80 FISHERMAN'S LURES 



life. Some fishermen, having but a limited ex- 

 perience, will often go to a river that is absolutely 

 new to them, and the problem is how are they to 

 begin, the time to fish, and to what parts of such 

 a river it is best to devote their energies. 



The angler of long experience has a fund of 

 knowledge that gives him considerable advantage 

 over the amateur. The expert will know at a glance 

 (if conditions are fairly good) where to cast his 

 fly to get a trout. The amateur will cast anywhere 

 and everywhere over the water with more or less 

 doubtful success. For my own part, I like best to 

 fish a river that I am thoroughly familiar with, so 

 that I can cover a long stretch of half a dozen miles 

 in a day, skipping barren spots and choosing good 

 ones as I go along. I know others (George La 

 Branche, for instance) who much prefer a good 

 short stretch and fish it thoroughly. I am not 

 sure but what he is right; especially if he finds a 

 stretch of water suited to his epicurean taste. 



Every fisherman, if he has not already attained 

 it, should cultivate the faculty of observation 

 that is, the training of the eye and brain in con- 

 tinued alertness in order to be equal to the trout 

 in his cunning skill at evading capture. He should 

 never permit his person to be seen by the trout; 



