6 FISHER]VIAN'S LURES 



after, for it is a most undesirable condition to 

 have lakes or streams contain many large fish 

 of cannibalistic traits that deplete the waters 

 they occupy of an astonishing number of smaller 

 fish of their own kind and others. If anglers only 

 capture the smaller sizes, and the big fish eat them 

 as well, the chances are very poor for the stream 

 or lake to be supplied with fish sufficiently large 

 to make fishing worth while as time goes on. It 

 is quite true the bigger the fish the harder it is 

 to capture; for that very reason we should push 

 our efforts more in the direction of finding out 

 just what are the best methods and lures to get 

 them. In that way we solve another problem of 

 how to encourage a greater abundance of fish. 



In short, this opening chapter begins witli an 

 earnest plea to persuade every angler in this broad 

 land, first to force upon himself a stern self-sacri- 

 ficing abstinence from the capture of small-sized 

 fish, and secondly, to make every effort to induce 

 others to do likewise. This is of the most vital im- 

 portance, for, in the short space of two years, 

 each angler will reap the benefit, as the result of 

 larger growth will be astounding and satisfying 

 beyond all measure. I have often thought, if it 

 could only be possible to stop all angling for just 



