42 TROUT FISHING 



and smaller trout often have qualities denied to big 

 ones. That is certainly the case with these. If 

 the two-pounders of the Test behaved with their 

 impetuous vigour on feeling the hook, the diaries 

 of Test fishermen would show much less imposing 

 totals. It is on the whole fortunate that big fish 

 in weedy waters are not given to acrobatics; other- 

 wise they would seldom be landed with the little 

 hooks and fine gut that dry-fly fishing makes 

 necessary. It is not the trout that runs far and fast 

 that is dangerous to the tackle, nor is the trout that 

 dives into a weed-bed and stays there necessarily a 

 lost fish ; a gentle coaxing with the hand on the line 

 itself will in most cases persuade him to come out 

 again. 



The really awkward opponent is the trout which 

 goes off at a burst for six or seven yards, turns 

 sharp to the left going slap through a patch of weed, 

 takes another burst straight upstream, turns to the 

 right into more weeds, dashes out on the other side, 

 and finally comes to anchor, having, for greater 

 security, taken two turns with the gut round a 

 convenient rush. This — with certain modifications 

 according to circumstances — is the customary pro- 

 cedure of the trout here. They are greatly helped 

 by the nature of the stream, since they need never 

 travel far to find some device for giving the angler 

 pain. It folloAvs therefore that their capture, when 



