The American Fly Fisher Books OFFICERS One of the most important, and least visible, of all the Museum's resources is its library. Visitors to the Museum's ex- President hibit rooms see a great variety of fishing tackle and memorabilia, Leon Martuch but probably come away with little appreciation for the literary aspects of the sport of fly fishing. Books, at least in great num- Vice President bers, do not lend themselves to attractive exhibits. Nonetheless, Steve Raymond the Museum could not function without them. Much space is devoted in this issue of The American Fly Vice President Fisher to books . . . books to buy and read, books to collect and Austin S. Hogan treasure, books in libraries, and books the Museum needs. Books and related materials, such as periodicals and manuscripts, are Treasurer essential to us, not only for their value as objects but for their Leigh H. Perkins research potential. The Museum library now contains about 1,000 volumes. It includes the personal libraries of Ray Secretary and Ass't Treasurer Bergman, Arnold Gingrich, and Theodore Gordon. It also in- Mrs. Laura Towslee cludes an extensive file of articles and reprints, as well as the patent file described oil page 30. Through it we are able to re- Executive Director search and interpret the objects we exhibit. Through it also we Paul Schullery are able to answer many of the questions that come to us from members. There is something drearily academic in describing the Museum of American Fly Fishing as an educational institution. It conjures up an image of uncomfortable lecture halls and dusty artifacts when it should stir a much more vital interest. If we are educational, it is, after all, as the magazine masthead says, "for the pleasure of the membership." The Museum exhibits do teach, from rod-building to conservation, but they are teaching. TRUSTEES recreation history. Some months ago Mrs. Helen Kerridge, in a letter published in Fly Fisherman Magazine, made an eloquent statement about Robert Barrett David B. Ledlie the tremendous amount of angling literature available to the Richard Bauer Alvan Macauley, Jr. public. We agree with Mrs. Kerridge that many public angling Joseph Spear Beck Leon L. Martuch libraries, which have so much to teach us, are not being used to Stanley Bogdan Dudley Mills their potential, and so we will occasionally feature articles on Kay Brodney Carl Navarre opportunities for study and enjoyment. Dr. Read's entertaining Charlie Brooks Ed Oliver story of the Hawthorn Foundation in this issue is one example; Dan Callaghan Leigh H. Perkins our announcement of the Adirondack Museum's new exhibit, in Romi Perkins the last issue, is another. The Museum is only part of a network Roy Chapin of institutions which have many things to offer the angler. Charles Eichel Steve Raymond G. Dick Finlay Rick Robbins William Glassford Willard Rockwell Gardner L. Grant Ben Schley George Griffith Ernest Schwiebert, Jr. Alvin R. Grove Col. Henry Siegel Austin S. Hogan Prescott A. Tolman Susie Isaksen Ben Upson Sam Johnson Ralph Wahl Martin J. Keane Roger C.White Capt. R. A, Kotrla Dickson Whitney Peter Kriendler Donald D. Zahner Dana S. Lamb Ed Zern The American Fly Fisher Published by The Museum of American Fly Fishing for the pleasure of the membership. SUMMER 1978 Vol. 5 No. 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS The Morals of Fishing by Henry Ward Beecher P. 2 Historic Moments in Saltwater Fly Fishing from the writings of Joe Brooks P. 5 How to Start a Book Collection by Hank Bruns P. 8 Fishing "Alla Valsesiana" by T. Felizatto p. 10 The Izaak Walton Window at Winchester Cathedral p. 12 The Harry Hawthorn Foundation by Dr. Stanley Read p. 14 Highlights of the Leonard-Hawes Collection p. 15 With Rod and Line in Colorado Waters by Lewis France p. 18 Editor Collection Highlights: The Preston Jennings Iris Streamers p. 21 Paul Schullery Trout vs. Bass: A Sporting Rivalry p. 22 Assistant Editor Black Bass Basketed With a Fly David K. Leillie by William C. Harris, with Bass Fishing Illustrations by Louis Rhead p. 24 Art 1)irectors Book Reviews and News p. 26 Anne K. Secor Books Needed for Museum Library p. 28 Ann Pendleton Museum News p. 30 Museum Membership Information p. 31 Available from the Museum IBC

.r1111 AM8KlCAN I:LY FISIIKK, the magazine of 1'111.: h4USEUM OF AhtIiKICAN I;LY I;ISlIIN(;, is publish- ed quarterly by the htUSEUM at Manchestcr, Vermont 05254. Sul~scriptionis free with pay11ic11tof nie~nber- ship dues. All correspondelice, Icttcrs, manuscripts, photographs and materials slio~~ldbe forwarded care of the Editor. The MUSEUM ant1 h4AC;AZINE are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, drawings, photo- graphs, materials or memorabilia. The Museum cannot accept responsibility for statements and interpretations which are wholly the author's. Unsolicited manuscripts cannot be returned unless postage is provided. Contri- butions to THE AMEKICAN FLY FISl1EK arc to be considered gratuitous and beconlc the property of the Muscu~nunless otherwise requested by the contributor. Publication datcs are January, April, July and Octo- ber. Entcrcd as Second Class matter at thc U. S. Post Office. Manchester, Verrnont 05254.

@ Copyright 1978, THE: MUSEUM OF AMEKICAN l;LY FISHING,hlanchcstcr, Vcr~nont05254. Original material appearing may not be rcprintcd without prior permission. Credits: The ornate capital letters used in this issue are from ANGLEK'S EVENINGS (1880), by the Manchest- er Angler's Association, KECOLLECTIONS OF FLY I'ISIiING by Edward Hamilton, and HALCYON, by Henry Wade. Museum photos by David B. Ledlie. Printing by Thompson, Inc., Manchester Center, Vermont.

I The Morals of Fishing by Henry Ward Beecher

The cruelty of field sports is much in the headlines these days. Though hunters take the greatest share of criticism, fishers are also often challenged for real or imagined unkindness to their quarry. The issue is an old one, as is evident from this short essay by Henry Ward Beecher. Though modern notions of sport- fishing, such as catch-and-release, would probably have seemed odd to Beecher, the basic philosophy he expresses has remained intact. Henry Ward Beecher (18 13- 1887) was an exceptionally powerful public figure from 1847 to 1887. Clergyman, editor, abolitionist, and author, he gathered an enormous following - . people who were not so much concerned with his theology as with his dramatic presence. His sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe, once remarked "he has had the misfortune of a popularity

which is perfectly phenomenal. " Beecher wrote on many subjects, from agriculture to politics to religion. In fact, he rarely separated topics, as can be seen in this essay, which appearedin STAR PAPERS, or EXPERIENCES Henry Ward Beecher OF ARTAND NATURE (1855).

HE following note came to us some weeks ago. But so grave a matter could not be digested as hastily as if it can philosophize upon the probable sensations of martyrs with were a mere state paper or the programme of a revolu- whom slow fires are set to reason, for instance, upon the folly tion. It required, and has received, judicious reflection. of dissent and heresy. No breadth of straw-brim-can save you from the upward glances of the sun reflected from the water. Hands and wrists, face and neck, will furnish memorials of the "New York, May 3 1, 1854 sincerity of your pursuit. But, after such experience, is the man "RESPECTED SIR: - I was arguing against fishing, for plea- to have superadded the charge of inhumanity? Is it possible to sure, with some young men, saying that they (fishes) were per- treat a fish worse than he is treating himself? mitted to Ije caught only for food; and that they ought to have These considerations aside, we will answer the question as it the liberty of the sea as much as they (the young men) the road, is usually put by the non-fishing philanthropist. It is not right to and further declared it kidnapping to catch them; - when they make up our enjoyment out of the suffering of any creature. If cited your example of catching fish. 1 could say not one word. the pleasure of hunting or of fishing were in the excitement fur- What could I say against such authority? nished by the creatures suffering, then it could no more be justi- "Sorrowfully, for the fishes, but taking this occasion to ex- fied than any other form of torturing, as practiced hitherto, press my affection for you, I am, etc." upon moral principles, for the good of men's souls. A benevo- lent man should find no pleasure in mere animal suffering. The writer argues against fishing for only pleasure. Of course, But Isaac Walton would not accept the case thus put, as he exonerates all fishermen who fish for the New York and truly representing the facts. He would say, and all true sports- Boston markets, all fishermen on the British Coast and off New- men are scrupulously at agreement with him, that no man foundland, since they can hardly be presumed to fish for should take a single fish, or bag a single bird, beyond the num- "pleasure." To stand for hours hauling up cod for market is ber which can be used for food by himself or his friends. To fish sport nearly equal to drawing water at a fire out of a well fifty all day in solitary lakes, or in the streams of the wilderness, feet deep, with an old-fashioned well-sweep, or with a frozen when it is certain that not one in twenty of the trout taken can rope. We presume, however, that when one is catching fish be used, is not any more a violation of humanity than it is of under a sense of duty, there will be no sin if he takes pleasure the public sentiment of all true sportsmen. A man who would in it. stand at a pigeon-roost and fire by the hour into the dense Neither will any blame attach to those luckless wights who mass of fluttering birds, only to kill them, is a butcher and a have what is termed "fisherman's luck," which may be explained brute. We shall let him off from the severity of this sentence to be a whole day's tramp, in dismal weather, with very wet only by a confession that he is a fool, expressed by that univer- clothes, after fish that won't bite, with tackling that seems pre- sal formula of folly, "I did it without thinking. " determined to vex you by breaking or snarling; a state of things Nothing is more clearly received as common-law among which hunger and weariness seldom mend. In a hot day, after a gentlemen, than that the suffering of the victim is not to be misty morning has cleared up, and let the sun out to do his best, allowed to give pleasure. It is to be abridged in every way. And this experience may be varied by sitting in a boat upon a lake, prolonged suffering, or needless suffering, is a fundamental sunk down between so many hills that not a breath of wind ever violation of good rules. We fear that we must make an except- gets down to it. If you are a man of piscatory perseverance, you ion against those who follow hare or fox hunting. The true source of enjoyment in field-sports is to be found in the exertion of one's own faculties, and especially in such a carriage of one's self as to be superior in sagacity and caution to the most wary and sharp-sighted of creatures. It is a con- test between instinct and reason. And reason has, often, little to be proud of in the result. But, aside from the pleasure which arises in connection with seeking or taking one's prey, we suspect that the collateral enjoynients amount, often, to a greater sum than all the rest. The early rising, the freshness of those morning hours preceding the sun, which few anti-piscatory critics know anything about; that wondrous early-morning singing of birds, compared to which all after-days songs are mere ejaculations; -for, such is the tumult and superabundance of sweet noise soon after four o'clock in summer mornings, that one would think that, if every dewdrop were a musical note, and the birds had drank them all, and were deliciously exhaling each drop as a silvery sound, they could not have been more multitudinous or delicious. Then, there is that incomparable sense of freedom which one has in remote fields, in forests, and along the streams. His heart, trained in life to play by jets, like an artificial foun- tain to flow along the rigid banks of prescribed custom, seems as he wanders along the streams, to resume its own liberty, and like a meadow-brook, to wind and turn, amid flowers and fring- ing shrubs, at its own unmolested pleasure. One who believes that God made the world, and clearly developed to us his own tastes and thoughts in the making, can not express what feelings those are which speak music through his heart, in solitary communions with Nature. Nature becomes to the soul a perpetual letter from God, freshly written every I'll have him! After several throws, I find that it takes two to day and each hour. make a bargain. A little plant, growing in silent simplicity in some covert spot, At length one must go home. I never turn from the silence of or looking down from out of a rift in some rock uplifted high the underbrush, or the solitude of the fields, or the rustlings of above his reach or climbing-what has it said to him, that he the forest, without a certain sadness as if I were going away stops, and gazes as if he saw more than material forms? What is from friends. that rush of feeling in his heart, and that strange opening up of But we shall be deemed superficial if we leave it to be be- thoughts, as if a revelation had been made to him? Who, that lieved that this is a fair exposure of the joys of fishing. What has only a literal eye, could see anything but that solitary flower have we said of mountain brooks, and the grandeur of dark casting a linear shadow on the side of the gray rock? -a shadow gorges, where one is well nigh in a trance, and almost forgets that loves to quiver, and nod, and dance, to every step which to drop his bait; or does it mechanically, and draws forth a the wind-blown flower takes? But this floral preacher up in that fish as if it were a very solemn deed. What have we said of sea- pulpit has many a time preached tears into-my eyes, and told fishing, a snug boat, a smart breeze, a long and strong line me more than I was ever able to tell again. ending with a squid. We sweep along the flashing waters as if Indeed, in many and many a tramp, the best sporting has racing. A blue-fish strikes the glittering, whirling squid, with a been done on my back. Flat under a tree I lay, a vast Brobdignag, stroke that sends electricity along the line into the hands of upon whom grasshoppers mounted, and glossy crickets crept, him that holds it, as you would believe if you saw the sprightli- harmless and unharmed, with evident speculation upon what ness with which he hauls in his line. Back and forth you sweep such a phenomenon could portend. Along the stems creep the waters, your boat apparently as much alive as you are, and aspiring ants, searching with fiery zeal for no one can even enjoying as much! guess what. They race up that they may race down again. Then you lie under some fragment of a boat, or upon some They are full of mysterious signs to each other. They knock dry seaweeds, while your distant dinner is sputtering and heads, touch antennae, and then off they rush fuller of reeking in the kitchen of the rude hotel, used only in summer, minute zeal than ever. by people seeking health or amusement, in out-of-the-way The blue-jay is in the tree above you. The woodpecker fishing places. 0, how the heavens swell roundly out, and lift screws round and round the trunk, hammering at every place themselves up, with a wild attraction, that makes you gasp, as like an auscult-doctor sounding a patient's lungs. ~ittlebirds one sighs and gasps who is deeply thinking of some profound fly in and out gibbering to each other in sweet detached horror! The sea is running out in fiery lines, crossed by the sentences, confidentially talking over their family secrets, and sun, on every wave-swell; white sails lie cloudily against the expressing those delicate sentiments which one never speaks distant horizon, and dim and spectre-like, as they are,-how they except in a whisper, and in twilight. When you rise, the birds open the whole world of islands and continents to the imagi- flutter and fly, and clouds of insects flash off from you like nation, whence they come, or whither they are going. But the sparks from a fire when a log rolls over. dinner-horn sounds, and sea, heavens, islands and continents, The brook that gurgles past the tree, feeding its roots, and ships with homesick voyagers, sink down like a dream in the taking its pay in summer shadows, varied every hour, receives morning, and we make haste to the universally respected duty a portion of the off-jumping fry. For a grasshopper, unlike of eating. There is no prejudice against that. Sober men, careful, a bomb, goes off without calculating where it shall fall. Far off earnest men, yea, all of them eat, and as zealously as the its coming shines. Before it had even touched the water, that flippant and the careless. bold trout sprung sparkling from the surface and sunk as soon, Then comes the going down of the sun. The boat puts us leaving only a few bubbles to float away. There! If the trout across to the main land. The wind has gone down. The surface has a right to his grasshopper, have I not a right to the trout? is clear and level. Shadows from the land fall far over on the (continued on page 32) Page 3

