Fishing in Brooks 
How to Use the Fly Successfully on Small Streams 
ROOKFISHING is a waste of 
B energy to the expert, a fascinat- 
ing and agreeable pastime for 
lady anglers, and an excellent place to 
learn the art of casting a fly for 
amateurs and young beginners. I gave 
up entirely the practice of brookfishing 
a long time ago for the wider experi- 
enee of the rivers, which, I think is the 
only place to get allround sport, where 
a day’s fishing, with three stalked and 
lost and one good one creeled is much 
more satisfying than the fullest creel 
of small fry and a few of fair size. 
The brooks should be left alone for 
breeding purposes, though at present 
we are very far 
from such a desir- 
able situation, as 
many anglers take 
to the brooks after 
a rain because it is 
an easier road to 
success, in num- 
bers, if not in size, 
though such small 
captives are re- 
tained to the fu- 
ture detriment of 
the craft. As an 
artist, it is natural 
that I fully realize 
the exceeding 
charm of a “little 
brook” either 
dancing, murmur- 
ing down the shady 
mountain side—or, 
trickling along 
through the weedy 
swamps of the 
meadows, where 
trout attain a fair 
size by feeding on the abundant supply 
of shrimps, snails and other aquatic 
creatures that live in the weeds. Food 
supply is much more scant in moun- 
tain brooks, and that is the reason a 
wise provision of nature induces the 
larger trout to run down in a spate to 
the big rivers where they grow six 
times more rapidly. 
‘THE angler who wants to try and 
get the very best there is in brook- 
fishing will first have to study his 
brook, to place in his memory, or 
mark every deep pool and runway, 
preplan all the best positions to cast, 
and then, be provided with the dainti- 
est, lightest tackle, fishing exclusively 
with tiny flies and gossamer leaders. 
Page 269 
By LOUIS RHEAD 
Angling in that manner will furnish 
a change from river fishing with very 
pleasing results, in addition to gain- 
ing a knowledge of how to overcome 
every possible obstacle to be met in 
fly casting. The slaughter of under- 
sized trout is brought down to a mini- 
mum if flies only are used in brooks, 
for the little fish are easily released 
without injury, and very often can be 
whipped off by a flip of the wrist. 
With the worm as a bait it is rare in- 
deed but what the hook is swallowed 
far down the gullet so that very many 
young trout are destroyed, for that 
reason alone worm fishing should be 
dryfly of any pattern and you will find 
it the best outfit to successfully cope 
with the many difficult places found 
all along a mountain brook; where 
trunks he across the water forming 
pools in which the larger fish lurk, 
most always under the most exaspera- 
ting positions; just under overhanging 
branches, or perhaps trees and bushes 
behind the exact place you desire to 
cast. 
BREN may be quite an easy matter 
for the expert who is master of 
the various styles in casting, but 
otherwise to the poor caster it is a 
devilish torment 
of snags and dis- 
asters. Lert ne 
brook is narrow— 
say twelve feet 
that will average 
twelve inches of 
water, it is much 
better to fish up 
several yards back - 
from the banks 
changing each side 
to the most suit- 
able water as you 
move up the brook. 
Stalking, some- 
times on hands and 
knees, with rod al- 
ways down, you 
will see ahead how 
to fish beforehand 
and what it is best 
to do. 



The brown trout 
prohibited by laws inflicting severe 
penalties against such brutal methods. 
Trout of the brooks are extremely 
shy, if they see you, or the moving 
rod the chances are slim to get a rise. 
When you do get a rise and the trout 
well hooked, their habitat is so full of 
varied obstructions to protect them, in 
addition to the rapid darts and wary 
efforts to snag your tackle, that it 
makes skill and patience imperative. 
As a rule mountain brooks are tiny 
gorges cut out with high banks on one, 
or both sides and the only alternative 
is to fish upstream with short “Sprey” 
casts or the underhand method. 
Get an eight foot three ounce rod, 
with light weight tapered line, fine 
tapered six foot leader, No. 14 hook 
If you can only 
manage to drop the 
fly like a feather 
without being seen 
by the wary fish, they are at it like 
a flash of lightning. 
LERTNESS all the time is your 
key to success. If you have a 
delicate as well as a deft hand, hold 
to the line—at each cast to get im- 
mediate control against a_ possible 
snag. If you cannot manage this 
rather difficult “linehold” then let it 
be, and strike directly from the reel. 
Should the trout rise directly from un- 
der a log where it always dashes back 
to snag your fly, then you can hold on 
the line even though you drag the fly 
away from the fish. 
In more open, long pools—if deep, 
the chances are favorable to capture 
(Continued on page 308) 
