A 'BERG TROUT STREAM 263 



"Just in the dubious point, where with the pool 

 Is mixed the trembling stream." 



Curiously enough, the heaviest individual 

 trout of the visit was the least game. He 

 weighed a pound and a quarter, but was thin ; 

 for his size he should have had four more ounces. 

 It was the beginning of an afternoon's fly-fishing, 

 and this trout could be seen on the feed in some 

 still water. Obviously, he was worth trying for. 

 The first cast never got to him ; the tail fly had 

 hooked up in long grass behind, and stayed there. 

 With a big trout inviting attention, there was no 

 time to tie on another fly, so a second cast was 

 made with only a dropper (blue upright). The 

 fly was taken at once, and the trout played steadily, 

 almost lazily. Then he gave two upward leaps 

 that would have done credit to a performing seal ; 

 these two aerial excursions seemed quickly to ex- 

 haust him, and in two minutes or so he was netted. 



A thrilling little adventure was supplied by 

 another trout, safely landed at the foot ot a steep 

 bank and near a bush. Fascination was lent to 

 the incident because it meant casting from a reed- 

 covered bank and right over the high reeds. 

 Trout seem to patronize apparently inaccessible 

 spots by instinct. But it seemed just possible, 

 owing to the ascending bank, to throw over the 

 reeds, and anyhow, it was worth a sporting effort, 

 as trout were rising gaily in the still, deep water. 

 The cast dropped beautifully two or three times 

 without response. But at last a trout rose and 

 was hooked. Away he went right across the 

 river, the reel sinmnG; out musically. It seemed 



DO * 



