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I prefer such as in shape approach the rush-tapered ones, though not quite so: I mean such as are usually seen in this country. My own, which I commonly use, was made by Clarke, successor to Higgenbotham, 91, Strand: it is about twelve feet in length, and, though not quite after the rush model, is yet far from being drawn so fine as the Irish are: it is rather stiff than otherwise; and this I consider of some importance, for with a very pliant one it is impossible to strike a fish with any certainty, or possess much power over him afterwards.

The reel should be small, with a click, and not a multiplier; the single has more power, and is seldom out of order. The line should have no silk in it, as it soon causes it to rot: independently of this, hair is more elastic and springy. Twenty yards, except in wide places with heavy fish, will be ample, tapering towards either end from twelve or more to eight or even six hairs: in this way, when one end begins to decay, you have only to turn the other, and it will do just as well as a new one.

For salmon, of course much stronger tackle is required; a rod eighteen feet long, and stiff, with a reel and line of proportionate strength, and the foot-line of twisted gut (not hair), with one fly only, are indispensable in this noble sport. A dark stormy day is best; and it is perhaps important to add, that the coldest north wind, with a fall of snow or sleet, constitute a very likely time for success, as the following circumstance proves. In March last, the weather being excessively warm and the water clear, a sal

mon was observed in a neighbouring pool; the fly, the minnow, and the worm were all tried without success. For nearly a fortnight he was visited daily by some one or other "intent on blood and spoil," and from the clearness of the water always seen in the same spot: but it was of no use; for, as a punning old fox-hunter, and also "Brother of the Angle," remarked, "He was fly to every move, and not to be had on any line whatever." At length the weather changed; the cold was intense, with continual snow or hail-stone. The angler sallied forth with a few fine brandlings, three of which were put on the hook at one. The upper part of the pool was tried without effect; but when the bait reached the lower end, it was immediately taken. This salmon was killed in fifteen minutes, and weighed thirteen pounds. I must, however, say that a dozen killed with a worm or minnow will not afford as much real sport as one fairly taken with the fly. Spring and Autumn are the best seasons; but I will treat of this more particularly hereafter. I shall only add at present, that a large fly, of almost any colour, will answer the purpose. There must be two hooks in it, with their bends so placed that both may hook the fish, as he is very tender-mouthed and apt to break away.

Before treating of the flies which come on in May, I shall make a few observations on that most destructive of all ways of killing fish-trolling. I cannot say that I approve of the method of putting on the minnow, which I believe is generally used by most anglers, i. e. with the large hook and leaden cap: it has a

clumsy heavy appearance; and four fish out of every five are taken with the triangles attached to it; consequently the large hook is of little farther service than merely to hold the bait. One in stance, notwithstanding, I have seen where it did some good. A trout that had run at the minnow and was hooked by the triangle, by moving and plunging about had caused the leaden cap to slip up as far as the knot that unites the two links of gut, the bait remaining on the large hook untouched: another fish, observing it, instantly made for it, and got fast on the large hook: thus the brace was landed at once. They were of a fair size, their united weight being nearly a pound and a half. This will appear strange to those who are not acquainted with this method of hanging the minnow, but to an angler it will appear very possible, though a

rare occurrence.

The method I adopt at present is this: at the end of a link of gut I tie a triangle; at about three-quarters of an inch above that, I tie another triangle; and at the same distance above that, a small hook: then close to that hook I fasten with a very short bit of gut (about half an inch) a narrow round piece of lead nearly an inch long. The lead I push into the minnow's belly, then run the small hook through the under and upper jaw or lip; I fasten one of the hooks of the upper triangle in his side or back, and, having given the tail a small curve, one of the lower hooks is stuck in it. A minnow thus managed will spin beautifully; the lead will make it heavy enough to prevent its rising to the surface of the water, and, being di

vested of the large hook and leaden cap, will have a very neat appearance.

The artificial minnow and Kill Devil, though often remarkably like Nature, scarcely ever answer the purpose they are intended for, unless in very rough weather; and even then your time and pains will be well bestowed in endeavoring to get the natural one.

