A The Fl.Fisher Ephemera
Ephemera: any thing short-lived We often forget the importance of the vivid picture of the workings of one of or transitory-such as mayflies ephemera and focus on the more glamor- America's most important early tackle- of the order Ephemeroptera. In ous items: rods, reels, and flies. We can- makers. Without the scrapbook, this a museum collection the term not overemphasize the importance of the information would have been lost to us. refers to paper materials, usually ephemera to a museum. As an example, So when you spring-clean next, if you printed items other than books. consider the scrapbook of C. F. Orvis that find something related to angling (relat- In our case, tacklecatalogs, scrap- we mentioned in a previous edition of the ed even in the remotest way), don't throw books, fishing licenses, fishing regula- American Fly Fisher, which is in our col- it out-send it to tions, angling-related advertisements, lection. It is a veritable gold minr of us, please. Let us business cards, and the like, would qual- information concerning the early days of decide if it is ify. These are items that generally get the Orvis Company. Bills, receipts, busi- really junk. . , ,. thrown out when the desk drawer or the ness cards, and advertising material con- attic trunk is purged of ostensible junk. tained therein allow one to construct a F~vFisher WINTER 1986 Volume 13 Number 1
'I'RI IS'I'EES On the corler: P;tuI Rulingvt Nil k I.yr,ll* Photograph of John Harrington Keene from the frontispiece of I.er\,i* M. HOI
STAFF Exrruliz~eDirrclor John Merwin 1)rpuly I)irrrlor/Dn~rlopntrnl Lyman S. Foss Ex~ruliz~rAssiilanl Pailla Wyman Rr,qi.ilmr Alanna Fisher Journal Edilor David B. Ledlick Arl Dirrrlor Martha Poole Mcrwir~ Copy Edilor Diana M. Mor1c.y OJJrrl I'rrpamlion and Prinling Lane Press. Burlingron. Vermont Automatic Fly Reels fitv4 ' Ralph A ldrich's outrageous by John Orrelle fishing float, patented in 1885
We are pleased to welcome back others, one recalls the quixotic pursuit of folding mast with sail (whose signifi- to the pages of the American Fly Mark Twain for a type-setting machine, cance was paramount), and a fishing reel
I Fisher, reel-expert John Orrelle. an automated marvel that never worked installed amidships. To use the float, the John's last contribution appeared and in whose quest he unsuccessfully hook was baited, a length of line drawn more than ten years ago in the squandered several fortunes. from the reel, and the mast locked in a first volume of the American Fly It was during this same period that horizontal position by a tripping bar at- Fisher (1974).His article on auto- some of the wildest fishing tackle imag- tached to the reel: matic fly reels is a chapter from his forth- inable made its way into the patent coming book on American fly reels. We records, from spring-loaded fish hooks In this condition the float is to be hope to publish additional chapters in and traps, to hinged fishing rods (with anchored out in the water and the future issues of our journal. built-in scales), tandem reels, and oyster- hook dropped. The mast and reel opening machines. One of the more will remain in this locked condi- The period in America from after the imaginative of these was the brainchild tion until the line is disturbed suf- Civil War to the close of the nineteenth of L. A. Peck of Newton, Massachusetts, ficiently by the biting of a fish to century was one of rapid industrialism, who in November 1876, patented a turn the reel, whereupon the crank one in which machines sprouted and pro- machine for fishing that was described in will be moved off from the rod h liferated like some strange crop from an the 0 fficial Gazette simply as ". . .an and set the reel and mast free. thus alien planet. There were machines for apparatus for throwing a weighted hook giving play-line to the fish andsig- everything-the more complicated the and line a distance seaward." Judging by naling the biting or catching of a better; whether or not they worked was the patent drawings, the inventor must fish. sometimes an entirely peripheral matter. have had in mind the outer limits of the Few people were immune to the fascina- Grand Banks, for the machine looks fully But it is the last paragraph of the pat- tion and allure of all this gadgetry, which capable of throwing a line across Lake ent claims that contains the prescriptive promised to do jobs faster and cheaper (if Superior! Constructed in the form of a zeal of Mr. Aldrich; with a certain entre- not better), and whose siren call often catapult, the patent records fail to men- preneurial elan, he advises as follows: trapped otherwise sensible people into a tion if a model was submitted-in which dinosauric bog of financial ruin. Among case a team of horses would have been In most cases the fisherman will required to transport it. provide himself with seueral of the But there were other equally ambitious floats, and after anchoring them inventions. Two of my favorites were the out in the water will await the contraptions of Ralph Aldrich and hoisting of a sail, upon which he Archer Wakeman, whose genius is cer- will proceed to the float, pull in the tainly evident, if not somewhat mis- fish and rebait the hook and reset ,guided. the float, and in most cases the bot- The Aldrich patent (see illustration) tom of the floats will be painted deserves top honors. When I first came green, so that when in the water across it, I thought I'd made a mistake, they will resemble the leaf of some for right in the middle of the section of water-plant and not frighten the fishing floats and reels (from a Commis- fish (!). [italics mine] sioner's Report, 1885) was what appeared to be a New England fishing dory. A Archer Wakeman's invention (see illus- quick reading of the patent text revealed tration) was just as incredible, especially Arthrr Wakemarl pntrntrd hz~lznr- this to be indeed a fishing float, although when one realizes that its sole purpose twlrlznq rla11ce zn 1881. It nlloulrd it was really a self-contained, fully auto- was to twist line! His "fishing tackle," thr anqler to rotntr hz~fly or bazt mated fishing machine. Constructed of a doubtless classified by a shocked patent and thur naake zt trrm morr lzfrlzkr piece of wood about a foot to a foot and a clerk hesitant to call it anything more to thr fzth. half in length, the float was fashioned in specific, is best appreciated by reading the shape of a boat, featuring an anchor, a the actual patent description, which in delicate circumlocution minimizes the second patent was issued, with no dis- problems of line twist: cernible change in the form of the reel, but with one-half of the patent rights A divice to be applied to a fish- assigned to James S. Plumb of Syracuse, ing-line for the purpose of twirling New York (what the relationship was or rotating the line, and with it the between Loomis and Plumb is anybody's fly or bait at its end. Arotary diskor guess). Still later patents were issued on head to which the line or gimp is February 28, 1888, and January 16, 1891, attached is connected with a crank, with other patents pending at that time or with an automatically operating (Note: many of the Y & E reels are errone- mechanism by which the line may ously stamped February 28, 1898 instead be rotated.. . . The line B, or much of 1888). Most of these later patents thereof as extends from the reel to related to modifications of the braking and through the tubular guide, is arm, although at least one of them made of gimp, or of other material involved a new model of the reel. having sufficient stiffness to turn There are two basic forms of the Y & E without buckling or twisting to automatic. Contrary to what the appear- any material extent, yet capable of ance of these forms suggests, the earliest being readily wound upon the reel. reel was not the one with the famous The line being provided with the winding key, but instead was similar to usual fly or bait, and the latter the reel pictured at the left in the accom- being allowed to hang from the rod panying illustration. This is often con- and thereby to straighten the line, fusing, since the model with the winding 300. and 600 feet of no. 5 silk line (or 50, it will be seen that rotation impar- key has such an antiquated look about it. 90, and 150 feetwithout rewinding). This ted to the shell or cylinder by the Early ads of the Y & E indicate that the New Style Reel featured a sliding plateon train E will be transmitted to the original form-the one that subsequently the front of the reel that made it suitable line B, and through it to the bait or was advertised as the Old Reliable-came for either automaticor free-spool casting. fly, the swivel of the bait being in one size only, but was made from a Tension could also be adjusted by means made sufficiently tight to prevent choice of brass, nickeled brass, bronze, or of a conspicuous winding key located in rotation therein until a fish is hard rubber. Shortly after its introduc- the center of the front plate. hooked, and resistance thereby tion (sometime in the mid- 1880s),the reel Regarding the proper use of theseearly offered to the rotation of the bait. was fitted with an improved braking- automatics, they were designed to be used and-release lever shaped in such a way as originally as either bait-casting or fly There were numerous other madcap to facilitate positioning of the finger in reels (In 1897 Thomas Chubb [catalog] schemes for catching fish or "improv- the upturned end of thearm; earlier brak- recommended his reversible butt rod, i.e. ing" tackle, and while the above exam- ing arms had been little more than a sim- a rod that could be used for either fly- or ples are somewhat removed from fly- ple wire extension with a loop in theend. bait-casting, for use with the automatic fishing (excepting the Wakeman patent, The actual braking pad on the arm was reels). Still, this was a sorlrce of some which at least is picturedwith a fly on the simply a wrapping of thread or other confusion for many early anglers, and line), they capture the spirit of the times line, which has a peculiar makeshift sporting periodicals of the late nine- very well. appearance and is misleading to those teenth century contain many letters from It was out of this atmosphere and the who have never seen a Y & E reel (the inquiring readers wanting to know if preoccupation with machinery that the immediate impression is that the linewas they could use automatics for minnow automatic fly reel was born. Particularly wrapped around the arm as an emergency casting. well suited to those whose sole objective measure, when in fact it was original The Y & E automatic reels were made was to catch more and bigger fish faster, equipment, see illustration). It was the for many years. In 1920 they were mar- they typify the pragmatic bent of the modified braking arm (with the slight keted by the Horrocks-Ibbotson Com- period and the inordinate concern with crook in the end) that gave rise to the pany, direct successors to Yawman & efficiency. Of the criticism sometimes Y & E slogan "The Little Finger Does It," Erbe. A Horrocks-Ibbotson catalog of leveled at these reels, it is significant that which later appeared on the Horrocks- that year lists the smallest style A reel for this usually centered on their mechanical Ibbotson Utica Automatic. $10.00 and the large styleC for $14.00; the aspects, occasionally its heavy weight, Around 1890, two additional sizes were no. 1 and no. 2 Old Reliables sold for but rarely if ever on theappearance of the added to the Old Reliable model series: $7.50 and $9.00. Prices were about the reel. Thus, however pedestrian in form, the no. 1, no. 2, and no. 3, that could carry same some fourteen years later. automatic reels were symbolic of the 90, 150, and 300 feet of line respectively. For the reel collector, the earlier Y & E American's love of gadgets, and were des- By this time, reels made from bronze and models are particularly desirable because tined to become immensely popular. brass had been discontinued, but the no. 1 they were made for only a few years. and no. 2 reels werestill available in nick- These were made of unplated brass, YAWMAN & ERBE REELS eled brass. hard rubber. and-for the first bronze, nickeled brass, and hard rubber. time-aluminum; the no. 3 reel was The aluminum reels were manufactured The earliest automatic fly reels success- made from aluminum only. Thus, for for more than fifty years and arc by no fully marketed in this country were the Y dating purposes, those reels made of means rare items. & E reels, manufactured by the Yawman unplated brass or bronze are of a very & Erbe Company of Rochester, New early vintage and naturally these are the THE FRANKLIN SMITH York. Although inscribed with a patent scarcest.. . . AUTOMATIC date of December 9, 1880, the actual pat- By 1900 a new model had been intro- ent record for this reel gives a date of duced-the New Style Automatic Combi- Between 1880 and 1890, there were December 7, 1880, which was issued in nation Reel, available in styles A, B, or C, close to fifty patents issued relating to the name of Francis A. Loomis, the with plate diameters of 2 7/16, 3%,and 4% fishing rrels, some of them bizarre and inventor of the reel. On July 5, 1881, a inches. Stated line capacities were 125, unwieldy creations and doomed to fail- become detached from their anchoring common feature on many later automa- posts; the Y & E is a prime example). tics. It is this second model of the Franklin The third reel to rvolve from the Kelso Smith automatic that is significant, for was the famous Pflueger Superex, whit h regardless of its eventual fate, it was the made its appear-ance sometime around first automatic with a truly modrrn form. 1920 (see illustration). Nearly identical in Still, like the first version, this model, for form and size to both the Rochester and some reason, is noticeably absent kom Kelso, it became an enormously popular any angling literature of the day, and I automatic and was claimed by Pflueger have found no evidence that it was ever to be the best automaticof its day. LJnlike manufactured for sale. Like many reels, it the Kelso and Rochester, thesuperex was may have had a small but fatal flaw. fitted with a tension-relief device located Whatever the reason, the Franklin auto- inside the reel, a longer braking lever, a matic's commercial failure is an interest- main-spring tension release, an oiling ing mystery of the period. port on the back plate, and a sliding plate on the lever arm that made it adjustable THREE OF A KIND for free-spool casting or trolling. Later models of the Superex (circa 1930) came Shortly after 1900, the Kelso Automatic with a modified brake release consisting made its appearance, a reel that subse- of a curved arm fitted into the top of the An enrly Ynrumnn and Erbe reel, quently gave rise to at least two other braking lever. circa 1885, illu.~trating the linr-wrap automatics that were practically identi- Regarding sizes, literature of the brakr pnd on thr linr-releare lever cal, the Rochester Automatic and then period indicates the Kelso and Rochester were made in a single size (3%-inchplate diameter), while the Superex came in two ure, but others were quite efficient and styles, both with the same diameter but later became very successful (both bait- with different pillar widths (Y inch for the casting and fly reels, including those no. 775, and 1%inches for the no. 778). All designed by the Vom Hofe brothers, John of these reels bear the November 19, 1907, Kopf, and Thomas Chubb); yet only a patent date stamped on the winding cap. few automatic reels were patented during this same period. THE CARLTON AUTOMATIC One of the more notable examples, which evidently never got off theground, A less familiar automatic reel dating was invented and patented by Franklin from the same period as the early Kelso R. Smith of Syracuse, New York, on July and Rochester reels was the Carlton 26, 1881 (one-half assigned to Willis S. Automatic, made and distributed by the Barnum). Its appearance was similar to Carlton Manufacturing Company of the Y & E (see illustrations), but had a Rochester, New York (see illustration). lower profile and a spool covering the Somewhat similar in appearance to the gears (the spool of the Y & E is of a skel- older Y & E (an extremely wide reel with eton type, completely enclosing but leav- the shape of a coffee mill), the Carlton ing the gears of the reel exposed). r l G-4 - rl G-5- was made from a combination of alumi- Although the patent drawings show the num and German silver and came in one usual features generally associated with Patent drawings (1882) for Franklin size only. It was one of the few automatic automatic reels, including a braking Smith's automatic fly reel. According reels carried by William Mills & Son; it lever and line guard, this model appar- to John Orrelle, it is the first sold for approximately $5 in 1910. entlv suffered severe defects. for within a automatic fly reel with the "modern" year Franklin Smith was issued another form. MEISSELBACH AND MARTIN patent on the same reel, but with several AUTOMATICS modifications. According to the patent claims, this new model (patented June the Pflueger Superex (see illustration). August F. Meisselbach was one of the 20, 1882, see illustration) featured five This reel, patented November 19, 1907 most inventive and prolific reelmakers in major improvements: 1. the reel was (see illustration), was made from alumi- made to be used with interchangeable num; its chief feature was the looped spools (one of the few automatics ever braking lever similar to the one found on made claiming such a feature), 2. the line the Utica reel by Horrocks-Ibbotson. guard was an integral part of the braking Later models of the Kelso had levers of lever (which may have been a serious solid construction such as those foundon flaw), 3. the shape of the line guard virtually all automatics after 1925. (which was fitted with a "lateral inlet for Around 1910 the Kelso was advertised the introduction and removal of the under the Diamond Brand and distrib- line"), 4. a spool that fitted over the ten- uted by the Norvell-Shapleigh Company. sion spring and gears and thus protected The Rochester Automatic was virtu- them from water and dust, and 5. a square ally identical to the Kelso, except for a post within the spring housing designed slightly different base-plate and a check- to allow easy attachment and removal of ered design stamped on the edge of the The Carlton automatic, one of the the spring (one of the chief faults of auto- winding cap. This reel, along with the few automatic reels sold by matic reels-including contemporary later models of the Kelso, was also William Mills and Son models-are springs that either break or equipped with a rectangular line guard, a I Two rrnrnplrr oj rrn,rniitonmt~cfly rrrlr: P b K Rr-Trrtv-It (lrjt) and Fly Cl~nrnp(rlglrt). hotli irrrn 1940 I
