SALMON FISHING. 77 



would no more have thought of fishing that neck of the pool than 

 of flying. 



It is astonishing how many anglers are similarly constituted. They 

 are content to fish a pool in just the same way, no matter what the 

 state of the river may be. They never seem to fish from their heads, 

 nor to bring any intelligence to bear. In a really big river it is possible 

 to pick up an odd fish in the most extraordinary places. Once on 

 the Carlogie water of the Dee, the river was in big flood, full of snow- 

 brue, and apparently hopeless to fish ; but the grilse had begun to run, 

 and my time on the water was drawing to a close. Something must 

 be done ; it seemed foolish to stop at home and waste a day, so I 

 walked up to the top of the Long Pool and fished my own bank down 

 with a short line. My perseverance was rewarded, and I managed to 

 secure three grilse. The great thing is to keep going, and to try to 

 bring all your acquired experience to bear. A dry fly will never catch 

 a salmon ; your fly must be kept in the water, and not on the bank. 

 The assiduous fisherman will beat the lazy one into fits. 



National interest is, undoubtedly, being more constantly directed 

 to the importance of our salmon fisheries. Thus, this very year, 1905, 

 an influential deputation, headed by the Duke of Abercorn, was received 

 at the Offices of the Board of Agriculture, the object being to obtain 

 Governmental support to a private Bill that had been drafted with 

 the idea of giving increased powers to the Central Board, and to boards 

 of Conservators generally. The Bill, mild and tentative though it was 

 in its provisions, met with but qualified support at headquarters, as it 

 involved questions of finance, and possible rate aid to boards of 

 Conservators in carrying out necessary improvements in cases where 

 the local authorities refused to act. The question is, however, too vast 

 and too important to be dealt with by piecemeal legislation of any kind, 

 and, in regard to the vast national asset that is being squandered and 

 frittered away, demands energetic legislation on a bold scale. 



The salmon fishery industry is a factor in the prosperity of the 

 nation, and the whole issue, with all its branches and ramifications, 

 should be fairly and squarely tackled in a Government Bill, not in 

 the interests of a class, but in that of the nation. 



It is satisfactory to learn from Lord Onslow that the Government 



