Capture of Fish. 49 



clubs, the extermination of pike is most vigor- 

 ously carried on by means of fixed and splash 

 nets. This, as regards our large lochs, where 

 tiiere is room for all, we have no hesitation in 

 saying is a mistake, as it shuts up one means 

 of enjoying a day's fishing when nothing else 

 in the way of fish is to be had ; and it must 

 be borne in mind that there are some older 

 anglers, to whom a whole day's fly-fishing is 

 a labour, who never object, when trolling, to 

 come across a pike : and no wonder, for a pike 

 of 10 Ib. and upwards gives some fair play, 

 though by no means to compare with what a 

 fish of the salmo tribe of that weight would 

 give. Then we have perch in abundance, and 

 splendid eels ; but as these need a float and 

 bait to catch them, we dismiss them as quite 

 infra dig. True a perch will come at a min- 

 now, and we have sometimes seen them take 

 a fly ; but they are generally voted a nuisance, 

 and expelled the boat. 



As regards the capture of fish, we shall pro- 

 ceed to deal with each in order ; and at the 

 outset we remark, that when you have hooked 

 a fish, it is a safe general rule to waste no 

 unnecessary time in bringing him to the land- 

 D 



