JULY, 1917 
FOREST AND S T R E A M 
* 
is present throughout the month, so per¬ 
haps is best of all under the changing con¬ 
ditions of this usually erratic season. 
June : The rise of large insects dimin¬ 
ishes—there are two Drakes and four 
Duns. 
July : All the more abundant insects are 
small; generally only a few large Stone- 
dies, that appear only on dull cloudy days 
or late in the evening. 
The Coachman being the best all-round 
dy and at the same time one easily seen 
on and in the water, is used as a perma¬ 
nent tail-dy by many American anglers. 
Another good dy at tail, or point, to which 
our British cousins are partial, is a small 
black one, as Black Ant or Spider. The 
cast alights better with the smaller dy for 
point, when using more than one dy. If 
the dsh are very partial to a particular dy 
it is a good policy to put on two, of the 
same kind, and the dropper at least will be 
part of the time on the surface; if lake 
dshing and using three dies, use the same 
kind for stretcher (point, or tail) and top 
dropper, with another variety for second 
dropper. 
When you start dshing begin to ascertain 
by experiment which method is best for 
the present occasion: dies on the surface 
and in constant motion, or slightly sub¬ 
merged and given a few deliberate jerks 
between appreciable pauses, at each cast; 
dshing the rapids, or the swift or still- 
water pools. The dies should be allowed 
not only to follow the natural trend of 
the current and eddies, as would derelict 
insects, but should be cast also just at the 
outside edge of the swifter water. The 
submerged dy is indicated for dooded, dis¬ 
colored, rough or broken water. Dark 
hackles are good for cold windy days. 
Toward evening on dark days try the 
Coachman, Quaker, Grizzly King, Seth 
Green, Silver Doctor. Trout lie both 
above and below rocks in the current, in 
wait for food doating down. Above, in 
the quiet water close under the rock be¬ 
tween the dividing waters, is a favorite 
spot for brown trout. Sometimes it will 
happen in a stream that you will catch 
mostly brown trout on dies and in the 
pools, and mostly natives in the riffles and 
on minnows—or experience some analo¬ 
gous phenomena. 
F ISH all large pools drst from below, 
and then work toward the upper end; 
thus you can land dsh from the lower 
end of the pool without spoiling your 
chances for other, and probably larger, 
dsh at the upper. 
Keep quiet, as screened as possible, and 
the sun at your front or side; never be¬ 
hind you, else the shadow of self, rod and 
line will frighten the dsh. Tread lightly 
along the bank; and slide, rather than 
step, in wading, to avoid concussion. Aim 
to have the leader straighten out and the 
dies to alight as gently as possible at each 
cast. A short cast is one from 20 to 30 
feet; 30 to 40 feet is a medium cast; 40 
to 50 feet is a long cast for actual dshing; 
and many more dsh are caught with casts 
under than over 40 feet. South and west 
winds, between the new moon and the drst 
quarter, and sky overcast and a slight rip¬ 
ple on the water—these have always been 
considered conditions favorable for lively 
sport. Moderate height of water should 
also be included. Under such circum¬ 
stances the quarry may be expected to be 
feeding more industriously, and to see the 
bait without seeing also the tackle and 
“tackier.” 
Such, then, are some of the confessed 
guiding cerebrations of experts who have 
really consistently caught dsh, and hence 
are entitled to be registered in the sure- 
enough class. But even after you master 
all this lore, don’t neglect to open the drst 
dsh caught, to see what kind of food he is 
eating. This is literally inside information. 
And it recalls the old-time theory that dsh 
always swallow minnows head drst, which 
received a jar in the writer’s mind when 
an angling friend recently informed him 
that he knew of several instances where 
autopsy revealed the presence within bass 
of smaller dsh pointing t’other way. 
Most success will consistently be had 
by those familiar with their dshing place. 
If in a new locality and for a limited stay, 
the maximum of sport—measured by actual 
catch—will be obtained by following the 
advice of some expert native who knows 
the water. He knows what will prove the 
most taking lure under the prevailing con¬ 
ditions of the stream, season, and weather. 
He knows whether the dsh are rising or 
deep feeding, and he also knows the holes 
alongside of rocks, logs or under the bank 
or among the tree-roots, where the par¬ 
ticularly big ones lie. Not uncommonly 
they will lie in the same places year after 
year; again, from changes due to freshets 
or to some other cause, the whole aspect 
and contour of a stream or lake shore will 
be completely changed at some particular 
part. Or our native guide knows where 
the big fellows are because he has seen 
them feeding there, and the whole course 
of the creek is dotted for him with land 
or water-marks of likely places. This 
is the explanation of the performance of 
a “Herm” Christian or a “Bill - ’ or “Hank” 
or “Jim” Someotherbody, when he says 
nonchalently: “Boys, watch me step right 
across thar and pull out a good one, right 
by that log,” and straightway proceeds to 
do so, at the drst cast! Perhaps it was 
only the previous day that he “riz” him 
at that identical spot. 
But— 
“You may pick your place—you may 
choose your hour— 
You may put on your choicest Hies; 
But never yet was it safe to bet 
That a single trout would rise.” 
(the end) 
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Fish the Foot of Large Pools First. The Sunken Fly or Na tural Bait Would be More Successful in the Rapids Below 
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