America. His famous Exprrt ant1 Rain- made from aluminum with frames of both m;~nual and automatic retrieve. bow single-action reels werr the favorites German silver, and by 1905, entirely of Most of these were imaginative contrap- for tens of thousands of Arncrican anglers aluminum. These early reels-those tions, but impractical and short-lived. At for more than half a century. The first made circa 1910 to 1915-were fitted with least two of them rmployed spiral-ratchct Meisselbach automatic, howrvrr, ditl not a tension-release device (cylindrical in gearing and a pull-string like that found appear until 1914 (patenterl June 30. shape and pulled out to release the ten- on toy tops. One of these, invented by 1914). This reel, measuring 3'5 inc,hes in sion of the mainspring), a brake-release Granville E. Metllcy of Hopkinsville, diameter, was made of German silver and lever that could be adjusted by a finger- Kentucky, appears to have been mainly suitable only for the heavicst rods; at well plate to put the reel into free-spool posi- built from sewing-thread spools! Another over a pound in weight, this was one you tion (there were at least two variations of similar rr.t.1, patented I)y Charles F. Gillet didn't want to drop on your foot! this adjusting plate prior to 1920),andon of Springfielcl, Illinois (pat. no. 389,070, Two later Meisselbac-h automatics later models a rectangular line guard. Septem1)c.r 4, 1888), worked on the same were the 655 Automatic ant1 thr no. 660 Some of theearlier Martins (those bear- principle, and while more elaborately Autofly Reel (circa 1920, see illustration). ing the Ilion patent) show oneof thegear constructed, seems equally improbable. Both of these reels were madc of alumi- wheels partially exposed on the under- Both of these rigs wrare outrageous, and num and were considerably lighter than side of the reel, had riveted frames, and only an extra arm or hand could have the older 1914 model. Typical of thr Mt5is- were stamped with the inscription Lint= madc them usable (in nrither case were selbach genius for locking dcvic.es (such Out Herr on the inner surface of the bot- models submittrd). A third semiauto- as those found on the famous Triparts, tom plate. Later models had bottom matic was invented 1)v Charles Bradford Tak-a-Parts, and various occan reels), plates modified to enclose thegear wheel, (patented June 19. 1888). and although it both of these automatics featured ;I knob hut with a still-discernable bulge where at least maintainctl the lines of morecon- on the underside of the reel for rrlcasing the wheel protruded beyoncl the normal ventional reels, it was, like the other two, the bottom plate, as well as an adjust- limits of the circular gear housing; these soon destined for oblivion. ment for free-spool casting or trolling. same reels were assembled with screws Two modern rrcls of the 1940s that The Martin Fishing Reel Company of and did not have the stamped inscription. employed ratchrt grxring were the P & K Ilion, New York (later of Mohawk), was For many years the Martin automatic Re-Treev-It (Pachncbr & Koller, Inc.) and one of the first manufacturers of auto- was available only in the standard model, the Fly C;hamp (Champion Sports matic reels in this country, and they pro- which came in four sizes: the no. 1, 2, 3, Equipment Company, see illustration). duced what are possibly the most pol)ular and 4 reels-the latter a large-capacity On both these reels, line was retrieved on automatic reels ever made (scr illustra- model advertised as the salmon reel. In the upstroke of an extension lever (on the tion). First patented on July 26, 1892, the 1920s, Martin introdtcccd the Fly- Fly Champ this It,ver co~cldbe folded with later patents issued in 1895, 1897, Wate reel (1924) and the large Trolling away for strictly manual retrieve), and and 1903 (others pending at the time), the Automatic, both of which hecame very while both functiont,d basically as de- early Martin reels are significant brcause popular. Like many other rrels, prices for signed, there were several drawbacks to they set the form for practically all later the Martin were high when the reel was each. For one thing, operating the lever automatics; indeed, because of their thor- first introduced, hut came down once a with the finger as intended involved an oughly modern appearance they are cas- market had been firmly est;cblished. In awkward shifting aro~rntlof the grip on ily mistaken for more recent reels-so 1905 the salmon model sold for approxi- the rod, a fatiguing maneuver involving much so that Martins in earlier catalogs mately $9, while in 1924 the price was an unnatural flrxing of the little finger. look incongruous and strangely out of down to $5. Added to this was the irregular start-stop place. motion of the spool, which retrieved line Identifiable by the flower pattern SEMIAUTOMATIC REELS with uneven tension and likely increased stamped on the edge of the winding tap, problems of line tangle. Finally, neither earlier reels were made of German silver In addition to the various automatic of these reels hati satisfactory clicks, a and came to be known generally as thc reels appearing between 1880 and 1900, a point apparently neglrctrcl because of Martin standard reels. Later these were few others were patented that combined concentration on the novel retrieving a fine fly rod was like tying a brick to it. The horilontal reels werr especially dis- liked, since they were comparatively heavy and often put a peculiar torquing motion into a rod-destroying its feel and balance.
*\w AUTOMATIC FLY REELS: w" [ / PRO AND CON The following two narratives, taken L- from early sporting periodicals, describe both the drawbacks and virtues of the e b automatic fly reel. .@me The story told by "C.D.C." appeared in c *3 an 1887 issue of Forest cL Stream, and while written before the automatic had f'/ been fully developed, points out the trou- <-. i bleson~egremlins that somtimes hid in the spring mechanisms of the automatic -contemporary models included. It is very likely that the author was describing * the old Y & E reel, a model known for a q, spring that sometimes came "unhitched." k2\ Writing for Outdoor Lifr in 1919, Jack b p2 Maxwell relates a disastrous encounter a I with a black bass, in which he becomesin immediate and solid convert to the auto- '9b matic. Done in by the limitations of the single-action reel and demonic cockle-
6 burrs, he advises anglers to stay well clear of both. The two accounts follow:
Repretmtatz~~eautomatzc fly reels, czrca 1907 to 1920 "EXPERIENCE WITH TACKLE" Center: Kelto automatzc, czrca 1907-1910 Clockwztr from top: Early Martzn automatzc, czrca 1910-1920; To the I.:ditor, Forr.tt cL Strcam: Mezttelbach Autofly, czrca 1920; Utzca, czrca 1915-1920; Early Martzn #3; Perhapsit would be in order just now Pfleuqer Suprex, czrca 1920; and fzrst Mezstelbach automatzc, czrca 1914 to say that the article which appearcad over my signature in your issur of July 7 was written some four years ago and has mechanism. While the (.lick on the Fly (the model go), Shakespeare advertised only now made its way into tlic printel-'s Champ was satisfactory at bvst, the one one with a level wind (the no. 1838 hands. on tho Rr-'Ii-revc-It was made in such a Wonder-Full)), and many new free- Sincr writing it my opinion in regard way as to makr playing ;I fish directly stripping reels appeared. Most compan- to reels has changed a n~rmht.rof times. from the rrrl virtually im1,ossible be- ies made both horizontal and vertical Since about the year 1865, at which cause of I-ongh vibl-ations tlirratening to models, and a very few offered reels with time my parents moved hcrc from Massa- shake thCrrcl apart when line was pulled interchangeable spools (in the 1970sGar- chusetts, I have devotetl morr or less of from it. cia made this a strong advertising point). my tinic to Fishing For trout. I early A morc rccent form of this typeof reel is Aside from these minor innovations and learned the use of the fly-rod, and from the DeWitt Re-Treeve-It, which appears certain changes in construction mate- the time I first began to handle the reel to be built on the same patcmt as theolder rials, automatics have remained essen- until the, prt.sent time1 havc. never found P & K model. With a somrwhat more tiallv the same. a reel that was just as it ought to be. I have strearnlinrrl shape, the Icvr~of this reel Regarding the use of automatic fly bought a number of rerls and used a has been rxtrntieci considrra1)ly. This reels, opinion is generally divided into number of different kinds, and still have makes the opet-ation of the lever a less two ,groups, with strong feelings evinced never found one that was all right. Per- tiring maneuver. by both; those who use and like automat- haps it is my fa~llt,but if tht~cisanything ics are wedded to them irrevocably, while that will cause an angler trouble and ex- MODERN AUTOMATICS others find them better suited for door- pense it is a poor reel. stops. For a thirdgroup-mostly angling I thought when I wrote the article The basic form and operation of the editors who are hesitant to state explicit referred to that I had found the thing I automatic fly reel was well established opinion-they are a sometime thing. had long been looking for, and that with the introduction of the Y & E, Mar- Particularly in the early part of this cen- henceforth I should have no trouble with tin, and Meisselbach reels. Between 1900 tury, automatic reels were held in high slack line, broken tips, and accidents of and 1940, a number of other firms pro- esteem, and a great deal of space was that nature. When the next September duced them (Perrine, Shakespeare, Hed- devoted to their praise. Among others, came, and I had made preparations for a don, Horrock-Ibbotson, etc.), but the 0. W. Smith, angling editor for Outdoor trip to the Connecticut Lakes, Parma- overall appearance of the automatic Life in the twenties, wrote a number of chene Lake and the Rangeleys, I did not remained the same. Ocean City made an articles on automatics, including them in think it necessary to provide myself with automatic fitted with handles that could a piece on the "Dry Fly Reel." For many another rrel, more esprcially as a good be used either manually or automatically anglers though, putting an automatic on part of my way was to be through the woods, where all the luggage must ht regard to the "automatic reel" had becomes entangled in this aforesaid "Far- earl-ied on my hack, and I well knew that changed, but for the benefit of those who mer's Curse", he had just as well stop and every pound would grow to he a hundred have not already come to that conclusion, unhitch right where he stancls. The fish before I had carried the pack ten miles.. . . I will now state that, while theautomatic may spit the fly out of its face, but this The morning after our arrival at John is a good reel as long as it works well, it is cussed imitation of a weed will not Danforth's I put my tackle together ant1 so liahle to get out of order and is so release an anglcr's line.. . . startetl out to try my luck at catching a expensive to keep in repair (and if broken Soon as I hooked the fish I startccl to five-pounder, but just then five-pound in the woods it cannot be mended), that I work his noodle up over the moss so I trout were a little scarce, so I had to con- think I am justified in saying that it is a could possibly land him at the shore tent myself with some of about a pound good reel not to have. where I was standing. I succeeded in my weight. The reel worked all right for a I have just got a new reel from another first performance very well and had him time, but about noon I succeeded in well-known dealer, and expect soon to coming toward the frying-pan, when hooking a fish much larger than any find out what the timber is with that. something seemed to go wrong in my before, and then I noticed a little hitch in C.D.C., Northumberland, N.H., immediate vicinity; stepping swiftly thc internal arrangements of the mecha- July 9, 1887 backwards, I gave a tug at the line I was nism. At first it would goall right, then it carrying in my left hand, but there was would seem inclined to dispute the rights nothing doing; looking quickly around1 of thelinewith the fish, but it wouldsoon WHY I USE AN AUTOMATIC had lamped the cockle-bur. To get my repent of being so hasty and make (Outdoor Life, 1919) line untangled instantly was impossiblc~ amends by giving him nearly all the line and I at once turned my attention to the it had. But evidently that was not just So far as I am personally concerned, in fish, but he had madr the most of the right, for then it would sulk and refuse the angling game I much prefer theauto- opportunity and was under the moss.. . . most decidedly whether to take back the matir reel for fly fishing; let the other When I got loose my nice enameled line, portion of the line that the fish had got fellow use anything he likes; me for the all I had to show for my vexation of spirit through with or to giveup any more. The automatic, and as Mr. Post says, "there is was a little bunch of beautiful green lake state of my mind at that time could be a reason", as the following brief expe- moss fastened to my hook. easily imagined, hut would be hard to rience will show: After cooling down, or off, as the case describe. At last the reel got over itsobsti- Some years ago I was fishing one of my may have been, I figured in this manner: nancy and went along as well as ever, and I favorite lakes for bass, using a flyrod and If I had been carrying my lineon an auto- had begun to have hopes of being able to a certain well-known single click fly reel. matic at this particular time, the afore- secure the fish, when as it made a desper- My luck on this particular day was not mentioned accident might not have ate plunge and run for liberty, I felt some- phenomenal to say the most, however, I occurred, as I would have had no excess thing snap inside the reel, ancl then there was hanging a No. 4 fly in the face of a baggage in the shape of a linr in my left was such a whirring noise that one would bass now and then, and was, to all intent hand; therefore I beat it hack to town ant1 think an old-fashioned clock was getting and purpose, having a bully good time. at once purchased an automatic reel. I ready to strike, and the reel was dead. To According to the custom I was carrying a simply followed up my hunch ancl have say that I was vexed would he to state it few feet of line looped gracefully in my lived happily ever since. very mildly indeed. Therc was 50 yards of left hand as a sort of reserve fund and was I prefer the automatic, because I