AND HOW TO CATCH HTM. 29 



enough to beget to the workhouse : or like some modern pharisees 

 who cry out loudly against the cruelty of horse racing, and yet 

 compel a half starved pony, by the aid of thong and whipcord, to 

 drag the worthless carcases of a pater familias of some sixteen 

 stone, a fat and scarce less weighty wife, and two strapping over- 

 grown daughters, up hill and down, in a rattletrap heavy enough 

 for a dray horse. And pray let that Simon Pure Gentleman, who 

 so much delights the elders of the softer sex, by expatiating on the 

 cruelty of impaling worms, lay aside that tempting piece of bread 

 and butter he has just made his own, and persuade the rest of the 

 company to do the like : for depend upon it the ploughshare in 

 one single hour, tears more worms to pieces than would supply 

 the most persevering angler throughout the whole season. But 

 no more of this, lest I may be considered as saying or even hinting 

 a word against fly fishing, which is certainly one of the most in- 

 teresting methods that ever has, or probably ever will be, of catch- 

 ing trout. All that is meant to be contended for is, that fly fish- 

 ing is but one branch of the art of angling, which however 

 skillfully carried out is not alone sufficient to entitle a person to 

 style himself even a trout fisher, or at all times even to insure him 

 a moderate reward for his labours. In many streams in which I 

 have taken great numbers of trout, it has been next to an impos- 

 sibility to cast in an artificial fly, on account of the banks being 

 so much incumbered with wood ; and yet in these very places with 

 the real fly, or a bait of some kind or other, I have seldom failed 

 in obtaining a good catch. It must also be kept in mind that in 

 such inaccessible spots the fish being less frequently intruded on, 

 are much bolder than in more open waters , and although occa- 

 sionally hooking'the bushes instead of a fish may try your patience, 

 yet practice will afford great assistance in enabling you to avoid 

 the one, as well as to practice the other, 



In such waters also as are much whipped with an artificial fly, 

 the larger and more wary fish become exceedingly shy at rising, 

 and even when they do rise, it is but to examine the fly and turn 

 back again without touching it, and yet in the very same waters 

 they will oftentimes take a bait with avidity. I well remember a 

 few seasons since fishing in the Meavy river in the neighbourhood 

 of Plymouth ; the day to all appearance favourable, and the waters 

 in prime order ; and yet notwithstanding I selected such flies as 

 were well adapted for the time of year, some of which had been 



