FLY-FISHING ON THE OSTRA DAL RIVER, SWEDEN. 37 



and the method used is to anchor in mid-stream with a 

 heavy stone tied to a long rope, and shift position 

 occasionally down the current by raising the stone 

 for a moment, and continuing the process as far as a 

 swift rapid some half mile lower down, the ascent of 

 which would be troublesome. The boat is then poled 

 up stream again and the process gone through once 

 more. Big trout are never caught here, and our bag 

 by the evening amounted to a little over forty trout 

 and grayling, mostly of diminutive dimensions. Most 

 of these, however, were caught in a tributary stream 

 which just at this point flows down from the north- 

 ward. 



The next day we resolved to explore this stream 

 farther and ascertain whether higher up it might not 

 offer even better angling prospects. We, therefore, 

 made across the forests with a guide, with the idea of 

 striking upon it about ten miles higher up and mak- 

 ing our way down to the old spot once more, where 

 some falls and deep pools promised at any rate a 

 certain amount of fish. It became evident, however, 

 that pools were quite the exception, and that every 

 part was almost of equal depth, and equally fishable, 

 without any indication as to where fish might be lying 

 in such a wide area of angling water. 



At last, a fine-looking pool was reached, which 

 yielded, to our surprise, only a couple of fish ; and a 

 short distance lower down another pool brought the 

 same result ; the explanation was not long in present- 

 ing itself, for we suddenly came face to face with an 



