TROUT AND SALMON FISHING. 347 



both trout and salmon fishing, which no fisherman can 

 fh\il to have observed, I am unable to account for. That 

 all the inhabitants of a portion of a stream should 

 desist to feed instantaneously, when a few minutes 

 previously they have been seizing with avidity your 

 Hies, is the subject on which I should like to hear 

 the opinion of some competent authority. I remember 

 asking an old hand, whose success in his neighbour- 

 hood was a household word, and his response was that 

 a sudden change in the atmosphere caused it. This 

 answer somewhat astonished me, nor could I reconcile 

 myself to the idea that fish which, in the majority of 

 instances, lie some distance beneath the surface of the 

 water, should be cognizant of an alteration which is 

 imperceptible to us. 



From continued want of success, I changed my posi- 

 tion, and removed to a hole some way farther down. 

 After much difficulty from the quantity of brush that 

 grew on the margin of the stream, and carrying a rod 

 among such obstacles, I reached the water. The appear- 

 ance of the pool much pleased me, but it was difficult to 

 fish, from the timber growing so close to the water, and 

 wading being almost out of the question from the rough 

 and irregular bottom being thickly packed with large 

 boulders. Obliged to make a virtue of necessity, with a 

 short Hue, and a quick, contracted cast, I commenced 

 operations. My companion informed me that he very 

 much doubted if a line had been wet there that season ; 

 from the result, I think his statement must have been 

 correct. Scarcely had my flies touched the water, 

 when two beauties, radiant in their handsome golden 

 hues, simultaneously dashed at the deception ; one I 

 hooked firm and strong, and soon brought to net : a 



