CHAPTEE VII. 



THE ADVICE TO A BEGINNER CONTINUED AND ENDED. 



MAKE the best of difficulties, and try to minimise 

 or overcome them ; it is the acme of sport to do so. 

 Indeed, an easy capture of a trout is far less exciting 

 and satisfying to one's amour propre than one 

 where the utmost skill is required to play and tire 

 out an old stager, fighting him through all his 

 stratagems (which have hitherto availed to preserve 

 his liberty), and drawing him to net hors de combat. 

 Never leave a rising fish, is an adage more or less 

 become obsolete to the dry-fly expert ; for he, after 

 a few ineffectual casts over a too wary fish (who 

 looks at one's fly and refuses it), wisely passes on to 

 others, hoping to " call again " on the first one later 

 on, haply to find him less guarded, and quickly 

 taken.* I have known this often to occur ; in fact, 

 I have come to the conclusion that no trout can for 



* In " Seventy Years' Fishing," by Charles George Barrington, C.B., 

 published by Smith, Elder, & Co., 15, Waterloo Place, London, 1906, at 

 page 132, occurs the following note : " Since these pages were written, 

 the experienced angler who writes under the signature of * Eed Quill ' 

 has expressed his disapproval of dwelling too long at one spot. Sept., 

 No. of Baily, 1905. I am happy to find myself in agreement with so 

 practical and skilful a hand." 



