THE WHITE TROUT 173 



shore end of the rod and line, deserves his name if at this point in 

 the game he break his tackle. If he does, his line rebounds with 

 a swish about his ears. He swears, unless he be philosophically 

 inclined. If he is that, he sits down, replaces what he has 

 lost, and starts again a wiser man. The old hand is prepared 

 for the emergency I have described, and pays out his line 

 gently and carefully till the strain is slackened and his game 

 opponent is under control. 



The sport, however, is by no means at an end. Even when the 

 game seems won, there maybe two or three such leaps and rushes, 

 or, what is almost as bad, a clean bolt towards the shore, 

 when the greatest rapidity is necessary to draw in the line, and 

 keep a steady strain on the victim. If fortune is favourable, after 

 as good a quarter of an hour as any true-hearted sportsman could 

 wish for, the fish may be brought gently and with delicacy to 

 within reach of the fatal net or gaff. 



There are many places in England, Scotland and Ireland where 

 White Trout fishing is excellent. The Shetland Islands, the 

 Hebrides, many of the Scotch and Welsh rivers, and many of the 

 lochs and rivers on the west and north-west coast of Ireland, 

 can give a good account of themselves in this line of sport. 



To obtain good sport, it is best to fish with nothing heavier 

 than a strong trout rod, and trout tackle. The fish will, indeed, 

 come readily to spinning minnows and small trolling bait, but 

 this method should be the last resort of a true sportsman. 

 There are those who try to tempt the White Trout with rod 

 and line worthy of the more lordly salmon, and no doubt with 

 some success, but they lose the excitement and enthusiasm of the 

 true artist, the hopes and fears caused by handling a heavy fish on 