can linr out and a good fish on the end of it, getting by very well in this manner, until handle my line with just a little bit less and no prospects of being able to get it in something happened that caused me to exasperation at a critical moment, anrl in any kind of shape. My anxiety in sit up and take notice of the extra line I like twin babies, these moments do regard to the fish was soon released by his had in my left hand. happen now and then. going away somewhere ancl taking a Extending out from the shore line on But playing a fish with a single-action good leader and three flies with him. I one side of the lake was a moss-bed reach- reel, stripping in the line ancl letting it succeeded, after a time, in getting the line ing out possibly fifty feet and just at the fall at your feet is mighty finesport and if on the reel and started for camp, where I farthest edge of the moss a very athletic the other fellow prefers this method I say immediately began to take the reel apart bass was going through his morning let him "hop to it"; but if thercshould he and ascertain the extent of the damage. I calisthenics while rustling up his break- any cockle-burs along the shore line, he found that the spring had become un- fast. The idea occurred to me at once to had bettcr best shy of them while playing hitched at one end, and after working on slip him something just as good, so I his fish, as they arc liable to "gum thr it all the afternoon succerdecl in getting it proceeded to work out my line until I game" at the critical moment just ;is they back together again. could reach his city address and dropped did for me. Now just try torememher that After that it went along quite well for my Black Gnat right in his plate. No a difference in opinions is what makes two or three days, but I ciid not take any sooner had the fly landed than the bass horseracing ancl fishing wo~thwhilr~,so comfort with it, for I did not know how smacked his face together ancl by asimple always try to pick the winner, placc your soon it would "baulk up" again. At last, twist of the wrist and with a little assis- money on your favorite, sit steady in the one afternoon as we were beginning to tance from the fish we had turned the trick boat and "may good luck follow you". fish, snap went the spring. It was broken and Mr. Bass was on the other end of the Jack Maxwcll, 1919 and as a reel was of no use, but as an string and it was up to me to do the rest. B infernal invention for keeping a man Growing wild, without any help from from enjoying himself it was a decided mankind in the way of cultivation, fertil- success. I immediately returned to camp, ization, "Burbanking" or transplanting, John Orrrlle holds a nmtrr'r dqqrre ITZ Drv Flies on the Ondawa: he Tragic Tale of John ~&ingtonKeene It must be fifteen years since I cending the particulars of Marinaro's Keene fished with terrestrial imitations first read Vincent Marinaro's Code, its reissue marks the beginning of that employed jungle cock nail feathers Modern Dry Fly Code-not the an era, a renaissance in American fly- (a la Marinaro's Jassid); he tied cork- scarce first edition that Putnam fishing in which innovation, modern bodied dry flies; he introduced Americans published in 1950, but the more science, and modern technology have to extended-body dry flies;* he had a good affordable Crown reissue that combined to give us highly efficient working knowledge of aquatic natural became available in 1970.1 think tackle, highly effective imitations, and history; he fished small midges; and he I read it in one sitting, and I know I reread remarkably successful techniques for the wrote about all this in the American it at least three times within the next few capture of fish with a fly, especially the Angler (1885), the American Field (1889), weeks. A true innovator of his time, Mari- dry fly. Theserious fly fishermanof today and in seueral books on fly-tying and fly- naro introduced me, and a good many has by now read Swisher and Richards, fishing. In other words, this man began American anglers, to the world of terres- Caucci and Nastasi, Whitlock, and telling the American angler about ento- trials and to a new approach to tying Schwiebert. to namea few. He isastudent mology and innovative fly-tying and dry-fly imitations of various mayflies. of the natural history of both aquatic fishing techniques often associated with His Jassids, Pontoon Hoppers, Thorax insects (entomology) and fish (ichthyol- the late 1960s and 1970s, and he did it a Hackled Duns, and Quill-Bodied Spin- ogy) and probably knows a little about century ago! ners (all extremely effective patterns) are fish culture and the physics of rod tapers. Keene's contributions to American fly- now well known to most serious fly In short. he is. more sobhisticated about fishing have never been fully recognized fishermen of today. Marinaro's influence his sport (in an absolute sense) than at by angling historians, nor did these con- on fly-fishing wasprofound. His insight- any other time in the history of its tributions have much of an influence on ful book was a sharp contrast to and a development. his contemporary American fly fishers. break from Ray Bergman's Trout (a uery But how does this relate to John Har- While Marinaro's Code was uery influen- popular book originally published in rington KeeneKeene, at his worst, was as tial and is today considered a benchmark 1939 and still considered a bibleon trout innovative as Marinaro. He practiced of the beginning of a modern renaissance fishing well into the sixties) that touted dry-fly fishing on the Battenkill as early for the gentle art, Keene's proclamations Bivisibles, showy wet-fly patterns, and of a.r 1886, the same year Halford published evidently fell on deaf ears and failed to course the ultimate of nonimitation, the in England his Floating Flies andHow to induce any revolutions or evolutions in Royal Coachman. Dress Them and well before Theodore American fly-fishing. It is the intent of More important, however, and trans- Gordon's experiments on the Beaverkill. this essay to present to the readers of the Wildwood's Magazine, a rare, short- liued sporting periodical that was published by Fred Pond (pseud., Will Wildwood). Note that in addition to Keene's "Memoir" by Pond, thf PRICE, 20 CENTS. issue contained an article by Keene ("The Salmon," p. 265). SDW~~OD~ i' , I..--- OCTOBER, 1888. So.6. i~nivrc.~at tllc P,,SC omce .. rccolL.~-chrs ,..,I , WILDW00D PUBhISHING COMPANY. Cl4lCAGO: 166 LA SAbtlE STREET. NEW YORK: 251 BROADWAY. ~. . .- - - - - .. . - . . . . CONTENTS: rroo\i\piece- Pc~rrr.,itof John Harrington Keenc. Scull~~~gfor Mallards lllt!~tr;~l~~~l.I<&,IK 1:. ~.~:[/;t!,<~zvt// , . . . 1.t; ..,lllllr ,,I " \l,lrl 4,,v1 51,11a,r,,g A Mernuir of J. Harrington Keenr ...... , , . , . . . . 256 Aulu!lm Sports A Poem. /iy /soc,l' ,lfr/.r/ic,n ...... 'Si f'r.l;nc Chicken Shooting. lllu\tr.ttrrl. / Part I: The Biography John Harrington Keene and his wife, Anna, emigrated from England to the United States in 1885. Within a year after John Harrington Keene was ria, and presided over the magnifi- their arrival they settled in Manchester, born at Weybridge, a pretty village cent preserves of Windsor Great Vermont. An informative biographical on the Lower Thames, England, in Park for fifteen years, where young sketch on Keene, written by Fred Pond 1856, and is consequently but 32 Harrington Keene became ac- and published in the October 1888 issue years of age, though the amount of quainted with Buckland, Francis, of Wildwoods Magazine,l gives many work and sport connected with Manley, and a host of other patri- details concerning Keene's life prior to matters piscatorial he has accomp- cian anglers, accompanying sev- his coming to this country. Rather than lished, is out of all proportion to eral of them to most of the best excerpt highlights from this memoir, I his years. His fishing career may fishing waters of Europe and the have chosen to include it in its entirety, almost be said to have been com- British Isles, sometimes as an with annotations. I caution readers that, menced in the cradle. He was the attendant, and at others as a per- due to logistics, I have not been able to only son and close companion of sonal friend.3 check the reliability of all of the informa- his father, a famous Thames pro- It is natural that an ardent loveof tion contained in Pond's memoir. I note, fessional fisherman, from his earli- fishing and great natural powers of for example, that Keene was born on est years. Mr. Keene, Senior, who observation should produce a wri- December 19, 1855 (to John and Rebecca quite recently died at Windsor, ter on fishing subjects. When but Sarah Keene), not in 1856 as stated by was, when the son was quite young, sixteen, Mr. J. H. Keene began his Pond.2 chosen fisherman to Queen Victo- career with the pen, in the "Glob? Church Strert, Weybrzdqe, Enqland Kerne runs born zn Weybrzdqe zn 1855. The photo 17 from a poctcard (c~rca and Traveler," a well known Lon- esting notes on the parasitic dis- to visit this country, of which he don evening paper, then edited by a eases of fish, (for Mr. Keene is a had formed enthusiastic visions, now famous physician, Dr. J. Mar- microscopist, being then a member (not yet broken, he tells us, by tin Granville, and also contributed of the chief microscopical societies) unfulfilling reality), which he did sketches to "Once a Week," then to the now defunct English "Coun- in 1885. Whilst here his father died edited by G. Manville Fenn, the try," and became intimately known suddenly, and he not being availa- well known novelist. Very soon fol- to its manager, who also was part ble, the appointment passed to lowed copious contributions to owner and manager of the "Bazaar other hands than his son's. Then "Land and Water," "The Field," Exchange and Mart." Recognizing Harrington Keene decided to make and the "Morning Advertiser," a Mr. Keene's general journalistic his home among us, and being an large daily sheet under the direc- efficiency, he was invited toedit the expert in all kinds of tackle manu- tion of the accomplished Col. "Country," and sub-edit the "Ba- facture as well as an expert with the Alfred Bates Richards. About this zaar," on most liberal terms. This pen, he wrote "Fly Fishing and Fly time also-though previously in- position he undertook and filled Making for Trout," (0.Judd & tended for commercial life-Mr. satisfactorily for two years, after Co.,) and finally engaged in fly Keene became assistant to his fath- which he retired in favor of more making for the benefit of the er and determinately pursued jour- original and congenial journalistic numerous admirers of his books nalism and angling, natural his- work. During this term the "Practi- and talents.8 Until quite recently tory and authorship. By the time cal Fisherman" was published in he has been associated with C. F. Harrington Keene had reached the the "Country," and subsequently Orvis, but has now removed to the mature age of twenty he had gath- in volume form, receiving very cor- banks of the lovely bass lake- ered material for his, as yet, mag- dial and distinct recognition from Cossayuna, Washington county, num opus, "The Practical Fisher- the critics.5 N.Y., where he proposes to corn- man." He had fished for repeatedly Mr. Keene was at once thereafter plete many a chef d'ouvre of the and caught every fish swimming in understood to be an authority on piscatorial writer's and fly maker's British waters, and had compared fishing matters, and a real cata- art, amidst congenial surround- notes with the best fishermen of the logue of his contributions to the ings. day. His chief angling friend at periodical press would fill more Mr. Keene is president of the that time was the late Rev. J. J. spare than we can here afford. He, flourishing Greenwich and Cos- Manley, an amiable and profound- with a printer namedoates, found- sayuna Game and Fish Protection ly learned clergy man and author of ed the present London "Fishing Club, of Greenwich, N.Y., and is at a charming work, "Notes on Fish Gazette."G He compiled and edited present deeply engaged on a new and Fishing," which originally "Little's Angler's Annual," and work, especially designed to aid the appeared in the "Morning Adver- wrote multitudinously for all the purely amateur angler, which will tiscr." alternatrlv with articles on prominent papers and magazines. be published early next spring by similar subjects from the pen of Finally in 1884, for rest and genu- the enterprising publishing firm, Mr. Keene. ine recreation, he accepted the Nims & Knight, of Troy, N.Y.9 About this time Mr. Keene, pur- position of head fish-keeper on suing his bent, left home a few Lord Northbrook's portion of the Based on Pond's remarks and the mate- miles, and began business as a pro- river Itchen -the premier British rial subsequently published by Keene, I fessional fisherman on theThames. trout stream. Whilst here he wrote think it is fair to say that he was well He was successful beyond the aver- a long series of articles for boys in schooled in all matters piscatorial and age, as the son of such a "practical the "Boys' Own Paper," and his was probably well acquainted not only fisherman" as his father, could recently published "Fishing Tack- with Francis, Buckland, and Manley, but only be. About this time he had le; its Materials and Manufac- also with Halford, Ogden, and others contributed some especially inter- t~re."~Finally Mr. Keene decided intimately associated with the develop- THE AMERICAN ANGLER. A-- WEEKLY JOUIINAL OF FISH AND FISHING. - - TEKREE DOLLARS A YEAR. VOLUME VIIL, NUMBER 3. BINOLE COPIES. TEN CENTB. 1 NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1886. 1 OFFICE, 151 BROADWAY. ------ Masthrad of J4'zllzam C Harrzs'r Amer~canAngler Keene'sserzes, mtztled "Hour to Makr Trout Flzes," commenced zn theSaturday, July 18, 1885, 7ssue(7~01.8, no. 3). To our knowledge, thzs rerzer constztut~d thr firrt tzmr that znrtructzonr for tyznq dry flzrs wrre mer offerrd to the Amerzcan anglznqpublzr. ment of dry-fly techniques on British resort town of some note. Franklin are in thousands, with none to trout waters. But marc about this later. Orvis's prosperous Equinox Hotel was catch them, save villagers anda few Pond states that Keene arrived in this filled by well-to-do tourists from New summer visitors. And these same country in 1885 and shortly thereafter York and Boston who had come to revel trout are of very respectable size, associated himself with Charles F. Orvis in the rural charm of this quaint New unlike the generality of mountain in Manchester, Vermont. I think this England village. Also, by this time, fish-that is, going up to one and information is probably correct. Keene Charles F. Orvis's tackle business, estab- one-half pounds, pretty frequently. published twenty articles in William C. lished in 1856, was flourishing. By 1885 There is no need to conceal its Harris's Amrrica~zAng1r.r in 1885.1° he had acquired a national reputation as name, it is the 'lovely' Ondawa in Although Keene could have sent these a manufacturer of good quality rods, the language of the Indians, and articles to Harris from England, more reels, and flies. His tackle included the Battenkill in the uncouth vernacu- likely, he was in the LJnited States at the now-famous narrow-spool fly-reel with lar of the settlers. Ondawa let it be. time. Unfortunately, no datelines were perforated side plates, and cane flyrods It is rapid and clear, shallow and printed with these articles that would equipped with Eggleston's patented, deep, in alternation; now garru- establish for us Keene's place of resi- spring-locking reel seat. In 1876, C. F. lous with mimic fury, now making dence. In 1886 Keene published a series of Orvis tackle received a gold medal at the 'sweet music with the' enameled three articles on English bait-casting in Philadelphia International Exhibition. stones.' But stay; Shakespeare's the American Angler. l1 Again, no date- Orvis's reputation as an important tackle words remind me that a poetically- line is given, nor does the text indicate manufacturer was further enhanced with inclined friend has already apos- Keene's whereabouts. But in the March the publication of Fishing with the Fly trophised 'Ondawa' in strains 20, 1886, issue of the American Angler, (1883), which heco-edited with A. Nelson which all will agree rival anything two short paragraphs appear (Notes & Cheney.14 What better spot could Keene '1e immortel Williams' could have Queries Section ) that relate to his casting have chosen to reside in? Here, he could writ. Pardon me, all-patient Edi- articles. Here, Keene mentions that he hob-nob with the affluent tourist crowd; tor, if I reproduce them as a vale- has had a "Changeof residence ...." Keene as an associate of