104 



TKOUT FISHING 



and the whole current may be easily commanded 

 from the banks, yet by walking into the water we 

 lessen the height of our head from the surface of 

 the water, and so render ourselves a less con- 

 spicuous object to the eager gaze of the trout, 

 and consequently are enabled to approach without 

 scaring him to a much nearer distance, which of 

 course is a point much in our favour, as we have 

 less line out, and can more quickly hook our fish. 

 The boots 1 refer to, are such as are sold at 

 Cording's, near Temple Bar, and very probably, 

 for aught I know, at many other places ; no fisher- 

 man should be without them ; they will not only 

 add to his comfort, but assuredly increase his 

 sport. One caution I may add, take care to have 

 plenty of iron at the soles of your boots, so as to 

 make them heavy, and see that the nails are not 

 closely packed together ; or, in case of light boots, 

 the rapid current will wash you off your legs; or, 

 when the nails are driven in so as to form one 

 compact mass of smooth iron, you will slip up in 

 walking over the rocks forming the beds of the 

 rivers and to get one's head under water in the 

 month of February or March, is by no means 

 agreeable, or conducive to temporary comfort and 

 future health. 



I have been in the habit of carrying in my 

 pocket two small hooks, or crooks, for the purpose 

 of cutting off any little bough or twig, rush bush, 

 or thorn, in which my flies may accidentally become 

 entangled. (I am indebted to my lamented pis- 

 catorial instructor and friend, the late Dr. Thorne, 



