172 FISH CULTUEE, 



pound, and even larger ones, scores of times ; and I 

 have always found, on examining trout that have 

 been caught, when they have, had fish in them, that 

 the fish they had chosen to devour were good-sized 

 ones, much larger indeed than the Thames Anglers 

 usually employ as a bait. (Might not these gentlemen 

 take a hint from this fact ?) 



I repeat, therefore, that, commercially speaking, up 

 to four or five pounds should be the maximum for 

 lake trout. Still, as others may differ from me on 

 this point, and I do not wish to advocate my opinion 

 too strongly, I merely record it without urging it 

 upon any one. But if the matter could he regu- 

 lated as I have above put it, and it became a nice 

 question of how many pounds of fish per annum 

 will Loch Lonely produce me, I should be inchned 

 to hold to my views upon the subject. Looking at 

 the question again, as a sportsman, I care little for 

 these big fish — these great unapproachables. They 

 have my profound respect ; should one ever chance to 

 leave his card on me, his condescension will gratify 

 me hugely ; but the lively, free-rising two or three- 

 pouhder has my best affections, and is the object of 

 my tenderest aspirations and hopes. Deed and truth, 

 I'll step out in the gloaming, and scale mountains 

 and wade bogs, like a fervent lover, to flirt with my 