I-Iistoric Moments in Saltwater Fly Fishing from the Writings of Joe Brooks

just such thin water. LaBranche, intanationally inown angler No one seems to have heard of any bonefish being caught on and authority on trout and Atlantic salmon, had taken many flies before 1926, when the famous wing shot, Colonel L. S. bonefish on bait, but up to this time had not presented a fly to Thompson of Red Bank, New Jersey, was fishing Long Key with them. We went out, with Frankee Albright guiding, to fish the veteran bonefish guide, J. T. Harrod. They fished bait in the the banks on the Gulf side of Islamorada. The water was glassy orthodox manner but at high tide, when the bonefishing fell and when Frankee poled us out on the flat, the tide was so low off, Colonel Thompson would get out his fly rod, put on a royal that there was only 6 inches of water. I knew it was going to coachman wet fly, size 6, and cast for baby tarpon. He caught be a very tough job to even get close to a bonefish, much less some bonefish while trying for the tarpon but considered it just hook one. an accident when the bonefish hit. When the tide went out and As Frankee poled us along, I watched LaBranche tie a white the bonefish appeared on the banks they went back to bait bucktail onto his 6-pound test leader. Then the canny angling fishing for them, rather than trying the fly. veteran took up his line dressing and applied a liberal touch of The first two tailing fish to be deliberately fished for with it to the underside of the bucktail. He was taking no chances flies and caught, were taken by the writer, while guided by of that fly catching on the bottom in that shallow water. Captain Jimmie Albright, at Islamorada. It was June, 1947, and Frankee spotted a bonefish tailing about a hundred feet away my old friend Allen Corson, then Outdoor Editor of the Miami and poled cautiously toward it. Its caudal fin flashed in the Herald, had set up a fishing trip to the Keys for me. The previ- sunlight and once we saw the whole back as it slid over a ous night we had talked of the possibility of taking bonefish on thick growth of grass. At 60 feet LaBranche got ready to cast. flies and, as far as Jimmie and others sitting in on the conver- At 50 he made a couple of false casts, then shot the fly out sation could say, only four men besides Colonel Thompson had like a bullet and stopped his rod, dropping the fly lightly 2 feet (continued on page 6) Page 5 caught bonefish in this way. They, also had been fishing for it was like going through a tunnel. The roadbeds were rough baby tarpon and regarded their catch as accidental. Captain Bill coral rock and the branches of the trees scraped the paint from Smith, another famous Keys guide, mentioned elsewhere in this both sides of the car. It often took some fancy maneuvering to chapter, had been one of these four, and as one of the earliest get out again, and once out of the car we had to case the ground fly tiers on the Keys he was anxious to see the experiment made. very carefully because this was rattlesnake country. But one way We left Jimmie's dock at 8 o'clock in the morning and ran or another we made it to the flats that stretched along the shore. back on the Gulf side of the Keys. Jimmie's boat, the Rebel, We had the flats to ourselves. The fish were just as scary then as was towing the skiff from which we would fish, Jimmie to do they are now at low tide, when they were wallowing along in the poling. A half mile from Peterson Key, Jimmie anchored the only 5 or 6 inches of water. Rebel and we climbed into the skiff. Jimmie picked up the When we found them in deeper water, from 1 foot to 2% poling pole and started to push toward the flat. feet, they didn't show so much alarm. But if we dropped the "I don't want to run the motor too close to the flat," he line over them, or cast too far so the line went over them in said. "It would scare the fish." the air, they would bolt for the blue. But it was better than He headed for the first school of bonefish we saw tailing on wonderful and we had a fall and winter I'll never forget. the flat, their tails flickering and waving in the sun. He stopped The first flies tied expressly for bonefish were streamers the skiff when we were about 70 feet away. The water was only about 2 inches long; but early fly casters soon learned to carry 8 inches deep. flies in three sizes: a 1%-inch bucktail or streamer tied on a "Movc a hit closer," I whispered. No. 4 hook for extremely shallow water and for late spring and At 60 fcct I started false casting, then shot the fly out. It early summer use; a 2 or 2%-inch fly on a No. 2 hook for dropped a foot in front of the feeding school and two of them medium depth water, from 1 to 2% feet deep; and a 3-inch saw it and raced for it. They put up bow waves as they zeroed streamer or bucktail tied on a 110 hook for bonefish in water in. One took, turned, and when I struck he raced away. as deep as 4 feet. The flies were all-white, all-yellow, brown-and- I had caught Atlantic salmon and 1 know how fast a fish can white wings, red hackle with yellow wings, or gray hackle with get into your backing but what happened then was unbelievable. brown chenille body and white wings. One of the best bonefish That baby shot across the flat as though out of a cannon, flies I've ever used is the Phillips pink shrimp. As with the other tossing sand and water in back of him, hit a 50-foot channel, bonefish flies, you should choose its size to match the depth of zoomed through that and mounted the flat beyond. He was the water. In very shallow water a heavy hook will sink and going faster than sound. All I could do was hold the rod high catch on the bottom. and hang on. He ran 600 feet, then slowed down and I turned him and got him coming and reeled fast until he was only 100 Permit on the Fly yards again. He tired and I got him back to 30 feet, where he started circling the boat, fighting with his body always slanted away, hard to turn. I finally got his head up and skidded him When I first heard about permit, everyone I talked to said over the net Jimmie was holding. Jimmie scooped and we had they would not take a fly. But a group of us who were con- him, 8 pounds, a wonderful fish that made a bonefish fan of me firmed fly fishermen thought we'd give it a try. We decided to right there and then. A half hour later we had another, this an make an exploratory trip for permit, using flies only. It was 8 %-pounder. May, 1950, as we climbed aboard Captain Leo Johnson's house- Those first two fish hit a streamer designed by the late boat, the Islamorada, and towing three skiffs to fish from, Red Greb of Miami, a barred rock wing affair with white headed 20 miles into the Gulf from Marathon on the Florida chenille body, tied on a 110 hook. The story of their sensati- Keys. We were headed for the Content Keys, well known to be onal runs and of the excitement of stalking bonefish across the headquarters of a lot of permit. With me were Captain Bill a shallow flat and dropping a fly in front of them, sparked a Smith and his wife, Bonnie; my wife, Mary; and Kalph Miller, stampede of fly fishermen to the Keys, all intent on getting designer and manufacturer of the famous Leaping Lena plug. in on this new game. I fished with Leo Johnson the first morning. Leo stopped the I returned to the Keys that autumn and Allen and I started motor well out, then poled in to the flats, in order not to scare a bonefish search that covered something like 2500 miles along any nearby fish. There was no wind and a good 1%feet of water the length of the Keys and up and down their byways. We drove covered the flat. We saw three schools of tailing permit right through veritable jungles on Upper Key Largo as we followed away, their black-looking, sickle-shaped tails sticking out of the old roads into the beach - old roads so thickly overgrown that water as they fed. I was using my favorite saltwater fly fishing

Bone fish

Page 6 outfit, a 9%-foot Orvis fly rod, slow action, a GAF fly line, and my leader was tapered down to a 10-pound test tippet. In an experimental mood, I had tied onto my tippet a 210 Johnson Golden Minnow fly rod spoon. Leo poled me quietly into range, hOld the boat there 60 feet from the fish. I got the line in the air, made a cast, and dropped the small spoon a foot in front of the tailers. I let it sink a bit, then started it slowly back. Several tails disappeared and I knew those fish were charging my lure. There was a hard hit and 1 struck. The fish darted away, rushing through the water as fast as a bonefish. After a run of about 150 feet he slowed and stopped to go broadside to the skiff. I pulled on the rod to test his weight. He didn't feel heavy. 1 put pressure on and began pulling him back with the rod, reeling fast as I dropped the tip, then pump- ing again. I knew by now he was not a big fish so I gave him the works, and in 10 minutes had him over the landing net Leo pulled him in, but he got his head and circled the skiff three was holding in the water. He made a dip and came up with the times. Then he had had it. fish. He was a 5-pound 10-ounce permit, the first, as far as we "Are you ready to net him, Bonnie?" I asked. could find out, ever caught on a fly rod outfit with an "Sure," she said. "Rut I have no landing net." artificial lure, cast and retrieved in an orthodox manner. "1'11 tail him," she said calmly. "That tail is just built for a On the second day Bill Smith and I were partners. We waded good handhold." along in the water less than knee deep, about 60 feet apart. We Silently 1 pulled the fish in close. Bonnie reached out, and hadn't gone 30 feet before Bill saw one and cast. There was a as she grabbed for him her body got between my eyes and the , big swirl, the rod tip went down and then Bill was holding it fish. There was a splash and I closed my eyes. high as that permit broke all speed records in a straight beeline "You can open them" she said. "I've got him." for the Gulf water, half a mile away. She was holding the shiny permit on the bottom of the "He's going to clean me," yelled Bill. skiff. He weighed 11 pounds 8 ounces. And he did. He ran out all the fly line, all the backing, and Soon after that Eddie Miller, a fine fly caster from Miami, popped the tippet. took a nice 14-pounder on a fly, at Key Largo; and then Bonnie That morning Leo, Bonnie, and Mary also joined the ranks of Smith took a 12-pounder while -ding the beach at Islamorada. those who have hooked permit on a fly, but all lost them. Some time after that, Hagen Sands, outstanding fly fisherman The last day of our trip Bonnie and I went out and fished from Key West tied into four permit, one after the other, with from a skiff. I was using an 8-pound test tippet, feeling that I flies, butall of them got away. might get more hits with the light tippet than with the 10- "The first one must have gone 50 pounds," says Sands. pound. We had been out only a few minutes when Bonnie spoke "He took off for Texas and as far as I know he's still running, and trailing all my fly line and backing behind him." UP*''Ceta fly to that school over there," she said. In 1958 Colonel Geoffrey O'Connell took a permit on a fly I looked where she had indicated. There were perhaps 35 as he was wading the flats along Upper Key Largo. This fish, permit in that school, the tails erect like the bayonets of a weighing 12 pounds 7 ounces, set a new fly rod record for per- marching army. Bonnie poled toward them. As we moved mit in the Metropolitan Miami Fishing Tournament, and as of quietly along I saw two fish turn under the water, their broad 1967 still stands. sides flashing silver. It was a thrilling sight and I was shaking. Permit will never be easy to take on a fly, but that will We werc close enough. always be the most exciting way to go for them. In all my years I got the line in the air and shot out the 110 bonefish bucktail of fishing for them 1 have only taken four: the two already I was using that day. described and two others, one at the Isle of Pines, south of "Take it, take it, take it," I muttered as I started the retrieve. Cuba, and the other in the Bahamas. One of them did take, and I struck, and had him on. He went off on a long, fast, curving run to the right. Suddenly 600 feet of line was gone. Then, luckily, he stopped. But only long enough to turn toward the skiff and charge back in our direction. I reeled and reeled and I was still behind him. I could see the wave he put up out in the shallows, but I The story of George LaBranche's first bonefish on a fly is couldn't feel him. I had to get that line tight from the rod tip reprinted from "Salt Water Fly Fishing" (G.P. Putnam 's Sons, to the fish, to keep him from getting slack and throwing the 7950) with the permission of Mrs. Mary Brooks. The stories of hook. My fingers were tired and so was my forearm, but I kept Joe Brooks' first bonefish and first permit are reprinted from reeling then I could see the line finally come tight. But now he "Salt Water Game Fishing" (Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., tried a new, soul-shaking trick. He started rubbing his rounded copyright, 1968), and are used with permission of the publisher. nose into the bottom, giving powerful lunges of his body, making Our thanks to these copyright holders for sharing this material. the rod tip shake. I dropped the tip, so he wouldn't have any- The artist for this article, Mr. Allan Hassall, is a Canadian thing to pull against, and survived this brutal tactic. He started member of the Museum. When he first offered to illustrate for to swim again. Now I knew the hook was in solid so I pulled us he probably did not suspect that the work would require back firmly on the rod and turned that baby over, pulling him as much time in reading and research as it would in the actual my way hard; I knew I had hurt him. Again only 40 feet out he drawing, but this was the case with the re-creation of the tried to rub the hook out against the bottom and I held on with LaBranche bonefishing scene. We appreciate Al's generosity both hands and pulled him out of that. Once more he darted with his talents, and look forward to more of his work. away, off to the right, reversed and headed the other way, and Our thanks also to Henry P. Bruns (whose article appears then I got his head up and turned him and brought him skidding on page 8) for his help with photographs, as well as wid, along the top, close to the skiff. Keeping the rod tip high I information about saltwater fly fishing. How to Start a Book Collection by Hank Bruns

We have, in past issues, featured articles on the basics of angling book collecting. These concentrated on introducing readers to significant titles and establishing an histori~alcontext. m the following article by Henry Bruns we are treated to an inside look at the techniques and principles of a master collector. For clarity's sake, and for the additional information of readers, we append to Hank's article an annotated listing of the titles . mentioned. There is a pleasure which the student finds in but the sight and handling of volumes with which he has long been acquainted by report, but which he has never seen before; we come to think of books as living creatures, and to live to look upon their faces, as it were. George Washington Bethune

