THE RISE 75 



or to rising fish would have many empty days to 

 record in his diary. Days and days might pass 

 without his seeing the "dimple" of a big fish or 

 even the splash of a small one, except, possibly, 

 just at dusk; and at such times his skill and 

 patience would be taxed as heavily as ever by 

 any smutting fish of a chalk stream. But does 

 it follow, as some authorities seem to have sug- 

 gested, that because a fish is not risen by a few 

 casts here and there it has no inclination to 

 come to the surface or that such inclination 

 may not be aroused ? I think not, my experience 

 having proven the contrary. 



The entire theory of forcing the fish to rise 

 to the fly is based upon the fact that a trout 

 may be decoyed from the position occupied by 

 it when not feeding to one fixed by the angler, 

 provided, of course, the fish is not asked to 

 come any great distance. The practice of the 

 method necessitates considerable knowledge of 

 the fish and of the character of the places it 

 frequents. The fly cast, say, twenty times, in 

 close proximity to the supposed lair of a fish, in 

 nine cases out of ten will prove more effective 

 than twice the same number of casts placed 

 indiscriminately over the water. But no glaring 

 mistake, such as undue splashing or frantic wav- 



