THE ROUND OF THE SEASON 141 



water is right a minnow water copper coloured, 

 and just falling after a flood. 



The jack-of -all-trades is not common among 

 fishermen. There are such men, but they are few 

 and far between. So, on the Eden, one knows them 

 by their real trades, as it were, distinctly and by 

 reputation. Fly fishers; bustard fishers; creeper 

 fishers; minnow fishers, and worm fishers. 



In the holiday month of August visitor anglers 

 regularly come to certain places on the Eden. It 

 is surprising to notice how persistently they flog the 

 gin-clear water day after day, and August after 

 August. One imagines, that, this being the only 

 time of the year during which they can fish, they 

 must go away with the idea that there are few trout 

 in the river. If, however, in this worst month of the 

 season they could see the evening rise, just before 

 dark, they would be reassured. It is a rise of some 

 trout and many smolt. 



It is not suggested that they would make great 

 catches at this hour. Experienced fishers are then 

 well content with a modest half-dozen. If you fish 

 the main, open shallows, nearly every fish you hook 

 will be an embryo salmon. The real, rising trout 

 have to be sought for in other places ; under the 

 deep banks and overhanging trees. 



If I wanted to whet the fly-fishing appetite of a 



