148 LIFE AND SPORT IN HAMPSHIRE 



stream: I have always thought this to be one of 

 the chief attractions, if not the chief attraction, of 

 dry fly-fishing. To me it means so much actually 

 to see the trout, and I think it must be the same 

 with most anglers. It is a contest, an uncertain 

 duel, between a man's skill and a trout's suspicion 

 or intelligence. To see the trout come at the fly, 

 follow and examine it closely ; to see the trout half 

 inclined to take the fly, but not more than half 

 inclined; to see him retire and presently perhaps 

 come on again this is a very sauce of angling. 

 Of course we cannot always see so clear as this, but 

 if we fish with a short line or one of moderate length, 

 we may often see much of the game where the stream 

 runs smooth. 



Third, there is the difficulty of the sport. The 

 more difficult it is, the keener the angler will be. 

 This is why heavy bags of trout, unless the weight 

 of each trout be very heavy, soon pall on us. The 

 hard work which the taking of a single shy trout 

 often means, the dashed hopes, the trout gone per- 

 haps as we laid the landing-net in the water these 

 increase the charm. 



Last, I think the delicacy of the tackle, and its 

 cleanness and the little compass into which it can 

 be packed, are to be reckoned. There is a refinement 

 about this angling tackle to delight us. 



Whilst trout are moving, or even whilst dun and 



