TROUT RIVER AND LAKE MINNOW-SPINNING. 1 29 



*' tail triangle," and therefore the only material of which 

 the link can be made, if it is to be of any use, is gut — 

 single or twisted, the latter being the better of the two. 



The bait which finds most general favour is a Bleak, 

 which from its shape and glittering scaling has a light and 

 brilliant effect in the water. If a Minnow is used, it 

 should not be a small one, and in this case the flight 

 already described under the head of " Minnow-spinning" 

 may be substituted with advantage. The Thames 

 Trout fisher will often find, however, that he will kill 

 more fish with the fly, especially amongst the rough 

 water and foam of the weirs, than with a spinning bait. 

 The fly for this purpose should be large and gaudy, so as 

 to show up through the foam. The '' gold" fly described 

 in the chapter on Salmon fishing (and Plate, p. 88) dressed 

 on a very small-sized grilse hook — say a No. 13 of my 

 sizes, will be found as killing a fly as any for this purpose. 

 For fishing the quieter parts of the stream, a much 

 smaller fly is required, and for this purpose either of the 

 Trout flies already described can be advantageously 

 used. Thames Trout frequently run as large as 10 lbs. ; 

 specimens of 1 5 lbs,, and even larger, not being by any 

 means unknown. The season begins on the 1st of 

 April, and ends on the loth of September. 



