INT ROD UCTOR Y 3 1 



fly rod which was considerably bent by a sinker weighing 

 about a quarter of a pound. The son and the boatman had 

 hand lines bearing leads which must have weighed at least a 

 pound and a half each, and below their sinkers were very long 

 snoodings, a combination which effectually prevented the bites 

 being felt. If a heavy weight is placed on a line used with a 

 fly rod, the fish cannot be struck immediately they bite, for 

 when the angler raises his hand the rod bends towards the 

 lead, and by the time the rebound comes, the fish, which have 

 felt the slight jar preliminary, may have quickly rejected the 

 bait. 



Never did fish bite faster than on that August day. In a 

 very short time I had six dozen, varying from half a pound 

 to nearly two pounds. My neighbours were catching next to 

 nothing, and shifted many times without bettering themselves. 

 Seeing they were faring badly, I called them to bring their 

 boat as close alongside of mine as they pleased. This they 

 did, but were even then unsuccessful, and I do not think they 

 caught altogether half a dozen fish. It was not a matter of 

 position that day at all ; no doubt I was in a good spot, but 

 fish were plentiful for some distance around me. The failure 

 of these people was entirely owing to their using both rod and 

 hand lines unsuited for the purpose. 



Yet another instance of the advantage of the rod over more 

 primitive methods : On the east coast of England there comes 

 a great run of codling close in shore during the autumn months. 

 One September I fished a good deal from the beach at Lowestoft, 

 using ordinary Nottingham tackle, and a paternoster with two 

 hooks. Along the shore was a perfect regiment of men who 

 were throwing out the lines peculiar to that part of the world 

 there is a drawing of them in Chapter VI. Suffice it here to 

 say, that each of their lines had thirteen hooks on it, and that, 

 with their heavy leads and heaving poles, they could get their 



