Cape Cod and All the Pilgrim Land, June 1922, Volume 6, Number 4: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Interests of Southeastern Massachusetts — John Shaqi
Cape Cod and All the Pilgrim Land, June 1922, Volume 6, Number 4: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Interests of Southeastern MassachusettsVarious
History
Cape Cod and All the Pilgrim Land, June 1922, Volume 6, Number 4: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Interests of Southeastern Massachusetts
Various
Cape Cod (Mass.)
Some of the biggest of them may be "salters," fish caught near the
mouths of the brooks that run into the sea and weighing all the way
from a pound to two pounds or more. There is authentic information
that trout weighing more than two and a half pounds have been taken
from these Cape Cod streams.
Unfortunately for the general public many of the brooks are
"posted," but there are a lot of fishermen that "don't believe in
signs" and when they see a sign of "no fishing here" they are apt to
challenge the statement and some of them aver that there is very
good fishing there indeed.
It is a matter of history that the Pilgrims found trout in the Cape
Cod streams. It is a matter of fact that many of the brooks have
been stocked by private individuals and by the state. Every year the
fish in these stocked brooks increase in size and the sophisticated
fishermen keep track of them from year to year. The state keeps a
record of the stocking of streams and that information can be
obtained and made use of.
At Sandwich the state maintains a trout hatchery where millions of
eggs are secured. These eggs develop into fry and fingerlings and
they are distributed throughout the state, the Cape getting its full
share.
A visit to this hatchery is interesting. It demonstrates how the
state strives to increase sport for its residents. Science and
experience are exercised and the result is that the fishing
advantages of the state are steadily increasing.
One of the chief drawbacks of having well stocked streams is the
unsportsmanlike conduct of many fishermen. To them a trout is a
trout regardless of its size and hundreds of small fish are taken
from the streams that should be put back and allowed to grow for
another year. There may be satisfaction for some in catching a large
quantity of seven-inch fish, but there is a greater satisfaction in
catching fewer in number and larger in size.
Many of the streams are suitable for fly-casting and experienced
fishermen delight in that method of filling their creel. To cast a
gossamer silk line with an alluring fly into the deeper pools and to
feel the thrill of a strike as the fly flits over the surface is a
joy that far outweighs the less spectacular method of fishing with
worm or grub and dragging the trout from the water by main strength.
There is a skill in fly-casting that comes from long practice and
the fisherman who is expert in this method cares to use no other.
The trout is a shy fish and the blundering sportsman who goes
stumbling through the underbrush, who allows his shadow to fall upon
the pool, or who in other ways announces to the fish lurking under
the bank that he is present with homicidal intent often wonders why
it is that the results are so small for the amount of effort expended.
He may aver that the stream is barren of fish when the fact is that
his own clumsiness is responsible for his lack of success.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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