136 THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 



twenty teet off these, and it should be quietly rowed with 

 the wind, when the angler, casting in to the edge of the 

 weeds, is almost sure to make a good basket if there are 

 trout in quantity in the water. Trout don't seem to heed a 

 boat at all, and frequently may be seen rising within a foot 

 of it. The pleasantest style of lake fishing is with the 

 single-handed rod, which gives a good command of the 

 fish when being brought up to the net, and is not nearly 

 so tiresome as working w^ith the doubled-handed rod. 

 When trolling for the great lake trout, the rod must 

 be almost as powerful as a salmon rod, and should be 

 at least sixteen feet long. When spinning in a lake for 

 trout, salmon, or pike, there are generally two and some- 

 times three rods extended over the stern, having the 

 lines out at different distances from the boat, which is 

 generally rowed in a zig-zag way across the water ; this 

 helps to spread the flies or the minnows or spoons attached 

 to the end of the lines, and covers more water. When a fish 

 takes the bait of one of the rods the lines of the other rods 

 are immediately reeled up to prevent a foul occurring, and 

 if the fish is hooked not far from the shore it is best to land 

 at once and kill it from there. If trout are rising freely, 

 good sport may be had by daping with the natural fly from 

 the boat ; hooking a fish is almost a certainty if the fly is 

 nicely floated over where it is showing. Morning or evening 

 is the best time for lake fishing, as the fish seem to rest in 

 the middle of the day, especially if it is warm and calm 

 weather. On some lakes, especially Irish ones, fishing is 

 only to be had at the spring of the year, and that is when 

 the green drake or Irish May fly is on the water. The sport 

 then is exceptionally good, both on account of the numbers 

 captured, and of the large size. During the rest of the year 



