1 66 How I Became a Sportsman. 



I had, and he cut a tiny bit of the white 

 part from the inside, put it on the point of 

 his hook, and threw over the spot where he 

 fancied he had seen the fish rise, and had 

 him in a moment ; and in less time than I have 

 taken to write it, he was safe in the landing- 

 net and kicking on the grass, a nice fish of 

 half a pound. This probably may be nothing 

 new, but I had never seen it done before. The 

 same day he popped a bit of worm on to 

 the tail fly and dropper, and let them sink 

 into a deep pool, and very soon hooked a trout 

 and a perch, both of which he landed. 



Nearly all trout-fishing worth having is now 

 strictly preserved ; but there are still districts 

 where it can be had. I will point to one in 

 which plenty of fishing may be got — I mean 

 the wild district of Dartmoor and the borders 

 of it ; but the sportsman must be satisfied 

 with numbers, as the fish run small in a 

 general way. But they are most delicious 

 eating, and with some brown bread and butter, 

 and an appetite acquired on the moor, I don't 

 envy the man who could turn up his nose 

 at them. 



Tavistock, where tickets for the Tavy and 



