PREFATORY NOTE 



FRIENDS who have rendered kindness in 

 connection with this book are sincerely 

 and warmly thanked, one and all. 



To Mr. H. T. Sheringham, angling 

 editor of the Field^ and author of some of the best 

 and most authoritative works we have on angling 

 (particularly should be mentioned his a Coarse 

 Fishing ") is due the inspiration of this book. 

 The writing of "In the Beginning" (Chapter I) is 

 entirely the result of his experienced and gener- 

 ous suggestion to include a chapter on " first 

 beginnings," the term he used. He has assisted 

 me very really over this book. To " Red Spinner " 

 (Mr. William Senior) must be attributed the fact 

 that 1 have endeavoured to write about fishing, 

 and to that good man's kindness and character- 

 istics I was enabled gratefully to pay a tribute 

 in the Fishing Gazette* by special invitation of its 

 editor, Mr. R. B. Marston. 



The sub-title, " A book for { Slippered Ease,' ' 

 indicates, I hope, that the strict subject of trout 

 has been departed from oftener than I am afraid 



* Special article in the fishing Gazette, February i+tli, 19:0. 



