84 BY HOOK AND BY CROOK. 



who had a den of his own close hy ; and very nice they 

 looked stuck in rows on a thick sheet of cartridge 

 paper, all good local killers. 



Well, we soon got to work, and after a few casts 

 were fortunate in getting hold of a good fish, which, 

 however, after about ten minutes' play, to our intense 

 disgust parted company with us, the line coming back 

 in that flowing wave that leaves no room for doubt. 



Upon reeling-up we discovered that the gut-loop at 

 the head of the fly had drawn clean out and was still 

 attached to the gut-line. That tackle-maker deserved 

 never to be forgiven, as the loop instead of being long 

 enough to extend to the bend of the hook, was little 

 more than § of an inch in length. 



After this piece of bad luck we did not touch a fish 

 for a week, and fully determined to dress our own 

 hooks for the future, and have ever since done so, 

 taking lessons in the first instance and practice during 

 the remainder; so we derived some benefit from the 

 loss of what would have been our first salmon. 



Anglers have, and we hope will continue to have, 

 their own ideas as to the superiority of certain patterns 

 in killing fish, and although perhaps, as the old saying 

 goes, '^Anglers are less easy to please than the fish,'^ yet 

 it cannot be denied that in certain rivers or lochs, or at 

 particular times of the year, some patterns are to be 

 preferred ; such being the case, we, in common with all 

 anglers, have our particular views on the subject, and, 

 without wishing to thrust them down anyone's throat. 