The line must be strong, but at the same time fine, and of the

best round gut. One swivel should be within six or eight inches of the bait; and if you wish to use two, place the other at discretion. When fishing, take the minnow in your left hand, with the line of such a length as that you may feel the spring of the rod, the elasticity of which will be sufficient to cast it with great lightness and precision with scarcely any exertion of the right hand: indeed, I may almost say, that in this way an experienced angler would, if required, pitch it into the neck of a bottle. Keep the minnow spinning by drawing it steadily up or down stream as suits your judgment, and be sure not to diminish or increase the motion when you perceive a fish pursuing it, as the slightest change will inevitably cause him to turn back.

Any

Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci, is a saying which has been broached some time, but its truth is unquestionable. one who has been fixed for a whole morning in Aristotle's rhetoric, and then spends his evening over a bit of Euripides' best, will be as heartily tired of the dry utile of the one, as he will be delighted with the beautiful dulce which gives force to the elegant

and instructive sentiment of the other. Entomology, which is perhaps one of the most interesting studies in Nature, is so closely connected with scientific angling, that it is barely possible for a man to take his rod, and saunter along the river's bank, without continually meeting objects that excite the deepest admiration. Often when harassed with business or other causes, like the Philosopher Hyliscus, who, quitting human society, retired to the desert to contemplate the more peaceful industry of the bee, have I stolen away to the retirement of some favorite stream, where seated on its enamelled bank, in mute astonishment at the wonders of Creation, I have plainly" found sermons in stones, and good in everything." May, too, the sweetest month of the year, when reviving Nature starts from its lethargy under the genial influence, usually possesses some of the few bright days which constitute our English summer, and which, to use the words of an accomplished writer of the present time," by their cheeriness and gloss make the poetry in an angler's life, and convert every idler at heart into a moralist."

The Cadow, or May Fly, is one of the most beautiful of the whole tribe of insects. To trace it in its different stages, from the bottom of the river until it forms one of the myriads of its kind which we have seen thronging the air like falling snow, is a study from which the purest delight will result to the man of contemplation to the angler it is equally interesting as a destructive and easily employed bait. It will not, however, be

necessary to enter into particu lars as to the best mode of making this fly artificially, both because it is principally used in its natural state, and because, from its short duration, two or three, which may be purchased, tolerably well made, at any fishingtackle shop, will be quite enough to carry in your book. I must, however, remark, that those I have seen are generally too yellow, not having the greenish cast in the wing which is found in the natural fly. Its first appearance is usually about the last week in May. To see the numbers that come down on some rivers is astonishing, and the avidity with which birds, and even barndoor fowls, as well as fish, devour them, is a proof they are in estimation as a delicious morsel. I have taken trout so gorged with them, that on opening the mouth they were to be seen crammed in the gullet, there being no room left in the stomach. I have not observed them in many places on the coast, nor do I think them common to such situations, though in the neighbourhood of Southampton they are very abundant : and I believe they are not so numerous in the North of England as they are in the South and Midland counties. In Ireland I have seen an immensity of them, but they are smaller and darker than ours, and in some of the lochs or lakes of that country very splendid fishing is to be had with them. You put two of the natural flies on a small hook, and suffer your line to float out with the wind, moving your boat about to where you may have seen a fish rise, in which case you are almost sure to have him. In this way, if you have luck and a

good day, it will be no exaggeration to put down your sport at little short of a hundred weight! The trout in these waters reach from five to ten pounds, especially those called storm trout. There is, however, but little art, or even amusement, in this sort of fishing, or daping, as it is called, and for which nothing but the chance it gives you of catching the largest fish can make amends. In fact, hardly anything can escape even a moderate hand at it; and, I am sorry to add, this method is so well known in Cadow countries, that I have often seen baskets filled thereby to perfection by men who knew no more of fly fishing than they did of Newton's Principia.

