46 TROUT FISHING 



it will have been more evenly distributed over the 

 day, and that counts in the balance of enjoyment. 



Why, it may be asked, is there such a difference 

 in the habits of trout in two rivers not many miles 

 apart? Several explanations may be given with 

 some confidence. One is that the little river is 

 rather shallow and rapid, a character which makes 

 for greater alertness in its inhabitants. Another is 

 the fact that its trout are smaller. Half-pounders 

 are everywhere easier to rouse than fish of twice or 

 three times their weight. But most important, I 

 think, is the character of the food-supply. This 

 little stream is certainly richer in " oddments " than 

 a bigger one would be, or at any rate the oddments 

 make a braver show and stimulate more fish. 

 Plenty of beetles, caterpillars, crane flies, ants, and 

 other irregular fare must reach the trout of a big 

 river, but only as a rule those trout which lie close 

 to the banks. In a narrow stream such as this, 

 however, the fish which lie in the middle expect a 

 share in the good things too, and no doubt get it. 

 So the proportion of what may be called casual 

 feeders is greater than in the bigger rivers, and the 

 angler's chances are accordingly more numerous. 



Where all is delightful it is hard to declare a 

 preference for one bit of the stream over another. 

 Looking back on that past season I get a series of 

 precious memories, from the first day when I hurried 