Orvis. he could con- dictory tailpiece to this, my very also says, in the June 26 issue of the tinue his career as professional writer, fly discursive letter. American Angler, that he ate his lunch fisher, and fly tier; and hecould spend his "on the banks of the Ondawa which runs leisure hours pursuing the trout on the ONDAWA through the vale of content in which I Battenkill. live." The Ondawa is the Indian name Evidence of Keene's enchantment with The high and massy mountains given to the Battenkill, which runs his new surroundings can be found in the roll along, through Manchester, Vermont. In 1887 at August 7, 1886, issue of the American Wave-like, beside thee, dressed least ten articles by Keene were published Angler15 in a letter (reprinted by Harris) in living green, in the American Firld, all with a dateline that he had sent to the British publica- Whilst giant Equinox-a parent giving Manchester, Vermont, as Keene's tion, Land and Water. strong place of residence.12 I would guess that Of myriad rivulets, with royal Keene and his wife lived in the environs As I said above, I am writing mien, of New York City in 1885 where he proba- from the old Yankee State of Ver- Head-gray is cloud-o'er bly first met Harris (theAmericanAngler mont, and in a village which re- shades the daedal scene. was published there), and that he moved minds me of nothing so much as to Manchester in January or February of the beautiful town of Malvern Through dells and grots, through 1886 (the change of residence referred to (Worcestershire), except that Mal- festooned dreaming woods. earlier).I3 vern has no stream running Thou boundest, glad of heart, It is not hard to imagine why Keene through it, and this has. Here is a in child-like glee chose Manchester, Vermont, as his place genuine mountain stream, born of Mid plains of emerald, or of residence. Manchester, in 1885, was a the mighty Equinox, and the trout solitudes, THIRTY-TWO PAGES. --+=Q> --+=Q> rI.l E \ @-- H O-. Dark with crag, or from the curl, not feeding on the natural insect. If canopy Leaps the bejeweled trout. Then there are not some flies to be seen Of leafy mysteryr thou hastest, richer far about, depend upon it the fish are wild and free. Than Ophir's mine of gold art after some kind of food they do see, thou, oh Ondawa! something in the water. Then try And from thy limpid deeps, or 'wums.' riffles whirl, There is no use whipping the Or the translucent eddy's oily water with flies when the fish are The nature of Keene's association with Charles F. Orvis is not completely clear. On page twenty-six of Orvis's sixteenth catalog (circa 1889) trout flies made with gut bodies and scale wings, as well as flies YO with cork bodies, floating mayflies, cad- dis flies and cisco flies are offered for sale TROUT-FLIES MADE WITH am BODIES AND SCALE WINGS. prarar. ~$2.00pra DOZEN- (see ill~stration).~~These are the flies of We make these flies zs a novelty, but doubt if they will ever lake the place of the feathered flies, the use of~vhich John Harrington Keene, the same flies for sevcd hundred years har proved their thorough efficiency. that were described in .great detail in the They are dose imitations of natural insects, and are extremely durable; although delicate in appearance they are practnelly indestructible. The wings are too tough to be torn, yet when in the water become pliable and to series of articles he published in the the tish no reststance, as do the quill wng and other wings of a sim~larcharacter heretofore offered as a substitute for feathen. American Anglrr in 1885 and in the - American Field in 1887 (vide ante). On We print an extract from a letter published, not long ago, in THEFISHING GAZETTE, headed.- page thirty-one of the samr catalog, fifty "b4,lTbRIAL FOR WIN(;SOF ARTIFICIAL FLIES." patterns of salmon flies were advertised, ..Wkot ir rrolly ~t~rrrrcdirs st,brfancr which ronrbincr fhc fiyYntss and brroya.ry of fhr ftafhrr in tdc abor wclf arrn fk~wofrr, with the fou,hntss mdpmrto rrtain if5 dupe of fht qurlf. fqqtfhn w~fkrke $1;~- all of them English patterns. Evidently, brlrfy.Ir*nrfiarmcy and trtfurr of tkr yofd brofrr'r ~kzn.and the prnpnfy of briny rasrly staznrd or dyed, and tk:~ *mafntol,nrfar as Iknmu, horyrf lo bc dtsrmrcrcd."-HIITERN. Keene supported himself during his stay \Ve afier the scale wing (not api.6t.scale ring) as the discovery which meets all the requirements mentioned in in Manchester by supplying Orvis with the abobr letter. his highly innovative trout-fly imita- . - -- - - .-. - - Wc suggest the following as the most desirable to be made with Gut Bodies and Scale Wings :- tions, probably with the salmon flies too. Hrown CoHin. Deer Fly. Gauze Wing. Red Fox. Keene also obtained additional funds by lllatk Ant. Emenld Gnat. Hoskins. Red Spinner. l;!a:k bnat. Emerald 1)un. Haa thorn. Stone Fly. functioning as a correspondent to the lcluc Dun. Fiery Ilrown. Morrison. Scarlet I his. more popular American sporting period- Cl.lrct. Green 1)rake. Orangc I3lack. Solrlier. CI,~Uunc. (;try 1)rakc. I'alc Eveninx Dun. Yellow hlay. icals and to some British publications.17 ~ .- - - Pond, in his memoir of October 1888, 11.11:S \V1'l'11 CORK I1OL)II:S, FI.OATIS(; hli\Y-FI.IES, CADDIS.FI,II.S .\sL) c]~c'(I. states that Keene had recently relocated I'I,IES. MA~ETO Onn~n.ass SIZE DESII~ED,$2.50 PER I)()zI 17A di~ct~unlof Tru lrrr rcnt. lrnm list prices of FLIESwill be made on orders of SIX dolrl, ,,r ,,rr.r, .,,,,I Lake in southern Washington County, I iv~\IY IIC'T t.e"t. on oxlrr. vf 1 wnl.ve dozen or over. New York.lR My supposition is that he I moved because he had a falling-out with -1 Orvis. Although Orvis was a strong believer in the imitation theory,lgI don't Copy from page twrnty-six of C. F. 0nli.s'~sixteenth catalog (circa 1889). think he had much faith in Keene's Thrsr .so-callrd "~7or~rlty"f1ie.v are unqur.stionably the crealion.~of "Exact-imitation flies" or the dry-fly John Harrirzglon Keene. methods that Keene espoused. For exam- ple, see the accompanying illustration JOHN HARRlNGTON KEENE, Author of Fly Fishing and Fly Making, Etc., Etc., Etc., Artist in All Kinds of the pi next m~tifieialPlies anb ply-@shing pu~es. SI~E~:IAI.TIER--I~~~Standard Patter~ls. Exact I~nitrrtionsof American insect^. in Feather, Fur, Silk. (Jriill, 1Ior.c II:tir, Itubber, Scale, Etc.. Etc. Thc New 1nterchange~I)le Raee, Sal~llolland Tro~ltI.'ly. The Water I'roof-Winged Fly. Salmon Flies Made to Order. Every llook nr~dSi~ell Tcnted slid (;urrruntc:cd. GREENWICH, N. Y - KrrnrS.saCI~~rrli.srni~~i1 lhal appmrrd in tlrr 1894 rdition of thr Directory of Grcrnwich. Notr that Irr toitt.~"Esacl In7itation.s of Amrrican In.tcc~.s... ." from the Orvis catalog (circa 1889) in bring forth a smile of kindly con- with the pliability, transpar~ncy, which the following statement is made: tempt. Yet the brook trout here are and trxturr of the gold-beater's easily taken by the means em- skin, and thc proprrty of bring pas- We make these flies as a novclty, ployed. Here it is a charr [sic]-as ily stainrd or dyrd, and this mate- but doubt if they will ever take the the latest dictum of the ichthyolo- rial, .so far as I know, has yet to be place of feathered flies, the use of gists sets forth-and not a trout at discoztrrrd. which for several hundred years all, being but Salmo fontinalis, Later, it was found that theinner has proved their thorough effi- and its voracity is great. Probably membrane of the scales of theshad, ciency. when it has been fished over red-snapper, and other fish was a through hundreds of years by a beautiful substance nearly answer- I surmise that Keene not only took crowded population the necessity ing this description. Flies made umbrage at this statement but also at not for very light tackle will arise. At with wings of this membrane are being given any credit whatsoever for his present the generality of tackle here extremely durable and lifelike in innovative flies, either in this catalog or is light only as regards the rod. appearance; the wings are too in other Orvis advertisements. tough to be torn, but in the water I would also surmise that Keene's flies If, as I suspect, Keene badgered Orvis to become pliable and offer to the fish didn't sell very well. The unsophisti- tout his flies more effectively and to give no resistance; yet, attractive as they cated, native brook trout would take just him credit for his innovative contribu- appear, they have not proved very about any fly, and the gaudy, tinseled tions, Orvis would have most likely popular with fishermen, owing attractor flies not only were less expen- refused, and a parting of ways would chiefly, we think, to a slight rus- sive than Keene's creations, but very have followed. Speculative, obviously- tling noise they make when cast likely were more attractive to and more but I note in Mary Orvis Marbury's through the air. It is doubtful if popular with the Victorian angler. Fauoritr Flies (1892) the following pas- this sound is really any serious Indeed, Keene as much as admits this in sages on page 382. These remarks accom- objection to these flies, but it seems the previously mentioned copy that he pany a plate of F. M. Halford's dry flies. to have been a fault that has pre- sent to Land and Watrr reprinted in the vented their extended use. American Anglrr in 1886. Some time ago, in the English "Fishing Gazette," a correspon- Keene himself had discovered the inner What chiefly impressed me re- dent signing himself "Bittern" membrane of the scales of fish could be garding trout fishing [in the IJni- wrote as follows: used as wings for dry flies, yet Marbury ted States] were the two facts that What is really requirrd for the (Charles F. Orvis's daughter) failed to large flies up to No. 9 Sproat, and wings of artificial flirs is a sub- give him due credit. Further, mention of fishing down stream, were de ri- stancr which combinr.~the light- Keene's name is conspicuously absent geur. The floating fly is practically ness and buoyancy of thr feather in from her book. She must have known unknown, and up stream fishing th~air a~wrll as in the water zuith about Keene's articles in the American therefore an occult art, the mcre thr toughness and powrr to rrtain Anglrr and theAmrrican Field and about mention of which is sufficient to the shapr of the quill, togrthrr his book, Fly Fishing and Fly Making-20 Top: Frontispiece from American Game Fishes (1892) edited by G. 0.Shields. The dressings for the flies aregiuen in a chapter of the book titled "Fishing Tackle and How to Make It" by John Harrington Keene. Above right: More of Keene's flies from the same work Left: Couer of the third edition of Keene's Fly-Fishing and Fly-Making (1898). The book contains two pages of tipped-in fly-ty ing materials-hackles, wing materials, I floss, etc. A contemporary photopraph of John Harrzngton Keene's rerzdence at Keene lzz~edat 2723 Parkwood 9 John Street, Greenwzch, New York. Keene re~zdedthere for at least Az~enup,Baltzmore, Mary land, zn two yearr (1892 to 1894). 1896 and 1897. A Baltzmore czty directory 11st.r Kemr's orrubatzon as all of which exhaustively discuss his He was a boon companion of that 1897-a relative, perhaps? innovative fly-tying techniques, his dry early small group of dedicated Material obtained from thesurrogate's flies, and his exact-imitation theory. Yet, fishermen who always had a jug in Court, County of Queens, New Y~rk,~~ in all of her discussions of the floating fly the boat for live bait. indicates that Keene and his wife moved (albeit brief), only the names of Pritt and to Richmond Hill, Long Island, New Halford appear. Surely Orvis and Keene The Greenwich directories were not York, sometime in 1897. In 1900 their must have had a bitter di~a,greement.~'22 published after 1894; according to the address is listed as 3410 Fulton Street,24a How long Keene lived on the shore of Federal Census of 1900, however, Keene rented house, and in an advertisement for Cossayuna Lake, I'm not sure; by 1892 he had left the Greenwich area by then. We fly-tying material that appeared on page was listed in the Directory of Greenwich pick up his trail next in Baltimore, Mary- sixty-seven in a March-April 1902 Field iL. as a fishing-tackle maker living at 9 John land. In 1896 he published a book on Stream, the Keene address is listed as Street in Greenwich, New York.Z3 Else- graphology, entitled the Mystery of follows: where in the same directory, it is noted Handwriting, and in the preface he gives that Keene published a newspaper called this address: 712 Equitable Building, Bal- WANTED.-Feathers for fly-tying; the Graphologist on the fifteenth of every timore, Maryland. A Baltimore directory brown-hackles from game and month (graphology is the study of hand- lists Keene as a reporter living at 2723 brown Leghorn roosters, wild male writing). In the 1894 directory the same Parkwood Avenue (see illustration), Bal- turkey tail and wing feathers, pink address is given, and he has an advertise- timore in 1897. No listing was found for curlew, wood duck, plain and ment for his flies and lures (see illustra- 1898. Evidently, Keene worked as arepor- barred; blue jay wings, crow wings, tion). Additional information on Keene ter out of an office at the prestigious etc. Address J. H. Keene, Rich- during this period can be found on page Equitable Building, but I was unable to mond Hill, Long Island, N.Y. fourteen of Islay V. H. Gill's History and ascertain the name of the firm that Directory of Cossayuna and Vicinity employed him. Keene's reasons for mov- In that same year he published two arti- (1957). ing to Baltimore are obscure. Perhaps, cles in Outing:25 "Practical Fishing" without a national outlet for his flies (i.e. (vol. 36, p. 367) and "Making of the Arti- ...J. Harrington Keene, an English the Orvis Company), he was unable to ficial Fly" (vol. 36, p. 634). These were man, graphologist and expert tyer make a success of his tackle business. So rehashes of his earlier articles and to my [sic] of artificial flies. He lived in he took a job as a reporter in Baltimore- knowledge were his last published the village for a time and employed but why Baltimore? James Keene, a law- works.** By 1904, Keene and his wife had a few women in themakingof flies. yer, is listed in the Baltimore directory in relocated to a house on Lincoln Avenue, near Orchard Avenue, in Richmond illness from which he suffered for trout and American trout streams. Hi11,26 and there is evidence indicating the last five years. And yet, after the death of Wm. C. that sometime between 1902 and 1904 Mr. Keene was an Englishman, Harris, he was perhaps the ablest they moved to Winstead, Connecticut, for and to this is attributed the fact that writer on fly-fishing in America. a brief period of time and Keene managed he never received the appreciation Certainly his memory will long be a countrv c1ub.Z3 But after this. I can find that his work deserved. Not that an cherished by the fraternity, the bet- no evidence of Keene's whereabouts. His Englishman may not be honored ter, perhaps, when it is remem- once prolific pen seems to have stopped. in America, but because his writ- bered that, though lacking the The disappearance of Keene's articles ings were colored, perhaps, by too heart interest which he left behind from the pages of American sporting frequent reference to angling meth- in his native land, his writings periodicals is very puzzling indeed. He ods in Great Britain, where condi- were still at the time of his death was, after all, an expert in the manufac- tions are widelv different from the best that could be read in ture of and fishing with the dry fly-and those met with on this continent. America. a good writer as well. By 1904 the Ameri- He began to make artificial flies in can fly fisher had begun to recognize and England in 1865. His best works This would explain his lack of produc- accept upstream fishing with floating probably were, "Fly-Fishing and tivity between 1902 and his death. Keene flies as an extremely effective angling Fly Making" and "Fishing Tackle, was admitted to theBrattleboro Retreat,27 method, especially for the highly selec- Its Materials and Manufacture." Brattleboro, Vermont (not Bellows Falls, tive and rather recently imported brown The former, a handsome little as stated in the obituary), on March 28, trout. Conditions could not have been volume, contains a deal of hand 1907. He died there, a pauper, on May 5, more perfect for the reintroduction of the work, done by the author, who was 1907. The chief cause of death, as listed innovative fly-tying techniques and fish- an adept at fly tying. This was one on the death certificate, was cerebral ine methods that he had tried to intro- of the first books of its kind to be hemorrhage. The contributing causes duce to the American angling public published in America. It was pub- were left unstated (see illustration). How- almost twenty years prior. Yet, from lished by the Forest and Stream ever, Keene had been diagnosed as having Keene there was silence-a mystery Publishing Company [the first edi- sy philis,28 a highly contagious disease for indeed, until we read his obituary on tion was published by Judd] and which there was really no cure in 1907. In page 900 in Forest and Stream in 1907 ran through several editions. He Keene the disease had reached the tertiary (vol. 68, no. 23), which states that he had also wrote "The Angler's Com- stage, when severe damage to the central been ill for the previous five years. plete Guide and Companion," nervous system occurs. Hallucinations, "The Practical Fisherman," and bizarre behavior, and blindness are com- Death of John Harrington Keene hundreds of magazine articles. He mon symptoms of the final stage. To was a man of good address, as compound matters, Keene evidently had John Harrington Keene, of Flor- might be judged from his writings, also developed alcoholism. It seems logi- al Park, L.I., who was prominent and had many warm friends among cal to assume that his excessive drinking as an authoritative and entertain- those, anglers and others, with was in response to a long bout (at least ing writer on angling, died recently whom he was thrown. On the five years) with this painful and debilita- in a sanitarium in Bellows Falls stream he was apatient and skillful ting disease-and the disillusionment of [actually, in Brattleboro], Vt., angler, but it is said by the few who failing to be adequately recognized for where he went a li~tleover a month knew him well that he never quite his contributions to the development of ago hoping to gain relief from the became reconciled to American American fly-fishing must have under- ENDNOTES: and among his books are the classic Rook National Cinton Catnlog and Bruns's on Angling (1867 and several later editions), Angling Books of thr Americas, p. 253). 