44 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



perceive when you troll a minnow with 

 success, the lake has trout very much 

 heavier than a third-of-a-pound, and it is 

 reasonable to believe that the larger fish 

 are plentiful. The explanation is simply 

 that when they grow beyond three- 

 quarters -of -a- pound the lake trout as 

 a rule cease to feed on flies habitually. 

 That they feed largely on young fish is 

 a fair deduction from the avidity with 

 which they seize the trolled minnows or 

 small trout. 



As regards streams an explanation is 

 readily given. Wherever anglers are at 

 liberty to use worm and minnow as well 

 as fly, the stock of trout is well maintained. 

 Witness the many free waters in Scotland, 

 in which the fish, though declining in size, 

 are not perceptibly diminished in number. 

 On the other hand, wherever all lures 

 save fly are forbidden the stock con- 

 stantly tends towards decline. Witness 

 the highly-preserved streams in England, 

 in which the trout, while of much better 

 average size, in consequence of a rule that 



