114 THE PRACTICAL ANGLER 



very deep water, as it is only then they are hovering 

 near the surface on the outlook for flies. Once it is 

 over they retire to the bottom and there lie ; and if 

 the water is very deep they may not be able to 

 see the angler's flies, or if they do, cannot be 

 troubled to rise and seize them ; so that when trout 

 are not taking freely, the angler will always meet 

 with most success in comparatively shallow water. 



In April the angler must look for sport in the 

 pools, as the trout are not yet strong enough to lie 

 in the streams, and therefore it is of no use fishing 

 in them. There are some parts of a pool in which 

 trout are, at all seasons, more likely to be found than 

 in others. There are always plenty of them lying 

 in the shallow water at the pool-foot, which, if there 

 is a ripple on it, will be found the best place of all. 

 Passing up to the deeper portions of the pool, the 

 trout are more congregated about the sides, as it is 

 there that the aquatic insects on which they feed are 

 most numerous. They choose convenient feeding 

 stations below some large stone or tuft of grass, 

 where the river runs beneath the bank, or where 

 a projecting bush affords food and shelter to some 

 finny giant who holds his revels below. Such places 

 are always sure to be tenanted, and what is rather 

 singular, the best feeding station in a pool or stream 

 is generally occupied by the largest trout in it, and 

 if it is captured the next largest takes its place ; and 

 we have day after day caught a trout in one spot, 

 each capture being of smaller dimensions than its 

 predecessor. 



