THE SNIPE LOCHS. FISH-LORE. 97 



I have often got yellow trout with sea-trout flies, 

 but never many at a time. 



Casting should be taught to a novice with rod 

 and line without hooks at first ; and, if it be done 

 by a good angler, a few trials should bring tolerable 

 freedom at this, the most essential requisite for an 

 angler. 



About playing a fish, I advocated firm measures 

 on the whole. The Major agreed, and explained 

 this to Ward by asking him to hold out a book 

 at arm's length. A minute or two sufficed, and his 

 arm dropped. " Now," he said, " give you a 

 second or two of occasional rest, and you could 

 easily keep your arm out for half a day. So with 

 a salmon, give it no rest ; for if you do so, only 

 for a minute or two, your work is nearly all to do 

 over again: give him no rest, and he is very soon 

 pumped." 



" To-morrow," said Ward, " I shall try the steady 

 strain." 



"Do; but you may find a strong salmon in the 

 river is different from those in the loch ; the run 

 of the fish, the current, or bad footing any of them 

 may be peculiar ; and you must never force or lully 

 a fish just bide your time for persuasive handling." 



H 



