100 TROUT LORE 



stick, returning again and again until he finds his 

 reluctant way into my basket. Perhaps it is the 

 skill, patience, and perseverance required which 

 has made of me a fisher of little streams. 



I would not have you think for a moment that 

 the trout of the meadow brooklets are all small; 

 once you have learned how to angle you will be 

 surprised by the size of the fish, even a two- 

 pounder not being uncommon. Of course the 

 large fish, unless unusually well hooked, is apt 

 to escape. I think I am safe in saying that more 

 large fish are lost by the angler of little streams 

 than by his brother who fishes great waters. It 

 must needs be so. There is little or no chance 

 to "play" a fish, the angler often being compelled 

 to lift his quarry from the water by main strength 

 and awkwardness, a practise disastrous alike to 

 tackle and creel. But a pound fish is a large 

 one for a little river, more weighing under half 

 a pound than over. I maintain, however, that 

 it requires more skill successfully to play and 

 land a half-pound fish on the average little 

 stream than to take a two-pound trout from 

 broad and unobstructed water. The fish are apt 

 to be short, "chunky," and muscular; but painted 

 with bright colors, as though the shallow water 

 of their habitat had enabled the sun to impart 



