162 TROUT LORE 



gloves. I have purchased special fishing gloves, 

 made of soft, pliable leather, with short fingers, 

 for which I have paid fancy prices; but I have 

 gone back to worn-out dress gloves. Just cut 

 off the finger tips, at least the thumb and fore 

 finger ; that is all you need do and you will have 

 a perfect fishing glove. When they get stiff 

 and hard, oil them with almost anything. I al- 

 ways keep a pair in my fish creel so that I am 

 never without their welcome protection. I know 

 of nothing more soul-harrowing than to have a 

 rampant black-fly or three or more bloodthirsty 

 mosquitoes alight on the back of your reel-hand 

 just when you are playing the big fish of the 

 day. 



The head-net is not an unmixed blessing. I 

 never had patience to wear one for any length 

 of time when the trout were biting, and I have 

 been driven from the stream more than once 

 by bloodthirsty insects. Somehow the head-net 

 hampers one's movements, blinds and smothers. 

 I would rather battle with the enemy. I some- 

 times fasten a handkerchief to the back of my 

 hat, letting it fall down beneath my coat collar, 

 to protect my neck; but I must have my face 

 open to the air and world. Undoubtedly there 

 are times when the head-net is an absolute neees- 