HE fishing book collector is not born. It is more likely At this time I had not formulated any policy, let alone a that he is a literate angler towhom someone gave a secure knowledge of just what I was doing. But I loved books, book. If he is interested enough, he may buy another or they were common and most were cheap, and so I bought them. two on his own. This is all very pleasant, but does not necessarily When I think of the Murrays, the Lanmans, the Shields and the lead to collecting. I think that it is necessary for the prospective Smiths that I ignored, I shudder. But I was learning. collector to have in his hands some ~reciousvolume. and be After some time it became apparent, even to me, that some stirred by what 'precious' means. books cost a great deal more than others, and that this was Is precious synonymous with value? There is no question caused either by scarcity or book collector's demand. At that that many collectors do so for accretion, and this is a sound time I began gathering books by a method which I can still re- enough" reason. commend to beginning collector. When a bookseller's catalog Precious can also mean scarce. If the book is Salmon Fishing arrived, I would decide how much I could afford to spend On The Cain River by Sturges, or better still, Rod, Gun & without pain. Then I would go down his list, looking only Pallette in The High Rockies by Blomfield, here is a legitimate at the price column, and beginning with the highest priced, reason to be stirred. To know that there are only five, or ten, would make my list until my money was spent. or some miniscule number of these books is a fine reason to Without qukstion, this got me -more rarities than any other understand precious and be caught in the passion for books. method. Without this blind buying, I would not have had both Precious can mean the joy of holding a book, of looking at it, Tarpomanias by Johnson, two of the most beautifully bound of feeling its texture, its soundness, its beauty. I once wrote a angling books, I would not have had the two luscious volumes section for my bibliography called the Beauty Books. In it I of F.M. Johnson's Forest & River, nor Townshend's Sporting tried to tell what was precious about the appearance or feel of a Excursions or Tolfrey's The Sportsman In Canada. book. I decided eventually that it didn't belong in a biblio- After I owned these fabulous works, I found out what it was graphy, but one day we'll publish it. It names names, in this I had bought. Norm Wiggins in New Jersey was an early provi- piece, and I am certain the reader would be in for several sur- der of great rarities, and it was from him that I dumbly but prises on the subject. fortunately purchased the legendary set of Turner plates. When Precious is most represented, however, in the contents of the great monstrosities arrived, I looked into the matter, and books. To leaf through a book and realize that you hold in your was shocked to find what I had bought! I don't quite know how hands a chunk of the writer's mind can be exciting, staggering, Wiggins did it, but he came up with more goodies than any six frightening and thrilling, all at once. booksellers of the day. Goodspeed came second. From Good- And content is what most satisfies and holds. speed, I got my Cabinet of Natural History, plus the Cruises A lot of years ago I found that I had accumulated ten or of the Second Presbyterian Club, any of which 18 are almost twelve books about fishing. The first was Dean Sage's Salmon priceless, and never seen on the market. Then there were the & Trout, a sadly beaten copy for which I had paid 5 cents. With Henry Abbott books, those charming little private printings, this unimpressive beginning, yet what to me was quite the again, almost priceless. opposite, I began to think of a collection. As a normal used- After a number of years of this kind of random buying, it book-store haunter I picked up dozens, nay, hundreds, of Grey's, was obvious that I had the smallest most valuable collection Footes, Dixie Carroll's and many others. At that time Zane imaginable. It was time to make another decision. Grey's books were everywhere, at about 25 cents, both the Almost all collectors, I find, are deeply impressed by the cost Harpers, and the less valuable Grosset & Dunlap. and by the publicity surrounding, the Waltons, Halfords, the

Page 8 Derrydales. What more natural than to buy these fought-for in wraps, 1848 and lst! It cost 30 cents. That I remember it so rarities? I had been doing so. But when I made my decision vividly should give my readers some hint as to how rare is a day I was fortunate in that I made a sound one. in June, or in finding a Lanman for 30 cents! In the days of Wagstaff, Heckscher and Van Winkler, plus You will improve your collecting position most by making a Otto von Kienbusch and others, an American collection was decision as to your limitations. If you want to shotgun, and not much of a challenge. There were still plenty of J. V. C. think that would be most fun, go shotgun. Buy any book at Smiths around, in both editions, Bethune's were not impos- all which has fishing in it. You'll never have a collection worth sible to find, and unique items still occasionally turned up, much to a serious collector, but you'll have fun. Are you going such as the broadside of von Kienbusch's or the Rafinesque. to collect all editions of your subject? Well good luck, good Some of the greatest of collections, which clung pretty closely luck. The subject better be tiny, or else on an unpopular sub- to the obvious "fishing books" were not over 6 or 700 items. ject or author. Otherwise, if the subject is popular, there will Naturally the collectors went in for shotgun collecting, pur- be endless editions. Adirondack Murray, for example. Endless chasing any book at all that was about angling. editions. But if you stick to firsts you have a chance, albeit a I began to perceive that the reason American collections fighting one, even with that limitation. Just firsts can keep were so small was because of the "obvious" fishing books. If you very very busy. a book was not almost totally about fishing, it was not for the If you love books for their content, you can limit yourself collection. I was most fortunate in my choice of wives, for to the kind of content; ergo, trout fishing, fine writing, histori- Mrs Bruns, also a bibliophile, pestered me constantly in her cally important, or whatever. If you love books for their quiet way, by laying some unknown tome on my study desk physical characteristics, and who does not?, then collect only without comment, but with a slip of paper at a certain page. those bound beautifully. To collect for these reasons, in spite Invariably she had discovered a book that had enough of fishing of the fact that you are entitled to collect whatever you please, in it to be considered for my collection, and so it was added. is of little value to those who use and need these books. Between my wife and myself, we have certainly discovered hun- Whether you are commercially minded or not, the fact remains dreds of books that have been added to the catalog. that books do increase in value. If you buy them for that It was these "discovered" books that firmed my decision. I reason, you might do better sticking to the stock market, not would collect only American books about fish and/or fishing. that certain books, in fact, many books, will not accrue value It was obvious, by now, that I could never hope to collect all much faster than that trading area. books on fishing. I could never even hope to collect all books The same old Derrydales, the same old Walton\ and so on, in English, nor in German or French. I couldn't even ever go round and round. Someone buys them, he or \he inevitably hope to collect all books of American origin. There are no dies, the collection is dispersed, and the scarce ircms go back complete collections, and while mine is impressive, it lacks on the open market. Only with great rarities does this fail to things, and always will. occur. These quietly disappear into some permanent archive. Sometimes we wept bitter tears at having to turn down a And so the next time a copy appears, it is catalogued as complete set of Cabinet of Natural History, because then, in "excessively rare." One more gone from the marketplace. 1942, we couldn't hope to raise the $500. Or a Sage Salmon Collect whatever pleases you, but unless you are wealthy, Fishing On the Restzgouche for $200, about 15 or 20 years you must keep in mind the increased value of your collection. ago. But we did manage to trade for a McCall Rafinesque a If it does not cover a subject, it can hardly be of much value. few months ago, and this was the biggest thrill to come along Fun, perhaps, but not really useful. If you collect English books in many years. Perhaps there is hope, perhaps we may find on Angling, try hard to get them all. Then, if you ha\e a high another Sage one day, or the 3rd volume of The Cabinet. percentage of the published material, you have something much Occasionally we advertised in a small way, for we could more important than merely 3,789 books and ephen~era.My not afford advertising and buying books too. But it was from own collection is for sale, but I doubt if 1 shall ever find a a tiny ad that a postcard came to us one mad day. "I have a buyer. It is just too valuable. kind of a fishing book called 'Bibliography of Fishes' by Taking a four pound wild brown on a midge is not more Bashford Dean. 3 Vols, very good condition, and I think exciting than finding a Lanman for 30 cents. Or even finding a scarce. I am sorry, but I must ask $25 for it. Please advise." Lanman. I know, for I have done both. u,,r, pq(, 32, First I phoned, then I wired the money. My God. I would like to mention the nowhere place this card came from, but hesitate to insult what must be home to a number of people. Suffice to say, it was 'nowhere.' A good bookseller can become a valuable friend. He has contacts that you cannot hope to find. He has connections with volume book-buyers for 'all books about fishing', or whatever the subject. He comes through with some incredible items, and if you become his regular customer, he may even let you have first refusal. Buying from professionals can be satisfying, but there is nothing like haunting the bookshops. Second hand bookstores are disappearing from the American scene very rapidly, and these specialists are turning to mail order. In my day, however, there were such stores virtually everywhere. My business causes me to travel, and I was fortunate in that respect, for I got to every bookstore with great regularity, and spent hundreds and hundreds of cold, dirty, almost blinded happy hours in these stores. Finds made in these stores are the most satisfying, and I can still remember one exhausting day spent in a great cold barn of a place, where the lighting was so inadequate 1 had to use my own flashlight. After not less than four or five fruitless hours, I was rewarded. Charles Lanman,A Tour To The River Saguenay, Living Angling History from the Mountains of Northern by T. Felizatto Fishing

Valsesiand' An ltalian horse hair line. Note the knots where the segments of twisted hair are joined.

American Angling is, of course, for the most part a derivative sport. Most of the basics of our tackle and technique were originated in England or Europe, and so we occasionally present research involving the European origins of angling. As the number of our inter- national members grows, so do the horizons of our research (one of our South American members, for example, is currently studying the origins of the fabulous Chilean fisheries). The following report came to us recently from an ltalian member, T. Felizatto, who some months ago aroused our curiosity by donating to the Museum a new horse hair fly line. Since we did not know such lines had been commercially produced anywhere in the world for at least half a century, we immediately contacted him for additional infor- mation. The story he tells, interspersed with our own editorial comments, cannot fail to interest the historically minded angler. Not only does it offer some intriguing infor- mation about early European angling techniques, it also reveals a devotion to sporting tradition even stronger than our own.

The River Sesia is a tributary of the Po in northwestern years of age and still one of the best rods in town. He always re- Italy, about sixty rrziles northeast oj' the city of Turin. Mr. fused to fish anything more modern than his 14-ft. rod and horse Felizatto describes the scene: hair line. He did, however, switch from natural cane to a tele- The Sesia's valley is long and, in the superior part, extremely scoping glass rod, because it is so much more convenient for picturesque. The river is beautiful-gin clear water from the traveling. sources to the mouth, with a good supply of water all year. As Todays' rods are from twelve to sixteen feet in length, and you can imagine, such a place is a fly fishing paradise. It is there they are all telescoping fiberglass with a parabolic action, weigh- where our traditional fly fishing methods were born. Even now ing between five and six ounces. Fishing with such equipment is the local people fish only in this way for trout and grayling. known locally as "alla Valsesiana," meaning "in the way the In the 19th century, life in this mountainous region was anglers fish the Sesia River's valley." very difficult. Around 1900 many of the people of the valley It is difficult to describe the casting style. Let us say that began to move to lower country to take jobs with various large the rod, when false casting, makes a circle in the air rather than and growing industries. For this reason, fishing "alla Valsesiana" an ellipse. Normally, when fishing, false casting is not requested, spread, and became very popular in the region surrounding the and you cast your flies very .much like the Scottish people do valley. After World War I1 we got nylon and fiberglass, but, also, when making their "spey cast" for salmon. a lot of pollution due to the heavy industrial development. Readers will notice in the photographs that there is no reel. The good fly fishing in the large rivers quickly disappeared, In that specific, fishing "alla Valsesiana" is practically pre- but everybody got a car, stress and neurosis, and no more Walton, who recommended a reel for salmon but not for trout. trouts in the neighborhood. Additionally, as Mr. ~elizattoexplains, line is not drawn in to- In the early days fishing was done with a 23-ft. rod and a ward the angler in landing the fish: 34 ft. line, with 4 or 5 wet flies knotted on a silk worm gut The most complicated phase- begins when you hook a fish. leader. The rods were cane, but even the most traditional anglers The sport is in beaching him. Nobody uses a net, and without a later switched to fiberglass because it was so much more conveni- reel you cannot reduce the distance between you and the quarry. ent. The rods and lines became shorter, and we had to go fishing YOU- have to walk backward with the soft rod bent, Gthout up in the mountains, where we had come from years before. losing control of the fish, until it is beached. In spite of the In our region, call Piemonte, this fishing technique is at least problems, nobody in the world can catch more grayling fishing a century old. I was given this information by Mr. Cerovetti, a the riffles and water pockets in a fast current than the people venerated local angler. Known as Moretto (Smoky), he is 83 of the Valsesia.

Page 10 Though the survival of such a time-honored angling method agreement: both the directions used by Charlie and the Italian in the face of modern technology is newsworthy in itself, it is method insist that mare horse-tail is too urine-damaged to make in the constructton of lines, leaders, and flies that the Sesia good lines. anglers have truly kept a door opened to the past. Mr. The flies, as pictured, are described: Felizatto explains that the term "horse hair" is actually as much Our flies are the spider type, silk-bodied (floss) with very a description of fabrication as of material, since most of the lines soft hackles. They have no tails. We use size 12 for trout and that are manufactured now in Italy as "horse hair" lines are size 16 for grayling. They are attached to gut leaders, and are actually made of fine monofilament, used in place of the hard- produced and marketed in the bundles shown in the picture. to-obtain horse hair: (Mr. Felizatto donated to us a package of these gut leaders, which we used in our 19th-century fly fishing outing at our The knotted lines can be made with nylon or horse hair Annual Meeting in May). smands, the latter taken from the tails of white stallions and twisted and knotted together. Decreasing the number of strands Museum Vice President Austin Hogan, who is deeply involved in building each section of the line gives you the taper. Normally in research into the origins of European angling, found the re- nobody dyes or coats the line if it is made of horse hair, but the port given by Mr. Felizatto in agreement with his own theories nylon lines are occasionally dyed black. Various lengths are about the early spread of fly fishing in Europe: "It seems pro- available, from eleven to thirty-three feet. I checked with the bable to me that the Alps were among the first centers of sport only company that still produces these lines, Carson of Turin. angling, at least the trout and salmon rivers that rise in their They make about 10,000 a year, and true horse hair lines are foothilis, including the various drainages to the Atlantic and only about 10% of those, the rest being nylon. It is difficult to toward Germany, Austria and the Balkans." ob&in good quality horse hair in suffi;cient quantities to meet Sport, like beauty, may be in the eye of'the beholder. While the demand. American anglers disagree ovzr the sportsmanship of various We refer our readers, at this point, to a delightful article that modern appliances, such as lead-core lines and a bewildering appeared in THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER, Vol. 3 No. 4, by variety of synthetic materials, a small group of devoted Italian Charles Brooks, who Austin Hogan assigned the task of recreating anglers still ply their trade in a manner little different from that a horse hair line from little known 19-century "recipe." One of of their medieval ancestors. With full opportunity to 'go the lines Charlie made is now on exhibit at the Museum. Clearly, modern," they have chosen to retain at least the technical a variety of techniques, for weaving, braiding, or twisting the principles of a much earlier day. Our hats are off to them, strands into a usable line, have been developed by different both for their dedication and for giving us a lesson in angling craftsmen. In one znstruction there seems to be unanimous history.

