CHAPTER XV. 



THE TROUT SEASON, 1900. 



AFTER six months' rest of the trout-rod, idly hanging 

 by its case -loop in an angler's fishing sanctum and 

 study combined, the opening day of this season 

 found him full of joyful expectations of coming 

 sport with the dry-fly, and in every way, as to tackle 

 and flies, perfectly ready. On every side were 

 indications of the craft, and of his enthusiasm for it. 

 On the walls from many glass cases looked forth the 

 stuffed effigies of bream, barbel, chub, jack, Thames 

 trout, &c., marvels of the taxidermist's skill, remind- 

 ing him of bygone successes in the gentle art (albeit 

 some of its practices are anything but that), and 

 each recalling the incidents of their capture, time, 

 and place, when, long ago the pursuit of coarse fish- 

 ing of all sorts, from gudgeon to pike, afforded 

 delightful excitement, and no thought was then 

 given to the enchantment of the fly-rod of the future. 

 Its beginning, however, was to catch chub with 

 black or brown palmer flies, dace with black 

 gnats, or a very occasional Thames trout with a 

 large governor or a coachman fly. Now, as a 



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