SIZE or FLIES. 223 



racter, and the fish in proportion average larger; 

 and there, perhaps, anglers would never think of 

 using any hook less than my number 2 or 3, 

 while here, and on other rivers less bold, four or 

 five pounds is called a salmon, and the general 

 average weight of those taken does not exceed 

 ten or twelve pounds, though a few are caught in 

 each season of five and twenty pounds and up- 

 wards. But you may be sure that the few who 

 pay attention to the matter study the size of the 

 hook they shall put on, and are much more suc- 

 cessful than those who have but one size, and 

 that a large one. Many, perhaps, are accus- 

 tomed to fish only in one place ; they occasionally 

 meet with success in deeps with their monster 

 fly, and then, without thinking about the matter, 

 extol nothinp- but laroe ones, and have no faith 

 in waters from five or six foot depth, which they 

 call shallows. Perhaps, however, I do wrong in 

 giving you an impression that it is only the un- 

 thinking who declare in favour of large hooks. 

 One or two first-rate, and really scientific fishers 

 of my acquaintance, let me tell you, are partially 

 of that school. I say " partially," because though 

 generally preferring large to small, they qualify 

 their partiality by this saying, namely, "Large 

 hooks catch large fish;" which, to a certain 

 extent, is indisputably true, because large fish, 

 especially trout, generally lie in deep water, 



