AN APOLOGY FOR FISHING 53 



however fine and delicate such line may be, or how- 

 ever skilfully cast, will make a certain amount of 

 splash, which would awaken the misgivings of any 

 fish which happened to be near. 



One of the greatest of all the difficulties con- 

 nected with the catching of fish is that experienced 

 by the sportsman in keeping himself out of sight. 

 At the first glimpse of a man moving by the side 

 of the river, every fish at once darts away as fast 

 as his fins can carry him. To this assertion there 

 are few people who would venture to demur ; and 

 yet how common it is to see a fisherman placed on 

 a high bank, with his whole figure in strong relief 

 against the sky, and moving down the water, with 

 all the fish in the river facing him as they lie with 

 their heads up-stream. It can only be by some 

 strange accident that he will take a fish under such 

 circumstances. 



Almost the first thing which the fisherman should 

 think of in setting about his business is to conceal 

 himself as much as possible. There are several 

 ways in which this may be effected. In the first 

 place, if the wind will at all allow of it, he should 

 always fish up stream, as he will then have the 

 backs of the fish turned towards him instead of 

 their faces. Fishing up stream is more difficult 

 and more laborious than fishing down, the current 



