284 
F O R E ST AN D 
S T REAM 
May, 1918 
WHIPPING A TROUT STREAM IN APRIL 
BEFORE THE ICE HAS THAWED FROM UNDER THE OVERHANGING BANKS IS THE 
BEST TIME TO TAKE A PROFITABLE LESSON FROM OLD LADY EXPERIENCE 
By VIRGINIUS 
We will leave the car on the old stone bridge and walk quietly to the bank of the stream 
P ERHAPS if we fished this stream to¬ 
gether, that is if you are a beginner, 
it would help you to know where the 
trout hide; if you are an old angler it will 
at least give you pleasure to wade such a 
pretty stream, even if you do not cast your 
fly in just the same places that I do. 
Let us leave our car on the old stone 
bridge; pull on our boots, joint our rods 
and walk quietly down to the foot of this 
quiet stretch of water. As you see, it is 
the first week in April; there are large 
slabs of ice still piled up on the banks of 
the stream, but the hot sun is melting them 
fast. We are fortunate to find a few live 
insects over the stream—these are preca¬ 
rious times for them, for by evening the 
welcome warmth which the sun is so gra¬ 
ciously shedding will disappear and its 
place will be taken by a chill which bodes 
ill for the flies that have dared to be de¬ 
ceived by an April sun.- If you have as 
much faith as I, attach a smallish dun tied 
dry, and, standing by the rock in the mid¬ 
dle of the stream, cast it up toward the 
head of this quiet stretch, to float placidly 
down to you. Of course, no one but a 
heretic would use a dry fly this time of 
year, but even heretics can catch trout! 
I really do not think you will get a rise 
here, but there is enough chance to make 
it worth while trying. Before you leave 
this place turn around and drop your fly 
near the foot of this leaning tree. Ah, 
you have him! He is a seven or eight 
incher; do not give too much line; that’s 
right, lead him up over the net carefully 
with the net! There ! you have him. 
This looks like a good spot. Stand be¬ 
low and cast up to that stone just behind 
it; again to the right—a little farther, 
where the main current runs. That will 
never do! You missed him clean. I don’t 
think y r ou pricked him, so drop the fly 
a few feet above the same spot. Oh, he 
is rising short! Really you should use a 
wet fly here; I forgot to tell you to change 
it. Yes, try a Cowdung. Now drop it 
before him once more—that’s the way! 
Strip in the line quickly—he rushes down 
toward you. There he turns; keep him 
away from that rock, the line might catch 
in the drift wood there. Jove! he’s a 
beauty! Look out, here he comes! He 
went right past you; it’s well that you 
raised your rod and kept a tight line on 
him then. His head is out, get him up 
to you now. No, no; you must not jab 
at him with the net. Now lead him up 
over the net, and then lift it out. That’s 
right. He’ll go three-fourths of a pound, 
a nice fish. 
Just below the bend there is the next 
place. See how the current cuts down 
deep at the base of the dead tree; surely 
we shall find a monster waiting there. 
From above? No, I should play safe and 
go below, if I were you. The current is 
thrown across the stream by the tree, so 
stand well to the right, and you will be 
directly behind the fish. How do I know 
that there is a trout there? Well, it is an 
ideal place for one; the current will carry 
food down to it, it is deep and the base 
of the tree offers a splendid hiding place 
for his Troutship. Yes, stick to the Cow- 
dung. You say you thought it was neces¬ 
sary to make long casts? Sometimes it is, 
but on a little stream like this, if you 
stand below your fish, twenty feet or so 
will be sufficient. You must strike him 
quicker! He was half way back to his 
lair by the time you struck. Try again. 
Queer, that he won't rise again; perhaps 
The open riffle should prove productive and a monster waits at the base of the dead tree 
