CHAPTEE I. 

 INTBODU CTOBY. 



" The prinoiples which art involves, science evolves .... Art in its entire stages 

 ii anterior to science it may afterwards borrow aid from it." 



WlIEWELL. 



IN the present practice of Salmon-fishing there is great need of " system." 

 It may be said, "We don't want ' system.' We are quite content with 

 things as we find them, as long as we get our pleasure out of them." 

 But such a speech will carry at least one fallacy. People get a certain 

 pleasure out of whist, who know very little more about it than not to 

 revoke, and perhaps not to trump their partner's trick ; but that is no 

 reason why the game should not be a serious study to others, books 

 written on its laws and problems, and a high mental exercise enjoyed in 

 its practice. 



Speaking for myself and I know I represent the opinion of many 

 as one who has all his life been an ardent devotee of Salmon-fishing and 

 a close observer of everything relating to it, I cannot subscribe to the 

 creed which proclaims that when " system " comes in at the door, " fun " 

 flies out of the window. On the contrary, I have long been convinced, 

 and have said so in the London Press, that lack of " system " means 

 proportionate loss of sport and pleasure. 



The man, for example, who owes his success in fishing to " the 

 straight tip in flies " imparted by some expert, would incontestably have 

 gained for himself vastly higher gratification, not to speak of any claim 

 to praise, had he been his own " tipster," i.e., had he possessed certain 

 systematic knowledge. 



