32 TROUT-FISHING IN BROOKS 



enticements mentioned will most probably help 

 him to a few fish. The weather has a great deal 

 to do with it, trout being extremely sensitive to 

 meteorological changes. A continuance of bright, 

 windy, dry weather with a low temperature is 

 generally unfavourable. Then there are what are 

 called ' pet days,' when the utmost ingenuity 

 must be exercised to catch a brace or two. Such 

 are calm, bright, quite delightful days, when qne's 

 wife is most likely to say, " What a lovely day for 

 fishing ! " A deluge usually succeeds one of 

 these, which naturally accounts for the apathy of 

 the trout. Violent changes, too, with unsettled 

 weather, are unfavourable conditions, as when, 

 after a fine spell, a heavy wind gets up with 

 drenching rain for the day, trout are sure to be 

 ' off ' ; they are expecting a rise of water yet to 

 come on, and, except for a few undersized trout- 

 lings here and there, they are not to be tempted. 

 The rise and fall of freshets affect both the take 

 and the lure. 



What, then, is the best time to go a-brook- 

 fishing ? 



So far as I know, granted the water to be at 

 normal height for spring or summer, it is : (i) 

 a cloudy day with rather high temperature, a light 

 S. or S.W. wind and a thick mist ; (2) a calm day 