1. Wilduioods Mngarinr, an illustrated By Lnkr and Ri-orr (1874), Angling (1877), 10. The first article appeared in the monthly, was owned, edited, and published Hot Pot (1880), Sporting Sketc1ze.s with Pm March 28 issue (vol. 7, no. 13, p. 199) and by Fred E. Pond (Will Wildwood). Vol. 1, and Prncil (with A. W. Cooper), and Fish- the last in the December 26 issue (vol. 8, no. no. 1, was issued in May 1888. It sold for Culture (1863); John Jackson Manley wrote 26, p. 402). Harris established the American twenty cents per issue. The publication was Notes on Fish and Fishing (1877). Anglrr in 1881 as a weekly publication (vol. short lived. It ran until April 1889, when 5. It was published in London in book 1, no. 1, was issued on Sunday, October 15 according to the Union Ltst of Srrials its form in 1881. of that year). name was changed to Rrcrmtion. lircrra- 6. Pond must be referring to tht, "new 11. Amrricnn Anglrr (1886), vol. 9, no. 4, tion is believed to have ceased publication series" of the Fishing Gazette that started in p. 49; vol. 9, no. 5, p. 69; and vol. 9, no. 6, in June of 1889. 1877. Keene would have been only ten years p. 81. 2. Baptismal records for the town of old when the old series was first published. 12. The first article was published in vol. Weybridge, England (1855). 7. Fishing Tacklr, Its Mnterinls nnd 27, no. 12, p. 270, and the last one I found 3. Keene's father died in September 1885. Mnnufacturr was published in both London was in vol. 27, no. 25, p. 598. According to An obituary appeared in the September 12, and New York in 1886. Austin Hogan's Amrrican Sporting Prriodi- 1885, issue of the Standnrd. "John Keen 8. Fly Fishing and Fly Making was cnls, Amrrican Firld has the following [sic], the Queen's fisherman, died on published in 1887. A second edition history: "1874-75 as Firld nnd Stream; 1875- Thursday, at his house, the Flying Barn, appeared in 1891, anti a third edition was 76 as Firld; 1877-81 [sic, but should read Virginia Water." He was fisherman to published in 1898. 1878 to 1881] as CIticngo Firld; and from Queen Victoria at Wintlsor [I-om 1864 until 9. Perhaps this is a reference to the Boys 1881 on as Amrrtcan Firld. I was unable to his death. Own Guidr to Fishins that Keene published peruse the complete year; other articles may 4. Francis Trevelyan Buckland wrote in 1894. It is interesting to note that the title have appeared in subsequent issues of the Curiositir.~of Nnturnl Hi.~lory(1857 and page of Fly Fishing and Fly Mnking lists 1887 Amrrican Firld. several later editions). Thr Log-book of n the Atzglrr's Complrtr Guidr and 13. Ilnfortunately, street directories or Fishrrmnn and Zoologist (1875), and Thr Compnnion as one of Keene's works. I local census material, which would establish Naturnl History of British Fi.shet (1881); found no evident-e that indicates Keene the location of Keene's residence in Francis Francis was angling editor of Firld published a book with this title (see Manchester, are not available. mined his confidence and weakened his ------/rki. defenses for coping. v CERTIFICATE OF DEATH. Keene was never a man of means,Zgand NO.-^- STATE OF VERMONT. the debilitating effects of his disease were severe enough to dramatically interfere with his earning a living as a writer, fly- tier, or graphologist, so it is not surpris- ing that he died a poor man. Further, if Street and No., one interprets Gill's remark (uide ante) about Keene being a fisherman "who I Name I(. . - - -p .- - &L <. always had a jug in the boat for livebait" AT I>XATII.- - ~LVL~A~~TATISTIC~I. I'AI(TICI' g;-;zE to be a euphemism for a problem with SI. I"0. , - 7""+'-;U,,? of ,I,,,, - -,*/&?2& i ,, . . >:"nth Day 0- l-e=r.lc~Oz alcohol, then his nomadic existence, his Stnplc. hlrrrtrd, a.,,l,.xcdor ulvorc:d x',:7L;/;fi1.LCd-_ I hereby ceni y, hat 1 a ndcd deceased from - ~ unsuccessful business endeavors, and u,,..r u,,..r &,lh Month s ,,,,! g5&, die 190 to zyJ ;goy, - Day- -~ P %?f. 7, perhaps even his lack of impact on the that I last saw &alive on d~<90Ts Mar. 2- American angling scene is at once on thc(dnte stated above at comprehensible. It is unclear why Keene chose to be !s~ztcor country\ To the best of my knotvled~eand belief the cause of Name of buqbmci or WL!F z rnrrrlnl admitted to theBrattleboro Retreat rather . - - _L&&L'! h'lmr of Frlhrr - CALlSE OF 1)t:liTII. than to a local hospital in the Richmond -- $5~-~z>,2ruc?>ons c~n lhck I Hlrlbplrcc of Fathrr Hill area. Another puzzling matter is that IS!r!c or coumr71 ~uA~L& .Ha,den a.m, of Molhcr&lm4,/- his death certificate indicates that he was --i - -.- Conlrillulln~ &T- Btrlhplrce of hlolher buried on May 15, 1907, in Concord, (statewmntT. A &J~ -. - i, - The above stated. per&pxticulars are true to the Massachusetts. I could find no record of best of my knowledce and belrf. Keene being buried there, and if he was, the reason is hard to fathom (unless, per- haps, relativt-s lived there). So there you have it; the tragic tale of a gentleman, who rightfully should be Acldrers ,, revered as the father of the floating-fly in T,,, I:. !I., ., ..,,1,I.. U,,,,:I."r,,I/~.ili., these United States. He was probably L.--=-__ L.--=-__ ISae ~bthfrud* I 11,. ~utt1.c~rn~xnu. l'r mw;. Bulhnd. vtU~+1. more knowledgeable than Uncle Thad Norris, and most assuredly more innova- tive than the renowned Theodore Gor- don. A bit later in time, and under more J.H.K'.v d~nlltcertjficnlr. PIn(.r of 1114rinlis li.strd as Co?tcord, Mns.snc1tusct~.s favorable circumstances, he would cer- (Afny 15, 1907). IIJc could fi?tr/ ?to olltcr rcc.ord o] 1ri.s bring Ouricrl llrcrr, tainly have revolutionized the sport.30 ,tor urc.rr zcrc nhlc to locntc 1ti.s clc.11~nlO~trirrl .sit(,. In Part I1 of this endeavor, it is my intent to closrly examine the writings of John Harrington Keene and to present a checklist of his angling publications. tj 14. For an excrllent history of thr Orvis alqxar. Touch(.! articles th;~tlac-krd depth. company, see Thr On~isStory (1980) Ily 22. It is curious then to find that in the 26. Tronls Rurirtrss Dirrctory. Austin Hogan and Paul Schr~llery. srcontl (1891) and third (1898) edition of Fly 27. The Rrattlehoro Retrrat was rstal,- 15. Vol. 10, no. 6, p. 86. Fishing nrzd Fly Making Krrne recommrnds lished in 1834 ant1 recently ol)scrvrd its one 16. The inclusion of Kemcs's flirs in the Orvis rotls; his favorite was a six-strip cane hundrrd fiftieth anniversary. Orvis catalog strongly suggcsts that thr modrl, tcn feet in length, with the patented 28. This infor~nationwas obtainrd from catalog was printetl after 1x85. A loose form Egglrston reel srat. Rut this can be easily Mona Rearh of the Rrattlrlmro Retre;~~. letter datrd 1889 was fount1 in a copy of the r;~tionnlizrd.It was probably too costly to 29. I don't think Keenc cvrr ownrtl his catalog examinrd I,y Melnrr and Krsslrr (see rrsrt tlir type for these I;rtrr editions, so own home. To my knowledge his name does Grrat Fis1riri.q Tnrklr Cnln1o.q.~((1972). Keme h;~tlto live with the pronouncemmts not appear on any of the tlrrds associ;~trd 17. Amrricntt /1rtglrr, Amrrirnn Firld, Iir m;ltlr in the first rdition (1887)-when hc with his various residences. and Land and IVntrr (British) havr alrr;~tly ;~ntlOrvis were on good trrms. 30. Kernr's wifr tlird pennilrss on been mrntionrd; no tloubt thercs wrrr othrrs. 23. According to prtitions on filr at thr Frbruary 24, 1932. According to an 18. Cossayi~naLake is locatrd in thc Surrog;~tc-'sCourt (Qurcns C:ounry, Nrw ;~tlvertisrmrntin thr Christ~n;~~issur of the towns of Ar~gyle;~ntl Greenwich. (Thr latter, York) rcblating to thr will of Keene's wifr. 191 6 Antrrira~iil rtglrr (Reed's Anzrrirnn near the Vermont-New York border, is John Harrington Krcnr brrame a naturalizrtl /Inglrr. 1916 to 19'21). Mrs. Kernr tirtl ;~nd downstream on thr Rattenkill from Man- ritizrn in 1892. These pc.titions contain soltl bass. trout. ;~ndsalmon flirs. Hrr chester. iml,orr;~nt I)io~gg-raphicalinformation. ;~dtiressw;~s givcn as Querns. Long Island. 19. See, for ex;~ml,lr.Orvis's Irttrr- to the 2.1. Fctlcral Crnsus. Ncw York. vol. 217, Nrw York. rditor, Am~ricnn/frtglrr (I886), vol. 9, no. I.:nurnrr;~tion District 677. shrrt 27. linr 63. *Note, ;ltltlc*din ~)rool':'I'll(. lir\t tl(*\c-~il)tion 21. p. 324. Kcrnr ;mtl his wifr are lisrrd as naturalized of :In c~stc~~~tlt~tl-l)otl\1):1twr11 for :\~iit.t ic-;in 20. Thr book h;~tlhen throngh two citizrns th:tt immi~~:~trdin 1885, coultl rrad. ;rnglrt-5 c-;irl I)(, lo~~ntlin Krth~~nt,'r1x17 cditions by the timr Marbury ~,~~blislirtl writr. ;md speak English. ;nld hat1 no t.tIition of tl~t,(;III?I/)/I,/(, ,.l?r,ql(,~-. Fnr~oritrF1ir.s. chiltlrrn. 'I'hry hat1 onr I,o;~rdrr. Edwin R. **Yotc :~(ltlt~lin 1)rool': 1 rr( t.ntl\ (li\c~ovc~rr(l 21. In 1901 Krrne wrote "The Fishing Drc-krr (;I school tr;~c-her).Kcrnr's occul~rttion III;II Kt~c*nc,;tt~tIior(~tl :I t 11:1l)tt,1or1 li4ii1ig t:tt.kI(' Reel ant1 its Drvrlol)ment," ;In :~rticlrfor is givrri ;I$ handwriting rxl,rrt. in (;ri~t.s,:IIIIIII~IIII~IIII~. (I?!(/ 7'f1(/:1(~(I!bOl)-:t the Sportir~g(;oods Ilralrr (Srl)trrnl)rr, 1). 2.5. Oirlir~gran from 188210 1923. It was l)ook III;II IV;I~1):1rt 01 (;LI\~)(T\\'II~III~,Y'\ 8). Nowhrrr in the text docs thr namr Orvis ;I sporting miscrll;~nyrh;~r;~c.trrizecl by short ,\mc.~~(.;III S~)~II\III;II~'\ I.iI)r;~r\ \(.ri(a\. Watercolor renderings of a male (top) and female (bottom) Lahontan cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki henshawi, painted by Charles Bradford Hudson in 1904. Hudson (1865 to 1939) was employed as an illustrator for many years by the Smithsonian Institution and the Bureau of Fisheries. David Starr Jordon once referred to him as the world's greatest painter of fish. Hudson was also well known as a landscape painter, an etcher, an author, and an illustrator for some popular magazines. The trout sfiecimens he used for these paintings were taken from Lake Tahoe. The paintings are currently in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Map of Nevada that shows the location of Pyramid Lake. The lake is approximately forty miles northeast of Reno. Pyramid Lake and its Cutthroat Trout by Robert J. Behnke r 1 Pyramid Lake and its giant cut- numerous species of minnows and suck- mous size. throat trout have been the subject ers that established themselves. It evolved What happened to the original Pyra- , of numerous magazine articles. into an efficient predator and may have mid Lake cutthroat trout is an interesting Many of these articles are charac- attained a large size in order to make use case history of a conflict of values be- terized by misinformation and of the large stocks of forage fishes. The tween settlers in the area and native hyperbole. The true story of most common Lahontan minnow, the Americans, pal titularly as this conflict Pyramid Lake, its enormous cut- tui chub. commonlv attains a maximum relates to values associated with water. throat trout, and their fate is indeed fasci- size of fifteen to eighteen inches, certainly While the dating of artifacts indicates nating,1 but requires no fanciful embel- more than a mouthful for a pan-sized that the first native Americans appeared lishments. It is the intent of this endeavor trout, but a mere appetizer to a subspecies on the shores of Lake Lahontan about to right some obvious wrongs and clear of trout whose weight averages twenty twelve thousand years ago, the present up any misconceptions concerning this pounds. Paiute Indian culture at Pyramid Lake extraordinary fishery. Approximately ten thousand years began only about six hundred years ago. ago, when the climate became warmer The Pyramid Lake Paiutes developed The Great Basin of the western United and drier, Lake Lahontan rapidly de- great skills as fishermen and established a States encompasses a large region south clined in size. About a thousand years relatively stable, advanced society. The of the Columbia River drainage in later, it desiccated considerably and left first nonnative Americans to visit Pyra- Oregon, west and north of the Colorado two sump lakes, Walker Lake and Pyra- mid Lake were John C. Fremont, his River basin of Utah and Nevada, and east mid Lake. But, only Pyramid Lake main- scout Kit Carson, and their exploration of the Sierra Nevada of California. tained continuity and retained a full party. Fremont had traveled south from Within this region, streams run from the complement of Lahontan fishes. This Oregon to explore the Great Basin and to mountains out onto the desert or into allowed the Lahontan cutthroat trout to search for the mythical Buenaventura sumps, such as Great Salt Lake, Utah, continue without interru~tionits evolu- River that ancient maps depicted as and Pyramid Lake, Nevada. No running tionary specialization as a large, preda- draining the Great Basin to the Pacific water escapes to the ocean. During the tory trout. In addition to the populations Ocean. On January 10, 1844, Fremont last glacial epoch (from about ten thou- in Walker and Pyramid lakes, theLahon- and his party crested a ridge north of sand to seventy thousand years ago), there tan cutthroat trout survived in mountain Pyramid Lake and were astonished at the were periods when the climatewas cooler rivers and lakes, such as Lake Tahoe, but sight of a vast sea existing in the midst of and wetter than it is now, and large lakes these environments and their associated a .great expanse of desert. Fremont's party formed in numerous separate basins. For fish faunas were vastly different from camped near the mouth of the Truckee example, a lake formed in the Lahontan Pyramid Lake, and these populations River where it entered Pyramid Lake and basin that was slightly larger than Lake were subjected to evolutionary pressures soon came in contact with the Paiute Erie. The Lahontan basin of Nevada, as distinctly different from those affecting Indians. The initial contact was friendly. well as northeastern California, was the cutthroat of Pyramid Lake; other In fact, the Paiutes brought freshly invaded by an ancestral cutthroat trout at Lahontan cutthroat trout introduced caught trout to Fremont and his party. an unknown time. It is commonly into Pyramid Lake never approached the Fremont remarked, "Their flavor was assumed that this cutthroat- trout ances- maximum size of the native trout. Al- excellent-superior, in fact, to that of any tor gained access to the Lahontan basin though all Lahontan cutthroat trout fish I have ever known. They were of from the Columbia basin at the begin- populations that have been isolated from extraordinary size-about as large as the ning of the last glacial period or about each other for about nine thousand years Columbia River salmon-generally from seventy thousand years ago, but it may (since the desiccation of Lake Lahontan) two to four feet in length." Unfortu- have been much