54 DOUBTS AND DIFFICULTIES. 



strain of the constant casting with the heavier 

 fly; but it enables the strike to be made with 

 more decision, and gives a confidence in playing 

 and guiding through weeds where drawn gut 

 so frequently fails. 



With trout, the question practically resolves 

 itself into one of size of fish and state of water. 

 In Hampshire, where the keepable limit usually 

 varies from three quarters of a pound to a 

 pound, and where at certain seasons weeds and 

 celery beds are prevalent, undrawn gut is far 

 the best to keep to, especially from mid-May 

 onwards. On rivers and streams where the 

 limit is expressed in inches eight, nine, or 

 ten or where the water is gravelly and free 

 from all obstacles, the advantages of drawn gut 

 are beyond all cavil. 



With a really good 3 x point no one should 

 be broken by any trout of under a pound in 

 open water. 



If the parting occurs with the strike, then this 

 has been made clumsily ; from too stiff a check 

 on the reel, or from a line held too tightly by 

 the hand. Where the break occurs later on, 

 it is probably owing to the fish being allowed 

 to get into a strong current below the angler, 

 to the cast being touched by the rim of the net 

 just when it is taut, or to its hitching up in 

 a bush or rushes close to the bank. In any 

 event it means, seven times out of ten, bad 

 management more than what can be fairly 

 termed bad luck. 



Again, a windy day introduces a new element 



