Super Efficiency in Angling for Trout 
I N a recent trip to the Catskill re¬ 
gion after trout in a season ab¬ 
normally dry with continued low 
water the high temperature of which 
killed many fish, after an experience 
of over thirty years making all kinds 
of experiments and tests for adverse 
conditions, I am still learning many 
new things and this last season more 
than ever; so I give here some points 
learned that trouters—be they expert 
or duffer—may ponder over the points 
which I think of great value to enhance 
success in getting more trout under most 
trying conditions. It was about the 
middle of June (usually a crackerjack 
time); our hotel was full of anglers, 
many were expert, using their self-tied 
flies admirably suited to the water they 
fished—water that in earlier days I 
might rightfully say was my exclusive 
stretch, for no strangers fished it and 
only a few natives of the village. After 
I let it be known to several people this 
particular stretch of the river contained 
many large trout, natives, browns, rain¬ 
bows, also fine bass, and so, in one way 
or another the river is now fished more 
than the apogee of comfort. 
On arrival I found conditions at their 
very worst—very low water, continued 
hot sun, no insects, strong, choppy wind 
seemingly from every direction—conse¬ 
quently the anglers all came back with 
empty creels or single fish of no great 
size. I said all; I meant all but one. 
Time and again—all had no success. 
Yet this angler came out, time and 
again, with large catches—sometimes 
chockfull creel of big fish. 
How is it done, they asked one an¬ 
other; where did he get them, and on 
what fly? This preposterous super¬ 
angler only laughed in a big, husky way 
as a response to their inquiries. They 
were nonplussed; as Roosevelt used to 
say, “Beaten to a frazzle.” They hinted 
those large catches were captured by 
unsportsmanlike methods—perhaps the 
worm or live minnows, both of which 
I knew full well were not so. Others 
privately conversed about “reporting” 
these over-the-limit catches of trout. 
Some contented themselves by saying 
it’s positively uncanny, because his 
tackle was unsuited to worm or minnow 
fishing. His hat was a mass of dry- 
flies and his fly-boxes were loaded with 
an unusual array of flies of every make, 
and his gut leaders were perfection, 
suited only for flies. 
Two weeks later this angler cordially 
invited me to join him for another trip 
which I promptly accepted because it 
By LOUIS RHEAD 
would furnish me with an opportunity 
—perhaps to be an eye-witness of his 
marvelous success in getting large fish 
in adverse conditions. On our way up 
the mountains we saw no rain had 
fallen, that we should find the rivers 
quite as low, if not lower. And so it 
proved; conditions were abominable, 
awful, much worse than before. Every¬ 
thing was as dry as a bone, and I just 
wondered if my friend would repeat the 
same old game now at the week-end 
when a number of anglers came up for 
certain failure in getting trout. 
lllllllllllllllllllllllllllf^ 
For many years Louis Rhead 
has devoted a great amount of 
time to the study of trout stream 
insects. During the past season 
he has learned a great many 
things that he believes will be 
of vast benefit to anglers. In 
this article he has set down 
some very interesting points 
which will help the fly fisher¬ 
man to become more efficient. 
lllllllllll^ 
Now comes my purpose in writing 
this paper for anglers to learn, through 
my experience what we all may do if 
we wish to learn the secret of success. 
Take notice, brother anglers, of what I 
now describe, not, if you please, brook¬ 
fishing, but the highest and best art 
in fishing big, rough water, deep pools 
after large browns and rainbows from 
12 to 24 inches long. Our angler has 
the means to procure everything of the 
best in tackle; a thorough knowledge 
of what is best, and, through but a few 
years of practice in trout fishing, he 
has rapidly acquired how to use that 
“best” in the most effective way. In 
a nutshell, it is efficiency, determina¬ 
tion, alertness, keen observation and 
downright love of working the game 
for all it’s worth from every view-point. 
With the same effort expended this 
man would be just as successful in any 
other sport or business of life’s en¬ 
deavor. He is broad and catholic in 
choosing flies, both domestic and for¬ 
eign, without any dogmatic theories as 
to color or whether they copy natural 
insects or otherwise. One thing is cer¬ 
tain—they must float. The better a 
fly floats the more it suits his fancy. 
On this particular trip he was loud in 
praise of a fly tied very crude by an 
amateur who made the body of dyed 
olive sheep’s wool taken from his car 
duster, with gray dominick hackle mal¬ 
lard wings — a nondescript fly which 
happened to be a good floater, and that 
floating and cocking he thinks is what 
makes his success. From my observa¬ 
tion of his fishing I think different, at 
least the action of the fly was of minor 
importance to his efficiency and method 
of approach and attack: his thorough 
knowledge of where and how and what 
to do at the right time and situation. 
Again, take notice, brother anglers, his 
leaders were soaked and well tested; 
fly tied on, rod placed in the car ready 
for use before he starts for the river. 
When there, no delay; he walks right 
out in the pool to a commanding posi¬ 
tion, making the most careful casts, 
right over the noses where he knew 
for certain big trout lie; the fly comes 
floating gaily down stream and with 
repeated short casts to every good 
spot till he did get a rise. When he 
did get a rise he was sure to play it 
well and bound to get the fish. He does 
not lose big fish. If he missed a trout 
that by chance would rise “short,” he 
made no further effort at that time, but 
the next trip on the same fly he would 
invariably get the fish. His deter¬ 
mined, ceaseless effort, combined with 
confidence and patience was equal to 
the average languid endeavor of ten 
men. His fishing was in the very joy 
of doing it—it was a labor of love, and 
without question his entire action on, 
and even off the stream, seemed to be 
if you do a thing at all, do it well. 
His after-dark fishing with a single 
big night-moth was conducted on the 
same lines, with good judgment and 
sound common sense, careful and ob¬ 
serving of the peculiar habits of trout 
after dark. He met them in a logical 
and sensible way, and, of course, he 
won. This combination of attributes 
makes the perfect angler, and, as Hal¬ 
ford says, “stamps him with the hall¬ 
mark of efficiency,” and makes success 
where others fail. 
That familiar query, “What fly did 
you use?” does not always count. It’s 
a factor, an important factor with most 
anglers, including myself, though not 
with this angler. I think we are fast 
approaching the golden age, that is, 
when every fly fisherman ties his own 
flies to imitate insects, to float or sink 
as nature presents them to the fish. 
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