Methods and Equipment 351 



low in midsummer, the best results are obtained 

 at night, which is the reverse of what the angler 

 gets when fishing the same stream during the 

 day. The rod should be at least seven ounces in 

 weight and the water gear of greater strength 

 than that used in day fishing, as you cannot give 

 your fish any leeway in a small and blackened 

 pool, perhaps lined with water grass and over- 

 hung with bushes, the outlines of which you can 

 hardly see. The trout are bolder, naturally, at 

 night, and come to the fly with an eager rush ; and 

 it seems as if all the senses they possess, except 

 that of taste, were quiescent or lacking acuteness. 

 Notwithstanding, you must strike quickly at the 

 first feel of the "pluck," or else the fly will be 

 ejected. Larger flies should be used than in the 

 daytime ; the splash of them on the water attracts 

 the trout, who seem to be on the qui vive for 

 falling insects of large size, particularly grass- 

 hoppers. The most delightful fishing for trout 

 I ever had at night was when using a large Black 

 Hackle tied on a No. 4 Limerick hook. I took 

 eighteen fish that averaged over half a pound. 

 The trout evidently mistook the Black Hackle for 

 a cricket, for passing along the stream by a path 

 that led close to the bank, a few evenings subse- 



