410 SCOTCH LAIRDS AND HEA VY RODS 



ment, not only killed more fish than anyone else, but 

 had brought them to gaff in a very much shorter space 

 of time than the rest of the party, who were using 

 heavy, unwieldy rods. They all, with one accord, 

 yielded the palm to his rod, and, furthermore, ordered 

 some of the same pattern, and have since then used 

 no other kind. 



In Scotland it is very much the fashion for the 

 lairds to make use of the most unnecessarily large 

 salmon-rods, rods some 21 and even 23 feet in length 

 — miniature trees. There is no sport in using such 

 fearful weapons, and most certainly no comfort or 

 pleasure. I once caused a well-known author on 

 fishing matters no little amusement by drawing his 

 attention to the spectacle presented by an acquaintance 

 who was fishing with a rod of enormous proportions, 

 remarking that it reminded me of the old-fashioned 

 Irish threshino^-fiails ; and he was so amused that he 

 mentioned the circumstance in his book on angling, as 

 descriptive of my friend's appearance. Men who insist 

 on using over-heavy rods abuse their strength, and 

 have to pay the penalty in old age, repenting at their 

 leisure of their folly. A man who persists in using 

 too heavy a gun or rod cannot succeed as well as he 

 would if they were more suitable to his powers. When 

 a salmon rod is so heavy that it causes its user to ache 

 between the shoulders, it is necessary for him to give 

 it up and take to a lighter one. Many a rod appears 

 light enough at first, but before long its weight begins 

 to make itself apparent. I strongly recommend a 

 beginner to commence salmon-fishing with a light 

 pike or peal rod, and if this is found insufficiently 

 powerful for the size of the fish in whatever river he 



