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SIEA.AND RIVER FISHING 


















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Tournament Casting and the active interest on this side of the water in what affliated clubs, viz.: the Chicago Fly-Casting] 
N A SaA C isc illed tournament or contest casting. In June, Club, the Fox River V alley Bait-Casting Club |. 
. . : . ° 881, the Association for the Protection of Fish the Grand Rapids Fly-Casting Club, the Illinois} 
Editor Forest and Stream: and Game gave a tournament at Coney Island, Bait-Casting Club, the Kalamazoo Bait- and Fly- 
From time immemorial man has been a fisher- New York. In 1882 the National Rod and Reel Casting Club, the Kansas City Bait- and Fly- 
man, and from a few months this side of time Association gave a tournament on Harlem Mere, Casting Club, the Racine Fly-Casting Club and 
immemorial he has been, in some considerable Central Park, New York. Annually thereafter, the San Francisco Fly-Casting Club. 
numbers, an angler, As soon as he became an until and including 1880, this association con- _ Almost Immediately after national organiza-|; 
angler he began to develop the sport and sought ducted tournaments and many notable casters tion was effected the Anglers’ Club of New York 
every means to refine it and increase its attrac. Were Seen at these meets and gave evidence of affliated. This is the strongest organization in| 
tiveness from a purely sportsmanlike standpoint. jpeuner eat skill. In sue the : hicago Fly ret a oe and while it was only organized in 
= fs . = c oO ms rod 7eE © yr rate J re w NOc > e 
Fly-fishing was more or less in vogue as early ne lub as oe oe panes in Kosicat ae it Is the legitimate successor 
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as the third century of the Christian era accord- eoruary, 1092. On Thursday and Friday, Sept. of the o ational Rod and Reel Association in 
ing to evidence of a Greek writer of that period 71, and 22, 1893, it conducted an international the field of tournament casting in that section 
who, after speaking of the fish in the River ‘Scientific angling tournament for the world’s and embraces in its membership many men of 
Astraeus, says: “The fishermen lap a strand championship in the grounds of the W orld’s long and wide experience in the sport. 
of red wool around the hook and to that two cock Columbian Exposition at Chicago. The club _ Later the Milwaukee Casting Club, the Spring- 
feathers, which grow under the wattles and ‘eProduced on the shore of one of the lagoons _ field (Illinois) Fly- and Bait-Casting Club, and 
which are properly colored with wax.” the Izaak Walton Lodge, which remained open the Cincinnati Casting Club were elected to 
Down through the years is found an ever in- “urting the exposition and became headquarters affiliated membership in the National Associa- 
creasing improvement in method and tackle, and [°F anglers from all over the world, and they tion, and at the great Racine tournament of 
more and more refinement of the ethics of the might be seen almost daily Siving evidences of Aug. 15, 16 and 17, 1907, the No Al Saas 
sport. The keenest and clearest minds, in fact their skill from the pier in front of the Walton found itself composed of twelve strong organiza- 
not a few giant intellects, have contributed to Lodge. In the international tournament of Sept. tions, embracing an aggregate membership of 
this improvement, and in many instances the 2! and 22, 1893, there were three events in an 2,200, and safely launched and already well along 
whole life work of some great—and almost good ¢xpert class and three in an amateur class. The on a career of usefulness to the entire angling 
—man has been the production of something ¢vents were long distance fly casting, which was fraternity and of good to all true amateur sports. 
tending toward the betterment, education and identical with the distance fly-casting of to-day; It should not be for the fraction of a moment 
uplifting of the brotherhood. In the production fly-casting for distance and accuracy combined, supposed that the N. A. S. A. C is an organiza- 
of the tools of the craft, abilities of the highest which differed materially from, but was the tion of tournament casters only. Nothing could 
order have been engaged, and to-day a fish hook OTiginal of the present accuracy fly, and black be more erroneous, and it can be stated with- 

