FISHING AS A FINE AET. 121 



fresh experiments in angling. We must seek some new 

 inventions in the way of tackle, new kinds of baits, new 

 methods of angling.. As a rule anglers are, I think, too 

 conservative in their ideas, and are loth to adopt new 

 notions. The Thames professional fishermen, excellent 

 artists though they be, are remarkable for their aversion 

 to anything new in the way of tackle or the way of fishing. 

 And so to a great extent are most of the " locals " by the 

 salmon and trout-rivers and other waters in the three 

 kingdoms. They adhere to traditions too closely, and by 

 their emphatic assert ons, that if ihevr methods fail, none 

 other will succeed, often prevent a stranger from trying 

 some new method or expedient. But, while I should be 

 the last to underrate " local " knowledge, I would counsel 

 anglers to think and act for themselves, especially 

 when they fail to get sport according to their own or 

 local traditions. We must not be bound too closely by 

 precedent. It was not many years ago since the 

 " Nottingham style " was introduced on the Thames. But 

 at first the Thames professionals and Thames anglers in 

 general would not have it at any price ; but it was soon 

 demonstrated that great; takes of fish could be had by it 

 when all the traditional methods failed. There are 

 possibly, indeed very probably, other "styles," not yet 

 dreamt of in our angling philosophy, to be invented, which 

 will be attended with similar success. It is really " some- 

 thing new " presented to them which the fish want, or 

 rather which the angler wants to present to them . It is 

 familiarity which fish gradually acquire even with the 

 best methods that "breeds contempt/' and enables them 

 to rise superior to the fisherman's skill. 



The multiplication of aquaria in the present day might. 



