Sierras Offer Entrancing Surrounding During Fall Months

Jack Bell Writes of Wonders of Mountains

Many Reno Men Enjoy Sunday in Hills and Return with Big Catches

By JACK BELL

Most of the neighboring California streams were well patronized by Reno fishermen yesterday. The weather was ideal. The waters crystal clear and at normal stages. The bright golden patches of frosted quaking aspen, the reds, orange multi-colored mixtures of every imaginable shade of vivid fall beauty covers the hills. Bands of deer roam the hills. Grouse wend their flights from one hill to another. At no other season are the hills so entrancingly lovely. There is a picture, a picture impossible to reproduce upon every hill, mountain and along every stream. The willows are shedding their summer beauty, the red and yellow leaves float along the streams. Magnificent is [xx] work to apply to what can now be seen within a short drive into the hills from Reno.

Season at Best

Many anglers do not seem to realize that the last half of October is the best of fishing of the entire year. Yesterday the trout rose to the very small dark flies with more downright fierceness than at any other time this past season. One rarely gets a small trout. Frank Kelly, Herb Hill and a few other old timers fished the upper Big Truckee yesterday. These two came back with well-filled creels. In the basket of Slim was a two pound Loch Leven among several one pounders. Kelly had several better than one pound. Bob, another real Izaak Walton, showed a good catch. The waters in the section between Truckee and Boca gave royal sport yesterday.

The fly fishermen along the entire length of the Little Truckee brought home well-filled baskets. This fine sport they obtain by upstream casting with flies never larger than 14s. Ginger quill red upright, big meadow brown hackle with peacock body took them.

The practice this time of year is to shoot the longest cast possible, don't let the cast float but spot recover immediately and keep it up. The trout will come clear of the water when they strike. Turn the wrist, don't strike the fish, he hooks himself. They take it in then [xx] and a jerk or strike will invariably tear out of the fish's mouth. The sizes taken on the Little Truckee vary from a two pound rainbow or Loch Leven down to the wonderful little seven inch native species that is such a delicious pan fish. However, the general size taken in these and contiguous waters will increase a quarter of a pound.

Gardenhackle, helgimites, grass hoppers for the bait fisherman and a [xx] nickel or brass spinner with a Number [xx] hook [xx] is a mighty alluring offer for them when [xx] with a worm.

There is but 16 days more of this fine sport. The season closes midnight October 31.