TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



pools where the water moves slowly. After giving the 

 small flies a fair "try out" of several hours, and in some 

 cases whole days without having any success, I have then 

 changed to the larger flies. Numbers 4 and 6, and almost 

 immediately good results have followed on precisely the 

 same waters. 



I have also at times reversed the order, using large flies 

 first with success, then changing to small flies with no suc- 

 cess at all, . . . not even a small trout to my credit. 



A circumstance which many anglers no doubt have ob- 

 served, is a large trout chasing and trying to catch a small 

 trout that has been hooked, and is being played by the 

 angler. 



At such times the large trout is apparently very bold, 

 and frequently comes to within three feet of the angler 

 if he be wading a stream or within two feet of a boat or 

 canoe, if he is fishing on a lake. This, however, does not 

 prove anything about the eyesight of the trout other than 

 the eyes of the trout were focused upon the small hooked 

 fish and not upon the angler. And as proof of this state- 

 ment I will say that if any angler, under either of the con- 

 ditions cited, will simply move his left and free hand over 

 the water about a foot the large trout will immediately and 

 quickly make for deep water, indicating that up to that 

 time the trout had not seen the angler. 



As some proof, at all events, that many trout are keen 

 of vision, I will cite an instance that happened to me at 

 Kennebago Lake, Maine, during the season of 1912. 



A large trout, weighing three and one-half pounds, 



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