Chapt. iv. Spinning more killing than flyfishing. 39 



creation, a gaudy salmon fly. I lay stress on this point 

 because so many fish for the Mahseer with an artificial 

 fly at the surface of the water, and the salmon-fisher is 

 from more reasons than one very loth to give up his fly. 

 The fly is cleaner and much less troublesome than any 

 other lure. It is much easier to throw a salmon fly than 

 to spin a fish, and Mahseer doubtless are caught with a fly. 

 The Brahmin, who is as punctilious about his food as 

 a much-fished trout, describes a pariah as "one who eats 

 "without asking", and if the Mahseer were not in respect 

 of food as omnivorous as a pariah, he would never take 

 down such an unearthly thing as a salmon fly in the 

 promiscuous manner' he sometimes does. Though he does 

 take it, and there is some sport to be had with the fly, 

 still in my opinion it is not a natural bait, and therefore 

 not the best lure that can be offered to him, and the 

 sport thereby obtained is decidedly inferior to that to be 

 had by spinning. Trout are doubtless to be caught in 

 England by very poor fishermen, with very incorrect 

 fancy flies, still if the correct fly be used, that is, a good 

 imitation of the natural fly at the time on the water, it 

 is undeniable that the chances of sport are sensibly in- 

 creased. Similarly if the reader will waive his prejudices 

 for the fly, and will spin deep with a small fish as bait, 

 I will engage that he shall not only kill more, but also 

 better fish, than with a fly. I think I may safely say 

 that if he can spin as well as he can fly fish, he will kill 

 three Mahseers spinning to one with a fly,- and that the 

 total weight in pounds shall be more than three to one. 



