Fly Fishing in Wonderland

A HILL VAGABOND
Snakin' wood down the mount'ins, Fishin' the little streams; Smokin' my pipe in the twilight, An' dreamin' over old dreams; Breathin' the breath o' the cool snows, Sniffin' the scent o' the pine; Watchin' the hurryin' river, An' hearin' the coyotes whine. This is life in the mount'ins, Summer an' winter an' fall, Up to the rainy springtime, When the birds begin to call. Then I fix my rod and tackle, I read, I smoke an' I sing. Glad like the birds to be livin'— Livin' the life of a king!
— Louise Paley in The Saturday Evening Post.
Copyright, 1910, By O. P. Barnes

TO JOHN GILL IN WHOSE COMPANIONSHIP I HAVE PASSED MANY DELIGHTFUL DAYS ALONG THE STREAMS AND IN THE WOODS; QUIET ENJOYABLE EVENINGS WATCHING THE ALPENGLOW ILLUMINATE THE SNOW-CAPPED MOUNTAINS; AND STORMY NIGHTS BESIDE THE SEA


This little writing has to do with the streams and the trout therein of that portion of our country extending southward from the southern boundary of Montana to the Teton mountains, and eastward from the eastern boundary of Idaho to the Absaroka range. Lying on both sides of the continental divide, its surface is veined by the courses of a multitude of streams flowing either to the Pacific Ocean or to the Gulf of Mexico, while from the southern rim of this realm of wonders the waters reach the Gulf of California through the mighty canyons carved by the Colorado.
This region has abundant attractions for seekers of outdoor pleasures, and for none more than for the angler. Here, within a space about seventy miles square, nature has placed a bewildering diversity of rivers, mountains, lakes, canyons, geysers and waterfalls not found elsewhere in the world. Fortunately, Congress early reserved the greater part of this domain as a public pleasure ground. Under the wise administration of government officials the natural beauties are protected and made accessible by superb roads. The streams also, many of which were barren of fish, have, by successful plantings and intelligent protection, become all that the sportsman can wish. The angler who wanders through the woods in almost any direction will scarcely fail to find some picturesque lake or swift flowing stream where the best of sport may be had with the rod.