Brook Fishing for Trout. 
Practically all of our mountain streams, • 
within reasonable reach of New York, were 
depleted of native trout years ago, and since 
then have been kept up by State and private 
stocking, the speckled trout being 
largely replaced by the surly 
brown trout and the acrobatic 
California rainbow. 
Owing to steady and persistent 
fishing by natives and hordes of 
city fishermen and summer board¬ 
ers, the trout in these streams 
have become exceedingly wary 
and are remarkably well educated, 
and while certain streams contain 
an abundance of trout, the suc¬ 
cessful fisherman must be a past 
master of piscatorial lore. Not 
only must he be well versed in 
the gentle art of fly-casting, but 
he must also hold a diploma in 
angling with the worm. There 
are many ultra-enthusiasts, I 
know, who swear by the fly alone 
and who will not deign to notice 
the humble bait-fisherman, and I 
have often heard many of these 
haughty gentry declare supercil¬ 
iously, “Humph, anyone can catch 
’em with a worm.” Woe betide 
that man’s reputation, however, if 
he believes he can flip a worm 
about indiscriminately in our 
clear mountain streams and fill 
his basket. He will find, to his 
amazement, perhaps, that the 
lowly and despised bait-fisherman 
applies a far greater fund of 
knowledge to his calling than he 
had any idea of. 
Now, do not put me down as 
a confirmed bait-fisherman, for I 
claim that fly-fishing in a brook 
is the finest sport on earth, and 
that it calls for more patience, 
skill and expert knowledge than 
any other sport I know of, but I 
also claim that a man is not a 
fisherman until he has mastered 
the art of both. 
Now, suppose we fix up for a 
little trip. The first thing is our 
outfit, and I give here my list of 
duffle: 
Woolen underwear; flannel 
shirt; khaki breeches; khaki jacket (ail 
pockets); waterproof jacket; heavy coat or 
sweater (for driving) ; felt hat, three pairs 
heavy woolen socks; one pair heavy woolen 
stockings; low moccasins (for around the 
house); mackintosh waders; heavy wading 
shoes. Rubber boots? Not for me. I have 
stood on the back of my neck and soused my¬ 
self in the creek too many times with them. 
Nothing like waders and good heavy wading 
shoes full of big hobnails. They may be a 
bit heavy to walk in, but in them you do not 
slip and slide as you do with rubber boots; 
besides, they are much cooler. Many prefer the 
wading pants, but I like the stockings best. The 
former are fine for wading deep streams, but 
WADING A TROUT STREAM. 
are awkward at times, and in warm weather 
are uncomfortable. 
First put on woolen socks, then your waders, 
then another pair of socks to prevent your 
waders from chafing, then the wading shoes, 
and you have an ideal rig, comfortable to wear, 
and with which you can negotiate practically 
any water it is necessary to wade. 
Now for our tackle. Bamboo fly-rods eight 
to nine feet long—two of them in case of acci¬ 
dent—a good single action reel; a double- 
tapered enameled line—the soft English ones 
are best; light leaders the length .of your rod; 
a box to soak leaders in; a fly-book; a good 
assortment of flies, a few of them floating flies; 
some snelled hooks; small split shot; swivels; 
short-handled landing net; No. 3 
basket—this gives room to pack 
fish nicely when coming home; 
bait box—to go on your belt; 
jackknife; repair kit. It is also 
well to have along some paraffin 
oil for floating flies, deer fat for 
floating the line, a line releaser to 
clip off twigs when your flies get 
caught on an overhanging branch; 
scales-—the fish will weigh more 
if you do not take them—and, if 
you use eyed flies, a fly box, nip 
pers and tweezers. Many fine 
fish are taken on fly spoons, spin¬ 
ners, etc., so you had better take 
a few. 
Now the question is, where 
shall we go? There are any num¬ 
ber of brooks and streams near: 
New York, all of which contain 
trout in greater or less numbers, 
and the popular idea that there is 
no free water worth fishing is 
wrong. 
Long Island waters are practi¬ 
cally all preserved except a fairly 
good stream at Massapequa and 
a few small brooks near Babylon 
and Wantagh. All are fished to 
death early in the season, how¬ 
ever; look out, too, for quicksand. 
Connecticut has little to offer 
outside of private waters. 
New Jersey does not possess 
any great trout waters, but the 
State is doing wonders with a 
number of small streams in the 
way of stocking. The headwaters' 
of the following streams and 
many tributary brooks all contain 
trout and often afford fair sport, 1 
especially early in the season: 5 
Pascack, Pearl, Hackensack, 
Saddle, Ramapo. Wanaque, Rari¬ 
tan, Black, Rockaway, Papakat- 
ing. Clove, Wallkill, Beaver, 
Little Flat and Lubber’s Run. 
Pennsylvania streams are not 
so accessible, as a rule, but there 
are many fine streams and good 1 
fishing to be had at or near Mt. Pocono, Cresco, 
Stroudsburg, ITenryville and Shohola. 
The upper Delaware Valley, on both sides 
of the river, fairly teems with trout brooks, 
some of which afford fine sport. The easiest 
reached arc Mongaup River, Fish Cabin Brook, 
Carpenter’s Brook, Basket Creek, Starucca 
Creek, Ten Mile River and Callicoon Creek, 
the latter being a fine stream containing some 
large fish. 
