22 SALMONID^. 



ethereal, vitalizing, eleyating. There is nothing groveling 

 in fly-fishing — nothing gross or demoralizing. 



But bait-fishing ? Well — it is cruel to impale a minnow 

 or a frog. It is vulgar and revolting to thread a worm. 

 Worms! bah! let them goto the bottom. I drop my fine 

 just here. I have gained a temporary vantage for my bait- 

 fishing friend. If he loses the campaign, he deserves to be 

 beaten with his own rod. For myself, I boldly avow an un- 

 qualified preference for the fly in all cases where its use is 

 practicable. I have said as much already. Let it be re- 

 corded. 



III. 



Upon one other point I shall make issue with these ang- 

 lers par excellence — this select coterie of soi-disant profes- 

 sionals ; not because they are not really the experts they as- 

 sume to be, but because of the very complacent manner in 

 which they fold their arms upon the tip-top pinnacle of 

 cumulative knowledge, and superciliously look down upon 

 their fellow-crafts below. These eminent gentry affect to 

 despise trout-fishing. " Oh ! " they say, " we never trouble 

 such small game. We've got past that sort of thing. All very 

 well for those who have never had a hack at a salmon — very 

 decent sort of sport, you know: but as for tis, we couldn't 

 look at a trout when salmon are running."' 



"But, sir, consider — " 



" My dear fellow, it's no use talking, you never can have 

 an idea of real genuine sj^ort until you get hung of a forty- 

 j)ound salmon ! " 



Such positive assurances, coming from such high author- 

 ity, ought to be convincing and conclusive. Sir Oracle's 

 estimate of sport is evidently as between a half-pound trout 

 and a forty-pound salmon, all other conditions being equal. 



Now, in truth, the quality of sport is in the ratio of the 

 delicacy of the tackle to the strength and play of the fish. 



