IRISH LOACH-TROLLING. 23 
backs have passed the period of bending freely, and 
whose feet don’t take to the water kindly, the duty 
had better be performed by deputy. For a few pence 
any young “ Patlander,” whose shoes and stockings 
are no hindrances to aquatic exercise—being those 
only which nature provided him with at birth—will 
get your “ Honour” as many of ‘them, any morning, 
‘as you may require. I may add, before concluding 
this part of the subject, that the loach sometimes 
outgrows the measure of the best-sized trout-bait. 
If you have an option, select the smaller greenish 
specimens from 24 to 3 inches long, in preference to 
the larger reddish variety, which is not so much 
relished by ferox. 
I will now assume that the intending loach-troller 
is supplied with a stock of the necessary baits; and 
that they are carefully provided for with fresh water 
in some more commodious vessel than Tom’s kettle. — 
The next subject for consideration is the rod and gear 
to be employed in the experiment, and here I must 
premise that my observations will apply to tackle 
used for the purpose fifty years ago, without any 
reference whatever to tackle and resources of a later 
date. The rods, lines, and reels then used for loach- 
trolling for trout were precisely the same articles 
used in fiy-fishing. Persons who had a choice between 
pike and salmon rods seldom if ever employed the 
latter for this purpose. It was obvious to them, as it 
