UPSTREAM WORM FISHING 83 



stream, he waded out as near as possible to the willows, 

 which, as described, were on his left. Casting straight 

 up in front of him he cherished the idea that the 

 stream would carry the worm under the willows to 

 the place where, it was hoped, the best fish would lie 

 feeding. So far, so good. In this manner he worked 

 to the top of the stream without a touch, when a final 

 throw was made, pitching the worm into the water 

 just where it rushed hardest under the willows. 



Almost before the worm touched the water, the 

 dark form of a large fish, some three or four pounds in 

 weight, shot from the shallows on his right, to his holt 

 in the deeps under the willows. This fish had been 

 lying in the very thin water at the tail end of the 

 rapids, no doubt seizing every morsel that came 

 within reach, but ever ready to dart into his stronghold 

 on the least sign of danger. 



On the two following days the same thing happened, 

 when it occurred to that youthful angler that his 

 approach had been all wrong, and that if he had 

 worked the thin water first, leaving the deeper channel 

 until the last, success might have attended his efforts. 

 But reflection had come too late ; he had to leave, 

 and he never saw the fish again. 



There is another moral to the incident ; although a 

 deep inaccessible pool may be the stronghold of the 

 largest trout, they will, during the hot summer months, 

 frequently come to the thin edges of the stream to feed. 



