CHAPTER XII 

 HOW AND WHEN TO STRIKE TROUT 



Experience is by far the best teacher in learning how 

 and when to strike a trout that rises to your fly because the 

 personal equation of knowledge is, after all, the real con- 

 trolling factor which spells success. 



Nevertheless a few remarks about this subject may not 

 go amiss in giving a general idea of why certain features 

 should be carefully taken into consideration as to how 

 and when to strike the rising trout. 



When speaking about the striking of trout the two ex- 

 treme conditions encountered in fly-fishing are probably 

 best stated by saying that one is stream fishing and the 

 other lake or still-water fishing. 



Trout in one respect are like people, in that their move- 

 ments and habits are to a great extent governed by their 

 weight, their size and often by their age. 



Of the several species of trout it can well be said that 

 the natural peculiarities of each resemble to quite a 

 marked degree the characteristics of some of the different 

 nationalities of the world. 



Although there are marked differences between the 

 various trout species, yet they all have certain character- 



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