THE BRITISH ISLES 383 



On the lakes of Mullingar, in Ireland, big- trout are captured with 



the blowline. A silken line and the natural Hy attached to a small 



hook are all that is necessary. The boat drifts with 



the wind, and the bait blows out before it, and it is a ^ ^ '"^" 



fishing. 



simple matter to strike when the fish rise. These fish 

 often run to a great weight — six and eight pounds or more. 



It is a curious fact that coarse fishing, by which I mean inland 

 water fishing, in Scotland is almost ignored by the inhabitants of 

 the country ; and although there are many lakes teeming with pike 

 and perch, hardly ever have I known a native who could be induced 

 to take any part in attempting to capture them, much less eat them. 

 If these same lakes, or lochs, were situated in the vicinity of London, 

 anglers in thousands would be perched on their pitches with floats 

 and lures galore, but somehow the Scotchman cannot be forced to 

 take any interest in them whatever. 



It often makes me smile to watch the Thames ansflers on a 

 Sunday morning up Maidenhead way, sitting and watching hour after 

 hour with a quill float thrown out some yards from the bank in hopes 

 that a roach or perch may take a fancy to the maggot or worm on 

 the hook. Their patience seems worthy of a better cause ; but that 

 again is, as I stated at the beginning of this article, merely my 

 own opinion. 



