80 



FLIES AND FLY FISHING. 



I will here mention a good plan to get a few minnows 

 when you are in a hurry. Having put on your wading 

 things walk into any water about two-and-a-half feet 

 deep, where you see a shoal of minnows and stand 

 perfectly still ; they will take very little notice of you and 

 with a small meshed landing net you may take out as 

 many as you require ; it is a good plan to kill one and 

 throw it into the water within reach ; this attracts the 

 others. 



When minnow fishing it is advisable to use a small 

 gaff in the place of a landing net, as the hooks catch in the 

 latter. A large sized salmon hook with part .of the 

 barb filed off, whipped on to a short stick, with a small 

 spring hook to hang on the basket strap, is all that is 

 necessary ; as a rule you will only require to use it for a 

 large fish, for it requires a good deal of practice to gaff a 

 small fish dexterously, as anyone will discover on his first, 

 attempt at inserting it into a three-quarter pound trout. 