earlier. Fossil trout exhibit little morphological differentia- nately, in less than a hundred years from bones, several million years old, have tion and are all classified as the same the time Fremont first saw these giant been uncovered in the Lahontan basin, subspecies, henshawi, they have all cutthroat trout, this magnificent fish was and they are similar to the bones of the evolved different life-history specializa- actually exterminated from the waters of Lahontan cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki tions, and none were so finely adapted to Pyramid Lake. henshawi. make such efficient use of the Pyramid The California gold rush of 1849 and In any event, this ancestral trout was Lake environment as was the native the Nevada mining boom of the 1850s the only large predatory fish among Pyramid Lake trout-thus their enor- brought many settlers to the Pyramid Lake area. There were conflicts with the ibly unwise useof a natural resource. The fishery. When a United States Fish and Paiute Indians, but during the 1860s a first Commissioner of Reclamation, Wildlife Service biologist weighed a sam- peace treaty was negotiated. The treaty Frederick Newell, drummed up support ple of 195 fish from the run, the average established the Pyramid Lake Indian for the Newlands Project with speeches to weight was twenty pounds! He measured Reservation and gave ownership of Nevada audiences in which he frequently 321 trout taken from the 1938 spawning Pyramid Lake and its fishes to the Pai- emphasized the philosophy of thedepart- run; about ninety percent of these ranged utes. However, the Indians were given no ment: "Fish have no rights in water law." from thirty-two to thirty-eight inches, control over the Truckee River, the only This is still a popular cliche amongwest- with a few fish of forty inches. No maxi- stream flowing into the lake that is suit- ern water-users. mum weights were given in this report, able for the spawning of the cutthroat The gates on Derby Dam, about thirty but extrapolation from a length-weight trout, and the major water supply for the miles above Pyramid Lake, were closed curve suggests that a forty-inch trout lake. June 7, 1905, in a grand ceremony high- would weigh between thirty and thirty- The rapidly increasing population lighted by the dewatering of the Truckee five pounds. centers of western Nevada and eastern River below the dam and resulting in the How abundant was the original Pyra- California created a great demand for stranding of numerous, large cutthroat mid Lake cutthroat trout, and what was lumber. Numerous lumber mills were set trout.' Derby Dam was constructed with a its maximum size? These questions can up on the Truckee River in California in fish ladder, but the ladder was poorly never be known with any degree of cer- the 1860s. As the stumpage in the water- designed and cheaply constructed. It was tainty. In the 1880s, long after most of the shed was lumbered. massive amounts of essentially a failure as a fish-passage upstream spawning and nursery areas sawdust were dumped into the river, and device. Between 1905 and the early 1920s, were blocked or polluted in the Truckee in 1869 a Reno newspaper reported that there was a sufficient surplus flow in the River, commercial shipments of trout "millions" of spawning trout were killed Truckee River so that trout could spawn from Wadsworth ranged from two hun- in the Truckee River as a result of saw- below the dam and even get over the fish dred to two hundred fifty thousand dust pollution. Duringspringrunoff, the ladder in some years. The trout popula- pounds per year. Records for another sawdust deposits were transported to the tion in Pyramid Lake remained relatively commercial fishery point at Verdi are not mouth of ihe Truckee River, sometimes high, and their enormous size attracted available. An unknown quantity of trout in such quantity that the spawning runs presidents, supreme-court justices, and were transported by waion to towns in of trout from the lake were completely movie stars who had an interest in the Nevada and were consumed on the blocked. By 1875, dams blocked the river gentle art. In the 1920s. the Bureau of Indian reservation as well. I would esti- near Reno, effectively reducing potential Reclamation added an electrical generat- mate that even under the conditions of a spawning habitat by about seventy-five ing facility to its Newlands Project, as it declining fishery of the 1880s, the annual percent. From 1899 to 1930, a paper mill seemed utterly foolish to let surplus water catch then was probably about five at Floriston, California, dumped up to a flow out into a desert lake (only to evapo- hundred thousand pounds, and the hundred fifty thousandgallons per day of rate) when it could be diverted through actual biomass of trout in Pyramid and highly toxic wastes into the Truckee turbines that gererated electricity and Winnemucca lakes was in excess of two River, eliminating all fish life for a con- additional income. Thus additional million pounds. The official world siderable distance downstream. In addi- water was diverted out of the Truckee record cutthroat trout of forty-one tion, numerous unscreened irrigation River to the Carson basin, and cutthroat pounds was caught in 1925 by a Paiute ditches must have led to the destruction trout spawning became more infrequent. Indian, John Skimmerhorn, but there of millions of young cutthroat trout in The last major, successful spawning run were reports of larger specimens taken by the river as they migrated downstream to occurred in 1927, with some reproduc- the Indian commercial fishery. Mr. Fred Pyramid Lake. tion reported in 1928 or 1929. Some artifi- Crosby, the agent for the tribal fishery, In 1868, the railroad was extended to cial propagation and stocking occurred claimed to have seen a cutthroat trout of Wadsworth, Nevada, a short distance in 1930. A high flow in 1928 allowed sixty-two pounds in 1916! from Pyramid Lake; this provided the some trout to get above Derby Dam all the The Nevada Fish and Game Depart- opportunity to ship trout to distant way to Reno. The peopleof Reno had not ment began to plant trout in Pyramid markets and resulted in a tremendous seen the Pyramid Lake trout that far up Lake in 1950 on an experimental basis. increase in commercial exploitation of the river for so long they forgot its correct Rainbow trout werestockedat first, but it the resource. During their spawning classification and themayor of Renomis- was soon found that the Lahontan cut- runs, the trout were netted, snagged, takenly declared Rainbow Day in honor throat trout from available stocks in Hee- speared, clubbed, and dynamited. It is of the cutthroat trout. In 1938 the off- nan Lake, California, and Summit Lake, incredible that even with all these adver- spring from this spawning run made the Nevada, %grewfaster and survived better sities the Pyramid Lake cutthroat trout last attempt to spawn in the Truckee than the rainbow trout. The advantageof lasted as longas they did. They must have River, but the flow was shut off and the Lahontan cutthroat trout over all other been a superbly adapted fish because they fish and their spawn perished. Thus species and subspecies of salmonid fishes not only persisted but managed to remain ended the era of the world's largest cut- stocked into Pyramid Lake was most abundant until the 1920s when successful throat trout and probably the largest likelv due to their tolerance to hinh alka- spawning became rare. trout native to western North America. linity, or more specifically, to the concen- The ultimate demise of the Pyramid Stories relating that the native cutthroat tration of carbonate and bicarbonate ions Lake cutthroat trout began in 1903 when trout did not completely perish from in the water. As salts and various ions are a new government agency, the Reclama- Pyramid Lake but were able to reproduce transported into Pyramid Lake each year tion Service (now the Bureau of Reclama- in springs on the lake bottom have per- via the Truckee River, evaporation and tion) annouced plans for its first project: sisted. But all known springs in Pyramid the lack of any outflow concentrates salts. the Newlands Project. It would divert Lake have temperatures or chemistry Pyramid Lake water, in recent years, has water from the Truckee River to the Car- lethal to trout eggs. I know of no evidence exhibited an averagts salinity of about son River in order to irrigate desert lands suggesting that the native trout did not 5,400 parts per million or about fifteen and make them bloom. The early history become extinct in Pyramid Lake. percent of the salinity of ocean water of the Newlands Project is one I am sure The data gathered on the 1938 spawn- (35,000 ppm.). Of the total (5,400 ppm. the present Bureau of Reclamation ing run is truly amazing. The Indians total salts) carbonate and bicarbonate would prefer to forget, as it was an incred- harvested 1,069 trout in their commercial ions averagr more than 1,100 ppm. Most Weight in pounds: A 8 28 0 / / 24 -- 0 / 0 0 20 .- / / / 16 -- / /' / 12 .- / 8 -. 4 -= 0' dHH Age in years: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 A. Estimated age and growth of the original natir~rcutthroat trout in Pyramid Lakr. Admittedly, therr are littlr data available to construct such a curve, and considerable error may be involz/rd. Spawning probably first occurred at age four at a size of three to four pounds. Thrreaftrr, growth was rapid. The 1938spawning run consisted of fish thirty to forty inches in lrngth and ar~eragingtwenty pounds in weight. It is assumed that this run originatrdfrom rrproduction from I927 through I930or of fish aged right to eleven in the 1938 run. R. Known agr and weight of604 non-native cutthroat trout sampled in Pyramid Lakr in 1975 and 1976. Of 604 fish agr Iwo or more, only six (I percent) attained age spclrn and nonr were age eight. Typically, in largr population.^, the maximum weight of an indir~idualin any age c1as.s is about tzoicr that of theaz~rrageweight of its cohorts; thus, the maximum u1ri~qiztexprctrdfrorn thr original natir~rcutthroat trout urould hazw been at least forty poztnd.~and perhaps .sixty p0und.s. Thr maximz~mweight expected of the presrnt non- riati7w cutthroat throut .stockrd into Pyranzid Lake would br about sixteen pounds. Therr is a hereditary ba.tis go71rrningmaximum growth and maximum agr. This fact must br rrcognizrd and usrd brfore thr Pyramid Lake fishrry can rrgain porn a srmblancr of its forntrr greatne.s.s. fish species are physiologically stressed at and by the Paiute Indian Tribe, can be trout. But a small groupof PyramidLake carbonate-bicarbonate levels greater than considered successful in that a popular "experts," fishingduring winter months, 1,000 ppm. The pH of Pyramid Lake fishery for large cutthroat trout has been have had considerably better angling averages 9.2. reestablished. Many more pounds of success-and the exploits of these anglers The stocking of Lahontan cutthroat hatchery trout have been stocked, how- have been the subject matter of several trout from Heenan Lakeor Summit Lake ever, than have been caught in this magazine articles. The present fishery into Pyramid Lake, first by the Nevada fishery during the past thirty years. On pales in comparison to the fishery that Fish and Game Department, then by the the average, it takes fifteen to twenty was established when the trout were able United States Fish and Wildlife Service hours of angling to catch a legal-sized to spawn in the Truckee River. Valid creel-census data are lacking for the two-year-old Lahontan cutthroat trout of trout of Pyramid Lake. However, I Pyramid Lake fishery. Various estimates Walker Lake origin. Since 1948 the believe that the Pilot Peak population during the past ten years indicate an Walker Lake cutthroat trout have been and the Walker Lake stock of Lahontan annual catch of legal-size fish of four maintained in a hatchery, but of all La- cutthroat trout might offer genetic diver- thousand to twenty thousand, averaging hontan cutthroat trout, the Walker Lake sity for larger maximum size and longer about twenty inches in size, or an annual stock continued to evolve (until 1948 at life span than is presently found in the harvest of about ten thousand to forty- least) as a predator on tui chub in an Heenan Lake and Summit Lake stocks. five thousand pounds. Minimum leaal environment most comparable to Pyra- By stocking large numbers of genetically lengths have ranged from fifteen to nine- mid Lake. I suspect that the exception- diverse Lahontan cutthroat trout into teen inches, and the present minimum is ally large trout caught in the 1976 to 1978 Pyramid Lake, then continually select- set at eighteen inches, with only flies and period were eight- to ten-year-old Walker ing the oldest and largest spawners that lures allowed. The annual catch of cut- Lake cutthroat trout. I suggest that the survive in Pyramid Lake to reproduce the throat from Pyramid Lake during the hereditary factor be given more recogni- next generation (no significant natural past ten years is probably less than five tion if the Pyramid Lake fishery is to reproduction is likely to occur in the percent of the catch of a hundred years regain a semblance of its original glory. Truckee River in the foreseeable future), ago. In comparison, the maximum size I bring this matter up because in 1979 a trout approximating the maximum size and maximum life span of the nonnative I published a paper with Terry Hickman and age of the native trout might be cutthroat trout falls considerably short of that reported the discovery of what we obtained. By experimenting todetermine the native Pyramid Lake trout. The believe to be the original Pyramid Lake the best rearing techniques, the most graph compares the age and growth of cutthroat trout-still existing in a small opportune size, time, and locations for the nonnative cutthroat trout stocked stream on the Nevada-Utah border.2 Mr. stocking, and by producing sterile fish into Pyramid Lake with that of thenative Hickman was attempting to locate popu- with no gonad development (which will trout (the latter data is estimated from lations of the rare Bonneville basin cut- increase growth and life span), it is prob- historical records). The maximum life throat trout at the time, when he found able that the annual catch of Pyramid span of the original strain was probably an unusual trout in a tiny stream drain- Lake trout could be increased byfourfold eleven years in Pyramid Lake. Adequate ing Pilot Peak on the Nevada-Utah to fivefold over current levels, and a new reconstruction of an age-growth curve of border. The characteristics of the newly world-record cutthroat trout might be in the original Pyramid Lake trout is ham- found cutthroat trout unmistakenly the offing. This is all predicated, how- pered by lack of precise data. All that is identified it as the Lahontan basin sub- ever, on a sufficient flow of water (about known is that a run of trout from thirty to species henshawi. The small stream on four hundred thousand acre feet per year) forty inches in length occurred in 1938 Pilot Peak is in the Bonneville basin, so in the Truckee River to maintain the averaging twenty pounds, with a maxi- the trout had to be introduced by man. Lake at its current level. In 1983, after a mum weight of about thirty to thirty-five Cutthroat trout were known from the long legal battle, the Supreme Court of pounds. It is assumed that all of these stream prior to 1950(when Lahontan cut- the lJnited States ruled that the Pyramid trout resulted from spawning from 1928 throat trout from Heenan Lake were first Lake Indian Tribe is legally entitled to through 1930. That is, they were eight to available for stocking). We determined only thirty thousand acre feet of water eleven years old. Nonnative cutthroat that Pyramid Lake cutthroat trout were each year from the Truckee River for irri- from Heenan Lake and Summit Lake the only source of Lahontan cutthroat gation and that they have no legal claim origins have a maximum life span of trout propagated in Nevada (beginning to the water for Pyramid Lake or its seven years when they average eight in 1883) before the propagation of trout fishes. I can only hope that therearepub- pounds in weight. A hereditary-based dif- from Heenan and Summit lakes, thus the lic officials with an innatesenseof justice ference between the native Pyramid Lake Lahontan cutthroat trout on Pilot Peak and decency who will attempt to work cutthroat trout and the stocks of Heenan probably had its origin from the original out a compromise on water use in the and Summit lakes resulted in different stock native to Pyramid Lake. The exis- Truckee River basin so that flow ade- life histories, influencing maximum size tence for many generations of a small quate to maintain the present lake level and age, which is predicted from evolu- population in a tiny stream, in such a can be achieved. I also hope that some of tionary theory. The nonnative stocks of completely different environment from the ideas and theories discussed herein Lahontan cutthroat trout evolved in iso- Pyramid Lake, has undoubtedly altered will be applied in an effort to restore the lation from the past ten thousand years or the genetics (heredity) of the only known greatness of the Pyramid Lake trout more without large stocks of relatively living descendents of the nativecutthroat fishery. 