Small deep brooks, much wooded, are peculiarly suited to this kind of angling; the Stone and the Cannon, or Downhill Fly, are also employed in this way. I have used the Stone Fly on the lakes in Ireland, after the disappearance of the Cadow, with considerable success; and with the Downhill I once caught some very fine trout in a small river near Ludlow in Shropshire, called the Corve; but the whole system is little better than poaching, and not worth much attention. As an artificial fly, the Cadow does exceedingly well on a stormy day, when there are no natural ones out; and I can readily believe Cotton when he says that he took with it, between the hours of five and eight one evening, "after a shower and in a whistling wind, five-and-thirty very great trouts and greylings." The Grey Drake is precisely similar to the Cadow, excepting a difference of colour according to its name. I shall give no di

rections for making it, as almost any one, from the village barber up to Chevalier and other topsawyers, can, from its striking character, imitate it as well as need be.

The Black Hawthorn is a fly of some consequence, and will be effective not only in May, when it first comes out, but on very stormy days throughout the season. It is not an aquatic insect, but is blown on the water in rough weather: the trout are very fond of it, and it is altogether worthy of the angler's consideration. It is made on a small hook, with wings of the feathers from under a cormorant's wing: the body of black silk, having first turned some black ostrich's feather four or five times about the head and at the butt of the wings, to give it the lumpy and heavy appearance of Nature.

A variety of the Blue Dun is also on the water now. I believe it is known as the Little Iron Blue, but a separate description is unnecessary. If you have one Blue Dun darker than another (and you should always have different shades of the same fly in your book), use the darkest.

There is one more fly I must mention, but to which I can hardly give a name by which it will be generally known. Every one,however, should be acquainted with it, as it very frequently does more than its share towards filling the basket. In Wales it is called the Cochabondy; and, in some parts of England, the Marlow buzz. It is commonly made with a red cock's hackle with a black list in it, and the body with peacock's harle; but a purple and red feather from the breast of a cock pheasant is infinitely the best. It

mixes with the harle delightfully, and exhibits that true "keeping," which by the way should be as strictly observed in fly-making as in painting.

As a general rule for this month I should recommend this last fly to be occasionally used as a dropper in turns with the Hawthorn and the Blue, and the March Brown (of course changed for the Cadow or Grey Drake at proper times) as the leader. Fish improve wonderfully in condition after they have had a taste of the May Fly; and, from not being so hungry, are by no means easily caught as hitherto. The rivers, too, at this time are apt to become very low, and the water bright, both of which are equally unpropitious to sport.

as

No one, they say, is so tenacious of his secrets as your true Angler; and I rather think the assertion partially true. There is a kind of emulation and innocent rivalry among the "Brethren," which often makes them attach some witching power to a favorite fly or colour which they are supposed to use, and which is strictly hidden from vulgar eyes. As to

myself, however, I have a different feeling; and shall communicate what information I am possessed of as freely and as intelligibly as I can, being well aware that the chief merit of a fly, like Paganini's fiddle, consists in the way in which it is handled. The young Angler, therefore, must not expect to catch fish on all occasions, even though he has the very best of tackle; for that is an accomplishment to which the most experienced does not aspire. But the amusement has its charms for all degrees of proficiency-for him who takes delight in the "glorious nibble," as well as for the more consequential fisher, who, "piteous of their youth,” throws back the small fry as too worthless a prey for his notice.

To conclude:-Do not let a few unsuccessful days damp your ardour: on the contrary, let it excite fresh energy in you; and rest satisfied that practice will soon make it "all right;" for, believe me, the only real secret in the art is "to use patience as a dropper, and perseverance as your leading fly."

HALCYON.

A LETTER TO A YOUNGSTER-A FEW HINTS UPON HIRING KEEPERS-GAME PRESERVING, &c.

BY TASSEL.

DEAR TOM,

You OU are now just arrived at what our rash legislators call years of discretion! and (with a lot of poor farms on your hands) you are come to pitch your tent in about as poverty-stricken a country as exists within our

thrice happy isle*: how I congratulate you!

O fortunate nimium tua si bona noris !
about as

You are, 1 presume,
well acquainted with farming
and all rural concerns as Eve was
with the merits of an Opera box.

* I more moderately call it "once happy.".

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