16 THE TROUT 



moments, the weed dangers having been overcome, 

 the landing net is carefully slid under the trout, and a 

 beauty of a pound and a half or whatever weight 

 the imagination chooses to create is triumphantly 

 placed on the bank. The first fish of the season ! a 

 very thrilling moment for any really enthusiastic 

 fisherman ! 



Let us accompany the angler for a little while 

 longer, as he warily and very slowly moves up-stream 

 in quest of another quarry ; and pray observe that, just 

 round the corner of the next little bend, the surface of 

 the water is gently touched by the soft breeze which, 

 though of a perfect strength and direction for fishing, 

 sufficiently ruffles the stream to prevent one from 

 seeing the trout in it, or observing the exact place 

 where they rise. So, this particular bit of the river 

 being generally accepted as one never to be heedlessly 

 neglected, it must be fished on the present occasion 

 in the third manner indicated at the beginning of this 

 chapter : that is to say, the fisherman, not being able 

 to see either trout or rise, must bring into action his 

 knowledge of the gentle art, as well as, should he 

 possess it, his previous experience of the water, and 

 put his fly over those portions of the stream which he 

 thinks are most likely to hold a trout. 



And you will please to remark that the fly is 



