22 THE FINE ART OF FISHING 



ity for patient endurance under much adversity. 

 Whether it is a matter for congratulation that when 

 the trout are rising short they are generally rising pretty 

 freely is a question. Certainly the more short rises you 

 have, with consequent failures to hook the fish, the 

 more you are inclined to wax exceeding wroth and feel 

 like smashing things. But this free rising of the fish, 

 even under these conditions, generally results in a cap- 

 ture now and then, and for this reason it should prob- 

 ably be considered a good rather than an evil. 



When the fish are acting in this manner the angler 

 is at first inclined to believe that he is striking too 

 quickly and jerking the flies away. But if he steadies 

 down and strikes more deliberately, he soon discovers 

 that the fault is with the fish. To increase his discom- 

 fiture it generally happens that the trout strikes just 

 closely enough to result in being pricked and lost. 



So far as the writer knows there is no remedy. It is 

 simply to be endured. The exact mental bias of a brook 

 trout when he is determined to rise short has been var- 

 iously conjectured, but is still to be definitely decided. 

 It has been claimed that he is merely playful; that he 

 desires to maim the insect for future reference, or, per- 

 haps for the fun of the cruelty ; also, that he rises purely 

 out of curiosity and without intention or desire to take 

 the lure. Any of these theories is probable, plausible, 

 and possible, and the angler may take his choice with 

 the certainty that whichever of them he may elect tc 

 rely upon may be easily proved conclusively and with 

 equal ease absolutely discredited. 



Probably the most heartrending situation with which 



