TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



and a half to two and one-half pounds exerts, as a rule, 

 a proportionately greater pull against a yielding resist- 

 ance than does a trout weighing three pounds or more 

 and that it requires as much skill, if not more, to play and 

 land the former than the latter. 



I have come to the conclusion that, under the ordi- 

 nary conditions encountered when fly-fishing, the greatest 

 pull exerted in playing a trout, weighing up to seven 

 pounds, does not exceed one to one and a quarter pounds 

 and rarely does the pull exceed more than three-quarters 

 of a pound. 



When making the statement that in my opinion a trout 

 weighing from one to seven pounds does not exert a 

 greater pull than one and one-quarter pounds, it must be 

 understood that if the trout makes a sudden rush it is given 

 line so as to offset the sudden exerted strain, which strain 

 is double the strain exerted by a steady pull, otherwise the 

 result will be very nearly the same as if the pull was ex- 

 erted against a dead resistance. 



The experienced angler never allows a pull of one 

 and one-quarter pounds to come on his rod unless he is 

 obliged to "give the butt of the rod" to the fish to force 

 it away from some dangerous place or snag. He gives 

 the trout line as the pull increases beyond half a pound, 

 which he can both feel and see by the bend of the rod. 



The question might well be asked, why is it then that 

 leaders having a known strength of four pounds give 

 way when big trout are hooked or are being played if 



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