ON SEA TROUT 



any sign on the surface if the fly is deeply sunk. The typical 

 rise, however, of a sea trout has some sound about it. There 

 is a quick white splash in the dark water, and (if the line is 

 tight) the fish hooks itself. So violent and rapid sometimes is 

 the sea trout's manner of seizing the fly that it is not safe to 

 use very fine drawn gut, for tackle which may be quite strong 

 enough to play and land a three or four pound fish in open 

 water, cannot always be trusted to stand the jerk of the sudden 

 rush with which even a two pound fish seizes the fly. A sea trout 

 is not in the habit of feeding quietly upon flies floating at ease 

 upon the surface. It may do this occasionally, but it is not 

 used to this method of feeding as brown trout are, and it 

 takes a fly moving under water, as if the fly were a thing trying 

 to escape from it. There are days when almost every fish that 

 rises seems to hook itself without needing effort or attention 

 on the angler's part ; and there are other days — generally in 

 bright weather when the water is low, — when the fish rise short, 

 because they are shy ; they just touch the fly, and on these 

 days I think the angler can do a good deal to improve his sport 

 by striking quickly, by using fine gut, and by fishing delicately 

 with a long line. There are yet other days when sea trout 

 rise boldly and playfully, but fail to touch the fly at all ; and 

 indeed " fail " is the wrong word to use, for I think that on 

 these days the fish do not intend to take the fly, and their rises 

 are the results of high spirits and exuberant activity. And so 

 the angler appears to have an excellent chance each time of 

 hooking a fish, when the fish has perhaps never opened its 

 mouth at all. Sometimes a sea trout that has risen and not 



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