34 CHATS ON ANGLING. 



down ; an odd dun sails down ignored, as far as the fish are concerned, 

 and at length, freeing himself from the water, gains the bank side. 

 Surely that was a rising fish by the bank of rushes yonder? But the 

 shadow of the rushes thrown by the lowered sun prevents you from 

 locating him exactly. It was a floppy rise, probably caused by some 

 small fish. Something must be done, for the time is short ; so, letting 

 out your line to the required length, you despatch your olive to sail 

 down the bank of rushes. No response. Another trial provokes a rise, 

 and you are fast in the fish ; but, as anticipated, he proves to be a half- 

 pounder, and, handling him gently, after having removed the fly, which 

 was provokingly well fixed in his tongue, you carefully hold him in the 

 water until he has regained his wind and recovered from his exhaustion. 

 Whilst so engaged you hear a heavy splash to your right. Hastily 

 glancing up, you cannot locate that rise either, but it is something that 

 they are beginning. No sedges have appeared, so you retain your olive. 

 A good quiet mid-stream boil above you attracts your attention. That 

 fellow means business, anyhow. Your olive, however, though deftly 

 offered, sails over his position unnoticed and despised. You change to a 

 bigger fly, a oo red quill ; the light is still good. He refuses that equally, 

 and whilst you are doubting whether to change or no, up he comes 

 again. What is he taking? Some small fly, no doubt, but none that 

 you can see. Try him with a hare's ear. You change, and whilst 

 you are tying on the fly you hear a succession of floppy rises below 

 you. You somewhat undecidedly give the trout one more chance, but 

 half-heartedly, as you want to get down to those other fish — result, a 

 bad cast, effectually putting down our friend. 



The light is beginning to go, so you re-change to your bigger red 

 quill and try your luck with those below you. Fly after fly, carefully 

 placed, cocked and floating, produces but litttle result, one pounder 

 succumbing. You see he is not a big one, and give him scant grace, 

 meaning to get him into the net as soon as possible, and so bring him 

 in half done. The net somewhat too hurriedly shown him produces an 

 effort on his part, and he has weeded you. You spike your rod and try 

 hand-lining ; he does not seem to yield, and you are impatient, and 

 resume your rod. Something must go ; you have no time to lose. 

 Suddenly with a wriggle he extricates himself from the weed, to your 



