WARINESS OF THAMES TROUT 209 



single hook, or a triangle hooked through the nose, and a 

 long and light line out. It is a mighty killing plan if the fish 

 be well on the feed, but is not so sportsmanlike a method as 

 spinning. Some even go the length of fishing the weirs with a 

 combination of paternoster and large float ; but this certainly 

 savours more of hot-hunting than sportsmanship, so I say no 

 more of it than that the practice does prevail. 



The great art and mystery of Thames trout-fishing is 

 unwearied perseverance. If the angler can make up his mind, 

 when he has " spotted " a fish, to sit and spin over him for 

 hours, and keep up his expectation of a run for every minute 

 in the twenty-four, perhaps for a week or more, he may, if he 

 has luck, get a fish in the course of a week or two ; but even 

 then it is no certainty. His best chance is early in the morning, 

 before the fish have been disturbed by boats and barges or by 

 other anglers. More trout are killed when they come on the 

 feed for the first time in the day than in all the twenty-four 

 hours besides, because they have had a long rest, and are sure 

 to be more sharp set and less suspicious. 



In fishing a weir, I have often seen anglers standing upright 

 on the beam fishing the edge of the apron almost at their feet, 

 in the expectation of running a trout. If they would consider 

 the fine statuesque relief against the clear sky behind, which 

 they present to the wary and astonished eyes of the fish, 

 by so exposing themselves to view, they would better under- 

 stand why they do sit and stand for hours and hours on such 

 places without getting a run. Is a Thames trout such a fool 

 as to take a suspicious looking bait, with the angler staring 

 down his throat in the most conspicuous place possible, and 

 within five yards or less of him ? Why, a trumpery little half- 

 pound trout, that has never tasted steel or seen a bunch of 

 feathers in his life, would not stand that ; and how can anglers 

 expect the shyest fish that swims to do so ? The proper plan 

 is to take the punt up above the weir, to let it fall against the 

 uprights and lie there ; then, by pushing the rod between 

 the handles of the paddles and the rymers, to fish not only the 

 white water close up to the apron, but the apron itself. Many 

 a good trout is hooked upon the apron, where he rests (as 

 good trout will) close to the fall, picking up quietly whatever 

 comes down it that is edible ; but which good trout will 

 inevitably dash off the apron into the depths below the instant 

 the angler sets his foot upon the weir beam. The angler 

 should send the fisherman below the weir with the net. Let 



