SULKY LAKES 189 



was able formerly to bag his couple of dozen with the fly, he 

 now finds it difficult even to bag one. Now, here is a hint as 

 regards lakes, which proprietors might act on if they choose, for 

 other species of food might be thus introduced besides molluscs, 

 and without spoiling the rising of the fish. But as I have dealt 

 with all this elsewhere, I only refer to it here to point out that 

 when the fish are thus shy it is because they find too much food 

 at the bottom to trouble their heads with what goes on at the 

 surface. In the moderate lakes this is only partially the case, 

 and there is yet some species of fly or insect perhaps of sufficient 

 size and attraction to tempt them to the surface occasionally. 

 What it may be of course has all to be discovered. So far these 

 matters are almost a closed book to us. 



Now, if the trout are too much engaged on the bottom to 

 come or even look at the top, manifestly the only chance the 

 angler has is to seek them on their own terms at the bottom, 

 and he must either fish with a float and worm or minnow, as 

 recommended by Stoddart, or I recommend him to try the 

 plan which I have already mentioned for deep still holes and 

 mill heads, where the trout are equally indisposed to come to 

 the surface ; he must select a tolerably large fly (the choice 

 must be left to his own judgment), bite a good-sized split shot 

 on the gut just above the head of the fly, where it will look like 

 a natural head and neck, then cast his line, and let it sink as 

 near to the bottom as he can judge, without hanging in the 

 weeds, etc., and then draw it towards him, and upwards, by 

 short pulls and jerks, and he will probably get a tremendous 

 pull for his pains, when he will do his best to pull too. A single 

 gentle, or maggot, or caddis added to his lure by sticking one 

 on the bend of the hook, will increase its temptations ; or if he 

 likes to abjure a body and have nothing but hackle and wings, 

 and to put two gentles on in place of it, he will probably get 

 some good fish if he perseveres with his " sinking and draw- 

 ing." Of course, if he makes half a dozen or a dozen casts, and 

 then gets tired of it, throws it up, and says, " It is of no use," it 

 will be of no use. It must be tried fairly ; for big trout, even 

 in sulky lakes, are not to be found over every yard of the 

 bottom, and still less disposed to feed at any or every hour of 

 the day. In many sulky lakes the trout only rise well after 

 dark, when admirable sport may often be had. 



