Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 2.djvu/51

Rh 

Sea-Trout Fishing.

Next to the salmon ranks in value for sport the sea-trout. Of these there are two kinds: 1st, The salmon-trout (Salmo trutta); and 2d, The bull or grey trout (Salmo eriox). The former is much the better fish for sport and for the table, the latter being coarser for the table and rather shy of the angler s lures. Sea-trout abound in several rivers in the north, and many are taken in the tributaries of the Tweed and other northern rivers; but they are perhaps more abundant and show better sport to the angler in some of the western Irish waters. The salmon-trout usually average below 4 lb each, perhaps from 1 to 2 lb being the prevailing size, though now and then much larger fish are taken. The bull-trout often runs up to a far greater size, and fish of above 20 and even up to 30 lb are not very uncommon. The salmon-trout, called in Ireland the white trout, and on Tweed and the northern rivers the herling or silver white, is a smart, bold-rising fish; it takes freely at times, and plays with wonderful agility, frequently when hooked springing from the water like an acrobat many times in succession, and trying all the angler's skill to bring it into the basket. In lakes they frequently abound in profusion, and a hundredweight of them, and sometimes more, are or have been often taken in one clay. The tackle, of course, is lighter than that used for salmon, and somewhat heavier than is used for the common trout. The flies are also of a size between those used for the other two; bodies of claret, yellow and orange, green, blue, and black, either of silk or fur, are the favourites. In Ireland they prefer a mixed wing, chiefly made up of fibres of yellow, red, and green parrot, with bustard and other dark feathers; the hackles being suitable. In Scotland they prefer plain wings of drake, teal, woodcock, and the black and white tip from the wild drake wing; but the fashion of the dressing is not a very important matter, so that the colour is right. At times sea-trout rise very badly, and the angler will get a number of rises, but succeed only in hooking a very few fish; but when the fish are taking well, few branches of the sport show better amusement than a day s sea-trout fishing. They also, unlike the salmon, take a spinning bait well while still in the salt water, and many are thus captured in the estuaries and salt-water lochs of Scotland while they are making their way to the mouths of the rivers up which they eventually would run to deposit their spawn.

Trout Fishing.

The trout (Salmo fario) has already been fully dealt with as regards the means employed in capturing him, and very little more needs to be said. He may be caught on the surface by the natural and artificial fly, by spinning a minnow, &c., in mid-water, by a live minnow, by casting a beetle or grub also in mid-water, and by fishing with a worm at the bottom. There are very few fish that have so wide a range as the trout. From the poles to the outside boundaries of the tropics they are found on every continent, either in running or still waters, for neither comes amiss to them. From the huge lake trout, vying with the salmon in size and strength, the species dwindles down to the small burn fish of six or eight to the pound. There is hardly any way of using the rod that is not more or less suitable for their capture; and though salmon fishing is held the nobler pursuit of the two, yet far more skill is required to make an expert trout fisher, so cunning and wary do they become when much fished over.

. 22.—The Common Trout.

Greyling Fishing.

The greyling (Salmo Thymallus] is not so widely dis tributed as the other members of the Salmonidse. It is found in comparatively few rivers in England ; in only ono in Scotland, the Clyde, into which it was introduced some years ago; and not at all in Ireland. It is a useful fish for the angler, inasmuch as it comes into the best rivers just as the trout is going out. It is a handsome fish, of graceful shape, very silvery sides and belly, with small black spots. It supposed to smell of thyme when first caught, hence its name. It is seldom known to run much above 4 ft) in weight, and even that size is not at all common, from |- or 1 B&gt; to 1 J Bb being the average takeable size. It rises very freely to the fly, and will take other bait; but is less carnivorous than the trout, so that minnow is rarely used as a lure for it, small insects, as gentles, caddis, &c., may be used with advantage. The flies it prefers are usually small bright duns and spinners, such as are used for trout in clear waters. The longer dorsal fin of the greyling allows it to rise from greater depths more rapidly than the trout, and deep still reaches often hold the best fish. Unlike the trout, a greyling will often rise and refuse the fly four or five or more times in succession, and yet will perhaps take it after all. The mouth being tender, the fish must be treated more gently than the trout, or it may break away. There is one way of fishing for greyling practised in the midland rivers which is worth notice. It is called " grasshopper fishing," though the lure is totally unlike a grasshopper. A lump of lead of an elongated pear shape is welded or cast on to the shank of a No. 5 or 6 hook. This is covered with wool or worsted wound on to it in rings of different colours green, yellow, and sometimes red. To make the bait more attractive, sometimes two or three gentles are put on the hook, and the bait is cast into a greyling eddy, and worked up and down smartly until taken by a fish. The angler strikes at every suspicion of a bite. Large baskets of greyling are taken thus.

Roach Fishing.

The roach (Cyprimis rutihis} is caught principally in bottom fishing with the float, as before described. The roach has been termed the river sheep, from his supposed unsuspiciousness of guile, but that can only be when he is never fished for. About London, where he forms a great attraction to a numerous body of anglers, he is particularly