eager than men. The hotels of Tahoe keep their own
fishing-boats. The larger ones have a fleet of twenty or more, and in
the season this is found insufficient for the number who wish to try
their hand and prove their luck. Often great rivalry exists not only
in securing the boatmen who have had extra good luck or displayed
extraordinary skill, but also between the guests as to the extent
of their various "catches." When a boatman has taken his "fare" into
regions that have proven successful, and does this with frequency, it
is natural that those who wish to run up a large score should try hard
to secure him. This adds to the fun--especially to the onlookers.

The boat is all ready; the angler takes his (or her) seat in the
cushioned stern, feet resting upon a double carpet--this is fishing
_de luxe_. The oarsman pushes off and quietly rows away from the
pier out into deep water, which, at Tahoe varies from 75 feet to the
unknown depths of 1500 feet or more. The color of the water suggests
even to the tyro the depth, and as soon as the "Tahoe blue" is reached
the boatman takes his large hand-reel, unfastens the hook, baits
it with minnow and worm and then hands it to the angler, with
instructions to allow it to unreel when thrown out on the port side at
the stern.

At the same time he prepares a second hook from a second reel which he
throws out at the starboard side. At the end of each copper line a few
yards of fish-cord are attached in which a loop is adjusted for the
fingers. This holds the line secure while the backward and forward
pulls are being made, and affords a good hold for the hook-impaling
"jerk" when a strike is felt. While the "angler" pulls on his line the
boatman slowly rows along, and holding his line on the fingers of his
"starboard" hand, he secures the proper motion as he rows.

Then, pulling over the ledges or ridges between shallow and deeper,
or deeper and deep water, he exercises all his skill and acquired
knowledge and experience to enable his "fare" to make a good catch.
As soon as a strike is felt and duly hooked he sees that the line is
drawn in steadily so as not to afford the fish a chance to rid itself
of the hook, and, as soon as it appears, he drops his oar, seizes the
net, and lands the catch to the great delight of his less-experienced
fare.

Many are the tales that a privileged listener may hear around the
fisherman's night-haunts, telling of the antics of their many and
variou