AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 25 



others whose antics, when hooked, are most likely 

 to regain for it the liberty it has lost. Not a 

 moment wasted ; now up, then down ; now in, then 

 out ; with a veritable flutter of movement in the air 

 which not infrequently gives it its deserved liberty. 



Had we had with us our thirteen-feet rods, our 

 light-tapered lines, some casts of fine round gut, and 

 a few flies, I wonder what would have happened. 

 We know that resolutions are weakened by the 

 presence of temptation. The fish were there, 

 everything looked promising, and, when white trout 

 are in the humour, sport is exciting, fast, and 

 glorious. 



On McGlynn's return from stabling the horse I 

 am off my perch, ready to commence the promised 

 up-stream ramble on the Oily river bank. There is 

 a deep pool at the first bend, which, we have been 

 told, should be full of fish. To ensure a successful 

 peep at them we must stalk stealthily, as if for a 

 shot at big game. On hands and knees when near 

 the show, if you desire to see everyday fish-life. 

 As your nose and ears come through the fringe that 

 frames the home, the ever-active little fish near the 

 top attract you, and their ceaseless going to and 

 fro, their fights and struggles for floating trifles, 

 which the victor tastes and then spits out, keep 

 you satisfied, until the stealthy, rising progress of 

 a bigger fish frightens them and they scamper off. 

 What sport the intruder will give if I have the luck 

 to hook him with my grilse rod ! How plainly its 