3 large forage fishes in their environment. Thus, they did not obtain the size of tht cutthroat trout in ancient Lake Lahon- I. Water diverted from the Truckee River Robert Rehnke is a professor of tan. lowered the lake level by eighty-five feet, fi.therie.t biology in the department of It is interesting to note that from 1976 most of the decline coming after 1920. Fishery and Wildlife Biology at to 1978, several trout weighingmore than Evaporation rates are high in this desert Colorado State Clnir~ersity,Fort Collins, twenty pounds were caught in Pyramid region-about four feet per year. If no Colorado. In addition to numerous Lake. Twenty-pound trout were not inflowing water were to enter Pyramid Lake profettlonal artzcles, he wrzter a regular from the Truckee River for one year, the caught before or since that time. What column for Trout magazne. He har differentiated these large trout from the lake Irvrl would drop by four feet minus the relatively few inches of precipitation falling alto wrztten the sectzon on ralm- other nonnative cutthroat trout in Pyra- onzformet for &heEncyclopedia Britan- mid Lake? They could be the result of the directly on the lake and the very minor input of a few springs and ephemeral dry nlca. We would lzke to add a not? of size of the trout stocked, the time of year washes. The surface area of Pyramid Lake thanks to Rob Berls, John Mzngo, and they were stocked, a particular stocking and connrcting Winnemucca Lake was Chzp Clark, who were znstrummtal site (environmental factors), or adifferent about two hundred thousand acres until ZT~obtaznzng the color photographs of origin of the planted fish (hereditary fac- around 1910. Since then the lake has shrunk Hud.~on't pa~ntzngtof the cutthroat tor). I examined records of all of the trout to littlr more than one thousand surfacr trout that zllustrate thlt pzece. stocked into Pyramid Lake from 1950 to BCTCS. 1977. In 1970, the Nevada Fish and Game 2. T. J. Hickman and R. J. Behnke. Thr Department stocked forty-eight hundred Progrr.s.sir~rFish-Culturist (1979), 41, 135. W illiarn Radcliffe and the Grand Mesa Lakes Feud Wzllzam Radclzffe (1856 to 1938) was a wealthy Englzshmen who ownedsn~erallakes on the Grand Mesa and operated two hatcherzec for fzsh propaqatzon before the turn of the century. He was a pradunte of Oxford and quttea sportsman He ucually spent h~syummers In Colorado and the rest of the year ~nPnrzs or London. The zllustratzon zs from the Rocky Mountain News (July 19, 1901, p 3) and was furnzshed by the Colorado Hzstorzcal Soczety by William Wiltzius Fishing from the Earliest Times lightful book. It can be obtained by writ- gated fish on Grand Mesa with his (first ed~tion,1921; .se(.ond edi- ing to the State of Colorado Department partner William Alexander. Mr. Alex- tion, 1926) was written by Wil- of Natural Resources, Diuision of Wild- ander, namesake for one lake in the chain liam Radcliffe, a wealthy Eng- life, 6060 Broadway, Denver, Colorado of more than a hundred lakes on the lishman, Oxford graduate, and 80216. T he price for this paperbound edi- mesa, had mysteriously disappeared accompli.shed angler. The book is tion (102 pages and replete with numer- around 1893. Apparently, after his disap- well known to arzgling biblio- ous illustrations) is only five dollars, pearance the Grand Mesa lakes were philes for its exhausti7~ennd extm.si71e po.rtpaid. heavily poached by local residents. Rad- treatment of angling in ancient times. cliffe learned that for two or three years The second edition i.r considered more BACKGROUND before he bought the property, fish had useful because of its e.ucellent fifteen- been taken by illegal methods (i.e. sein- page bibliography. A little-known fact On May 14, 1896, a wealthy English- ing, snagging, and dynamiting) while recently brought to our attention i.r that man named William Radcliffe acquired running up small streams to spawn. Even Radcliffe owned and operated a fish certain leases to property adjacent to before the disappearance of Mr. Alex- hatchery for a short period of time (1896 Alexander Lake for $7,000, as well as irri- ander, the Grand Mesa lakes had a rather to 1901) in Colorado's Grand Mesa lakes gation rights and exclusive rights of fish- tainted history of illegal propagation of region. We reprint below a portion ofthe ing and propagating fish in all twenty of fish and fishing. appendix section of William J. Wiltzi- the Grand Mesa lakes operated by the In July 1891, Colorado's FishCommis- us's recently published book, Fish Cul- Surface Creek Ditch and Reservoir Com- sioner, Gordon Land, found it necessary ture andstocking in Colorado, 1872-1978 pany. At that time, the property included to personally inquire into alleged viola- that describes the details of Radcliffe's a hotel, stables, cabins, one fish hatchery, tions of the fish laws in western Colo- unfortunate difficu1tie.s with the Ameri- an ice house, and outhouses. rado. Mr. Alexander, of Delta County, can West. For those of you interested in Radcliffe's acquisition, which was for had been shipping trout to Leadville and the history of American fish culture, we ninety-nine years, was obtained from Ouray at profitable figures, claiming the highly recommend Bill Wiltzius's de- Richard Forest, who earlier had propa- trout were propagated in his lakes at the Photo courtesy Colorado Historical Society head of Surface Creek. However, Mr. accomplished at the chain of irrigation trout. He built two houses for his Land's inspection into the matter dem- lakes on Grand Mesa. When large num- employees and a private house for him- onstrated that the lakes designated by bers of trout had left a lakeand ascended a self, along with a fish houseandasecond Alexander and his partner had been connecting stream to spawn, the poacher hatchery. Radcliffe usually stayed at his stocked by trapping the fish from adja- would lower the headgate to that stream, Grand Mesa estate only during the cent streams and impounding them in leaving the trout high and dry. Although summers and spent the rest of the time in Alexander Lake (see illustration). No one poacher could accomplish this task, Paris or London. hatchery was located on the property efficiency was improved if at least two Similar to the charitable endeavors of then, nor had been in the past. The trout were involved-one to drive, scare, or Mr. Kirkpatrick, who operated a large stolen from public waters had been con- concentrate the trout in an area of stream fishery preserve in the Durango area, fined in this-alleged summer-resort lake, where a wagon could be easily loaded, Radcliffe donated many cutthroat trout later to be removed and sold under the and another to lower the headgate and (eggs and young fish) to the state for pretense that they were from private return to assist in loading the wagon. stocking in public waters. Unlike Kirk- ponds. Mr. Alexander was fined fifty dol- According to Field and Farm (May 8, patrick though, and probably because of lars andcosts, and each party who bought 1897, p. 12), the early fish culturists at the the notorious and scandalous poaching fish from him in Leadville and Ouray Grand Mesa lakes disposed their fishing that had transpired earlier at the Grand was also fined according to the law.' rights and propagational privileges to Mesa lakes, Radcliffe employed as many While these "propagators" were con- the Englishman Radcliffe, because they as seven deputized state game wardens to ducting their fish business, they wereget- could not control the local poachers. patrol his property. He also required that ting stiff poaching competition from the fishermen obtain a permit to fish his Delta County locals who made it their GRAND MESA LAKES FEUD lakes. This, no doubt, irritated many law- custom every spawning season to procure abiding fishermen and incensed those about a year's supply of fish. This was After acquiring the facilities at Alex- persons who had been accustomed to ander Lake, Mr. Radcliffe began to poaching the Grand Mesa lakes. Soon 1. Field and Farm, July 25, 1891, p. 2. improve his property and to propagate Mr. Radcliffe was accused of giving fish- take the mattc.r into the courts antl make Ratlcliffe show upon what a~~thorityhe 0 prcvc~ntcdpeol~le from fishing the lakes. On that date, Womack's fishing party was confrontetl and warned away on two occasions by Frank A. Mahany,2 one of Radcliffe's del~utizedstate game wardens. Radcliffe was away from thelakc,son bus- incss that day. Details of what :tctually happrnrd varied considerably antl later wercx tlic subjrct of a scxnsational trial, l,~ra~~srwarden Mahany shot and killed Womack and wounded Hinchman dur- ing a confrontation at Island Lake (see illustri~tion). Thc killing of Wornark so ~>rovoketl the local residents that on the evening of July 16, 1901, an iratemobset firetoallof Ratlt,liffr's hi~ilclingsexcept his two Iiat(.hc-ricss,a fish house, an ice house, two small cabins, and two large cisterns. Thest. wrre spared because it was believed that thca I1.S. Fish Commission had a share in them. Aftrr 1899, R;~drliffeoperatecl his fish Island Lake on Grand Mesa is rohcre 1Vomnck runs murdered in July 1901 by l~usiness1tndt.r an agreement with the a state-deputized game uiardrn Tlrr warden had been employed by Rndclifje 1J.S. Fish Commission, whereby they lo prr71ent poachin,g at his lakes. The photo is from the State Fish were to senel E. S. Tulian, Leadville Commissioner Biennial for 1915- 16. hatchery superintendent, and threeother men to the lakes to collect eggs. From the close of the spawning season, on about July 4, two men were to be left as long as necessary to attend to hatching the eggs ing permits to only a favored frw. He the C1.S. Fish Commission, which took (cutthroat trout) in Radcliffe's hatchery denied this, saying: on those tasks in cxchangr for a share of and to plant the fry. ?'he first half- the eggs collected at thc, lakes. Either million eggs were to be put in Radcliffe's No one has rvrr 1)c.cm rcfl~seda because. of jealousy of Mr. Radcliffe's suc- hatchery, the next half-million brought permit to fish in a way laid down cess with his fish business or irritability to the 1.earlville hatchery, and so on. by the law of the statr of Ck>loratlo associated with his requiringpermits and From the eggs taken to the Leadville and to take away with them a11 employing guards, Drlta Coi~ntyresi- station, Mr. Ratlcliffe was to receive 33.3 their catch without payment of a dents, in August of 1899, filed a suit ques- percent of the fry. single cent. On the other hand, I tioning the legality of Radcliffe's newly After it became known that the build- have strictly insisted upon the acquired Class A license. Charges of ings sl~aretlby the first mob belonged to observance of the game laws. fraud and misrepresentation were made. Radcliffe and were not those of the U.S. A general misitnderstanding of this new Fish Commission, on August 25, 1901, a In 1899 Colorado legislators ~>assetla license law prevailed in Colorado then, second mob set fire to and destroyed all of law that required, for the first timt, in the and many of the press releases wereeither Radcliffe's remaining property. Because state's history, a fee for procuring a inaccurate or very confusing. Judge D. C. of repeated mob threats between July 16 l~censeto operate any privately owned Beaman, who had been the instigator of and August 29, 1901, and the lack of state game and fish preserve with~nColorado. the lake lirense law in the legislature ear- or federal government protection, neither Radcliffe was quick to comply. Of thirty- lier in the year, assisted Radcliffe in the Radcliffe, his employees, nor the U.S. six licenses issued before September, suit defense. Theruling favored the legal- Fish Commission men under contract to Radcliffe's was the second. Colorado's ity of Radcliffe's license, which further Radcliffe, were able to give expert care to Fish Commissioner Johnson issued a irritated many residents. the approximately two million eggs and Class A park or lake license to Mr. Rad- Adverse feelings toward Radcliffe still young fish. Many died or became dis- cliffe on May 4, 1899. It entitled him to festered nearly two years later. William A. eased, ciespite reports to the contrary. propagate, catch, and sell fish from thir- Womack, a well-known cattleman and Shortly after the first mob had struck, teen of the Radcliffe lakes as well as the resident of Delta County since the late Radcliffe notifird the U.S. Fish Commis- streams connecting these lakes. Since 1880s. had been warned several times sion in Washington that they were in 1896 Radcliffe had usedonly twelveof the about poaching the Grand Mesa lakes. breach of their contract with him. twenty lakes originally acquired (Alex- He had his summer cattle range near the He was informed by his lawyer that the ander, Barren, Eggleston. Upper Eggle- lakes, and on July 14, 1901, accompanied laws in Colorado made it impossible to ston, Hotel, Upper Hotel, Island, Ikep by four of his range riders (Frank Hinch- Slough, Sheep Slough, Carp, Beaver, and man, Frank Trickle, and Dan and John Beaver Dam). Gipe), Womack proceeded to the Grand 2. At least six tlilferent spellings of this Radcliffe's fish business finally became Mesa lakes to fish (?). According to an name have appeared in print (Mahany, lucrative by 1899. The expenses associ- item in the Rocky Mountain News (July Mahaney, Mahoney. Mehaney, Mehany, and ated with hiring spawn-takers and 19, 1901, p. 3, col. I), it was Womack's MoHaney). My use of Mahany is based on culturists were lessened considerably intention not to show his fishing permit. the spelling fountl in Srate Supreme Court through a contractual agreement with and if ordered away from the lakes, to documenrs. take civil action against the State of was sentenced. On April 26, 1902, Judge Theodore Roosevelt recommended this Colorado, the County of Delta, or against Stevens sentenced him to not less than six to Congress. But it was not until January the sheriff. Radcliffe's only recourse was nor more than eight years in the state 9, 1909, that Congress passed an act to a civil action for damages against the penitentiary at Canyon City. A writ of appropriate the $25,000 to Radcliffe (U.S. individuals composing the mob. But supersedas was applied for in the state Statutes at Large Sixtieth Congress 35 most of the mob were masked, making supreme court and was granted on April [pt. 2, chap. 171, p. 1400). By this time, legal identification almost impossiblr. 