The floss bodies of the flies are yel- low, red, blue, - and black. The hackles are soft and webby, of partridge and similar birds.

Mr. Cerovetti, beaching a trout on the Sesia.

Franchin lannelli, Italy's foremost producer of handmade lines, with some select horsehair.

Page 11 The Izaak Walton Window at Winchester Cathedral

Through the courtesy of the Dean and Chapter, Winchester, The memory of lzaak Walton is being preserved in several we publish a portion of the lzaak Walton window at the Win- ways at Winchester Cathedral, including a small statue which is chester Cathedral, Winchester, ISngland. part of the Great Screen (behind the High Altar) and an em- lzaak Walton was buried at Winchester Cathedral, in Prior broidered cushion. The cushion, which depicts Walton in a Silkstede's Chapel in the South Transept. His epitaph, placed river scene, is part of a series of over 300 that, while providing by his children, reads as follows: comfort to worshippers, tells the story of the Cathedral from its beginnings. Here Kesteth the Body of The window scene we have chosen for our color plate is MU. IZAAC WALTON part of a greater window, which is known generally as the who dyed the 15th of December lzaak Walton window. Its Riblical theme is expressed in the 1683 center, "The Lord Sitteth above the water flood," ant1 between Alas! He's gone before, the two pictures of Walton, which appear in the lower corners, Gone to return no more. are scenes of the disciples, acting as "fishers of men." Our Our panting Hearts as aspire color plate features the lower right hand corner scene, showing After their aged Sire Walton, seated alone, with the ltchen and St. Catherine's Hill Whose well-spent Life did last in the background. The text, a favorite of his, is from 1 Full ninety years and past. Thessalonians 4, 1 1. But now he hath begun In the lower left hand corner of the Walton window is That which will never be done, another non-Riblical scene, presumably of Walton and Charles Crowned with eternal bliss Cotton. We wish our souls with His. We are told that the window, which is directly above lzaak Walton's grave, was donated to the Cathedral by the anglers "Votis modestis sic flerunt liberi" of England and America in 1914. "er-

Printed courtesy of the Dean and Chapter, Winchester Larry MacKenzie, at Campbell River, 1953, is the "true father of the Foundation': Photo by Stanley Read.

The Harry Hawthorn Foundat ion by Dr. Stanley Read

T all started as a joke some five and twenty years ago Three hours later, when darkness had blanketed the lake's and the joke is still embedded in the somewhat verbose waters and all anglers were back in the lodge's pleasant lounge, title: "The Harry Hawthorn Foundation for the Incul- the arguments slowly erupted. Read claimed the first fish, but cation and Propagation of the Principles and Ethics of Fly- he had fished alone, had no witnesses, and watches had not been Fishing." But out of the joke has emerged a fine collection of synchronized. Two fish were large - but the longer one had angling literature, perhaps the finest of its kind in any Canadian lately spawned (or so it was said) and was thinnish; the other, library. What follows is a skeletal sketch, written by one who though slightly shorter, was sturdier. Did the pool terminology, was present at the Foundation's birth and who has been closely "largest", refer to length or weight? And what had Andrew associated with its gradual growth. meant when he had said "the most fish"? The most fish on The University of ~ritishColumbia sits on the beautiful tip this, the first evening, or the most fish during our three days of Point Grey in the city of Vancouver on Canada's far western stay? No final answers were forthcoming. rim. Though young in years (it opened in 1915), it is now one Then spoke the President with the voice of authority: all of Canada's distinguished centres of learning. To it came funds so far collected should be placed in escrow, their final President in 1944 Norman Archibald MacRae MacKenzie, distribution to be determined at a gathering to be held on the known to faculty, staff, and students as Larry - their friend. A last night of our stay. decorated veteran of the First War, a professor of International Too soon came the final day; and to it came the magistrate Law, a visionary administrator, and a true humanitarian, he was of Campbell River, Rod Haig-Brown. He angled slightly; he ate (and still is) an ardent angler. He is the true father of the well; and he conferred with MacKenzie. For more confusion had Foundation. entered the already confused picture. Some there were who A proper period of gestation preceded the Foundation's birth. charged that Harry Hawthorn (brilliant anthropologist, a New Beginning in the late 1940's the President gathered together a Zealander by birth, and from youth on a superb fisherman) had few of his angling friends from faculty and staff, and at the end exceeded the then-limit of twelve for his catch of the day; and of May, when the formal academic year wearily ground to a had done so by going to a nearby almost-pond, Unknown Lake, stop, this small group went fishing in the then-lovely waters of and, having stripped himself down to his undershorts; had Upper Campbell Lake on Vancouver Island. And part of the launched himself on a couple of logs - and had caught some annual routine was a visit with a good friend, great angler, ad fourteen fish. By so doing he might claim to have caught the superb writer - the late Roderick Haig-Brown, who lived by the most, but in so doing had broken the law. The argument was edge of the fast flowing Campbell River. The fishing itself was warm. usually good (sturdy cutthroat were then in the lake), but other Suddenly, when dinner had been finished, the President, with pleasures were to be had - relaxation after finished labours, fine firm voice, called for order. Seating himself at the head of a long food and lodging at Strathcona Lodge, the warmth of friend- table, he then announced that he was Chief-Justice, that Rod ships, the riches of bright conversation, and the challenge of a was Puisne-Judge and legal advisor, and that the Court was now mild session of cards after the sun had slipped into the far in session. The procedure was not strictly democratic. The western waters. Highly informal, thoroughly *delightful, these Chief-Justice (self-appointed) reviewed the claims of all early trips were the germ of the Foundation. parties, announced that all monies were still to be held in The actual birth took place in late May, 1953. It resulted escrow, and that they would eventually be used to finance his from high-spirited arguments, good-natured debates, and some new creation - The Harry Hawthorn Foundation for the flashes of foresight and vision. Once again we were at Strathcona Inculcation and Propagation of the Principles and Ethics of Lodge - eight in all, if the records are right. After our traditional Fly-Fishing. And why the name Hawthorn? Because in the libation with Rod Haig-Brown, we had arrived at the Lake in the wisdom of the two judges, Hawthorn had been the greatest late afternoon. Rods were assembled; flies were selected. The sinner of all sinners present. The birth had taken place. moment to fish had come. It was then that the good Geoff A few days later, the University Librarian, Neal Harlow Andrew (Professor of English and executive assistant to the (he had been present at the birth) formally recorded the President and a man who likes a slight wager) suggested three arrival of this angling child in a letter to the President and pools be made - twenty-five cents a piece: One on the first fish informed him that the capital fund of the Foundation totalled to be caught; one on the largest fish: and one on the most. thirteen Canadian dollars. Thereupon, the President informed Page 14 (continued on page 26) Photo courtesy of The Leonard-Hawes Factory Mrs. Elsie Hawes. Late 1890's Highlights of The Leonard-Hawes Collect ion The rod building equipment was one of the most exciting The story of the Leonard and Hawes families and their parts of the Collection donated by Mrs. Hawes. Ferrule forms immense contributions to the craft of rod and reel building has and dowels, scales, and other assorted tools were scattered been told in detail in other magazines and books. The objects about the long-locked up workshop just as they had been left we feature in the following color illustrations are but the many years before. lightest sampling of the Leonard-Hawes legacy. Rather than There are still some mysteries in the story of how the concentrating only on rods, we show a variety of articles, to Leonard reel of 1877 was developed and perfected. It appears suggest the breadth of interest and ability that characterized that as early as 1874 he may have rejected the use of hard Hiram Leonard and his family. rubber for the reel plates, but the reel on the right, with mottled Considerably less has been written about Hiram Hawes, who red-and-black rubber side plates, has many of the characteristics began working with Leonard in 1869 in Bangor, Maine, and of the metal reels produced shortly after the patent was assigned. moved with him to Central Valley, New York, when the new It is at least a very rare and exceptionally attractive model. Its Leonard shop was built there in 1881. In 1909, two years coloring might even make it unique, and we would appreciate after Leonard's death, Hiram moved to Canterbury, Connecti- hearing from any readers who have a similar reel. The reel on cut (taking the wooden beveler that he and Leonard had built) the left, a beautifully preserved production model, better and began to produce his own rods. At his death in 1929, his demonstrates the clean lines of the 5-pillar design developed son Merritt took control and produced more fine rods until the by Francis Philbrook and marketed so successfully, for so long, 1940's. Some of the articles featured here came to the by Leonard. The mottled reel is part of the Leonard-Hawes Museum directly from the Hawes workshop, and some, likely, Collection, and the metal one was donated by Morgan Hafele. were first used by Hiram Leonard close to a century ago. Gold Medals became a way of life for Hiram Hawes, this one Hiram Leonard's flute, tentatively identified as a rare coming to him at the age of thirty. It is said, by way of further and valuable Boehm, was probably carried with him on his introduction to Hiram Hawes, that he had such a naturally mps to the Maine woods. His devotion to the arts is indicated dignified bearing, such an almost professorial air, that he was by the presence of so many musicians among his rod craftsmen. known almost universally as "Mr. Hawes," as if anything less According to Martin Keane, there persists an unsubstantiated formal would be unbecoming or disrespectful. The medal was rumor that Leonard even required his workmen to be musicians. donated by Martin Keane, to whose book Classic Rods and The flute is part of the Leonard-Hawes Collection, donated by Rodmakers we would refer anyone interested in learning more Mrs. Elsie Hawes. about the Leonard-Hawes story. Several members of the Leonard-Hawes family (Hiram Hawes On the left is a Leonard-Mills 10 foot, 8% ounce, Calcutta was Leonard's nephew, and married Leonard's daughter Cora) trout rod from about 1885, with two tips, part of the Leonard- were superb casters, and gathered dozens of trophies and medals Hawes Collection. as they proved the quality of their rods under competitive In the middle is an older (circa 1880) Bangor Leonard, 11 circumstances. The trophy was awarded to Hiram at the Angler's feet in length, weighing 8% ounces. Note the reel seat, laminated Club of New York Tournament of 1911, for his performance of cedar and bamboo, and the rattan wrapping on the handle. with a heavy rod. It was, incidentally, in this period that the The rod was donated by Francis Head. Angler's Club decreed that all contestants would use the same On the right is another, slightly larger (12 feet) Bangor manufacturer's rods, for the sake of consistency; it would ensure Leonard, which weighs 9 ounces. Note the differences bet- that the casters, and not the rods, were competing. The chosen ween the two rattan-wrapped rods and the younger rod on manufacturer was Hiram Hawes. The exact owner of the creel the left, especially in the size of the rod shewhere it meets is not known, but it suggests that not all casting was done in the handle. The rod on the right was donated by Gene Anderegg. competition. Both were donated by Elsie Hawes. Page 15 Hiram Leonard's Flut

Leonard Rods from the late 19th century The Leonard- One 0.f Hiram Hawes' many casting medals

TWOearly Leonard Reels with the familiar raised- pillar design

-Hawes Collect ion With Rod and Line in Colorado Waters From the book by the same title by Lewis France

Lewis B. France wrote a number of books about sport and outdoor adventure in Colorado. WITH ROD AND LINE IN COLORADO WATERS (1884) is among the most prized of these. He was a resident of the state, sewing for some time as a judge in Denver. France refers in this article to "Murray," meaning W. H. H. Murray, whose AD VENTURES IN THE WILDERNESS (1869) caused a flood of tourism in the Adirondacks, and who was frequently criticized for his exaggerated portrayals of angling. In our last issue we printed one of the finest satires of Murray's adventure writing, "A Fight with a Trout", by Charles Dudley Warner. Notice, in this selection, France's suggestions for tackle, especial1y rod materials. Fishing on the Frying Pan, Colo., from the Museum collection

