SMALL STREAM SPINNING. 283 



nance every fish that moves. And the worst of it is, that 

 they are always fishing, whether they have a customer or 

 Dot. The consequence is that gentlemen are gradually but 

 surely leaving the Thames trout-fishing altogether to the 

 fishermen ; and the fishermen are beginning to experience 

 the evil effects of their attempt 'to eat their cake and 

 have it to.' Another practice common among Thames 

 trout-fishers, too, is to fish with very stout salmon gut, 

 which is not only quite unnecessary, but greatly increases 

 the chances against them. 



So much for the Thames trout-fishing. I have, though 

 formerly most patient and persevering, always found it a 

 highly unsatisfactory pursuit. Of late years, however, many 

 very good fish have been taken with the fly ; and, as the 

 Thames fishermen are not generally up to this, these have 

 been chiefly, if not altogether, taken by gentlemen. The 

 flies they affect are the stone fly, red palmer, May fly, alder 

 and cinnamon, dressed large, or a fly with a silver twist 

 body and a bunch of peacock herl for the wing, which they 

 have a great fancy for ; but whether they mistake it for a 

 fly or a minnow, I do not pretend to say. Trout of seven 

 and eight pounds weight have not unfrequently thus been 

 taken ; and, if there was a larger stock of big flies, like the 

 stone and May fly, in the river, so as to tempt the fish to 

 look after that kind of food, it cannot be doubted that 

 many more fish would thus be taken. I have heard of many 

 good fish also being taken with grilse flies. 



SPINNING FOR TROUT IN SMALL STREAMS. 



We now come to spinning for the smaller trout in lesser 

 rivers and in brooks. The rod for this must be lighter 

 than the Thames rod, so as to be wielded easily with one 

 hand. It must be also more slender, and with more play, 

 as both bait and sinkers are of smaller size and lighter 



