TROUT OF THE DEAD-WATER 83 



All dead-water pools should be fished from 

 both below and above: in some the fish will be 

 found at the lower end, while in others they will 

 lurk at the mouth. I need not add if there be 

 an entanglement of snags or outreaching roots 

 the water is more certain to contain large fish and 

 your problem becomes more complicated. 



In striking a rising fish the angler need be in 

 no haste, for the dead-water fish is not overly 

 fast, though it is better I think to err upon the 

 side of haste than to give your fish time to dis- 

 cover the true nature of the insects to whose in- 

 vitation he has risen. The fish that has been 

 cheated of the flies by your haste, will come again ; 

 but let him once mouth the feathers and it is 

 dollars to doughnuts that he will retire to the 

 deepest shades to meditate upon his own foolish- 

 ness. 



All that has been said regarding slyness and 

 skill in manipulation of flies when fishing the 

 open pool should be repeated here, as should 

 also the bit of advice regarding fishing both the 

 upper and lower pool. However, as now we are 

 speaking of a tree and brush environed pool, abil- 

 ity to "lay a long line" is not so valuable an 

 asset. Sometimes casting is out of the question. 

 Then you must resort to what is called the "snap- 



