GENERAL MANAGEMENT 321 



Most of us are, however, too old to be able to 

 regard with equanimity the prospect of watching the 

 growth and development of the fish and their food 

 supply for, say, three or four years before attempting 

 to cast a fly or kill a trout. Hence we must be con- 

 tent to make our fishery only in the sense of assisting 

 nature, taking the stream as it is and devoting all our 

 best attention to the necessary operations of making 

 improvements by stimulating the production of the 

 food supply, introducing new stock and waging war on 

 pike, coarse fish, and all the other creatures which 

 prey on the young or adult trout. 



When a length of water is leased by a number of 



rods one of the fishermen 



Supervision. should be selected to take the 



general management. I would 

 suggest that if the other rods on the water are de- 

 sirous of having good sport and at the same time 

 keeping on friendly terms with the one designated to 

 supervise the fishery they must be prepared to defer 

 to his judgment, especially in matters of detail, and 

 the less they interfere with him the more agreeably 

 will the joint occupation and sport proceed. He 

 himself must not be too autocratic, and should as far 

 as he can consult the men fishing with him even on 

 matters of detail — needless to say, on larger questions 

 of policy, expense, etc. If he is fit for the work he 

 will get his friends together on convenient occasions, 

 and while making his own suggestions must listen and 

 be guided by the voice of the majority. Provided all 



