38 FLY FISHING 



river at large. Even in the hatch-holes he will 

 probably prick more fish than he hooks, and if 

 one or two are landed they will either be small 

 trout, or large ones in inferior condition. The 

 fact is, that attempts to anticipate success in a 

 chalk stream before the proper rise begins are 

 unsatisfactory ; however resolutely the angler 

 may have made up his mind to expect nothing 

 from these attempts, yet if he labours at them, 

 some sense of disappointment will insensibly steal 

 over him, and take just a little off the edge of his 

 keenness. In my opinion, it is better to keep 

 this unimpaired till the rise begins. It is not 

 hard to wait for an hour or two on such a day ; 

 one need only watch and listen to the life about 

 the river. To read a book at. this time is not 

 so easy, for the eyes are continually being lifted 

 to the water. On the other hand, there is not 

 much to be gained by wandering up and down, 

 and the best plan is for the angler, to go to 

 the lowest part of the water he means to fish, 

 and there sit down to watch some particular 

 bit of it, which is known to be a good place 

 for free rising trout. The first sign of the 

 coming rise will be a few flies upon the water, 



