Old Book, Great FREE Advice

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ya'll check this'n out!

https://archive.org/stream/cu31924003257569#page/n192/mode/1up

[Steve C]

That's a pretty neat book.  Equipment-wise, fishing was a lot more difficult then.  I think we all owe a big "thank you" to DuPont for inventing monofilament line.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

You got that right.
Most of the "gadgets" in this book can be made fairly well.
Of them all, the fly rod whittle honed from a switch would be a bother, certainly.
But the lines of the day were a total PITA. They required constant attention, daily drying, frequent waterproofing and so on.
If you followed the advice here, and only changed your line for a modern version, you could go along way to having a good year of fishing.

Thanks Steve.9

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

It is a great book, Larry.

As with most of these oldies, it has plenty of line drawings, instructions, and colorful language.
They had a different style of writing than today; more picturesque, even poetic.
A boy of 1900 had a decidedly different education than we know, much steeped in both practicality and classicist thought.

It shows as you read along. To our ear, it sounds odd, with references to "halcyon Summer fields" or the "local tinsmith. Mention of Homer or charcoaling wood to preserve it rings oddly.
But the author also expects a fairly high level of dedication and "gumption" from his readers. This was a time when boys didn't wheedle and whine until their parents bought them things. If they were lucky, they'd get a new line or pack of hooks for their birthday, A kid was to earn the money, or make things himself back then. It shows.

I like his style, to step a new angler from the basics through to the high art - fly fishing.
It's both fun and informative.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ah, the good old days!

Those who got an education normally ended it by the time they reached our freshman year in high school. Thus the expression, " He had an eight grade education..."

But they were schooled in mathematics, reading, writing, often at least one other language, Latin, the Greek and Roman classics - all before the ninth grade! Ive seen the tests from that time for graduation - yes, they tested them! Most college grads to day couldnt pass them.

Commencement from there to "high school" included increases in science (biology-anatomy-chemistry), more language arts, engineering, drama, and so on.

True, we've expanded on our understanding of things. and more people go to school now, than then. But from what I can see - people aren't necessarily any smarter for it.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

:-)

[Slip Sinker]

thats going to be a good read ... thanks David for sharing

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I know you can appreciate it, Ken