TROUT FISHING. 223 



below, that the fate of the poor man was certainly ascer- 

 tained. 



Though better sport is probably attainable above the Falls, 

 still, from the magnificence of the scenery, the vast and pro- 

 found pools below were my favourite haunts. 



In former times the sport was really superior here, and 

 many a good basket of fish have I made ; but of late years 

 it has greatly fallen off. One reason for the diminution of 

 the fish is, that the disciples of Isaak Walton have increased 

 ten- fold; another, that in former times only the fly and 

 the worm were used, whereas, at the present day, every 

 one has taken to spinning, which, from the nature and 

 depth of the water, proves much more destructive to the 

 fish. 



As salmon do not make their appearance at Trollhattan 

 until after Midsummer, the only fish to be caught in the 

 early part of the season in the lower pools, are trout. 

 These consist almost exclusively of the Wenerns-Lax, the 

 species so common with us above the Falls. The Silfver-lax 

 was here very rare indeed. 



The trout below the Falls were not to be compared in size 

 with those above. I have heard of a sixteen-pounder being 

 speared under the saw-mills ; but I myself never killed one 

 of more than twelve pounds in weight, and that was con- 

 sidered an unusually heavy fish. In general, indeed, they 

 are here very much smaller; attributable, probably, to the 

 Falls confining them to situations where they are exposed to 

 constant persecution, and as a consequence no time allowed 

 them to arrive at maturity. 



Though in the pools in question the trout are not remark- 

 able for size, salmon are very large there. I myself never 



