Chum Exclusive! The Peroostermit

The Chum "I" Team has learned of a new species of gamefish, existence of which, (until now) has been a closely guarded industry insider secret. The Peroostermit, which looks like a cross between a permit and a roosterfish, lives only in the secluded bays of Moreau Island, a remote archipelago in Southeast Asia.

According to anonymous sources there is a private lodge on the island open only to members who own an on-line fly fishing magazine. When asked by the I Team if he had ever been to the island, Catch Magazine co-founder Brian O'Keefe had no comment. We were however able to confirm that the entire original cast of Pirates of the Flats has been to the island on numerous occasions. Anonymous sources also told us that there has been an organized effort by the Angling Trade organization to keep the location and fish a secret since there are no more undiscovered cool fish to catch out there. We could not confirm a report that Deeter's Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is actually secret coded directions on how to get to the island.

Due to the recent proliferation of on-line fly fishing magazines, Moreau Club membership has exploded spelling trouble for those trying to keep the Peroostermit a secret. Not only is word leaking leaking out, but so are pictures of what could be the last great undiscovered gamefish. There is even a rumor that a new Felt Soul movie is in the works called, Combover: Running Down the Black Tailed Devils, featuring Smethurst and O'Keefe. Part fishing movie, part buddy movie in the spirit of Hope and Crosby, it follows the two legends on a madcap adventure as they try to find the secret island and the elusive fish.

While working this story we heard rumors of another undiscovered Moreau area species called the Carpon, we'll have a full report next April.

Vintage Fish - April Fool's Edition

The most popular theory about the origin of April Fool’s Day involves the French calendar reform of the sixteenth century.

The theory goes like this: In 1564 France reformed its calendar, moving the start of the year from the end of March to January 1. Those who failed to keep up with the change, who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell between March 25th and April 1st, had jokes played on them. Pranksters would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of this prank were thus called Poisson d’Avril, or April Fish—which, to this day, remains the French term for April Fools—and so the tradition was born.

There is another theory that traces the origin of the custom back to the abundance of fish to be found in French streams and rivers during early April when the young fish had just hatched. These young fish were easy to fool with a hook and lure. Therefore, the French called them "Poisson d'Avril" or "April Fish." It became customary (according to this theory of its origin) to fool people on April 1st as a way of celebrating the abundance of foolish fish.

It's interesting to point out that Napoleon earned the Poisson d'Avril monicker when he married Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.

Some homegrown vintage April Fool's imagery.

Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post cover from March 31st 1945.