IRISH LOACH-TROLLING. 23 



backs have passed the period of bending freely, and 

 whose feet don't take to the water kindly, the duty 

 had better be performed by deputy. For a few pence 

 any young " Patlander," whose shoes and stockings 

 are no hindrances to aquatic exercise being those 

 only which nature provided him with at birth will 

 get your " Honour" as many of them, any morning, 

 as you may require. I may add, before concluding 

 this part of the subject, that the loach sometimes 

 outgrows the measure of the best-sized trout-bait. 

 If you have an option, select the smaller greenish 

 specimens from 2 \ to 3 inches long, in preference to 

 the larger reddish variety, which is not so much 

 relished by ferox. 



I will now assume that the intending loach-troller 

 is supplied with a stock of the necessary baits ; and 

 that they are carefully provided for with fresh water 

 in some more commodious vessel than Tom's kettle. 

 The next subject for consideration is the rod and gear 

 to be employed in the experiment, and here I must 

 premise that my observations will apply to tackle 

 used for the purpose fifty years ago, without any 

 reference whatever to tackle and resources of a later 

 date. The rods, lines, and reels then used for loach- 

 trolling for trout were precisely the same articles 

 used in fly-fishing. Persons who had a choice between 

 pike and salmon rods seldom if ever employed the 

 latter for this purpose. It was obvious to them, as it 



