THE DUBLIN POND TROUT 



which is usually November i st or thereabouts ; 

 during that time many fish are crowding close to 

 the shore. As a rule, young or immature fish can 

 be caught with hook and line during their * rising 

 season ' in the spring, and when they come to the 

 surface in the fall ; but no method of fishing can 

 take the larger ones, except one, now and then ; 

 but the aggregate of those caught in a season does 

 not exceed three or four. The smaller ones, from 

 five to ten inches, are taken, when at the surface, 

 in large numbers, afix)rding excellent sport on 

 light tackle ; yet it is useless to whip the water when 

 the fish are not jumping. They are, also, very 

 keen in * getting onto ' a cast of artificial flies, 

 which they will refuse, if cast for them continually 

 during several days. There are, however, off days, 

 when their intelligence seems to weaken or their 

 appetites strengthen, for they will, now and then, 

 up to the date of their retreat to deeper water, 

 take the fly greedily, under any conditions. 



" Again, they will take a natural bait in eighty 

 to one hundred and twenty-five feet of water at all 

 seasons ; but large ones, as I have said, are seldom 

 caught by this method of fishing. 



" Those formerly seen on top of the water are 

 certainly diminishing in numbers, but I am unable 

 to give an opinion as to the cause ; the United 



165 



