CONSEQUENCES OF FISHING DOWN STREAM. 25 



more rapid, hurrying over chanceless parts, and 

 fishing for luck quickly right a-head, hastening 

 on to more favourable localities. 



There is but one main objection to commencing 

 at the head of a stream, and I do not see how it 

 can be well got over. You hook a fish at the 

 head of a stream, and must generally play him 

 downwards. What is the consequence ? Is it 

 not plain that you must disturb many fish below 

 you, over which you have not as yet thrown your 

 flies ? I think it is evident ; and if I did not 

 think so, I should be decidedly in favour of down- 

 stream fishing, as being the most rapid, pleasant, 

 and apparently the most natural way. At the 

 head of a stream you hook a large and game 

 fish. He darts across it, down it, through it in 

 every direction, at one time splashing on the sur- 

 face of the water, at another doggedly struggling 

 beneath it, or rushing through it, as if an otter 

 were at his tail. His struggles are at any rate 

 extraordinary, and think you not instinct tells 

 other fish, perhaps shoal companions, that there 

 is something wrong ? Surely they see and hear 

 not usual sights and sounds, but somewhat alarm- 

 ing ones, because they are not customary. May 

 we not infer that they dread an enemy at hand 

 that they see a fellow fish in danger, and are 

 cowed into skulking for safety, at least for a time ? 

 All anglers will acknowledge something like this ; 



