262 TROUT FISHING 



I had insufficient control — such as nerves, hand and 

 so on — combined to make the basket unimpressive 

 in relation to the opportunities. But that was not 

 the fault of the weather or the fish. 



I do not like fishing in heavy rain, but that is not 

 because I expect to find the trout out of humour. 

 I have seen such brave doings in spite of rain that 

 on the whole I am surprised if there is not a good 

 rise at some time on the wettest day. It is mere 

 human weakness that makes me prefer a dry jacket 

 even if the rise is not quite so good. 



Even more does human weakness prejudice me 

 against wind. Frankly, I hate wind when I am 

 trout fishing, in spite of the fact that, like rain, it 

 seems sometimes to induce a good hatch of fly and 

 consequently a rise of fish. Often, I must admit, 

 the wind is really no great matter, though it has 

 great power to annoy. The gusty puffs which 

 wreck an occasional delivery, crack off a fly here and 

 there, or cause the gut -cast to wrap itself round the 

 rod now and again — these, though a stimulus to 

 what is pleasantly called " langwidge," in very old 

 as well as in new spelling — ^these puffs can be endured. 

 They colour, but they need not destroy, a day's 

 fishing. Once a foolish fish, or an exhibition of 

 fancied skill, has improved the mental condition, 

 the puffs have to a large extent lost their power to 

 madden. Recovered sanity makes it plain that a 



