230 TROUT FISHING 



in a tone of complaint (though there is usually some 

 of that at the time), but in a spirit of inquiry. Why 

 is it that on some days everything goes wrong, not 

 so much with the behaviour of the fish, for that is 

 more intelligible, but with the performance of the 

 fisher ? He feels in normal health ; there is nothing 

 the matter with his zeal ; the light is good, the wind 

 no hindrance ; and yet he cannot for the life of him 

 make his fly do what he wants it to, even though 

 at normal times he is a fair performer. 



To reach a certain spot he first tries the ordinary 

 easy cast, in which the rod does most of the work, 

 and gut and fly fall in a ghastly heap. To counteract 

 this at the next attempt he puts a little more force 

 into it and adds a downward cut ; then the fly falls 

 with a splash. Next he essays an underhand cast, 

 and gets hung up in the nettles. After that, a trial 

 of a strictly vertical position catches the hook in 

 the top ring. No matter what he does, he does 

 wrong, until a day which dawned with fair prospects 

 and promised tranquil pleasures produces violence 

 and gnashing of teeth. Should his adjoining neigh- 

 bour, as generally happens, choose that moment to 

 disembarrass himself of superfluous weeds, the condi- 

 tion of the fisher is likely to be very serious indeed. 

 Floating weeds in addition to the other troubles are 

 quite enough to develop any homicidal tendencies 

 which may be latent in the most placid of natures. 



