CLOSE TIMES FOR TROUT 151 



responsible parties, and the great big trouts 

 which lie in the deep pools were taken out 

 periodically, it is likely that good might follow, 

 and the sporting average be maintained and 

 the numbers even increased. These big trout 

 are practically vermin, and ought to be killed 

 systematically, just as old black cocks and 

 old cock grouse should be thinned off, and 

 we would even go so far as to say treated like 

 pike at all times by those who would conduct 

 the operations properly, and be licensed to 

 do so. We would have no close time for 

 pike in trout waters, nor for hoary old sinners 

 of trout, that live only for evil, and not for 

 good. And, though we know we will at once 

 receive adverse opinion and criticism for say- 

 ing so, should any one consider it worth 

 while, we would not preserve kelts, i.e. kelted 

 fish, salmon, or big trout, to the extent which 

 our laws provide for. But if netting is to 

 be done (permitted), then it ought to be done 

 by responsible parties seeing it properly con- 

 ducted, and all young fish, or fish under a 

 certain size, according to the river, returned 

 to the water. If we owned a salmon river, for 

 instance, which we do not, we would be loath 



