TROUT FISHING. 297 



Lake fishing for trout, with cross-lines, is not 

 to be commended ; it is too murderous. Be- 

 sides, it is a joint-stock affair, and trout fish- 

 ing is a jealous and solitary sport. Lake fish- 

 ing in any style, save for the size of the fish, 

 is stupid work, whether effected from a boat or 

 from the bank. It does not afford nearly the 

 variety or interest of stream angling. With 

 reference to times and temperatures for trout 

 fishing, I must admit that as yet the meteo- 

 rological data are imperfect for the rigid defi- 

 nition of principles. It used to be said that 

 trout never rose while there was thunder in the 

 air, but the dogma is about as valuable as the 

 supposed consequence of the same electric 

 condition of the atmosphere upon the small 

 ale in cellars. Then trout would not feed 

 after a flood, when the water was too high. 

 They also abstained from flies and grubs when 

 the water was too low, or when the days were 

 cold. Not one of these statements can be 

 rationally justified, although some of them are 

 true, but only of some rivers. A thorough 

 master of his art ought to be able to engage 

 by hook or by crook (bar worms and their re- 



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