IDEAS ON FLT-FISIIIXG. 233 



I can well remember keeping buried in my own bosom, 

 the position of pools, the color of flies, etc., where I was 

 either certain of taking the largest fish, or by the 

 nsing of which, I could almost guarantee myself good 

 sport. But I trust I no longer possess this love of self, 

 and in no better way can I prove it than by endeavor- 

 ing to teach the young idea, not how to shoot, but to 

 fish ; come forward ye, also, who have experience, 

 and help me in iny task. 



But to commence, we will first allude to the imple- 

 ments. The fly rod, like the gun, can not be too 

 light, as long as it possesses the requisite strength. 

 This is even a greater desideratum in the former than 

 in the latter, for there is no convenient resting-position 

 in which you can carry it incessantly ; while on the 

 river it is at work, not even the respite for loading 

 being necessary, and if a heavy gun after a hard day's 

 work will make you undershoot your game, a heavy 

 rod will make you a slus-srard at evenino- instrikinsi 

 your fish, and the result will be about similar in both 

 instances. For the trout fisherman, he, I mean, who 

 fly-fishes burns and rivers, from twehe to thirteen 

 feet is quite sufiicient length for his rod to be (lake 

 fishermen frequently use longer, but what they gain in 

 reach they lose in quickness, a loss, in my estimation, 



