White Trout (S. Irutta). 



91 



bright baits he should mount. 

 An eel tail makes an excellent 

 spinner, and is mounted in 

 the following manner : File in 

 half, horizontally, a good-sized 

 Devon minnow, and having pro- 

 cured a small sand eel, about the 

 thickness of the body of the min- 

 now, cut off 2 in. from the tail ; 

 peel the skin down about half- 

 way. Cut off the portion of the 

 vertebra that has been stripped, 

 and slip the piece of loose skin, 

 with the remainder of the tail 

 attached, on to the Devon and 

 draw it up to the fin flanges. Tie 

 the skin tightly with waxed silk. 

 By means of a Jong needle, a 

 piece of gut with a triangle hook 

 attached may be threaded through 

 the tail, and brought out through 

 the mouth of a Devon ; the hooks 

 are fastened half-way up the tail. 

 Mounted in this way, the tail 

 spins neatly in the water. I have 

 taken large white trout on this 

 bait, and found it deadly when 

 other lures failed. 



Fly-fishing for sea trout is the 

 most delightful method of captur- 

 ing them. Some anglers use long 

 rods, and proportionately heavy. 

 This is a mistake in more ways 

 than one. It adds to the day's 

 labour, and the stiffness leads to 

 a larger number of fish break- 

 ing away. This is a common 

 experience. A pliable rod, 10 ft. 

 6 in. or ii ft., is the most suitable. 

 I use a split cane " Houghton," 

 and find it admirable in every 

 way. A reel with 60 yards of 

 line is necessary, and a gut cast 

 of medium size and the best 

 procurable quality. White trout 

 flies are of many patterns. In a 

 rapid stream a small silver doctor 

 or an orange grouse is very killing, 

 and blue floss bodies with hackle 



to match. Claret bodies, with 

 golden olive hackles, and golden 

 pheasant frill wings are favourites. 

 Other good patterns are black 

 bodies, claret hackle, ribbed with 

 silver twist, and mallard wings. On 

 loughs plainer flies do better, such 

 as rough bodies, claret and golden 

 olive, with hackles to match, and 

 mallard wings. Dyed seal fur is 

 the best material for these flies. 

 What is known as old leather, 

 with mallard wings, is very good 

 in low, clear water. The size of 

 the flies must be regulated by the 

 height of the river or lake. When 

 slightly discoloured, they may be 

 bigger and brighter. A golden 

 pheasant crest for the tail, and 

 jay shoulder hackle, show up well 

 in such conditions. 



White trout angling is down- 

 stream, and does not give much 

 opportunity for the application of 

 the dry fly art, although I have 

 seen the fish freely taking the May- 

 fly in a river when I was salmon- 

 fishing, and unfortunately had no 

 artificial patterns to tempt them 

 with. When the fish are on the 

 rise they are not above taking it 

 wet, or I believe any other way 

 in which it may be preferred. 

 The rise of a white trout is easily 

 distinguished from a brown. It 

 is much more aggressive, and 

 leaves a bigger break on the sur- 

 face. Three flies are used, and 

 mounted in the way already 

 described for brown trout. If the 

 trout is hooked on the dropper in 

 lake fishing, the water is gener- 

 ally sufficiently deep to prevent 

 the leader from fouling. In 

 rivers the rapids in which white 

 trout are found are usually swift 

 enough to keep the casting- 

 line well stretched and the flies 

 afloat. 



