156 Angling Travels in Norway. 



For well-nigh six weeks of my stay in Siirendal, 

 cold winds, attended by rain and hail, prevailed, and, in 

 consequence, the river at times was in such state of flood 

 as to prohibit angling, and the temperature necessitated 

 our warmest clothing. 



The valley of the Siirna is occupied liy a chain of 

 small farms, and saw-mills are situated upon its tribu- 

 taries, while at a distance of every five or six miles hamlets 

 are established. 



My host's dwelling-houses and farm-buildings of them- 

 selves constituted a hamlet, and we lived precisely as if in 

 England for the greater part of our visit, as the weather 

 was such as to permit of angling during daytime. 



The idea is prevalent that in bright weather it is 

 advisable to delay angling operations until the sun be off 

 the water, and no doubt in many pools this precaution 

 is necessary for sport, but in cold weather I think the 

 day-angler will have the best of the argument, as fish 

 rise badly upon cold evenings, but in seasons when the 

 days are sunny and the nights are warm, the better plan is 

 to leave sufficient undisturbed water for the evening's work. 



The lowest beat of the Siirna is of little use for salmon- 

 angling, as fish run straight through it, but it is fairly 

 good for sea-trout, which, however, do not run to any 

 great size upon this river ; the largest we killed ran from 

 2 lbs. to 3 lbs. We fished the beat next above this, a 



