Dr. Theodatus Garlick
1805-1884

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Would you take a trip to New Zealand to catch a prize 6” bait fish?  Would you wade the rivers of Patagonia aimlessly casting flys if it were void of huge sea run trout coming in-land to spawn? Would Norman Maclean have penned A River Runs Through It if not for the rainbow?

Who would have thought that on that Ohio fall day of 1853 that so much more than  brook trout would have been spawned in those waters? Yes, that first day of U.S. trout conservation gave birth to the research that would later result in the “Holy Grail” of trout fishing.   Ohio?! “Holy Grail” of trout fishing?!

In 1857 an early American fly-fisherman known by the title “Father of American Fish Culture”, Ohioan Dr. Theodatus Garlick, wrote A Treatise on the Artificial Propagation of Certain Kinds of Fish.  This book would impact the modern fly-fishing world more than any other single event in its history.  How? Dr. Garlick’s ice method of transportation allowed adult trout and trout eggs to be successfully transported around the globe. Once the trout reached the desired destination the book acted as an extensive and extremely detailed guide to identifying trout waters, setting up hatchery systems, and successfully introducing trout into the water systems. Dr Garlick’s book provided the tools to establish trout in the waters known as some of the finest fly-fishing destinations in the world today.

TIME LINE

In viewing the time line below it is easy to see how Dr. Garlick’s studies and book played the predominant role in creating the modern fly-fishing world of today.

o             1853 - First United States fish hatchery and first trout hatchery established in Ohio by Doctors Theodatus Garlick (a fly-fisherman) and H.A. Ackley.

• o A treatise on the Artificial Propagation of certain kinds of fish. Theodatus Garlick MD 1857

o             1857 – Theodatus Garlick MD. publishes  A Treatise on the Artificial Propagation of Certain Kinds of Fish which details a perfect model for setting up trout waters abroad, a.k.a. glorious fly-fishing destinations of the United States and the world. This well-received guide earned Dr. Garlick the title of “Father of American Fish Culture”.  Dr. Garlick’s book provides extremely detailed descriptions and drawings along with proven methods that can be used even today. Dr. Garlick’s ice transportation method revolutionized the shipping of trout and trout eggs.  This innovation along with the invention of the steamship provided the avenue for stocking trout in waters in far away destinations. 
      o   New York Times Fly Rods and Tackle.* July 6, 1901, Wednesday  Section: The New York Times
              SATURDAY REVIEW OF BOOKS AND ART, Page BR4, 1051 words     
        o    A treatise on the Artifical Propagation of certain kinds of fish. Theodatus Garlick MD 1857

• o    1869 - U.S. brook trout eggs successfully shipped and established in England.
•            o    Imperialist Trout by Paul Schullery                  
• o    1883 - U.S. rainbows reach and are established in New Zealand.

o    Imperialist Trout by Paul Schullery 

  o       1884  - U.S. rainbows successfully reach the shores of England and are established in streams.

o    Rainbow Trout, Fishery Research Services, FRS is an agency of the Scottish Government

  o       1889 - Rainbows and browns are introduced into Montana streams which later inspires Norman Maclean to pen “A River Runs Through It”.

o    OUTDOORS; A Trout-Centric History Of Montana, With Latte By JAMES GORMAN  Published: August 5, 2002 The New York Times

• o  1896  - Von Berh Germain Browns stocked in the  Batten Kill

o    Batten Kill Trout Management Plan 2007-2012 State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Fish & Wild Life Department

• o  1904  - Patagonia’s first official shipment of trout received and established.

o    U.S. History of Trout Fishing in Patagonia  - Kent Schoenauer

• o  1941 -  Rainbow stocked in the Batten Kill.

o    Batten Kill Trout Management Plan 2007-2012 State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Fish & Wild Life Department

LINK TO DR. GARLICK’S BOOK     
www.archive.org/details/treatiseonartifi00garlrich