146 TROUT FISHING 



delicate. On the mountain streams it can be a very 

 pretty art. On a coldish day with a ruffle of wind, 

 even though the water be rather low, a small natural 

 minnow mounted on some inconspicuous flight and 

 very fine gut may do great execution and account 

 for big fish. I have found it best as a rule to fish up- 

 stream. Though the bait has to be spun home 

 more quickly, I think the fish take it better. It is 

 more difficult to handle rod and line in upstream 

 fishing, but that I take to be an advantage. Per- 

 sonally, I always cast from the coil for this purpose, 

 never having had a reel with which I could throw a 

 very light bait accurately enough for short casts, 

 often among bushes. But with two or three coils 

 on the left hand one can do all that is needed. For 

 downstream fishing, where one can use more lead 

 and make longer casts, I rather prefer casting from 

 the reel. It is less trouble, and I think the steady 

 spin of the bait is more attractive to trout. 



On the whole I have found the natural bait do 

 better than an artificial, though its superiority has 

 not been very marked. It certainly induces bolder 

 runs, as might be expected, but it does not neces- 

 sarily move more fish. I remember a day on a small 

 river, where the water was rather full and slightly 

 stained, and the weather rather blustery. I fished 

 with a small gold Devon for several hours, and I 

 should think I must have moved every considerable 



