30 TROUT-FISHING IN BROOKS 



larger ones are taking up their positions ; for in 

 brooks, at all events, each fish of fair size has its 

 own little domain from which it jealously excludes 

 its fellows and seldom wanders far. From May 

 every part of the stream will be more or less 

 populated, save the extremely attenuated places, 

 i.e., where with extra width the water scarcely 

 covers the pebbles. Such places may be always 

 skipped. When a trout is taken from its holt, its 

 place, like our own, is quickly filled up, and this 

 is so far interesting in that a fish hooked and lost 

 in any particular spot can be reckoned with on a 

 future occasion. But the various features of a 

 brook call for more special attention than a few 

 general remarks, and will be included in connection 

 with the different forms of fishing it. 



My third point, lures and their treatment, will 

 be similarly dealt with, with but slight mention 

 here. While the artificial fly, whether fished dry 

 or wet, holds pride of place as the most sporting 

 of all lures, the pticc de resistance of the brook- 

 fisher will be the clear- water worm. As far as 

 these little streams are concerned, the scientific 

 use of this natural and most useful bait appears 

 to me to be a more difficult art to master than any 

 other description of trout-fishing ; but once 

 acquired, even in fair degree, it will upset all 



