INTRODUCTION. 1 1 



" Are the upper waters watched ? " I asked. " Oh, yes ! " 

 he said, " but not thoroughly." 



In Ireland poaching is carried on at all seasons and all 

 times with nets of various sorts, also by poisoning in a wholesale 

 way by spurge or lime. The fish so destroyed find a ready 

 market in Manchester. By the uninitiated the effect of the 

 poison is not easily detected for a couple of days, the appearance 

 of the fish being practically unchanged, but if the finger is 

 pressed on the side the dent remains. It is a mooted point 

 whether these fish are wholesome or not as articles of food. 



Trammel netting and small bag nets from the rocky points is 

 the usual mode of poaching on the west coast. 



It seems strange that notwithstanding the numerous Com- 

 missions that have been started, and the number of scientific men 

 who have carefully considered this most serious subject (i.e., the 

 continual falling off in the number of salmon), that practically 

 nothing has been done. The difficulty can be solved by fairplay 

 for the fish. How best to secure this is a knotty point where so 

 many interests are concerned. If the upper and lower pro- 

 prietors would combine, the first step to improvement would be 

 started. Poaching might be checked by overseers (taking care 

 they are reliable) and heavier fines. Poisoning fish ought to be 

 made a criminal offence. 



I have heard it frequently said, and have also seen it in 

 print, that salmon never take any food during the time they 

 remain in fresh water. Doubtless it has happened to many, 

 as it has to myself, that being anxious to procure a salmon, 

 and having tried almost every fly in your book, without even 

 moving a fish, worm has been resorted to, and baiting not 

 with a single worm, but with three or four large ones, success 

 has followed. The worm is not bolted suddenly and greedily, 

 but very slowly. I have myself given a fish five or ten minutes 

 to do so, being careful not to tighten the line during the 

 process, and wondering at the moment whether enjoyment at 

 having found such a pleasant mouthful of real food was the cause 

 of this deliberation. The shrimp also is very sure bait. 



