Etiquette of Loch-Fishing. 3 5 



experienced the annoyance of a minnow-boat 

 crossing our drift when we were fly-fishing ; 

 and though we had no redress, and could make 

 no remarks without lowering ourselves to the 

 level of our offenders, we have, like the nigger's 

 parrot, " thought a mighty lot." Do not hesi- 

 tate to put yourself out of your way to help a 

 neighbour in distress. He may have hooked a 

 large fish and be unprovided with a gaff : if you 

 have one let him have it instantly, taking his 

 directions from which side you are to approach 

 him ; and never let the loss of a few minutes, 

 more or less, deter you from following the 

 golden rule of doing to him as you would expect 

 him to do to you were you similarly placed. 

 And, as it sometimes happens where boats are 

 scarce and anglers many, when you are in the 

 same boat with a stranger, see that you confine 

 yourself strictly to your own share of the water, 

 not making casts which endanger " fankling " 

 for the mere sake of covering a little more 

 water with your flies. Should you have a fly 

 that is taking better than any other of your 

 own or his, offer him one ; and in general try to 

 make the day's fishing one as much for the cul- 

 tivation of goodwill and the promotion of good- 



