404 BOOK OF THE BLACK BASS. 



rushing to the surface for the fly, sees the angler, he at 

 once stops in his course, and thenceforth the daintiest flies, 

 never so deftly thrown, will be cast in vain while the an- 

 gler remains in view. 



In a recent issue of the London Field appeared an arti- 

 cle, written by the able editor of that valuable paper, 

 Francis Francis, Esq., on the frightening of Brook Trout 

 by the flashing and reflections of a varnished fly-rod, 

 when wildly waved by the angler in casting, and which, at 

 first sight, would seem to be plausible enough ; but upon 

 mature consideration, and with all due deference to so emi- 

 nent an authority as Mr. Francis, I am convinced that 

 there is not much in it, and that instead of proving the 

 matter he seems to be rather begging the question. 



The theory of angling, like the theory of medicine, is 

 rather an uncertain subject, and opposite positions can be 

 taken and seemingly maintained upon almost any question 

 of either science, until the crucial test of practical experi- 

 ence proves their truth or falsity. The fact is, that fish 

 are not frightened by flashes of light or the reflections of 

 bright objects, but, on the contrary, are attracted by them; 

 any one who has ever fished by torchlight, or trolled with 

 a bright metal spoon, can testify to this, and there is a 

 method of fishing practiced by the Chinese, by means of a 

 board painted white and attached to a boat at such an an- 

 gle as to reflect the light of the moon upon the water, 

 when the fish, attracted by this, jump upon the board as 

 the boat is moved along. 



That fish are not much disturbed, if at all, by the flash- 

 ing of a polished fly-rod per se, can be easily proven by 

 any one who, being securely hid behind a clump of bushes, 

 can wave his rod as " wildly " as necessary without alarm- 



