IRISH LOACH-TROLLING. 29 
fario, either of full growth, if not moderated by the 
action of a check-reel and the elasticity of the rod, 
may be greater than that weakest part is able to 
resist. To an angler acquainted with the subaqueous 
topography of a lake, no instructions as to where he 
should fish would be necessary. But the stranger, 
ignorant of this knowledge, would be on a level with 
a philosopher groping in the dark, or the mariner 
sailing without a compass. Neither can the best and 
fullest written directions ever compensate for the 
absence of this information. Some few remarks, 
however, upon this obscure subject, and the proper 
trolling pace of the boat, may not be wholly useless. 
Around the shores of a great lake, and of its islands 
and sharps, if it contain these latter, there is a cer- 
tain line or boundary at which, looking down per- 
pendicularly from a boat, on a fine bright summer’s 
day, light and darkness will be observed to stand 
face to face in well defined and fearful contrast. On 
one side are seen the sloping sides of the great basin 
itself, sleeping in sunshine; on the other, nothing 
but the impenetrable wall with which darkness 
shrouds the mysteries of its depths. To follow this 
line as nearly as circumstances permit, should be the 
first object of the angler trolling for large trout. 
There are of course exceptions ; and in some lakes. 
the central parts may be trolled with as much success 
as the shores. But in all such cases the depth of the 
