THE TROUT 77 



Cow-dung Fly. — Body, dun lemon-coloured mohair ; 

 legs, red hackle; wings, a feather of the landrail or 

 starling's wing. Hooks, Nos. 8 and 9. 



TROLLING FOR TROUT 



This mode of trout-fishing has become very common 

 in Great Britain within these thirty years, and is a 

 very successful one, particularly in the spring of the 

 year, and in most rivers after a summer flood. Trolling, 

 however, has long lain under a species of reproach, as 

 being of a poking, poaching, interloping character ; and 

 on this account it is, in some districts of England, 

 strictly prohibited. This stigma is not a modem thing 

 — it is mentioned in angling satirical songs two hundred 

 and fifty years ago ; and in one poetical piece, which we 

 shall here insert, by Llewellyn, in his Men Miracles 

 (1646), we find trolling is severely handled, along with 

 other unfair modes of fishing : — 



' ' You that fish for dace and roohes, 



Carpes and tenches, honus noches, 



Thou wast borne betweene two dishes, 



When the Fryday signe was fishes. 



Anglers' yeares are made and spent, 



All in Ember weekes and Lent. 



Breake thy rod about thy noddle, 

 Throw thy worms and flies by the pottle, 

 Keepe thy corke to stop thy bottle, 

 Make straight thy hooke, be not afeared 



To shave his beard ; 

 That in case of started stitches, 

 Hooke and line may mend thy breaches. 



He that searches pools and dikes. 

 Halters jackes, and strangles pikes. 

 Let him know, though he think he wise is, 

 'Tis not a sport, but an assizes. 

 Fish to hooke, were the case disputed, 

 Are not tooke, but executed. 

 Breake thy rod, etc. etc. 



You whose pastes fox rivers throat, 

 And make Isis pay her groat. 



