Methods and Equipment 333 



cannot see far or clearly through an agitated sur- 

 face of water, and it would naturally follow that 

 down-stream fishing does not alarm the fish to 

 the extent that it is credited to do. Certainly 

 atmospheric conditions disturb or lessen the acute- 

 ness of sight in trout. On a bright day, with the 

 sun rays illuminating every sand bar, rock, or 

 pebble of the stream, the trout are timid, and will 

 not rise to the most deftly placed artificial fly ; but 

 as the chasing shadows pass over the pool, causing 

 dark patches, here and there, the trout in these 

 shaded spots become alert for the drifting bug or 

 falling insect. Under such conditions the experi- 

 enced angler seldom fails to score, although when 

 starting out the day appeared to be an unpro- 

 pitious one. On dark days and at night trout, as 

 a rule, rise freely ; on bright days they are shy. 



It has been, for a long period, a matter of 

 discussion whether trout would rise during a 

 thunder-storm or when an east wind is blow- 

 ing. The pros and cons have been discussed 

 until the subject ceases to be of interest, and 

 has become about threadbare. It is, without 

 question, a fact that these fish bite most freely 

 when a rain storm is in its incipiency, when 

 the first drops spatter upon the water; also 



