16 THE AMERICAN TROUT. 
broke. As it was, I canglit seventy trout in what is 
ordinarily considered the worst hours of the day. But 
in this particular, also, the same rules apply as to the 
warmth of the weather. In early spring it is useless to 
be up with the lark, even supposing such a bird exists ; 
no fish will break the water till the sun has warmed the 
air ; but in summer, the dawn should blush to find the 
sportsman napping. In fact, trout will not rise well 
unless the air is warmer than the water. They do not 
like to risk taking cold by exposing themselves to a 
sudden draught. 
There is a very absurd impression, that trout will not 
taker the fly early in the season ; this is entirely unfound- 
ed. As soon as the ice disappears they will be found 
gambolling in the salt water streams, and leaping readily 
at the fly. At such times, on lucky days, immense 
numbers are taken. In March they have run up the 
sluiceways and are in the lower ponds, lying sullenly in 
the deepest water ; then is the cow-dung, politely called 
the dark cinnamou, the most attractive fly. In April, 
May and June they are scattered, and entrapped by the 
hackles, professor, ibis, and all the medium sized flies. 
In July and August they have sought the headwaters of 
navigation, the cool spring brooks, and hide around the 
weeds and water-cresses, whence the midges alone can 
tempt them. 
Any flies will catch fish, cast in any manner, if the 
fish are plenty and in humor to be caught. A few fea- 
thers torn from the nearest and least suspicious chicken, 
and tied on an ordinary hook with a piece of thread, 
will constitute a fly in the imagination of a trout, pro- 