29, 1902. The Denuer Republican (April however, I estimate that the U.S. Fish Furthermore, even in thr event of obtain- 30, 1902, p. 3, col. 6) reported that this Commission had procured additional ing a judgment against some of the mob, kept Mahany from thepenitentiary, since cutthroat trout eggs and fish from the the laws of Colorado gave an exrmption orders had been sent to the sheriff of Gun- Grand Mesa lakes valued at approxi- of $2,000 in cases of judgments against nison County to hold him until the mately $26,600. The U.S. government ranchmen, etc., and Radcliffe was in- supreme court could pass on his case. may have delayed payment to Radcliffe formed that not oneof the mob was worth Eventually, Mahany brought an action to until the $25,000 was fully recovered. even $1,000. the state supreme court, alleging that the Colorado benefited because the Fish Meanwhile, lawyers for Mahany pro- district court in Gunnison erred in refus- Commission, with those additional eggs cured a change of venue for his trial. It ing to sentence him upon the first verdict and fish, produced approximately five was moved from Delta toGunnison. This to a term in the county jail; erred in over- million more cutthroat trout than they change most likely resulted because of an ruling his plea of former jeopardy; and would have otherwise, and most of those attempted lynching of Mahany and the erred in rendering judgment upon the were stocked in Colorado waters. Fur- unlikelyhood of obtaining an unbiased second verdict. In April 1903, the state thermore, other eggs of species such as jury in Delta. On September 20, 1901, the supreme court ruled to the contrary, how- brook and rainbow trout were also taken trial began. On the twenty-second Ma- ever, thereby affirming the verdict and by the commission from the Grand Mesa hany was found guilty of manslaughter, the sentence passed during Mahany's re- lakes before 1910. Clearly, the U.S. Fish but he was not sentenred at that time. trial at Gunnison in 1902 (Colorado Commission was not the loser in this Evidently, on September 27, 1901, his Reports, 1903 [April term], vol. 31, pp. case, except that it soon lost its rights to lawyers waived the filing of a motion for 365-369). take eggs from these lakes. In the U.S. a new trial and stated to the district court The Mahany case was not yet finished. Fish Commission Report for fiscal year in Gunnison that heconsented that judg Over the ensuing eighteen months, a 1910 (pp. 9 and 10) the following is found: ment for involuntary manslaughter be ,group of Mahany's West Slope friends, entered on rheverdict. The court cleclined led by Mrs. Mahany in Fruita, worked At present only two stations- to pass sentence, however, and over the diligently toward obtaining a pardon for one in New England and one in objection of the lawyers. ordered that the him. Eventually a petition, which point- Colorado-obtain their supplies of verdict be set aside and that there be a new ed out that Womack had threatened eggs from wild fish, and the fields trial. Before this second trial began, Mahany on numerous occasions and that heretofore open to them are nar- Mahany also had lost an appeal for a Writ he had been repeatedly warned about rowing each year because of the of Habeas Corpus in the state supreme poaching, was submitted to the statepar- encroachments of commercial fish court (Colorado Reports, January term don board on November 18, 1904. This culturists. In 1910 Wellington Lake 1902, vol. 29, pp. 442-446). petition contained the signatures of seven and the Grand Mesa Lakes, hereto- Radcliffe, apparently dejected by the of the jurors who had convicted Mahany, fore the most productive sources of adverse feeling toward him in Delta fifty local businessmen, and many of the the Colorado station for eggs of the County and the governor's refusal and residents of Fruita. The board granted an blackspotted, brook, and rainbow I1.S. government's inability to protect his unconditional pardon to Frank Mahany, trout, had to be given up to private property or life, on November 15, 1901, thus, concluding one of the most sensa- enterprise. leased his Grand Mesa lakes property, tional murder cases in the early history of including his exclusive rights of fishing Colorado (Denver Republzcan, Novem- After the first mob had struck in July and propagation, to the U.S. Fish Com- ber 19, 1904, p. 12, col. 1). 1901, Radcliffe feared for his life and mission for the sum of one dollar for Mahany was free at last, after being never returned to his once-beautiful es- three years. Late in December 1901, confined for more than forty months. tate at Grand Mesa lakes. While negotia- Radcliffe appealed to the British Em- Most of that time he had spent in the ting with the U.S. government through bassy in Washington, D.C. He noted the county jail at Gunnison before being sent the British ambassador, he spent some facts of his case, supported by affidavits, to the state penitentiary. On November time in Denver and in New York City and requested that demands be made on 21, 1904, Mahany went to Fruita for a before he returned to England. In 1921 he the U.S. government for redress and joyous reunion with his family, which published Fishing from the Earliest compensation for $65,000. His case included his young children. They had Times, a tome describing fishing tech- consequently became an international been residing there with Mrs. Mahany's niques and methods used by ancient civ- affair. Over the next forty months, much father. The next day Mrs. Mahany went ilizations. William Radcliffe diedon May correspondence, with additional sup- to Grand Junction to express her thanks 10, 1938, in Kent, England, at the age of porting facts and affidavits, was gener- to those who had given her assistance 81 (New York Times, May 11, 1938, p. 19, ated. Both state and federal governments (Grand Junctzon News, November 26, col. 5). 3 investigated the case (see Claim of Wil- 1904, p. 1, col. 4). liam Radcliffe, Senate Document 271, By February 1904, Radcliffe's claim pp. 1-40, Fifty-eighth Congress, Second had progressed to the point where the William J. Wiltzius is a wildlife Session, 1903 and 1904). U.S. Secretary of State informed the Brit- researcher for Colorado's Department Mahany, meanwhile, underwent a ish ambassador that the Justice Depart- of Natural Resources, Diz~isionof retrial at Gunnison on April 23, 1902. A ment had determined to ask thepresident Wildlife. He has a bachelor's degree in jury found him guilty of voluntary that he recommend to Congress a sum of fishery management and a master's manslaughter, even though five of the $25,000 be appropriated for the relief of degree in fishery science. He has been jurymen were for acquittal when ballot- Mr. Radcliffe, if he would accept it in full with the Diui,~ionof Wildlife for more ing began. His attorney immediately payment for damages suffered. Radcliffe than twenty years. filed a motion for a new trial before he agreed, and on April 14, 1904, President research was astounding; coping with ing of various forces-economic, social, organizational and financial problems, psychological-that gave rise to the Notes and cataloging donations, conducting particular event or invention. He research, editing a journal, and at the emphasized repeatedly that in addition same time corresponding with dozens to economic factors, the history of Comment of friends and contributors required a tackle development in this country Herculean effort. would be found in the history of the Of course the first issue of the machine shop; that one could not journal was a smash hit, and things understand the evolution of tackle seemed to settle down a bit. Still, there without first understanding the New Quarterly were continuing problems, some of evolution of the techn~lo~qthat made Magazine on which had a distinctly surreal edge to it possible. Austin was interested in the them. Austin once wrote that he was at whole fabric of angling history. Lure Collecting Issued his wit's end (Austin often used far As for fishing itself, Austin main- A new quarterly publication entitled stronger language, but when he used tained a purely democratic view. It will the Lure Collector has recently been this particular phrase, you knew things dismay some to learn that he would issued by editor-publisher Keith Brewer. were serious) about what to do with a not endorse fly-fishing-only waters. Twenty-four pages long, illustrated, and rod-beveling machine of Hiram This attitude reflected his appreciation with a self cover, the Lure Collrctor's Leonard's that had been donated to the for moral irony and his distaste for purpose is to disseminate information Museum. The Museum had the bevel anything that hinted of pretension and relating to antique plugs, flies, and but no funds to dismantle it, nothing sanctimony, for he deplored the elitist tackle. A year's subscription is fifteen dol- to haul it in, and no place to store it concept of the fly fisher as somebody lars; additional information can be (as I recall, it was at least twelve feet special to be pampered. While he could obtained by writing to Mr. Brewer. His long). The whole affair had a Laurel understand and applaud the professed address is: Route 3, Box 086-B, Maxton, and Hardy twist about it-Austin and concern for the environment and the North Carolina 28364. Arnold Gingrich stuck with this two- resource on the part of modern fly ton monster and no place to put it. I fishermen. he also knew the miseuided., got the impression that they must have evangelicalism that could result-in its TheAustin Hogan Award camped out with the damned thing, extreme form masking a monumental unless Arnold with his love of gadgets narcissism and intolerance. When we announced the winner of the decided to take it home with him. For as long as I knew him, Austin's Austin Hogan Award in the last issue of As an angling historian, Austin had primary interest in tackle itself were the American Fly Fisher, we did not have all the characteristics of a Bollandist the flies. When I first knew him, I in hand a photo of the award's first scholar-patience, tenacity, and an found this curious but later began to winner, namely Professor Richard Hoff- insatiable curiosity about historical understand his fascination for all the mann. In an effort to rectify this unfortu- urocesses. His research standards were patterns: it was the color, the life, and nate situation, we now publish a picture the highest, and he was unwavering in the freedom that the fly represented. of said winner sans his academic garb. his insistence that full documentation The fly was the real magic. This love accompany anything claimed as fact. of fly patterns was expressed exquisitely Above all, he scorned shoddy, hasty in Austin's watercolors of fly patterns work ancl could be scathing in his -metirulous and flawless in detail and criticism-but never unless it was rendered with an unerring sense of warranted. Austin was impatient with color (and all painted during his and irritated by gossip being passed off recurring bouts of arthritis). I believe it as historical fact, and I have more than was the romance of the fly that one letter from him in which he railed captured him. against the caveats, distortions, half- Austin's personality was a rich and truths, and downright lies that had complex one, full of healthy contra- worked themselves into the mainstream dictions. In spite of his pragmatic and 7'hc fish, a rainbow trout of ample pro- of contemporary angling history. For hard-nosed realism-a persona portions we are told, was released shortly someone like Austin who valued truth reflecting the conservatism of Thoreau after the picture was taken. and accuracy, these things were and Melville and unmistakeably inexrusable: he knew the cumulative Yankee-he had a streak of the and damaging effect that resulted from romantic in him and was, by his own More on Austin Hogan would-be historians s~~bjectivelyvali- admission, a hedonist with a particular We include herein a letter received too dating pet theories-fitting data to passion for oysters and jazz (said he late for inclusion in the previous issue of their own preconceived ideas (a case in couldn't play, but he sure could listen). the American Fly Fishrr. point from an earlier time was James He was always young in spirit and had Henshall). Austin wanted the full, a broad range of interests, which made ...I first knew Austin in the early unromanticized story; for him, the for stimulating talk. His list of days of the Museum, during that hectic shadow was as important as the light. "projects" was unending. time when he was coordinating efforts Austin understood as well the naivete All of us who knew Austin to put together the first issue of the and superficiality of the "book of remember him for his generosity and American Fly Fisher. Looking back nature" approach to history, in which thoughtfulness, for his inquiring mind over the pile of correspondence of those the past was seen as simply so many that brought us together with common months, the thing that strikes me is the separate and discrete chapters set aside interests and goals, and for having enormous amount of ener.9 ancl and just waiting to be discovered and shared a part of his life with us. commitment shown by Austin. That he neatly ordered. For Austin, the We shall all miss him. managed the business of the Museum fascination of angling history lay in its John Orrelle and still found time for personal complexity, the bewildering intermesh- Oregon City, Oregon Join the Museum MunI)c~rshil)DII~S (1)t.r annurii*): Museum News j\ssoc.iatc~* 8 25 Susr;~ining* $ 50 I';ltron* $ 250 S~~011~01~* .$ 500 (;orporat(** $ 1000 I.ife 5 1500 M~~rilhc~~-shil)tlucs irtc.lutle the c-ost of ;I sut)sc-ri~~tion (520) to the An~~ric.cr?rFly fisltpr. I'lrase send youl- al,l)lic.irtio~lto t he, ~ncrrll~rrshi~)scc.1-ct;rry and iric-lutlc, you^. mailing atltlrc.ss. .I'hc Musc.urn is a rnc~~nl)c,rof t he American Assoc.i;ltio~i of Musc'urris ant1 the A~ncric.;~nAss0c.i- ;rtion for State ;rntl Loci~lHistory. N'c' ;II-c;I nonprofit, ed~~cation;rlinstitution c.li;~~.tc.retluntlc~- the Iirws of the' starc, of \'c.rrnont. Support the Museum 11s ;un indc1xnden1, nonl~rofitinstitution. the 111ne1-ic.anMuse~rtn of Fly Fishing Inrlst r(s1y on the gcncrosity of ~)rlI)lic.- sl)iritctl intlivitluals fol- s111)starlti;rl supl)ort. \Vc ask tll;tt yo11 give 0111. institution se~-io~rsc.onitlcr;ltio~~ wli('n fl-o~nfeathers ;rntl fur-will hc well planning fol- gifts arid I)cclrrc~sts. "Anglers All" to Chicago re~xesen~~(Ialso, as I'ictorian tools ant! The American Mitsc~umof Fly Fish- rn;~tc.ri;rls arc displayetl alongside their Visit the Museum ins's highly acclaimctl traveling exhihi- very much c.hi~ngetlmodern counter- parts. Visitors will have ;I chance to rum- Surnrncr hours (May 1 thro~~gh tion-"Anglers All: Man and His Envi- ronment 'I'hrough 500 Years of Fly- mage in great-grantlfather's attic-he 0ctoI)er 31) are 10 A.M.to 1 P.M. (I;~ily. was 21 fly fisht~rman,of course, and his Winter haul-s (Novctn1)t.r 1 through FishingM-will hc on view at Clhirago's collection of ~rrtifactsis at once amusing i\l)~.ilSO) arc wcektlays 10 A.M.to ,I P.M. John G. Slltdtl Aquarium from June 1 and astorlnding. \Ve ;ire closed on rnajor holidays. through Septrrn1)er 7, 1986. 'This exhibit was displayrd at thc C:alifornia Arademy "Fly-fishing," cxplains John Merwin, Back Issues of the of Srienc-es in San Francisco during the cxrcrltive director of the American summer- of 198.5, where it was estimated M~rsc~lrnof Fly Fishing, "has been a American Flv, Fisher to have been srcn hv lnorc than one mil- 1n;ijor Arncric;ln pastime for hundreds of years. No othcr spol-t has such a rich The following hack isst~c.sarc lion visitors. fabric. of lore and tradition. In keeping ;rviiilable at $4 per copy: The Shcdd Aclilarium is on Lakeshore Drive in downtown Chicago, with easy with our museum's National Exhibit \'olurne 6, Nunilx~rs1, 2, 3 atid il access from O'I-lare Airport. This central Program. it's a real pleasrlre to prcwmt Volume 7, N~trnhcrs2, 3 ;lntl 1 location shoul(l facilitate attendance not this rxhibit in Chicago in rooperation Volitrne 8, Nurnl)csr3 only by midwestern enthusiasts but also with thr Shedd Aquarium. It is without by the Muscum's members and others question the finest exhibit of its kindevcr \Jolumc 9, Num bc~s1, 2 ;ind ?I who may find it casy to stop and see thr assrmhlcd." Volrt~ne10, Nurn1)t.r~I and 2 exhibit in the rourse of their summer Volume 11, Nurnl)c*rsI. 2, 3 and ,l travels. Thc Shedcl is open from 9 A.M.to AMFF Annual Meeting \'ol~crnc 12, Nurnl)crs I ;~ntl5 5 P.M. seven days a wrrk. The American Museum of Fly Fishing September 4, 1986 h:~sthe world's largest public collection .I'hr next annual meeting of both then The of fly-fishing artifacts and memorabilia; niernl)c~rshir:,and the Board of Trustees of "Anglel-s All" features highlights from the American Museum of Fly Fishing American this collrction. will I)r on September 4, 1986 (Thurstlay), More than 200 years of fly-I-eel design in Chicago. The date and the following Museum ant1 drvclopmcnt will be reprrsentetl, sc.hcbdr~lcwere set at a meeting of the, with tlisl~laystlrpicting the rvolr~tionof Excciltivc Cornmittre on March 4, 1986. of fly rods (luring the same period. Not a few 1:00 P.M., President's Luncheon: for a p;~stfly fishers were famous in their own genc,ral cliscussion, trustees and members Fly Fishing right, and in Chirago viewers will secs invited. 2:30 P.M., Combined Mcrnhersl tacklc that belonged to and was usc~ll)y Trustees Meeting. The First Annual Ring Crosby, Herbert Hoover, Ernest AMFF Cllirago Auction/Dinner will bc Post Officr Box 42 Hcmingway, Samuel Morse, Andrcsw hclcl in the evening. Manc-hcstcr C:;rrnc-gie, and others. Fly-tying-that The locations for these events will he \Ic~rmont 0.5254 sul)tle art of tr~ncoctinginsect imitations :rnnounretI soon. See you in Chicago! 5 se Lla~e~n~~t:se qsqqelsa 01 alqe aq 01 al!r[M ..raquam urnasnu Jaqloue dl~ensn 'UOOS osle prre d!ys.raquam Jno a;\.ras .Ianaq 01 'p~a~jaq1 u! 1.12dxa ne 01 [[e3 auoqd 10 .ral no/( rue-rj Ieay 01 .raplo u~ .sSn!.rajjo /(.1nlua3-qla!luam1 sno! -la[ e 01 1Iosa.r am '.raAa'vioy 'saxnos asarll adorl aM '0561 -EA jo S'n!.ral~eruse prre 'sSolele> qqny3 ruoq %u!uo3ql.roj s! uo!leuJoju! ou j~ 01 ~orrdpanssr MaJ e 'B01E?lE?3 a!.IqUII put2 /(aqqv 2881 .s%o[ele~a1>13~1 jo UO!IJ~~~OJIno no pue Lie '(bdo301oyd e s! sly1 put! 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