¬ 
form, hence touching the water behind is im¬ 
possible. 
Some of the great scores made on Stow Lake 
with fly-rods follow; 
H. C. Golder,. ii foot 10% ounce rod, 140 feet. 
T. W. Brotherton, heavy rod, 137 feet. 
W. D. Mansfield, ii foot 10 ounce rod, 134 feet. 
W. D. Mansfield, five-ounce rod, 129I4 feet. 
Mr. Brotherton’s best cast in the East, where 
he now lives, is 109 feet. 
That it is not likely that Messrs. Golcher, 
Brotherton and Mansfield could equal their 
Pacific coast records inland is the opinion of 
expert casters everywhere. They base their be¬ 
lief in part on the probability that no rod of 
the sort' commonly used in casting is equal to 
the task of lifting sufficient line to make 140 
foot casts over the water and from a platform 
18 inches high, which is standard; and by the 
same token, no caster is believed to be able to 
cast so far under usual conditions. 
Therefore, if the Stow Lake records are to be 
recognized, there will always be, hanging over 
the heads of casters who strive to excel, the 
apparition of 140-foot casts, so that, no matter how 
high their best work, it will appear insignificant. 
On the other hand, the great casting tourna¬ 
ments have all been held in places more or less 
alike so far as wind and the state of the air 
enter into the conditions affecting casting; these 
are Kalamazoo, Racine, Chicago and New York 
city. The time covered is several years; the 
season the summer. The best records are, for 
heavy rods, 120 feet by Reuben Leonard and E. 
J. Mills, 117 feet by Fred N. Peet; average of 
highest scores, not much over 100 feet; general 
average for all casting in contests, under 95 feet. 
Five ounce rods, Fred N. Peet, 102 feet; average 
of highest match scores, around go feet; general 
average of all contest casting, under 85 feet. 
In the last analysis, an average for the sea¬ 
son’s contests of 105 feet with heavy rods and 
go feet for five-ounce rods is an excellent one, 
and yet the Stow Lake averages throughout the 
season make these records appear insignificant, 
as anyone will admit in. looking at the various 
scores that appear in these columns in summer. 
There is only one remedy apparent: Recog¬ 
nize no score unless made over water, front and 
back. Sorhe of the Chicago records were made 
over a lawn back cast. No penalty is imposed 
on touching on the back cast. It is generally 
believed that one should be made, but over the 
water it is to the caster’s interest to avoid 
touching behind him, since that kills the scoring 
cast. 
If all tournament casting, were by rule held 
over water, front and back, then conditions would 
be more nearly equal everywhere, with the bal¬ 
ance in favor of dry air and a wind from the 
rear or no wind at all. 
Perhaps Mr. Solomon will tell us what the 
average conditions are at Sydney. There is an 
impression here that strong, dry winds are the 
rule there, and that the high average casting is 
partly due to those conditions. The average 
here is more or less humid air and fishtail winds 
to quote from the marksmen, meaning variable 
currents. —Editor.] 
