BROOKS, POOLS, STILL- WATERS 51 



the big trout the chief object of the day's fishing and 

 not have his tackle suited only to small fish. One 

 reason why the "big one" so often gets away is because 

 trout fishing to many anglers means merely the taking 

 of numerous young fish little better than fingerlings 

 and when a trout of good fighting size takes hold of 

 the tackle he easily tears it apart. Of course, if the 

 chance of striking a really good fish is very remote, as 

 when fishing the smallest streams, it is best to use the 

 very lightest tackle, for therein lies the sport of taking 

 the smaller trout. 



Strong tackle, suited to fairly large trout, is far from 

 implying coarse tackle. Coarse tackle in trout fishing 

 is of almost no use save on very exceptional occasions. 

 The brook trout is by nature one of the wariest of 

 game fish and in most localities has in addition a very 

 thorough education in angling affairs. Strong tackle 

 is not necessarily coarse, but to obtain it of a quality 

 good enough to embody both strength and fineness as 

 regards caliber and material it is necessary to use judg- 

 ment in its selection and to pay the price. It may be 

 noted here, although not enlarged upon, that coarse 

 tackle is not always strong tackle. The distinction 

 between tackle too coarse and that which is suitable, 

 although easily recognized in concrete cases by both 

 fish and fishermen, is difficult to set down in so many 

 words. Frequently it may be a matter of inch-thou- 

 sandths and the micrometer caliper. 



