Methods and Equipment 335 



hundred feet of the brook. Hence the decriers 

 of an east wind have only the direct effect of 

 such an air current upon the temperature of 

 the water as an argument in their favor. A 

 sharp, chilling east wind in the early days of 

 the season, say in March or in cold April 

 weather, is hardly a factor in lowering the tem- 

 perature of the water, from which, in a tardy 

 spring, the snow water has hardly run out and 

 the partial chill of winter still remains. Later 

 on, when the foliage is in its fulness of greenery, 

 when the bees are buzzing, and the stream is 

 in its normal fishing condition, it will require 

 some days of constant northeast gales to lower 

 the temperature of a trout brook, particularly if 

 it is dashing, dancing, or rippling along its devi- 

 ous course over pebbles, boulders, fallen trunks, 

 and other obstructions. 



I never joint my rod when the air is chilled 

 by unseasonable winds, not that their prevalence, 

 unless continued for several days, will lessen 

 scores, but rather from the feeling that fontina- 

 lis should only be lured when the air is mellow, 

 the stream joyous in its flow, and the fish ram- 

 pant in leaping and in full vigor of fight. No 

 genuine trout angler can be responsive to the 



