32 WHA T I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



and as we took alternate pools and stayed but little 

 anywhere, by lunch time we had wandered up to 

 the third bridge and had decided to turn and fish 

 back, adopting the different methods that the falling 

 and clearing water suggested. The leads and floats 

 were removed and smaller hooks put on, baited with 

 the toughest and brightest red worms, and we 

 walked down a bit, waded in and fished up stream. 

 We cast our baits above each likely spot, and when 

 mine came to the little basin of smooth water, there 

 was a pluck, pluck at the line ; then, dropping the 

 point of the rod to give a second of time so that 

 more than the tail might be in the fish's mouth, 

 I gave a short, sharp strike and the fish was ours. 



Then we were out and down other lengths, to 

 fish up again. Under every bank and behind every 

 stone we let the worm flow freely, with the result 

 that out of the most unlikely spots, even close to 

 our feet, the fish took the worm. Sometimes we 

 were too quick in our responses, at others too slow ; 

 but much practice at our " poaching " has made us 

 clever, so we can afford to return large numbers, 

 keeping only a few for to-morrow's breakfast, the 

 white trout being reserved for dinner. And so 

 another happy day in Donegal flew by. 



