APPLICATION 203 



occasions when the angler wishing weight should 

 employ the different methods ; but before doing so 

 we shall mention some points which apply equally 

 to all seasons. 



One of these is, that large rivers are not so much 

 to be depended upon as small streams, partly because 

 they do not contain so many trout in proportion to 

 their size, and partly because, from unknown causes, 

 the trout in them are more capricious. In the time 

 of a take, large quantities of trout may be caught 

 in them with very little trouble ; but at other times 

 the angler will have great difficulty and will occa- 

 sionally find it impossible to kill the required 

 twelve pounds. For this reason, if the angler is not 

 meeting with success in large rivers, he should have 

 recourse to the smaller rivers and waters, and failing 

 these to burns, in which some trout may always be 

 had. We shall suppose that the angler keeps this 

 in view throughout the season, so that it will be 

 unnecessary to make any further allusion to it. 



Fishing can be most successfully practised alone ; 

 but if the angler fishes in company, he should come 

 to some arrangement with his friend respecting a 

 division of the water before starting, as he who 

 fishes the water first has undoubtedly the best 

 chance. In a large river, and fishing with the fly, 

 it does not make much difference; and even in a 

 small water the trout will rise freely if allowed to 

 remain undisturbed for an hour or so. But it is 

 different in fishing small clear streams with the 

 worm ; there the second angler has not nearly so 



