ATTRACTIONS OF FLY-FISHING. 55 



occur in the ordinary course of life, there is none to 

 compare with that of losing a good trout at the last 

 moment, and anglers have various ways of giving 

 vent to their pent-up feelings, depending upon their 

 peculiar idiosyncrasy. But of all the different means 

 of relief there is perhaps none at once so satisfactory 

 and so reprehensible as that referred to by a late 

 great humorist, who, if not an angler, was the friend 

 and associate of anglers : 



" The flask frae my pocket 

 I poured into the socket, 



For I was provokit unto the last degree ; 

 And to my way o' thinkin', 

 There's naething for 't but drinkin', 



When a trout he lies winkin' and lauchiri' at me." 



Everything combines to render fly-fishing the 

 most attractive of all the branches of the angler's 

 art. The attempt to capture trout which are seen to 

 rise at natural flies is in itself an excitement which 

 no other method possesses. Then the smallness of 

 the hook and the fineness of the tackle necessary 

 for success increase the danger of escape, and conse- 

 quently the excitement and pleasure of the capture ; 

 and for our own part we would rather hook, play, 

 and capture a trout of a pound weight with fly than 

 one of a pound and half with minnow or worm, 

 where the hooks being larger there is less chance of 

 their losing their hold, and the gut being stronger 

 there is less risk of its breaking. Ely-fishing is also 

 the cleanest and most elegant and gentlemanly of 