ID you never go fishing when a boy, and come home at and he wound the matter up after a three hours' fight, with a the close of a Saturday without so much as a single chub trout seventeen inches long, when I expected to learn at least of dangling on a string to console you for the anticipated a ten-pound salmon lifted out by one of the Johns above mentioned. I wanted to hit the fellow with a club for making an dressingc because of vour interdicted absence? I have. But the chagrin of the ten-year-old is nothing in comparison to the ass of himself. I was hungry for trout, and inside five minutes I mortification of the middle-aged boy under similar circum- had drawn my prize up to and on that gravelly beach, had him stances. However, there were no inquisitive bores in our camp. by the gills, and he was seventeen inches flush, big as Mr. The Doctor was determined to again try his luck in Williams' Murray's and no fuss about it. Just as I got my fish secured, I Fork; nothing but the remembrance of my early experience heard the Doctor threshing round in the willows, about two could have induced me to join him. rods away, and in a moment after he held up to my envious The day after our successful failure, equipped as before, we gaze more than a match for my capture. Our exchange of took our way over the hills and through the sage brush, reaching congratulations was hurried; the Doctor cast in his hopper; our destination about nine o'clock. The tackle was quickly ad- I stuck to the gray hackle, and inside half an hour I had justed, and keeping out of the way of that infernal pine, 1 landed a dozen good-sized trout, and the Doctor had "yanked dropped a brown-bodied gray hackle gently upon the placid out" as many more. The pool and the Doctor were redeemed; water. The fly had hardly touched the surface, when suddenly we had not quite "fished it out," had only taken those with from out the depths there flashed an open-mouthed beauty, and sharp appetites. But that kind of success demoralizes one for the that hackle disappeared as, turning head down and revealing his time being, so we moved off down the creek, trying the eddies glittering side, its captor plunged again into the till then silent and below the riffles; now and again dropping the fly under pool. It made my pulse throb a little quicker, but I was not pay- the lee of the larger boulders in mid stream, with varying suc- ing as much attention to that as to the trout. He made a dart up cess, until we reached our horses. Our creels were full enough stream with the hook firmly fixed; I brought him gradually to carry with comfort and we started for camp, discussing the round and coaxed him to the surface to ascertain what sort of a causes of the failure of the day before, but arriving at no leviathan I had encountered; then 1 got excited and felt that if satisfactory solution. I did not get him ashore very soon he was not my trout. Just The rapidity with which news of success in trouting will below the pool, ten yards or so, was a shelving beach a few feet travel through the various camps in one's vicinity is somewhat in length, and I gradually worked my way to it, keeping a taut singular, and is only equaled by the celerity with which the re- line on my bonanza. While I was doing this I remembered having ports of the quantity captured is multiplied. Having more than read a whole column of imagination, written by somebody we could consume, we gave some to our nearest neighbor, who named Murray, wherein he described his "happiness" under like came over to see our catch. We learned the next day that we had circumstances; cracking bamboo and spinning silk, with a half caught anywhere from twenty-five pounds to a hundred, and I dozen Johns with landing nets, were the burden of his effusion, am unable to say how many went exploring for trout on the day following. That some were unsuccessful I know, because several lightness and durability, and is incapable of fouling your line, swore to me that there was not even a minnow in Williams' no matter how negligent you may be; a click reel of hard Fork. There was one young gentleman in particular who rubber and metal, with a revolving disk, the handle fixed upon appealed to me in a tone of remonstrance after a day spent in the outer edge, and weighing, with thirty yards of line, about unsuccessful labor down the Grand. He was dressed in light five ounces, will answer well. For lines there is, to my mind, drab pants, cheviot shirt, and a broad-brimmed felt hat, the nothing equal to the braided and tapered water-proof silk band of which was stuck full of flies of all sizes and a multitude (size F); being the best, they are the cheapest, easily managed, of colors. I-le had a fifty-dollar rod and a fifteen-dollar reel of and less liable to snarl or call for a tax upon your patience. wonderful combination; his eyes, emphatic with disgust, glaring For a rod always select one of three joints; they hang more through his glasses, he avowed there were no fish in the Park. evedy and have a "better feel." Ash butt and second joint, with He held up a crimson fly that would have driven crazy any fish lancewood tip; Greenheart or Bethabara; try any and all; break except a sucker, and would have scared a sucker if sunk to his them on the least provocation, which means a ten-inch trout or level, and wanted to know of me if I didn't think it a fine fly. less, but wreck two or three by the "yanking process," or other- I told him I did. He said he had whipped five miles of water wise. Then, when you feel that you can handle a rod with the with that fly and could not get a rise. I told him that the trout same deftness a mother her first-born, save up your money and was a queer fish, and that perhaps he had better try a blue buy a first-class split bamboo. When you get it have faith in it, flannel rag, and offered to give him a piece of my shirt, but he for if properly made it will bend, if neccessity demands, till the got mad, tore around, and threatened, in popular parlance, to tip touches the butt, yet do not needlessly try that conclusion take off the top of my head. Believing this to be a more pain- with it; neither must you attempt to lift your fish out of the ful operation than scalping, I apologized, and the difficulty was water with it. When you have fairly exhausted your trout, promptly adjusted. Then I gave him a gray hackle and told him take the line in your disengaged hand; there are mpments bet- that that was to the trout what bread was to civilized man, a ween struggles when you can swing your catch safely to land, staple article of which he seldom grew tired, or if he did, to try without a movement on his part; when he will come out as the brown hackle, which, still like the bread, was a wholesome straight as the plumb line Amos saw. If in his struggles his change; that if he could get neither the gray nor the brown, then troutship should clear the water, something, I neGr saw a trout to take a grasshopper, pull off his legs and wings, and string it do, bow the rod to him, of course, as he returns, so that he upon a number six Kirby; that such a hook would take a three may not get his unsupported weight upon the beautiful toy. ounce or a three pound trout with equal facility. Keep a taut line upon your prey - by this I do not mean that The next evening I saw my new acquaintance; his drab pants you should give him no line, but let the strain be steady, giving were ruined, his rod had been shivered into kindling wood, his only when you must. After the first few rushes, you may reel lay in a pool of the Grand twenty feet deep. He had cast generally with safety press your thumb upon the line, and let that gray hackle with a brown body into that pool; it had been him feel the spring of your rod; that will kill him quickly. The seized upon by a trout something "near a yard long;" the angler climax in the poem of trouting is the spring of the split bamboo. had succeeded in landing its head upon the rocks, then his rod In striking, remember you have not a plum bush sapling and gave way and he fell on the fish, rolled into the river, lost the that it is not incumbent upon you to bail the stream with an remains of his tackle and his hat with the flies, and some other artificial fly; let it be done with a quick motion of the wrist; a tenderfoot who happened providentially that way, had pulled motion which, if you should miss the game, would move your him out by the collar. He was happy, and said he would write to fly but a little way. If your catch is too large to lift out as I have his mother, for which I commended him. This morning I saw suggested, in the absence of a landing net, you can generally him following a trail down the Grand; he had provided himself find a place, always down stream, where you can safely, if you with some hackles and had a pole cut from a plum bush. I go about it gently, snake him out, or get your finger under his predicted for him success or a watery grave. gills. Much more might be written, and what I have said is by no In tender consideration of the tyro in these waters, I may means new, but the purpose is to put you in the way merely of be permitted to make a few suggestions as to tackle, based upon avoiding the calamity that befell the tackle of my acquaintance my own experience. In the matter of lures the taste of the trout in the drab pants. Have a taste for the sport, "let your own must be considered; as to all else you may consult your own. It discretion be your tutor," and you will work out your own is well to have in your fly-books a little of everything, but of salvation more surely than by a library of directions, remember- gray and brown hackles, as already intimatedi coachmen and ing this for an axiom, that: The true sportsman does not go professors, an abundance. The best reel 'is one that combines down stream and afield for the mere love of killing something.

Page View on William S Fork, Middle Park, Colorado, from the Museum collection

Collection Highlights The Preston Jennings Iris Streamers

Preston Jenning's lifelong fascination with the effects of color and light on fish perceptions is well-known. Less well- remembered is his series of lris streamers, one result of his theories. Three of these, from the Museum collection, are pre- sented on the facing page. Preston Jennings tied these for Letcher Lambuth, with whom he corresponded at some length about his light/color research. The flies are part of the Letcher Lambuth Memorial Collection, donated by Mrs. Lambuth. The following passages are taken from Patent Number 2,788,753 (January 30, 19401, assigned to Preston Jennings, Brooklyn, New York. The text of the patent is actually several pages in length, featuring a number of drawings of lure coloration. We quote here only those portions which summarize his intentions enough to explain the unusual color arrangement of the lris streamers.

Light passing obliquely from air to water is bent or reflected. The extent of the refraction is determined by the angle at which the light strikes the water, the limit being an angle of 86O from perpendicular, in which case the light entering the water would be broken to an angle of 48O 36'. Consequently a fish below the surface of the water when looking toward the surface is able to see objects on the surface only within a limited circular area, hereinafter termed the "window." This window is the base of a cone of 97O 12' and the eye of the fish is always Preston Jennings, examining a minnow and his imita- at the apex. Due to the critical bending of light at the outer tion of it through a prism. Jennings first wrote about edge of th,e window the white light is broken into its component the lris series in "Esquire"in October, 1956. Photo- parts and the window is bounded by colored bands arranged in graph from the Lambuth Memorial Collection. iccordance with the spectrum, red-at the outside, yellow and green in the middle and blue at the inside. The surface of the illuminated by ordinary white light, best results are obtained by water outside of this window acts as a mirror. providing the lure with these same colors, but as modified by When an insect on the surface or a small fish below the sur- the spectrum. In other words, the proper coloring of the lure is face passes through the boundary of the cone which forms the determined by viewing the object which it is desired to simulate window of a larger fish, the small fish is brilliantly illuminated through a prism and coloring the lure in exactly the same with these colors. However, the coloring of the small fish or manner as it appears through the prism. The lure will then in- insect depends upon whether it is passing through the boundary clude both the colors actually present on the natural object, of the cone in a radial or tangential direction and whether the as well as the colors imparted thereto by the spectrum. largt: fish sees it with reflected light or silhouetted against the light above the water. It is one of the objects of my invention He then discusses, in considerable detail the various factors t; determine the proper coloring of a lure so as to cause it to influencing the color perceptions of the fish. He concludes: appear like a natural object under one or more of these condi- tions. Fish through experience, intuition, or some other power The scope of my invention is not to be limited to the fore- not understood, know that this is the normal and proper coloring going desc;iption, which has been given by way of example for the food they are seeking. Consequently, if an artificial lure only, but is to be determined by the appended claims. is colored in this manner, the fish is more apt to be deceived What is claimed is: into believing that it is natural, than if it is colored in any 1. A fish lure having the predominant colors of the spectrum other manner, no matter how brightly. A lure colored in this arranged thereon in the same manner as said colors appear on a way, when below the surface of the water, appears at all times natural object when viewed through a prism. to the fish the same as the natural object, which it is intended to simulate, does when the latter passes into the color bands 2. A fish lure having the predominant colors of the spectrum formed by the spectrum. Thus, while a small fish is brightly arranged thereon in the same manner as said colors appear on a illuminated by the spectrum only for a short period of time, natural object when viewed through a prism and illuminated by reflected light. my artificial lure is brightly colored at all times and hence it is more apt to be noticed by the fish. 3. A fish lure having the predominant colors of the spectrum For the sake of simplicity it has been assumed in the above arranged thereon in the same manner as said colors appear on a that the natural object which it is desired to simulate is itself natural object when viewed through a prism and silhouetted a neutral color. However, if such object is brightly colored when against a source of light.

Page 2 1 Trout vs. Bass:

A Sporting Kivalrva,'

Debating the Issue

As nineteenth century anglers explored new waters they naturally developed personal preferences in game. The long-standing topic of bass vs. trout has undoubtedly not yet disappeared from discussions in clubrooms and tackle shops, but the following passages do suggest that some of the heat has gone out of the dialogue. The first selection is from THE AMERICAN TURF REGISTER AND SPORTING MAGAZINE, March 1831, and, though not specifically about bass, it does present a very early discussion of warm- versus cold-water angling. The other opinions are from the AMERICAN ANGLER of 188 1- 1882. They are only small samples of a lengthy and at times spirited correspond- ence which that magazine, and other periodicals of the day, published.

In the ponds and lagoons of Georgia there is, however, a fine But there is no comparison, none at all, between sitting with fish for the angle, though not very choice for the table, dedomi- your rod in a shallop, in one of the low, marshy lagoons of the nated trout, which we have often taken with great pleasure. It south, surrounded by huge alligators sunning then~selveslazily resembles our bass, except that it is bright and silvery, without upon the blackened logs that float upon the turbid water, whose stripes, or it comes nearer to the white fish of the lakes. It is a sluggish surface is not unfrequently rippled by the darting of little hog-backed, and in form resembles a brook trout consider- the deadly moccasin hissing past you - and treading the verdant ably, but has no very distinct spots, and the flesh is white. The banks of some beautiful, rippling brook in New England; gurg- animal sometimes rises to ten or fifteen pounds. It will not take ling and leaping in its living course to the ocean, with its cool re- the fly, and is caught by a live bait, fastened to the hook back treat for its watery tenant, "under the shade of melancholy of the dorsal fin, which ought to be played with a rod and reel, boughs," or amid the still water of an eddying pool. Here you but never by hand. When a strong fish of this species strikes, he may watch your delicious prey, as he rises to the surface, elastic will give you fine play, and exercise all your skill to keep him as a bubble, and just breaks the water with his motly fin, as he from breaking you. He kills, however, much easier than the seizes the careless fly that sports within his range. "monarch." A rneriLan Turf R egister

Page 22 this fish Latin and French names by the score, and these are beaten out of sight by your correspondent "Asa," whose Does anybody know a practicable way of preserving the nomenclature is certainly apt if not elegant, viz.: " The Hog of brook trout in free waters? I see none. True, we have many the Waters," and even the rhythm of poetry has in- streams in a state of nature; but anglers increase as trout dim- vested him with a glamour that ought to give the bass grounds inish; and such streams are infested by anglers from April to for his vanity, as a fit successor and co-biter of the trout. August, to an almost incredible extent, nearly all of whom Laden thus with so formidable an array of names, and basket anything more than four inches long. possibly gorged with garter snakes, we are assured that he will If the trout is to follow the elk, the Indian and the deer, it rise to the fly quite as reliably as the trout, and is more than his is well to look for a substitute; and the only hope in this dir- equal otherwise. Sancho Panza invoked blessings on the man ection seems to be the small mouthed bass. I have a deal of who invented sleep, and I have a deep respect for the discoverer faith in him. I thought once he would not thrive in northern of sausage, and can, therefore, admire any process by which waters, cold, clear, and adapted to trout. I have learned better. garter snakes can be converted into good fish (I cheerfully He will lay trout alongside and beat him in his own home - if admit this to the credit of the bass), but ask to be excused the stream be large enough, for he cannot make a living in a from admitting this porcine, snake-devouring rover of stagnant swift, mountain trout brook. When he once gets a fair chance waters to any show of equality or right of heirship to the and a good start I doubt if he can be exterminated by hook reputation of the glorious Salmo fontinalis. Chester or line, or any decent mode of fishing. Nessmuk

