190 Dry -Flu Fishing. 



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begun to grow, and sword grass was only a foot 

 high, upstanding in serried array, looking like 

 green daggers. Close under a wooden fence, 

 stretching two yards over the surface, a trout 

 could be distinctly seen in a quiescent state, save 

 that his caudal extremity waved. To have made 

 any attempt to throw near him would fail, for one's 

 fly would inevitably be caught up in the woodwork. 

 And as no rise was seen elsewhere, the only thing to 

 do was to watch and wait. Presently a single dark- 

 winged dun floated down and passed over the fish ; 

 he saw it, turned, but did not rise. Then another 

 fly came up, struggling on the way, a striking 

 object, and instantly the quarry darted forward a 

 yard or more to meet, but to miss it. In this new 

 position it was just possible to cover him, running 

 the risk of the hook being held up on the fence ; 

 but fortunately at the first attempt the 00 red quill 

 was taken, and the trout, after the first scared rush 

 up-stream ended, was found to be firmly hooked. 

 Still, as the hook was small, care had to be taken 

 not to hold him too masterfully during the exciting 

 five minutes he fought for life ; but then, when he 

 showed signs of giving in, the net, half submerged, 

 was held behind for him to drift into, a labourer 

 from an adjacent farm watching the play and land- 

 ing, and considerately not coming to the riverside 

 to interfere ; for it may be noticed here that 



