PREFACE. 



WHEN planning this work the difficulty of thoroughly 

 covering the broad subject forming the title of 

 the book was foreseen, and the average angler 

 would probably have considered it impossible to 

 get a comprehensive work of this nature into such 

 a small volume. Without a desire to boast, and especially 

 since you have not yet had a chance to express your opinion 

 on the work, I feel justified in thinking that I have suc- 

 ceeded beautifully in this. But in order to tell everything 

 I had in view, as expressed in the chapters which follow, I 

 found it necessary to get right to the point, and avoid all 

 superfluities, and the little anecdotes which usually relieve 

 the monotony of such a work, but I believe that the general 

 reader will like it better so, since he will get in one book 

 what is usually comprised in two. 



The author is a practical angler not an expert in each 

 branch, it is true but well acquainted with each. Most 

 of the writing is based on my own experience, but in de- 

 scriptions of certain fishes and their habits, I have been 

 obliged to refer sometimes to the works of others. In 

 such cases all statements of a doubtful character have been 

 eliminated. 



It has been my object throughout to inspire the reader 

 with a desire for cleaner and better sport, that he may get 

 from his chosen recreation all the pleasure that there is 

 in it. To this end I have dwelt fondly on fly-fishing and 

 bait-rasting, and the instruments used for these branches 



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