THE COMMON BROWN TROUT. 255 



given rise to by the stream. I am an advocate for trying every likely 

 nook two, three, or even more times successively, and an eddy which 

 suggests itself as of trout trouty must not be lightly disregarded. In 

 every case this maxim may advantageously be kept in mind : " Try every 

 nook and cranny, every portion of the stream whatsoever, before resting 

 satisfied that there are no fish likely to come to bag." 



On hooking a trout the first mental quality necessary is deliberate- 

 ness. All flurry is inimical to the proper playing of any fish, and 

 especially is this so with trout. The excitement, which is so delicious, 

 becomes chastened after the angler learns his craft, and though there be 

 much abatement of the nerve-disturbing ecstacy in the capture of the 

 hundredth trout as compared with that of the capture of the first, never- 

 theless the pleasure is of a greater, more satisfying, nature. A poetical 

 friend of mine suggests a comparison as I write. He says that there 

 is as much difference between the first glow and thrill of amateur trout 

 capture and that of later date as between the bliss of the ardent lover 

 and the love of the husband who has won his quest. The parallel cannot 

 be quite followed though, for I am anxious to enjoin a moderation 

 of transports in the novitiate of the angler, whilst one would scarcely 

 have the temerity to suggest a lesser degree of ardour in the successful 

 lover. 



Having, however, risen and hooked the fish, let us suppose the tyro is 

 ready and willing to behave like a sane man, and calmly endeavour to 

 play it with a determination of conquest. In such case he must not 

 forget the necessity of keeping his rod well up, that the strain may be on 

 it, and not so much on the line. This is very essential in regard to a 

 large fish. I am personally very harsh to a trout, possibly because I am 

 somewhat Ilas6 in fishing, and partly, may be, because of the stiffness of 

 the rod I use. I object to allowing a weak half-pounder to upset the 

 lower portion of the stream (after dealing death to salmon and Thames 

 trout), but with a two-pounder the case is different. One has to be 

 excessively careful that the line is free on the reel, and that the rings do 

 not intercept it, or woe to the fine gut line and rod's top. Never, how- 

 ever, let out line if it can be avoided. If wading, speedily get to shore 

 to try keeping up with the fish, providing this can be done without very 

 great exertion or the chance of disturbing all the fish in the locality. At 

 the same time it must be carefully observed that a slack line is most evil, 

 for if the hook be only fixed on the bone, as is sometimes the case, the 

 fish will be able to shake it out, and, in addition to this danger, there is 

 that of the course of the fish not being correctly known, whereas a taut 

 line indicates it unerringly. If a fish takes you into a weed boldly 

 endeavour to irritate him to action. It is much better that he should 