Who is "Chester?" and by what right does he pour forth the Of the bass I am not so great an admirer as our friend via's of his wrath in that unjustifiable tirade against the black "Nessmuk." Our experience with them here in the Upper bass? Few will attempt to deny the gamy qualities of his Shenandoah Valley is that, being in a stream, they go to work especial pet, Salmo fontinalis, but I have seen even such men, and eat up all the other fish (frogs, young ducks, water snakes, yet afterwards found they had been taking trout from a stag- &c.) and then will not bite themselves. As a table fish they are nant mountain pool, where, although the fish were of good not as good as the common sucker, and are not to be compared size, they were very thin, and as lazy as suckers of mullets, and to the trout. I saw one caught one day in the South Branch of gave no pleasure or satisfaction by their capture. Would it be the Potomac, near Moorefield, with a common garter snake for just for such men to write a wholesale condemnation of all trout bait. That sight completed my bad opinion of the bass - since on that account? then I have set him down as the "hog of the waters." Such It is very evident your trout loving "Chester" has never taken savage looking wretches as they are, too! Enough, however, black bass from the Niagara river, or he would sing a different of this straggling, rambling epistle. Wishing you great success song. Allow me to inform him that the fly is the legitimate lure in your enterprise and much luck to brother Nessmuk when he for the black bass, which they take as quickly, and fight as goes a fishing, I am very truly, yours obstinately as a trout, and should he (Chester) ever have the Asa good fortune to hook a two pounder in any of the eddies 2/4/82 around Goat Island, I will bet him a big cookey with sugar on, that he does not land his fish. How it would double up his Enthusiasm and extra zeal has of late been manifested by split bamboo, and make his line fly until he thought he had the friends of the bass, and his habits and belongings are herald- hooked a streak of lightning. ed with sentences heavy with superlatives and affirmations Wild Rice "strong as dicers' oaths." Scientists have loaned their lore liberally, and have wasted the midnight oil in the bestowal upon The American Angler, 1881 and 1882

Captain Raymond Kotrla, former Museum President, produced this etching in 1973 in an edition of 25. It is printed with his permission. Black Bass Basketed With a Fly by William C. Harris with Bass Fishing Illustrations by Louis Rhead

Removing the Hook

E have been asked by a correspondent to give the best re- basket, fishing from the shore, the largest bass that we have cord of black bass caught with a fly. By which question ever killed with a fly. It weighed 2-718 Ibs., and was a fine we presume that he wishes to know of the largest fish and specimen of the small-mouthed species. the greatest number ever caught in a day with the fly. An Season before last, when camping out at Tumble, on the accurate answer is beyond us, but it may not be amiss in this Delaware river, we caught a bass that weighed 2-114 Ibs. - the connection to spin out a few experiences of our own in the large largest fish that we have very caught with a fly on the Delaware, bass and large score line putting our facts together with the pre- a stamping ground for us during the past five years. An angling lude that we never record in this column a scale basketed with- friend caught last summer with a fly, on these grounds, a bass out that scale was there. weighing 3-114 Ibs. Stopping at Westport, N.Y., on Lake Champlain, in 1874, for Fishing, about three years ago, at Perkiomen, on the a few hours, awaiting F. Crawford's team to take ourself and Schuylkill river, we struck a bass, evidently one of the original family to his hostelry in Essex county, N.Y., which, by the way, spawners, which showed more spirit than the large ones usually is the county wherein can be found the Adirondacks pure; we do, as he came out of the water at least three times, as if to rigged up a cast of flies and whipped a little brook near westport show us what a leviathan he was, twisting his tail, as we have for about one-fourth of a mile, without even seeing a chub's always supposed, when he went down the last time, around a fin, until we reached the deepest portion of the stream within bunch of grass which was unusually healthy in its growth, mak- about one hundred feet of,the lake. We caught, then and there, ing off with ten feet of our line and as fine and as taking a cast eleven black bass in forty minutes, running from three-quarters of flies as ever we flung to the breeze. This fish would have of a pound to one and a quarter pounds, all of them caught on weighed, had he been basketed, from three to four Ibs:, and was red and black hackles. They were the fist black bass that had the largest bass we ever saw or felt with a fly hook in its mouth. been caught with a fly in that section of the country. Trout We have on several occasions felt "monsters," the last big fishing was the reigning enthusiasm, and Mr. Bass had not been one felt always being "the biggest ever felt," but we doubt if assigned the lofty position which he now occupies as a game fish. any of them would have scaled equal to the thief we mentioned Returning from Crawford's about three weeks subsequently, above. we made arrangements to "lay over" at Westport for a week's The largest score of black bass we have ever made in one fishing, during which we found our bass not so eager in the day's fishing with the fly was twenty-four, none of which, how- brook, and quite backward in the lake. However, off a ledge of ever, weighed over a pound. This basket was made in 1880, on sunken rocks, about two miles from the town, we brought to the Schuylkill river, between Royer's Ford and Yankee Dam, where there is a stretch of water nearly two miles in length, every inch of which can be waded in midstream, giving the fly caster, who is master of the art, full scope for his fifty-feet casts, and the tyrs plenty of room to practice, free from the vexations of tree catches, or if, when too liberal in his back- ward casts, of rock snubbing. We commend this piece of water to the bass fishermen of the country. The largest basket we have ever made when time is con- sidered, was during last season on the Schuylkill, at Flat Rock Dam. We entered the stream at 3 p.m., and left it at 7, with a score of eighteen bass, the average weight of which was one pound. Finally, a royal score was made last summer by our rod - we dare not tell where at the risk of having our angling nose pulled by the rodster who gave us the cue. We killed nine bass, weigh- ing just seventeen pounds, on a black and grey hackle in forty- five minutes. To those who are on the hunt for a big bass with a fly we will give a hint. Every old angler has a theory about big fish and the time to catch them, and here is ours: The water must be a somewhat lengthy stretch of continuous shallows, say three or four feet in depth, where there is a well defined channel edged by river grass on both sides. Now choose a sunshiny day, preceded by two or three misty cloudy ones, during which, if there have been occasional showers, so much the better, as the water will be more favorable, being higher. Cast your flies in the channel, just at the edge of the grass - Fact and Fiction you may catch a big one. American Angler, January 25, 1882 The Harry Hawthorn Foundation: (continued from page 15)

the University's Board of Governors of the Foundation's stantly conscious of the warning words of the Preacher at the Existence, and asked for the Board's blessing. This was end of Ecclesiastes: "And furthermore, my son, be admonished: willingly given - perhaps with some smiles. The date - the of making many books there is no end." True words some two nineteenth of June, 1953. Such is the unadorned tale of the thousand years ago; words with staggering implications since birth. What of the subsequent years of growth? Again the Gutenberg started his press in the middle years of the fifteenth tale must be brief. century. Within two or three years of the Foundation's establish- So we have placed our emphasis on the great bibliographies, ment, Neal Harlow, then Hon. Secretary, issued a brief the fine historical surveys, the literary masterpieces that are now bibliography of some forty books that had been purchased. classics, and on the amazingly large number of excellent books, Then, in the spring of 1968, came a great gift that really especially on fly fishing, that have appeared in our own day. We enriched the holdings. In October, 1967, Tommy Brayshaw, have not striven for books on coarse fishing, on spinning with fie artist, most ardent angler, and a genuine bibliophile metal lures, or introductory handbooks, or how-to-do-it books, died. He had long been an honorary member of the all of little or no literary value. Foundation. By his will he left to the Hawthorn Foundation In recent months the Hawthorn Foundation collection has all of his angling books, pamphlets, offprints, periodical articles, been transferred from the main Library to the Woodward correspondence with a host of angling friends, and his own Library, and in the beautiful Sherrington Memorial Room are fishing diaries covering the years from 1932 to his last fishing the new bookcases that will house our most precious volumes - trip in 1965. It was a great gift, for it included at least one cases to be dedicated to the memory of Haig-Brown. We have hundred and fifty major works, many of them rare and valuable. not only the full body of his writings, but the University also Then, in 1970, the Library of U.B.C. published The Contem- has many of his manuscripts and letters. And his name will not plative Man's Recreation, which included not only a biblio- be forgotten. This has been made possible through a generous graphy of the Library's angling works (some 700 in all), but also grant from the Fisheries Ass~ciationof B.C. - a grant that pays a foreword by the Hon. N.A.M. MacKenzie, a tribute to the for the special shelving and also forms the basis of the Haig- memory of Tommy Brayshaw by Roderick Hair-Browfi, and a Brown Memorial Fund, the interest from which is to be used history of the Foundation. A beautifully produced little book, for the purchase of books on angling and on conservation. The it was another sign of growth. This was followed in 1971 by continued growth of an already good collection has been made More Recreation ,for the Contemplative Man, a continuing secure. bibliography, compiled chiefly by Mrs. Laurinda Daniells, Such is the skeletal history of the Harry Hawthorn Founda- university librarian and a great supporter of the Foundation, tion and the joke that ;rnphasized the "inculcation and that listed an additional 250 titles. The total present collection propagation of the principles and ethics of fly-fishing." The is about 1300 or 1400 volumes and is now being recatalogued results have been pleasantly surprising, especially considering by Mrs. Barbara Gibson, a most able bibliographer and a long- the initial financial investment - thirteen dollars in Canadian time friend of the late Haig-Brown. The hope is that a computer funds. print-out will be available before the next twelve months have run their course. So here now is a fine collection of angling Dr. Stanley Read, a leading supporter of the Hawthorn Founda- works, one to which the interested reader can turn with tion, is author of several books on angling, including the Tommy pleasure and in which he will find rich rewards. But we are con- Brayshaw biography reviewed in our last issue and a short history of the Pennask Fishing Club. Book Reviews and News

The Editors do not propose to review all new angling books, but we do hope to make special mention of those that are, for one reason or another, of interest to the history-minded reader.

A History of the Fish Hook Hans J$rgen Hurum Adam & Charles Black, London 148 pages I have been reasonably convinced by Hans J@rgenHurum, author of a delightful little book entitled A History of the Fish Hook that the Mustad hook is truly the ubiquitous non comestible. In fact, Mr. Hurum is so convincing I think that if I were ever asked to devise a system of communication with life of perhaps another form and in another solar system, I would employ a box of assorted Mustad hooks as my inter- galactic Rosetta Stone rather than a complicated, esoteric mathematical code: Mustad hooks are indeed everywhere. They can be found in every corner of the globe including even the depths of the Amazon. Commissioned by 0. Mustad & Sons in commemoration of their 100th anniversary (1877-1977), Page 26 Mathias Topp, 1840- 1930, inven of the first Mustad hook machin Mr. Hurum's work contains a short account of the history of the fish hook; but is, for the most part, an interesting, well Angling Books of the Americas written and entertaining history of the Mustad Hook Company, Henry P. Bruns., Angler's Press headquartered in Gj@vik, Norway, and the world's largest P.O. Box 11653, Atlanta, Georgia producer of fish hooks. 543 pages, trade edition $65 - limited signed edition $200 Apparently, from the outset, Mustad salesmen traveled the Perhaps there is some merit (though entirely undeserved) in world in search of new markets for their high quality hooks waiting so long to print a full review of Henry Bruns' Angling (now about 60,000 varieties) which were manufactured on the Books of the Americas. It is such a milestone publication, world's first fully automatic hook machine. The device was and such a monumental undertaking, that the delay has given invented by Mathias Topp (1840-1930) and went "on stream" the angling world time to assess the book. The present reviewer in November of 1877. At the time the English hand made hook has benefitted from other evaluations in preparing the following dominated the world market. Mustad's automated method remarks, but finds his own impressions somewhat at variance clearly gave them the edge, and it was not long before they with others he has encountered. became the largest and best known hook manufacturer in the Angling Books of the Americas is an exhaustive bibliography, world. a long-needed volume that will be of great service to all collectors While there is a paucity of detail concerning the actual and serious readers. A great many of the entries are extensively 'secret' process of making a Mustad hook, there is an excel- annotated, and all are cross-referenced systematically. Henry lent general discussion on hook making technology, as well Bruns is one of American angling's leading bibliophiles, and in a as on the uses of the various and sundry types of hooks the lifetime of collecting and study he has ferreted out some de- company manufactures. The manuscript is also salted with a lightful rarities. No past effort approaches what he has accomp- number of amusing anecdotes (gleaned from the company's lished: Angling Books of the Americas is the cornerstone of the files) concerning the trials and tribulations of some of their considerable reference book collection this reviewer has access more adventuresome salesmen. The book is amply and well to in the Museum librarv. illustrated in both black and white and color. It can easily be Some criticisms of the book have been expressed by read in an evening, and it affords the reader insight into collectors, most of which concern errors of detail: There are another facet of the almost boundless lore of angling. It is alarming numbers of typographical errors, this or that title heartily recommended as a good introduction to the art and is considered inappropriate in an angling bibliography, certain technology of hook making, but it will probably not satisfy historical interpretations are challenged, and so on. The book the curiosity of the technological historian (i.e. the "hard- itself fails to satisfy those who feel a book about books ought core hooker"). D.L. to be a model of good printing and binding. ANGLING BOOKS is not quite unattractive, but it is singularly austere. If judged as a reference book, the typographical errors and Fishing With the Fly Rod peripheral titles are little more than minor annoyances (though their presence in any book can weaken the confidence of the Fly Fisherman Magazine reader, who may begin to wonder about the attentiveness of the Ziff-Davis publisher to other, more consequential, details). Disagreements over interpretation of historical information are wholesome if 1 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016 not unavoidable. It could hardly be expected that a book of this 239 pages, Hardbound $14.95 scope would be without provocative commentary. A reference Paperbound $7.95 book, lastly, need not be a presentation volume (and such an edition of this book is available). It need only be durable and We will not claim to be totally unbiased about this book, serviceable. The typography is at times awkward, but this, like since our friends at Fly Fisherman magazine have been loyal the binding. is the admitted result of economv. In these davs and generous supporters of the Museum for many years. The of obscene& high costs it is not hard to symiathize with tie book is a wonderfully thorough introduction to the sport, and author. We are told the book is bound by a process guaranteed is to be highly recommended on those terms, but we feature it to libraries for 200 withdrawals. here for another reason, the attention it gives to the lore and If judged as a collector's item, a book for a book's sake, the traditions of fly fishing. Most "complete guides" are instruction various errors of detail are, again, a minor annoyance. The manuals, concerned with basic tackle and techniques. The printing and biding make it unappealingly plain. This will no editors of Fishing with the Fly Rod have devoted two chapters, doubt always disappoint collectors, but will not likely discourage- one on angling history (by Ernest Schwiebert) and one on fish- them from obtaining it if they had planned to get it anyway. ing books (by Nick Lyons), to less practical matters. The Previous books on American fishing, such as Wetzel's chapters are commendable - - the authors could not have been American Fishing Books, Goodspeed's Angling in America, and better chosen - - and the book is richer for having attended to Waterman's Fishing in America, were in large part narrative. the spiritual needs of its readers. Even Wetzel, whose booklist was much longer than his narrative, We might mention in passing, for those who have not seen did not provide readers with the bibliographical detail they the advertisements, that Fishing with the Fly Rod is a gathering could get if they were fortunate enough to have catalogs of of well-known authors - - Kreh, Niemeyer, Swisher, Richards, leading private collections. In this field, Angling Books of the Sosin, the Wulffs, and so on - - each writing on hislher specialty. Americas far excels previous books. As a bibliographical re- Some portions have appeared in Fly Fisherman, but even those source, and occasionally even as narrative, it practically re- have been amplified. The book is magnificently and profusely places them. In criticizing its shortcomings we risk sounding like illustrated, even featuring several plates of antique tackle from a man who faults a world-record high jumper because he didn't the Museum's collection. jump just a little higher; it is hard to criticize the best. On the Book reviewers, in order to give an appearance of balance, other hand, a modest additional effort would have resulted in a often search for one or two small (not to say trifling) negative measurably sounder product, so there is some cause for regret. notes, and we have (finally) found one. Should the bottom ever Angling Books of the Americas is without question a major fall out of the Executive Director market and our director re- triumph. Serious students of American angling history will find turn to rangering, he will be dutifully watching for Art Lee, who it invaluable. All literate anglers, historian or not, would find mistakenly informs us (p. 170) that "no license is required" it uniquely rich in the lore which is such an important part of to fish in Yellowstone Park. our sporting tradition. P.S. P.S. The Fisher maris Diary New Publishers by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich We are aware of two new book publishing ventures that will specialize in angling books. Both of these publishers have offered 757 Third Avenue to provide the Museum library with copies of all their fishing New York, New York, titles. 144 pages, $10.00 Champoeg Press of Oregon has inaugurated a book club for fly fishermen. They plan to produce three or four limited The collection of The Museum of American Fly Fishing is editions a year, starting with Lee Richardson's Tales of Fly among the subjects featured in The Fisherman's Diary, a nicely Fishing in British Columbia. The next book will be Angler's done calendar book that devotes a page to each week of 1979. Workshop, the long unpublished manuscript by Letcher Lam- Each week-page is faced by an illustration, a great many of buth. Angler's Workshop is edited by Steve Raymond, who which are either historic tackle or illustrations from early angling also provides a lengthy introduction. The Museum will add its books and periodicals. The book has a short introduction by copy of the Lambuth book to its Letcher Lambuth Memorial A1 McClane, "The Angler's Year", a pleasant introduction to Exhibit, which features two Lambuth rods, a hand-made net, sportfishing around the world, by season. flies, and other gear. The book also features a number of paintings and drawings Champoeg Press, P.O. Box 92, Forest Grove, Oregon, 97116. by Dave Whitlock and Bill Elliott, and occasional historical Nick Lyons, who developed and edited Crown's "Sportsmen's notes, such as founding date of The American Fish Culturists Classics" series, will produce a group.of angling books under his Association and the incorporation date of Trout Unlimited. own imprint for distribution by Doubleday & Company. There is a listing of Fish and Game Department addresses The first book in the Nick Lyons/Doubleday line will be and a fisherman's log book, and the entire presentation is in a My Moby Dick by the distinguished novelist William Humphrey pale sepia tint. The photographs of Museum treasures were (Home from the Hill, The Ordways, The Spawnzng Run). My taken by Manchester's own Tony Skilton, and we are pleased Moby Dick chronicles the author's pursuit of a gigantic brown to have them appear in such an excellent book. trout for an entire season, during which the fish teaches him P.S. how to fly fish! The book, which will retail for $6.95, is avail- able from Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York. Already under contract for forthcoming books in the Nick Lyons Books series are such authoritative writers about angling as Dave Whitlock, Frank Woolner, Lamar Underwood, Doug Swisher and Carl Richards, and Charles E. Brooks. Editorial office: 342 West 84th Street, New York, New York 10024.

