SEA-TROUT FISHING 



Having regard to the ever-increasing demand for decent fishing, the 

 importance of accessible means of recreation to a hard-working com- 

 munity, and, not least important, the expediency of preventing high- 

 class angling continuing to be the exclusive privilege of rich men and 

 their friends — having regard, I say, to these considerations, it is much 

 to be desired that means should be adopted to develop the angling re- 

 sources of these islands. Wealthy proprietors of suitable waters have it 

 in their power to do it for themselves; if they have no taste for angling, 

 their neighbours or others will not prove unwilling to indemnify them 

 for the expense by paying for the privilege of fishing where there is reason- 

 able certainty of sport. In the case of landowners whose circumstances 

 admit of no expenditure beyond the necessary outlay on maintenance and 

 management (a class which the new system of taxation will shortly 

 cause either to preponderate or disappear altogether), angling clubs 

 may be organized capable of moderate enterprise for the improvement 

 of the natural waters of a neighbourhood and to check poaching. One 

 thing is certain, namely, that unless some measures are adopted to 

 meet the aspirations of honest anglers of humble means, the agitation 

 for free fishing will gather strength; and free fishing means futile 

 fishing for everybody; for if all waters were thrown open to the general 

 public, it would cease to be the interest of any individual to protect the 

 fishery. 



Having undertaken to discourse about sea -trout fishing in this chapter, 

 I have travelled rather far from that theme; but, in fact, the conditions 

 essential to a good stock of sea -trout are inseparable from those affecting 

 salmon. The means, mechanical or structural, to improve a salmon 

 fishery are similar in kind, though smaller in scale and less formidable 

 in expense, to those applicable to a sea-trout fishery, and can be adopted 

 with advantage in many streams which have no pretension to be 

 reckoned salmon-rivers. 



But to return to sea -trout fishing. It is singular that so bold a creature 

 as the sea -trout — so alert in its movements, so predacious in its habits — 

 can seldom be induced to rise a second time after missing the fly. I had 

 almost, instead of ** seldom," written *' never," for that would be in 

 accord with my own experience, which has been confined in the matter of 

 sea -trout fishing to streams and lochs on the mainland of Scotland, 

 where salmon and common trout are not usually daunted by missing 

 at the first, second or third offer, provided nothing happens to arouse 

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