54 FLY FISHING 



the sight of the rise or of the very fish itself, 

 that a great trout is feeding ! Often in the case 

 of these large trout my rod trembles visibly as 

 the fly comes to the spot, perhaps after all not 

 to be taken. I cannot say which is the more 

 exciting, to have seen only the rise, or to be 

 watching the movement of the fish. The crisis 

 of the rise at one's own fly comes more suddenly 

 when the body of the trout is unseen, but when 

 the fish itself is visible there is a tremendous 

 instant of expectation, as he is seen to prepare 

 to take the fly. The next feeling with me is 

 generally one of downright fear as to where the 

 first rush of the fish will end. This rush may 

 have nothing deliberate about it, in which case all 

 may go well, and in a few seconds the angler may 

 be on equal terms with the fish, and before a 

 minute is over fighting with the odds on his side. 

 On the other hand, there may be in the first rush 

 a horrible set purpose, on the part of the trout, 

 to gain some root under the bank, or to plunge 

 far into a thick bed of weeds, in which case the 

 angler is likely to have the worst of it, for during 

 the first few seconds after being hooked any good 

 conditioned trout of two pounds or upwards can 



