Some Fishing Pretenses 



tenses which I believe have grown 

 out of overtraining among fishermen, 

 or have resulted from too much elabo- 

 ration of method and refinement of 

 theory. 



These affectations and pretenses 

 are, unfortunately, accompaniments 

 of a high grade of fishing skill; and 

 in certain influential quarters they are 

 not only excused but openly and stout- 

 ly justified. I cannot, therefore, ex- 

 pect my characterization of them as 

 faults and weaknesses to pass unchal- 

 lenged; but I hope that in discharging 

 the duty I have undertaken I shall 

 not incur the unfriendship of any 

 considerable number of my fishing 

 brethren. 



It has often occurred to me that 

 the very noticeable and increasing ten- 

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