Books Needed for Museum Library

The follo wing books are needed for the Museum's Research Library. Many of our members are avid collectors, and may have Gary La Fontaine - Challenge of the Trout two or more copies of the same title. And, of course, most of Eric Leiser - Larry Solomon - The Caddis and the Angler the books listed under the "Modern" category are readily avail- able from book dealers today. Nick Lyons -Bright Rivers Vincent Marinaro - In The Ring of the Rise Modern Norman Maclean - A River Runs Through It - Enos Bradner Northwest Angling Martin Keane - Classic Rods and Rodmakers Richard Braritigan - Trout Fishing in America George Mendoza - Fishing The Morning Lonely Charles Brooks - Nymph Fishing for Larger Trout Secret Places of Trout Fishermen Larger Trout For the Western Fly Fisherman J. Michael Migel - The Masters On the Dry Fly Russell Cliatham - The Angler's Coast Sylvester Nemes - The Soft-Hackled Fly Striped Bass On the Fly John Reiger - American Sportsmen and the Origins of Con- Trey Combs The Steelhead Trout - servation Steelhead Fly-Fishing and Flies Donald Roberts Flyfishing in Still Waters Harry Darbee - Mac Francis - Catskill Fly Tier - Ernest Schwiebert - Remembrances of Rivers Past Everett Garrison - Hoagy Carrnichael, - A Master's Guide to Building a Bamboo Fly Rod Trout Arnoltl Gingrich - The Toys of a Lifetime Doug Swisher - Carl Richards - F1.y Fishing Strategy Tying the Swisher-Richards Flies George Grant - The Art of Weaving Hair Hackles for Trout Flies Montana Trout Flies Charles Trench - A History of Angling Trout Unlimited - U.S.D.I. - Wild Trout Management George Herter - Professional Fly Tying, Spinning and Tackle Making Manual Dave.Whitlock - Robert Boyle - The Fly Tier's Almanac Larry Koller - Taking Larger Trout Loring Wilson - Tying and Fishing the Terrestrials Lefty Kreh - Fly Fishing In Salt Water Leonard Wright - Fishing the Dry Fly as a Living Insect Fly Casting with Lefty Kreh Fly Fishing Heresies

Page 28 Vintage Hewitt, E.R. - Days From 75-90 (1957) Abbott, Henry - Raquette River (1931) Handbook Of Trout Raising& Stocking (1935) Adams, A.L. -Field & Forest Rambles (1873) Ringwood Manor (1946) Hills, J.W. - The Golden River (1922) Aflalo, F.G. - A Fisherman's Summer in Canada (191 1) The Dorado (1932) Alexander, K.B. - Log of The North Shore Club (1911) Hoover, M.H. - Wild Ginger (1909) Allen, C.P. - Cruises of The Second Presbyterian Fishing Club (various dates) Hunt, J.H. - Three Runs in The Adirondacks (1892) Allenton, R.G. -About Brook Trmt (1869) Hunt, R.C. - Salmon in Low Water (1950) Hunt, W.S. - Frank Forester: A Tragedy In Exile Anglers Club - The Anglers Club Story (1956) Anonymous - Fishing The St. Lawrence (1862) Hutchings, J.M. - In the Heart of The Sierras (1888) Ives, M. - Seventeen Famous Outdoorsmen (1929) Baillie - Grohman, W.A. - Camps in The Rockies (1882) Jorgensen, F.E. - Twenty Five Years A Game Warden (1937) Barker, F.C. - Lake & Forest As I have Known Them (1903) Judd, D.W. - Frank Forester's Life & Writings (1882) Bayliss, S.M. - Camp & Lamp (1897) King, J.L. - Trouting On The Brule River (1879) Bibliography - Any & All Angling-Sporting Bibliographies King, W.R. - Sportsman & Naturalist In Canada (1866) Bradley, W.A. - Fly Fishing Reminiscences (1929) Kipling, R. - American Notes (1899) Brinley, F. - Life of William Porter (1860) Lanman, C. -Adventures In The Wilds of North America (1854) Brown, J.J. -Angler's Almanac for 1848 Letters From A Landscape Painter (1845) Angler's Guide (1845) Letters From The Alleghany Mountains (1863) Angler S Guide (1846) A Summer In The Wilderness (1847) Bulger, G.E. - St. Hubert's Club (1864) A Tour To The River Saguenay (1848) Catalogs - All Especially Prior to 1920 Lansing, A. - Recollections Clarke, K. - Living Lamps (1888) LeMoine, J.M. - Historical & Sporting Notes On Quebec (1889) Where The Trout Hide (1889) Masten, A. - The Story of Adirondack. (1968) Colorado, State Of - Rod & Line in Colorado Waters (1884) Mather, F. - My Angling Friends Comeau, N.A. - Life & Sport On the North Shore (1909) Men I Have Fished With Cross, D.W. - Fifty Years with Gun & Rod (1880) McClane, A.J. -Practical Fly Fisherman (1953) Cross, R.R. - Tying American Trout Lures (1934) Megantic Club - The Megantic Book For 1909 Cunningham, A.R. - Letters & Diary of John Row e (1903) Murphy, J.M. - Rambles In Northwestern America (1879) Dalton, J.R. -Salmon Fishing In Eastern Canada (1898) Sporting Adventures In The Far West Dashwood, R.L. - Chiploquorgan (1871) Needham, P. - Trout Streams (1938) Davis, G. - The Southside Sportmen's Club of Long Island Norris, T. - American Anglers Book (1864) (1909) Northrop, A.J. - Camps & Tramps In The Adirondacks (1880) Dawson, G. -Angling Talks (1883) Fishing In Northeastern Michigan (1880) Osborne, E.B. - Forest, Lake & Random Rhjwzes Doughty, J. & T. - Cabinet of Natural History (1830 & 1832) (1893) - Dufferin -My Canadian Journal (1891) Parmachenee Club The Parmachenee Club (n.d.) Phillips-Wolley, C. - A Sportsmans Eden (1888) Farrar, C.A.J. - Camp Life in The Wilderness (1879) Down The West Branch (1886) Pond, F.E. - Life & Adventures of Ned Buntline (1919) Eastward Ho! (1884) Sportsman Directory (1891) Guide to Moosehead Lake (1889) Quackenbos, J.D. .- Geological Ancestors of the Brook Trout Guide to Androscoggin Lake (1887) (1916) Guide to Rangeley (1876) Radford, H. V. - Adirondack Murray, A Biographical Appreci- From Lake to Lake (1887) ation (1905) Through The Wilds (1892) Revoil, B.H. - Shooting & Fishing In the Rivers, Prairies & Back- Up the North Branch woods of North America (1865) A Summer Ramble Robinson, A.W. - Sportsmens & Tourists Guide Book To The A Trip To Rangeley Dead River Region of Maine (1886) Wild Woods Life Rowan, J. J. - The Emigrant & Sportsman In Canada (1876) Flag, W. - Halcyon Days (1881) Sage, D. - The Ristigouche & Its Salmon Fishing (1888) Flint, C.R. -Memories of An Active Life (1923) Schreiner, W.H. - Schreiners Sporting Manual (1841) Fowler, A. - Cranberry Lakes From Wilderness to Adirondack Schuylkill Fishing Co. - Memoirs of the Old Schuylkill (1830) Park (1968) 9, Memoirs of the Old Schuylkill (1889) Francis, C.S. - Sport Among the Rockies (1889) ,, Memoirs of the Otd Schuylkill (1932) Garlick, T. -Artificial Propagation of Fish (1857) Smith, J.V.C. - Natural History of The Fishes ofMass. (1833) Gilman, C.R. - Life On the Lakes (1836) Strother (?)D.H. - The Blackwater Chronicle (1853) Goldey, C.P. - The Sportsman's Directory & Year Book (1893) Tolfrey, F. - The Sportsman In Canada (1845) Hallock, C. - An Angler's Reminiscences Townshend, J.K. - Narrative of A Journey Across The Rocky Hallock 2 American Club List & Sportsman's Mountains (1839) Glossary. Tuscarora - Tuscarora Clubs Forty Year History (1941) Hammond, S.H. - Hills. Lakes & Forest Streams (1854) Van ~est-Memoir of George W. Bethune (1867) Hardy, C. - Forest Life in Acadie (1869) Webber, C.W. - The Hunter Naturalist (1851) Sporting Adventures in The New World (1855) Willis, N.P. - A1 'A Bri (1839) Herbert, H.W. (Frank Forester) - Fishing with Hook & Line (n.d,) Ziegler, W.G. et a1 - The Heart of The Alleghanies (1883) Page 29 Museum News Fly Collection Under the energetic leadership of Museum Trustee Richard Bauer, we have made great strides in filling in some of the gaps in our collection of fly patterns. Rich, with able assists from Charles Brooks, Steve Raymond, and others, has been contact- ing well-known tiers, encouraging them to donate a selection of their favorite and best-known patterns to the Museum. As a result of this project and the continuing generosity Ray Bergman's fly box, with 88 of his personal wet flies. of friends of the Museum,. we have commitments from some of the most distinguished tiers in the country. Several exciting gifts of flies, unrelated to the above project, have also been received lately. Among these are the Patent File and Index Completed personal flies, and fly boxes of Ray Bergman and Charles Ritz, the former donated by Joe Weise of Claryville, New York, Some of the Museum's most important needs and functions the latter by Pierre Affre, of Paris, France. are almost completely invisible to the membership. One of these The Museum is still lacking flies by some of America's is our research library and information files, which we use ex- best-known tiers, including Cross, Marinaro, Fox and Blades. tensively in handling requests for historical data and to study If any of our members have, or can obtain, such flies for the donations we receive. An essential part of this research us, they should contact either Richard Bauer, R.D. No. 1, facility is the fly fishing tackle patent file, which contains a Box 73, Towanda, Pennsylvania, 18848, or the Director of thorough listing of patents issued for fly fishing gear, including The Museum. rods, reels, flies, and assorted gadgets, from before the Civil War to the present. The file itseli fi& several large volumes, and was compiled over the past several years by Kay Brodney, Museum Trustee at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Kay has just recently completed the monumental task of in- dexing this fie. The index arrived shortly before this issue was to go to press. It consists of approximately 2,000 cards, cross- referenced to inventor, patent assignee, invention, and patent number. With a file the size of our patent file, such an index is a great finding aid, and will greatly simplify our research. We thank Kay for-her help with this project, which consumed many A palmer dun, one of 14 exquisite flies donated by Chauncey Lively. hours of her time.

