Casting. 85 



stretch of water, free from bushes, trees, or whatever 

 else would endanger his tackle or wreck his hopes ; 

 and, getting the wind in his favour, endeavour to 

 cast out from the channel side towards the bank. 



His efforts at this stage are more likely to be 

 successful if directed to the gently running streams. 

 For, although Mr Stewart is of a different opinion, 

 it is much more difficult to cast with nicety and 

 effect over pools than over streams. The trout 

 detect the deception more readily on a calm, un- 

 ruffled surface, which is often, moreover, as clear 

 as glass, so readily, indeed, that fishing a pool is 

 generally an unprofitable employment, unless the 

 angler be aided in his efforts by a breeze. Here no 

 current imparts to his flies their natural motion ; 

 this must be left for his skill to supply. Here 

 he must cast with greater frequency to keep his 

 flies afloat, with extreme delicacy lest he disturb 

 the placid surface of the pool, and with consummate 

 art to allure the trout from its haunts below. It 

 may be true, as Mr Stewart says, that " on account 

 of the roughness of the water in streams, it is not 

 so easy to see a trout rise." But there are other in- 

 dications of a trout's " rise " besides the appearance 

 of his fin ; and the " very roughness of the water," 

 which is said to render it difficult to detect the 

 " rise," is just that which will aid the young angler 

 in getting a rise at all. For here the artificial 



