434 FISH IN SHALLOW STREAMS. 



These streams form a peculiar class of river, doubtless 

 on account of the flat nature of the country, and are 

 at times of very considerable width, with perhaps only 

 a few inches of water flowing over their shingly beds. 

 At first sight people might be apt to suppose that no 

 fish would be found in them; indeed old prairie tra- 

 vellers will sometimes be found to assert that such is 

 the fact still almost all these streams usually reward 

 the patient angler with a goodly number of nice, 

 though small fish ; * as he will in almost all cases find 

 numerous narrow channels, some of them probably of 

 considerable depth, at intervals along the courses of 

 these rivers; such places afford excellent retreats and 

 shelter for fish, though they might very likely escape 

 the notice of a hasty observer. 



The foregoing examples of waters which at first 

 sight appear to hold out anything but an inviting 

 prospect to an angler, are of course mentioned not 

 with any view of advising the selection of such places 

 as angling resorts, but in order that, while doing homage 

 to the boundless resources of Nature in this as in 

 every other department of her work, we may point 

 out how the skilful and enterprising fisherman may 

 almost everywhere occasionally obtain fairly good 

 sport, even under the most apparently unfavourable 

 conditions. 



The exercise of the angler's art under its normal 

 conditions must now be considered. 



Sea fishing will require to be dealt with by itself, 

 as it necessitates the use of special boats and other 



* See The Hunting Grounds of the Great West, by Colonel Dodge, 

 U.S.A., 1876, p. 247. 



