86 ANGLING FOE GAME FISH. 



Sea trout abound in many of the Scotch and Irish rivers, 

 but are found all round our coasts. In my opinion, they afford 

 better sport, relatively, than salmon, provided they are not 

 hooked on salmon-tackle, when, of course, they may be hauled 

 out. They vary in size in different districts, but lib. is a fair 

 average size, and 41b. a very good fish. In some of the rivers 

 on the West Coast of Ireland the average is very much higher 

 than this, and immense bags are sometimes made. An Irish 

 friend of mine, the Rev. Henry Henn, while fishing there for 

 salmon, caught in one day forty sea trout, weighing just under 

 701b. I would warn my readers against visiting even the most 

 noted sea-trout rivers during dry weather, or, at any rate, before 

 there has been a flood enabling the trout to push up into fresh 

 water. Lakes connected with the sea by a short river often 

 afford the best sea-trouting, but they will be found absolutely 

 void of fish until there has been a spate of sufficient magni- 

 tude to enable or induce the fish to leave the sea. Generally 

 speaking, sport is more uncertain and dependent on the weather 

 in the small streams than in the large ones.* 



Light salmon -tackle is frequently used for sea trout, but 

 it is far pleasanter to fish with the still lighter tackle used 

 for brown trout of large size. Moreover, fine tackle always 

 gives the best results, unless it is too fine to hold the fish. 

 Two or three flies are commonly used, and they may be 

 attached to the cast in any of the ways already recommended, 

 that shown at Fig. 58, on page 80, being, perhaps, the best. 

 Or the fly may be looped on (Fig. 39, a) in the centre of the 

 "buffer" knot (Fig. 68). Be very sure, by frequent examination, 

 that the knots, gut, casting-line, &c., are sound and strong, 

 for when sea-trouting there is always the chance of hooking a 

 salmon. On this account it is as well to have 80yds. to 100yds. 

 of line on the reel. 



The Flies for Sea Trout are not usually imitations of the 

 natural insect. Any of the salmon-flies (particularly the Jock 



* Dr. Hamilton, in his well-known book "Recollections of Fly-flshing for Salmon, 

 Trout, and Grayling," states that in some rivers on the West Coast of Scotland 

 capital sport may be had with the fish in the tidal pools, when the tide is low, but 

 flowing ; while in others nothing will induce a sea trout to rise until he is well into 

 freah water. 



