The Art of Trout Fishing

By Read Country Books

"The Art of Trout Fishing" is a collection of vintage articles on the trout, being a complete handbook on the trout with chaters on identifying, fishing, breeding, and more. Although old, these essays contains a wealth of timeless, practical information that will be of considerable utility to modern readers with an interest in angling for or breeding trout. Contents include: "The Trout (Salmo Trutta): Classification", "The Breeding of Trout", "How to Make a Trout Farm", "Fishing with the Floating Fly", "Fishing with the Float Fly: Patterns of Flies", "Fishing with the Floating Fly: The Rod and Tackle", "Fishing with the Floating Fly: Throwing the Fly", etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on the history of fishing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Country Books
• Release date: Oct 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781473343283

Book preview

CHAPTER XIV

THE TROUT (SALMO TRUTTA)

CLASSIFICATION

By G. A. BOULENGER, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., &c.

MOST modern ichthyologists agree in regarding the various European forms of trout, whether migratory or not, as varieties or races of a highly variable and plastic species, Salmo trutta, to be distinguished from the salmon by a few more or less constant characters, the most readily ascertainable of which resides in the smaller scales on the back of the caudal region of the body, there being 14 to 16 (rarely 13) in an oblique series between the posterior border of the adipose fin and the lateral line, and in the greater length of the folded anal fin as compared to the depth of the caudal peduncle. The gill-rakers are also usually fewer, 16 to 18 (10–12 + 6–7) on the anterior branchial arch. The young may be distinguished from salmon-parr by the greater length of the upper jaw, the maxillary bone extending beyond the vertical of the centre of the eye, and in specimens 6 inches long often to below the posterior border of the eye. The young are brown or olive above, silvery or golden below, with more or less numerous black and red spots in addition to the parr-marks (which vary from 8 to 17 in number), and, contrary to what is observed in the salmon, black spots are usually present below the lateral line. Except for the gradual disappearance of the parr-marks, this colouration is retained in the brook trout or brown trout (S. fario), which is non-migratory, and varies much in size according to the waters it inhabits, in some brooks not growing to more than 8 inches, whilst in larger rivers and lakes it may attain a weight of 20 lbs. or more. The colouration of the young is more strongly departed from in the races known as sea trout (S. trutta s. s.) and sewin (S. criox or cambricus), anadromous forms resembling the salmon in habits, and assuming in the sea a silvery colouration with, however, as a rule, more black spots on the sides below the lateral line. For the distinction of such specimens from salmon, the most important characters are to be found in the number of scales between the adipose fin and the lateral line, as given above (see Fig. 3, p. 10), and the comparatively deeper caudal peduncle which can be realised by the method, suggested by a Scandinavian fisherman, of holding the fish round the muscular part of the tail: if it easily slips through the hand, it is a trout, but the constriction of the tail in the salmon permits a firmer grasp. The second character is not absolutely reliable, and counting the scales is a surer method in case of doubt.

FIG. 4.—SIDE VIEWS OF HEAD OF YOUNG SALMON (A) AND TROUT(B). From specimens about 6 inches long.

The principal British races are the following:—

A. The northern sea trout, S. trutta sensu stricto, silvery, losing the teeth on the shaft of the vomer when adult, and migratory like the salmon.

B. The southern sea trout, sewin or truff, S. eriox or S. cambricus, similar to the preceding but with the hind margin of the gill-cover more or less produced, the lower bone (suboperculum) projecting beyond the end of the upper (operculum).

C. The brown trout, S. fario, non-migratory, usually retaining the teeth on the shaft of the vomer, brown or olive with black and red spots; rarely more silvery, with black spots.

D. The Lochleven trout, S. levenensis, distinguished from the preceding by a more silvery colouration, frequent absence of red spots, and a pink or red flesh.

E. Estuary trout, S. gillivensis and S. orcadensis, large brown trout living in salt water without assuming the silvery colouration.

F. The Gillaroo trout, S. stomachicus, in which the membranes of the stomach are conspicuously thicker than in other trout, more so in adult examples than in young ones.

All these forms, it must be admitted, are illdefined, and subject to such variations when transported from one locality to another as to render their recognition, even as races, a matter of insuperable difficulty. The instability of the characters on which S. levenensis is based has been conclusively shown by the experiments conducted by Sir James Maitland at Howietown.

Other European varieties are the trout of the Lake of Constance (S. lacustris), of the Lake of Geneva (S. lemanus), of the Lake of Garda (S. carpio), of Dalmatia (S. dentex), of Hungary (S. microlepis), &c., all of which are regarded by the best modern authorities as mere local forms of Salmo trutta.

