226 THE TROUT ARE RISING 



his bag is more convenient than one with just a 

 plain staff. The beginner may be tempted to buy 

 himself a small shallow net. That is a mistake. 

 Have a net which is deep and roomy, as you 

 never know what big trout fortune may have in 

 store for you. Once on the Umgeni I had a 

 shallow landing net and a trout actually got out 

 of it and back into the water. Fortunately the 

 fish was well hooked, but the incident taught its 

 lesson. 



All the angler's requirements can be obtained 

 in South Africa, unless, of course, the world- 

 shortage in production has caused a temporary 

 deficiency in stock, perhaps in special makes of 

 rod, for instance. But supplies will, no doubt, 

 in good time be made up. Human nature 

 (especially business nature) is the same the world 

 over. Shops and stores want to sell goods to 

 you, and, if they have not a special line in stock, 

 and if you give the order for it, they will as soon 

 as possible do their best to give you satisfaction. 



The trout fisherman about to visit South 

 Africa for the first time will naturally ask if 

 waders are necessary. The reply is that, taking 

 South African trout rivers as a whole, wading 

 can be dispensed with. A man should be able to 

 cast satisfactorily from the bank. The drawback 

 about wearing waders in South Africa for any 

 lengthy period of the day is this : the climate is a 

 warm one, and waders are heavy. In Natal and 

 East Griqualand, particularly, they are practically 

 unnecessary. Of course if the angler's head- 