Federation of Fly Fishermen to Distribute Slide Program

The Museum Slide Program, announced in our last issue, is currently being prepared for duplication by the Audio-Visual Department of the Federation of Fly Fishermen. Once the copies have been made they will be placed in the seven regional distribution centers of the Federation, and will then be avail- able to any organization interested in learning more about the Museum. It is not necessary for an organization to be a member of the Federation in order to borrow their many audio-visual presentations. The Museum Officers are pleased to have this involvement with the Federation and their excellent audio-visual program. The Federation offers a great variety of films, slide programs, and instructional presentations through their audio-visual distri- bution centers. This is a real blessing for the Museum, as it will tremendously improve the circulation and availability of our program, and expose many more anglers to our work. We will, in a future issue, inform the membership as soon as the program is available. Because of the needs of the parties involved in making the copies, we will not have a copy of the program available for loan in the meantime. We will also publish the addresses of the regional distribution centers of Charles Ritz's dry fly box is inscribed to him from Jon Tarantino the Federation at that time. A Gift Suggestion Fly Fishermen have long been subjected to a certain amount of ridicule for their devotion to gadgetry; the picture of the angler, laden with an assortment of gear, vest bulging with boxes, reels and sandwiches (and festooned with retractable surgical appliances), is a common one. In fact, one angling friend of ours has established "criteria of impracticality" which items oi tackle must meet in order to qualify for his vest . . . they must be, he insists, "small, expensive, and heavy." The Museum of American Fly Fishing has in its collection some splendid examples of such gear, and recognizes the role they play in the sport. On the other hand, we sympathize with A Note of Thanks the angler's friend, who discovers that his partner (or husband, Museum publicity, directed at making the American angler or wife) already h?is one of every available gimcrack (another more aware of our work and needs, is a matter of continual angler we know is looking for some bulky object to put in the effort. We wish to thank especially the following publications, back pocket of his vest . . . "The front is getting too heavy, and who have donated advertising space. I need something back there for balance"). We suggest, there- Fly Tyer magazine, a brand new quarterly magazine edited fore, an alternative approach to gift-giving. A Museum member- by Dick Surette, was kind enough to run the Museum ad in the ship, though it cannot be attached to a spring-loaded zinger, has premier issue. Fly Tyer is sure to be well received by the obvious rewards. Besides helping a good cause, the giver has the country's tiers. We wish them every success and recommend gratification of knowing that the givee will be reminded of him Fly Tyer to our members. every time the Museum's magazine arrives. The Fly Fisher, the publication of the Federation of Fly We therefore direct your attention to the membership rates Fishermen, first began publicizing the Museum several years appearing on this page. If you choose to give a membership, ago and now is working with us through Mike.Fong, the present simply let us know, and we will send a letter to the person you editor. The Federation and the Museum have many common have chosen. Don't forget to give us the recipient's address. interests in education and conservation, so we look forward to continued and increased cooperation with them. Notice also in this issue, in the Museum News department, that the Museum Exhibit at Federation Federation will be distributing the Museum's slide program. of Fly Fishermen Conclave Fly Fisherman magazine, a long-time friend and generous supporter of the Museum, has done us so many favors it would The Director of the Museum traveled to West Yellowstone, be almost embarrassing to list them. We were especially pleased Montana, the last week in August to represent the Museum at with the splendid picture essay, written by Craig Woods, that the National Conclave of the Federation of Fly Fishermen. The appeared in Fly Fisherman Volume 9 Number 5. This timely exhibit, which lasted through the first three days of the con- feature did much to bring the Museum to the attention of clave, featured several framed sets of flies, including western and anglers. midwestern patterns by Brayshaw, Knudson, Grant, Pott, Gapen, and Kilburn. A special feature of the exhibit was a set of movable plaques, each containing historical items, such as Membership Information snelled flies, an assortment of antique line guides, and a section of century-old horse hair line. These items, which could be Members receive THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER, but the handled and examined closely, were very popular. magazine is only the most visible of the membership benefits. At the Annual Awards Luncheon a brief slide presentation Others include information and research services, appraisals for was given, to introduce the group to the work of the Museum. donors of materials, and involvement in museum activities. And, It seemed an especially appropriate occasion for the talk, as a of course, the existence of the Museum, and its continuing work large part of the Museum's god is the honoring of past anglers in preservation and education, is the greatest benefit of all. for their contributions to the sport, much in the way the Professional care and exhibiting of the treasures of angling Federation honors its own leaders. history is a costly project. The Museum, a member institution of the Americah Association for State and Local History and the New England Conference of the American Association of Museums, maintains itself and its collections through the gen- Our Next Issue erosity of its friends. A tie tac is presented with.each membership of $25.00 or With the publication of our next issue, The American Fly more. Fisher will complete its fifth full volume. In order to increase its usefulness as an historical reference, Volume 5, Number 4 will Associate $ 15.00 contain an index of all previous issues. Sustaining $ 25.00 The Museum of American Fly Fishing celebrates its tenth Patron $100.00 and over birthday this year. A survey of its accomplishments and Life $250.00 struggles, with remarks by some of its friends, will also appear in the next issue. This will include a brief administrative history All membership dues, contributions and donations are tax of the Museum, as well as highlights of its collecting program. deductible. Volume 5, Number 4 will in a sense be a supplement. It will Please forward checks to THE TREASURER, The Museum not feature articles or color illustrations, and will have only as of American Fly Fishing, Manchester, Vermont 05254 with many pages as necessary for its primary function as index and your NAME, ADDRESS and ZIP CODE; type of membership Museum history. With the first issue of Volume6, The American desired and a statement of the amount enclosed. Upon receipt, a Fly Fisher will return to its customary size and format. magazine and membership card will be mailed immediately.

Page 3 1 The Morals of Fishing: William Henry Harrison Murray, the famous popularizer of the (continued from page 3) Adirondack region, whose Adventures in the WiMerness (1869) was only one of several books on outdoor life. bay, and the light that yet plays upon the surface is ruddy and mellow. The oar is thoughtful, and dips and rises gently. At George Oliver Shields, author or editor of several outdoor each pull the oarsmen pause, and musical drops, through which books, such as Rustlings in the Rockies (1883) and Cruisings the liiht flashes, trickle back to the deep whence they had in the Cascades (1889). risen. Each drop is a sphere, and in each sphere might have a- risen the mother of beauty, liquid Venus Anadyomene. And Smith, Jerome van Crowninshield, author of Natural History so came we into life, and so sink away from it, into the great of the Fishes of Massachusetts (1833), a first American Eternal Sea. book on fishing. The day is over. The cars have received us. Our thoughts have dismissed all their fanciful forms. We talk of failures, of Forest, Lake and River, F. M. Johnson, University Press, Cam- brilliant strokes of policy, of banks, and ships, of what this man bridge, 1902, 2 volumes, elegant olive suede calf covers, is worth, and what his neighbor was worth just before he be- a limited edition of 350. came worth nothing. In short, we are sensible again; fit to plod on the streets, so & to have good, sound, prud;nt men tail us Tarpomania and Buck Fever, E. R. Johnson, private printing a safe and discreet man! of very limited edition, with full grain morocco, picture But to return to our correspondent. Will he be pleased to say inlay of white morocco and gilt of tarpon. to all disputants who quote our example, that we never fish except with a remote culinary inspiration; that we never catch Tarpomania-The Madness of Fishing, Stack, New York, 1908, more than will supply the reasonable wants of the family, and bound same as previous title and probably in same limited that, too often, unfortunately, we stop far short of that. edition. Both were bound by the late French Binders of The gentle gurgling of the brook, what is it to a thoroughly Long Island. practical man but a remembrancer of the savory simmering of the frying-pan? It couples the practical and domestic end of Sporting Excursions in the Rocky Mountains, J. K. Townshend. fishing with the physical and poetic excitement of the oper- This is the English edition of 1840, and is a title change from ation! Alas! That a world should be so barbarous as to con- the 1st. edition of 1839 (Philadelphia), called Narrative of a demn piscatory sports so long as they contribute to excercise, Journey Across the RockyMountains, by John K. Townshend taste, sentiment, and moral enjoyment; and that all objection (sic). ceases when a man can prove that he labored for his mouth alone. It is all right, if it was eating that he had in mind. The The Sportsman in Canada, Frederic Tolfrey, London, 1845. frying-pan is in universal favor. This is the modern image that Fascinating appendix containing best flies for North Ameri- fell down from heaven which all men hold in reverence! can 'Rivers and how to tie them. Inform your friends, if you please, that our skill in fishing The Turner Plates, A. D. Turner (Twelve Lithographs of Fish). is principally displayed upon paper; and that our excursions Twelve plates of fishes, mounted in heavy gilt coated mattes, usually turn out to be a little of fishing, a good deal of wander- made up to accompany Johnson's Forest, Lake and River ing dreamily about, yet more of lying under trees, or of being (see above). perched up in some notch of a rock, or of silent sittings on the edge of ravines and trumpeting waterfalls. And, fimally, inform Cruises of the Second Presbyterian Fishing Club, 1878-1880's, them that we are guiltless of shooting, and seldom feel an im- Allen 8 (the first published) through 15, and C. F. Schroeder pulse to explode powder, except when we see respectable city 16 through 18. A delightful series of booklets of excessive stupidities killing little singing-birds. We sometimes feel an rarity because so easily dispersed. In forty years of collecting inclination then to shoot the unmannerly fowler. No gentle- I have still not seen the 18th. Only 30 copies pr@ted of each man would shoot a singing-bird. And now, if our cor&spon- issue. dent's friends will, in spite of his excellent dissuasions, still go a-fishing, our only wish is that after two seasons of fihing The Henry Abbot Series. Small books in simulated birchbark, they may do what we have not done-catch so many fish as private printing, very limited editions. There were 19 in all, would, if sold at a fair price, pay the expense of their tackle. mostly done in the 1920's. Two of these charming sketches of adventures and observations in the Adirondack moun- How to Start a Book Collection: tains I havemot seen. (continued from page 9) References: Additional notes on titles and authors listed in George Washington Bethune. The erudite editor of America's the text, given in the order of their appearance: first Complete Angler.

Salmon Fishing on the Cain River, Lee Sturges. Private printing, The Cabinet of Natural Histoy, J. & T. Doughty, 1830 and Chicago, 1919. A fire burned all but a handful of the original 1832. An outstanding early contribution to American fifty copies. sporting literature, with first color plates to appear in an American sporting book. Rod, Gun & Pallette in the High Rockies, L. Blomfield, private printing, Chicago, 1914. Less than 25 copies printed, for Bashford Dean, author of Fishes, Living and Fossil (1895) and participants, has 4 full-color landscapes by the author. A Bibliography of Fishes (1916, enlarged and edited by Elegant work. Charles Rochester Eastman).

John Taintor Foote. Author of many short fishing books, from 1920's to the present, including Fatal Gesture (1935), Rather than provide our custumary biographical sketch of Angler's All (1947), and A Wedding Gift (1924). the author here, we refer readers to the book review of his outstanding bibliography on page 27. We feel that ANGLING Dixie Carroll, author of Fishing Tackle and Kits, Stewart Kidd, BOOKS OF THE AMERICAS has never received the full review Cincinnati, 1919, a book with little about fishing but of notice it deserves, and so print this review even though the book some historical value. has been out some years. Page 32 Available from the Museum

THE AMERICAN FLY FISHER MUSEUM CATALOGUE, 1969-1973

Back issues of the Museum magazine are already beginning to A true rarity, the Museum's catalogue of holdings was appear in rare book catalogues. We have available all back issues published in 1973, shortly before THE AMERICAN FLY except Vol. I, No. 1; Vol. I, No. 2 ; Vol. 111, No. 2 ; Vol. 111, No. FISHER was launched. The quarterly magazine, which regularly 3;and Vol. IV, No. 3. $3.00 each. announces new acquisitions, has replaced the catalogue in function. The catalogue contains Austin Hogan's thoroughly researched essay "An Introduction to the History of Fly Fishing in America," as well as G. Dick Finlay's thoughtful description BROWN TJNIVERSITY FLY FISHING of the Museum's treasures. 24 pages, 8%" x ll", $4.00. EXHIBIT CATALOGUE WHERE THE POOLS ARE BRIGHT AND DEEP, In 1968 Brown University's Rockefeller Library exhibited a selection of rare angling books and tackle. The catalogue of this by Dana Lamb exhibit has already become a collector's item. The foreword is A superb collection of Dana Lamb's articles, together with by Joseph Bates, and the historical introduction by Austin some previously unpublished material, illustrated by Eldridge Hogan. 16 pages, paper covers, $3.00. Hardie'. Autographed. We have only a limited number of these left. $8.95. AMERICAN SPORTING PERIODICALS DON'T BLAME THE FISH OF ANGLING INTEREST by Bob Warner A collection of light-hearted fishing stories, described as "not Austin Hogan's unique checklist of 19th-century sporting quite fiction, but certainly not nonfiction either," DON'T periodicals also contains an historical introduction to angling BLAME THE FISH is illustrated by NEW YORKER cartoonist periodicals and a directory of libraries holding such material. William O'Brian. Bob Warner's many articleson outdoor subjects Numerous excerpts from significant periodicals are appended to have appeared in most of the well known magazines, and he is the work, published by The Museum of American Fly Fishing in a long-time friend of the Museum. We have very few copies of 1973. 128 pages, paperbound; $6.00. this autographed volume. $8.95. Catching trout with a bit of bent wire is a rather trivial business, but fortunately people fish better than they know. In most cases it is the man who is caught. Trout-fishing regarded as bait for catching men, for the saving of both body and soul, is important, and deserves all the expense and care bestowed on it.

John Muir