80 FISHERMAN'S LURES 



life. Some fishermen, liaving but a limited ex- 

 perience, will often go to a river that is absolutely 

 new to them, and the problem is how are they to 

 begin, the time to fish, and to what parts of such 

 a river it is best to devote their energies. 



The angler of long experience has a fund of 

 knowledge that gives him considerable advantage 

 over the amateur. The expert will know at a glance 

 (if conditions are fairly good) where to cast his 

 fly to get a trout. The amateur will cast anywhere 

 and everywhere over the water with more or less 

 doubtful success. For my own part, I like best to 

 fish a river that I am thoroughly familiar with, so 

 that I can cover a long stretch of half a dozen miles 

 in a day, skipping barren spots and choosing good 

 ones as I go along. I know others (George La 

 Branche, for instance) who much prefer a good 

 short stretch and fish it thoroughly. I am not 

 sure but what he is right; especially if he finds a 

 stretch of water suited to his epicurean taste. 



Every fisherman, if he has not already attained 

 it, should cultivate the faculty of observation — 

 that is, the training of the eye and brain in con- 

 tinued alertness in order to be equal to the trout 

 in his cunning skill at evading capture. He should 

 never permit his person to be seen by the trout; 