Male trout, when attaining a large size, develop a hook on the lower jaw similar to, but usually less developed than that of the salmon.

As stated above, the size of trout varies much according to the waters in which they live. The anadromous form, or sea trout, nearly equals the salmon in this respect, specimens of over 4 feet and weighing up to 50 lbs. being on record.

The habitat of S. trutta extends over the whole of Europe, the Atlas of Morocco and Algeria, Transcaucasia, Asia Minor, and Northern Persia.

THE NORTH AMERICAN TROUT.

The trout is represented in North America, west of the Rocky Mountains, by a number of forms closely related to their European congener, and distinguishable from it by a greater number of rays in the anal fin, 10 to 12 well developed, or 9 to 11 branched, and the caudal fin spotted with black. Of these the best known is the Rainbow trout, Salmo irideus or shasta, which, through the United States Fish Commission, has been introduced in many parts of Europe, as well as the Eastern States of North America and New Zealand. It is more hardy and accommodates itself in almost stagnant waters, and has thus proved a success in many ponds which were regarded as fit for coarse fish only. It is a handsome trout, bluish or purplish above, silvery or golden below, more or less profusely spotted with black, and with an orange or red lateral band. In specimens taken in the sea, for some varieties are migratory, the colouration is bright silvery and the black spots may be much reduced. It abounds in every clear brook in Western North America, from the Mexican line northward to Mount Shasta, and occasionally in coastwise streams to Alaska and Kamtchatka. It varies much in size, specimens from Northern California often reaching a weight of six pounds, while in the Rio San Luis Rey, the southernmost locality from which it has been obtained, it seldom exceeds a length of six inches.

The Rainbow trout merges into a larger form, S. gairdneri, of 12 to 20 lbs. in weight, found in the Columbia and other rivers, and having habits similar to those of our sea trout. Another close ally is the Red-throated trout or Cut-throat, S. mykiss or purpuratus, distinguished by a deep red blotch on the throat, between the branches of the lower jaw and the membrane connecting them. It has nearly the same range of distribution as the Rainbow trout, of which it is perhaps only a race.

In establishing species, older authors were much influenced by the consideration of the various forms of trout being migratory or not. This view is gradually losing ground, and in a recent important report, Dr. Dahl, of the Trondhjem Biological Station, shows that sea trout are not dependent for reproduction on themselves only, but that a migration from fresh water to the sea goes on of trout which are not direct descendants of the sea form, but which belong to different varieties of fresh-water trout, and which, after they have reached the sea, become sea trout. It is well known that our brown trout in some rivers, when short of food, go down to the estuary, and perhaps to the sea, and the same has been observed with the Rainbow trout both in its native home and in our rivers.

Before passing on to the following section of the genus Salmo, it is desirable to allude, at least by name, to a very fine trout from Dalmatia, Salmo obtusirostris, specimens up to 30 lbs. in weight being caught in the Narenta River. This is a very distinct species, which in the form of the mouth, with its comparatively short and broad maxillary bone, is intermediate between trout and grayling. A closely allied form, named S. ohridanus, has recently been described from Macedonia.

THE PACIFIC SALMON, OR KING SALMON, Salmo (Oncorhynchus) quinnat, AND ITS ALLIES.

The group commonly designated as Oncorhynchus contains the largest and commercially the most important of the Salmonidæ. Oncorhynchus has been separated generically from Salmo as having a greater number of rays in the anal fin, viz. 13 to 18 well developed; but as we find 10 to 12 in S. irideus and its allies, and occasionally as few as 12 (11 branched) in Oncorhynchus sanguinolentus, the character is not one that would justify such a separation, and it is therefore better to regard the group of which S. quinnat is the type as a mere division of the genus Salmo. This course further commends itself by the fact that the Japanese S. macrostoma, with 12 or 13 well-developed anal rays, may be referred with equal propriety to either of these genera.

There are anadromous Salmonids inhabiting the North Pacific and entering the rivers of America as well as of Asia. They were first made known a century and a half ago by a celebrated naturalist, Steller, who applied to them Russian names which have been retained in the nomenclature by various authors.

