FLY FISHING FOE TKOUT. 101 



loses more fish than any man in Winchester, John," said 

 a severe critic one day to old John Hammond, that most 

 artful old provider of fishing requisites. " What did you 

 say, sir?" said John, putting his hand up to his ear 

 for he very often couldn't hear anything he did not want 

 to. The criticism was repeated. " Ah," said the sly old 

 being, with a couple of nods of the head, and two taps on 

 the lid of his snuff-box, " but then he hooks more ! " 

 After which a very bad fit of deafness came over him 

 for a minute or two, till a little boy came in for a " 'apeny 

 hook and a withy," and turned the conversation. Since 

 that time, however, I have done less coarse fishing, 

 devoting my attention to the grayling when the time for 

 coarse fish comes on, and the result has been most striking 

 I now lose less fish than many of the single-hand rod 

 men. When you are given to too heavy striking, the best 

 provision you can adopt is to lighten your rod and tackle : 

 have a lighter or more flexible rod, and a lighter line. 



Between the extremes up and down stream there are all 

 sorts of graduations. When the line is extended straight 

 across the stream, and the fish takes it broadside on, it is 

 nearly as bad as when he is straight down, and requires 

 quite as light a touch. When the fish are small, as in 

 some lochs and burns, you require much sharper and 

 quicker striking than is the rule in our heavier southern 

 rivers ; but experience must teach the angler all this, and 

 will do so better than all the precepts in existence. 



Having struck your fish, keep his head as tight as you 

 can without being too rough, and don't let him get into 

 weeds if you can help it, for there are times when neither 

 you nor any one else can help it. For any fish from three 

 pounds weight up for the first five minutes or so will take 

 you just where he pleases, let you be ever so clever ; for 