is a triumph of mechanical skill. involving the bass bait-casting for distance and accuracy com- out fear of contradiction, susceptible of proof, 
most intricate and highly scientific processes. bined. and based on an almost personal acquaintance 
The making of a well balanced rod or the tying This latter event marked the beginning of With nearly every tournament caster, that they 
of an effective fly has become a fine art. tournament bait-casting, now so widely popular, re anglers first, last and all the time, and tour- 
Fifty years ago reels were made that were as and was very similar to what is now called half- Uament casters only that they may be better 
far superior to the reels produced before them ounce distance bait. anglers and also enjoy a semblance of their loved 
as the modern locomotive js superior to the This tournament gave a decided impetus to ‘Sport at such times as conditions prevent a trip 
earliest type of locomotive. To the present day scientific angling, particularly in the West, and to a favorite stream or lake. 
this type of reel remains practically unchanged, the interest in tournamert casting continued to It is a fact of great interest that a large per- 
so it may safely be assumed that as a perfecced grow rapidly. About this time the San Fran- centage of very enthusiastic members of several 
piece of mechanism the fishing reel is fifty years cisco Fly-Castine Club came into existence, and Of the affiliated clubs do not actively engage in 
ahead of the locomotive, and this in the face of a few years later, in 1897. was ably represented actual contest work at all, but are at the same 
the fact that in all probabilities and in propor- at a second international tournament given by time greatly interested in what their brethren 
tion to its size and strength, the fishing reel of the Chic: so club. -At this ‘ournament there were lo, are ready and anxious to promote and sup- 
the free running, multiplying, bait-casting type SIX events consistine of distance bait and dis- port the tournament workers and glory in the 
is called upon to withstand a greater degree of tance fly. to which were added a changed and achievements of their fellow club members, and 
k adjusted to delicate regularity, than any improved accuracy fly event and three new in such honors as they may earn by their skill 
other mechanical device from a watch to a steam e1 ents, viz.: bait-cisting for accuracy only, with 1! competitions. 
crane. half-ounce rubber trog: rell fly-casting, and dry- It can be stated as a fact beyond peradventure 
Coincident with and the prime cause of the fly casting for acenracy and delicacy combined. that every sportsmanlike, scientific angling club 
marked and rapid improvements in the tools of Aside from the international tournaments of in the country would be better off for having a 
“gentle art’ has been the improved methods, 1900 in Chicago and of 1002 in San Francisco, tournament casting contingent within its mem- 
skill and higher education of the there was no verv great increase in activities bership. Skill and efficiency in actual work would 
angler himself. No longer content with the “red following 1897 until 1905. be improved, a greater interest would be main- 
wool and cock feathers” of ancient history, he The entire field of bait and fly tournament tained, tackle would be refined, and methods 
demands a dainty lure contrived from feathers casting seemed to be covered by the Chicago, brought to higher perfection. Always does tour- 
brought from the remotest corners of the world, San Francisco and Grand Rapids clubs. These nament work tend toward a higher plane, raise 


with richly dyed silks and brilliant tinsel, rare clubs continued to grow in strength and mem- the standard of ethics and reach toward the 
filaments and gauzes, tied with consummate skill bership, however, and kept up the interest. ideals of sportsmanship. Unlike the conditions 
by an artist, on hooks constructed with great They gave their regular club contests each which surround him on stream or lake, alone or 
care and on scientific principles. He demands a season and a very interesting interstate series with but one or two comrades, the 
angler in his 
rod that is 
a masterpiece, and reel and line and of contests between Chicago and Grand Rapids tournament contest or practice works with many 
leader that are in accord was a feature of 1902 and 1903. The influences others—under the eyes of his fellows—itself an 
Equipped thus he demands of himself the best were at work. however, and in 1905 at an in- incentive to his best efforts and an unparalleled 
efforts of brain, of eye, of hand. remembering ternational tournament, given by the Chicago opportunity to the novice who desires to observe 
always to honor his adversary and to do battle Club. Tepresentative casters from the Racine, the methods of the more skillful and to the 



with his possible quarry in a manly, sportsman- Illinois, Fox River Valley, Kalamazoo and Kan- seasoned expert as well, for to him comes the 
like way. sas City clubs joined with those of the older blessing of being able by kindly hints and ad- 
It is not to be wondered at that being ani- clubs in what was probably the largest tourna- vice to aid his less informed and skillful brother. 
mated by the highest ideals and dominated by ment in point of numbers competing ever given The Racine tournament was probably the 
the spirit of the woods and waters, the environ- up to that time. The enthusiasm over the sport largest and most remarkable meet of a similar 
ment of which cannot but move his soul toward had reached such a climax at this time that the character ever held, and the conditions surround- 
a division of his joy with others, the angler proposition from Kalamazoo to hold a tourna- ing it and the intense interest manifested not 
seeks that human interest so necessary to the ment at that place the following year met with only in the outcome of the various events, but 
completeness of all happiness and hence is found hearty approval. As a result there was held in the sentiments and motives that brought so 
the reason for the formation of angling clubs, in Kalamazoo, Mich., in August, 1906, a most many anglers together was in the nature of a 
and more especially those clubs devoted fo the successful and largely attended meet. revelation to many. 
study of the art of angling and the improvement This tournament was a notable one in many The chief thing borne in on the minds of more 
of the skill of their members. respects, and particularly so through the fact that than a few observers of the prevailing condi- 
Such clubs have existed in the older coun- during this meet national organization was ef- tions, and borne in with irresistible force and a 
tries, and to a certain degree in this one for fected, and the National Association of Scientific conviction of its truth, was an appreciation of 
some time, but the year 1881 marks the first very Angling Clubs came into existence with eight the possibilities of achievement and of things to 
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