The best known and most valuable is the Quinnat, Chinook, or King Salmon (S. quinnat or tschawytscha), found on both sides of the Pacific, from California and China north to Bering Straits, and ascending the large rivers in spring and summer. It has been introduced into the French rivers flowing into the Mediterranean and in Tasmania and New Zealand. It reaches an enormous size, specimens weighing over 100 lbs. being on record. In the sea, these splendid fish bite freely, but they do not take the hook when in fresh water. The economic value of the fish depends in great part on its being a spring salmon, when the flesh has its rich orange-red colour; as the spawning season approaches (July to December), the silvery colour, similar to that of our British salmon, disappears, the flesh loses its salmon colour, the scales become embedded in the skin, the jaws of the males become prolonged and hooked, and the front teeth very long and caninelike, and these males become distorted in shape and more or less strongly humped at the shoulders. Dr. Jordan remarks: "It has been often stated and generally believed that the salmon receive many injuries by striking against rocks and in other ways while en route to their spawning grounds, and, as a result from these injuries, those which go long distances from the sea die after once spawning. An examination of many salmon at the time of arrival on their spawning beds in Central Idaho showed every fish to be entirely without mutilations of any kind and apparently in excellent condition. Mutilations, however, soon appeared, resulting from abrasions received on the spawning beds while pushing the gravel about or rubbing against it, and from fighting with each other. The spawning act extends over several days, the eggs being deposited upon beds of fine gravel in clear, cold mountain streams. Soon after they have done spawning, both males and females die, each individual spawning only once. This is true of all, whether spawning remote from salt water or only a few miles or yards from the sea. The cause of their dying is not conditioned upon distance from the sea, but is general in its application to all species of Pacific coast salmon." The fact of breeding only once has been observed to be true of all species of the section Oncorhynchus, and the same is believed to be the case in a Japanese Salmonid allied to the white-fish (Coregonus), viz., Plecoglossus altivelis, the life of each individual ceasing at the end of the season of reproduction.

70.—UNDER THE BUSHES.

71.—NEARING THE END.

The numerous attempts that have been made to introduce the Quinnat salmon into the waters of the Eastern United States, of Europe, and of New Zealand, do not appear to have answered the expectations of pisciculturists.

CHAPTER XV

THE BREEDING OF TROUT

From Notes by Mr. E. V. CORRIE, of the Itchen River Trout-Breeding Establishment, Chilland, near Winchester

IT is a wonder that more people who are idle do not amuse themselves with the hatching of trout. There scarcely is a country place of any size at all that does not possess a stream large enough for the purpose, and, provided only that it be large enough, the flow of water very easily can be regulated so as to make it suitable for a hatchery. Of course, the breeding of a few trout on a small scale for the sake of amusement is a wholly different affair from breeding them for sale. When this is the object, several conditions become important that are entirely outside the sphere of things necessary for the breeding on the smaller scale. In the first place, if the venture is to be made a financial success, it is important to consider the locality and the accessibility to a market. It is no good breeding the best and most prolific trout for sale unless you have reasonable facilities for delivering them to a prospective buyer. Proximity to a railway station is the first consideration, then, and the second, from this point of view, we may perhaps say to be that the locality should be fairly central, that is to say, not tucked away into a corner of England. Evidently the neighbourhood of the sea is not very desirable, for it cuts off from you a half, say, of the land area that might be inhabited by people willing to buy your trout. It perhaps goes almost without the saying that you must have, for your fishery, an unfailing water-supply, and it must, further, be such a regular supply as you are able to keep well under control. It must not be liable to come down in flood, which would carry all away—your artificial arrangements as well as the ova and the fry. The ideal grade, or fall, from the highest water to the lowest on the fishery is some ten feet. Good work has been done, and is done, at some hatcheries with a fall of no more than half this; but a five-foot grade only just gives enough for the bare needs of the hatchery and ponds. It is far better to have a margin. A certain fall is essential not only for the purpose of drainage, but also for the aeration of the water—an important consideration. Nevertheless, though it is desirable that there should be this difference of level within the bounds of the fishery itself, it is not at all good that the land should fall away at all steeply just below the fishery. If this be the case, then, in soils of any but the most tenacious character, there will inevitably be a deal of leakage from the ponds, which will have to be met by constant trouble and expense in the way of puddling or cementing.

72.—A FEW HOURS BEFORE HATCHING.

73.—HATCHING.

74.—ALEVINS THRES DAYS OLD.

75.—ALEVINS DESTROYED BY FUNGUS.

Spring water of about 48° Fahrenheit is the best for hatching purposes, and should be led to a level where, by gravitation, river water can be mixed with it in readiness for the hatching out of the ova. It is best that the sources of supply for the hatching water should be open—that is to say, should not be over-hung by timber. If the object of the fishery is to produce large numbers of trout in a small area, it is advisable to choose what is called a lean, hungry, and cold water-supply, for in such water the fry, the yearlings, and even the mature fish can be kept, without much fear of disease, far more closely crowded than is possible in a water with a larger food supply. The trout, however, that are reared in those conditions always will be stunted in their growth, no matter how liberally they be hand-fed, and after they have