THE SEA-TROUT II 



that sea-trout had come up earlier than usual, several 

 having been seen in the middle reaches, but none, as yet, 

 had been caught. He added that the big sea-trout of 

 the Lune are always elusive early in the season. 



Right from the commencement of the season inter- 

 esting notes were forthcoming from all rivers of the 

 capture of salmon and brown trout, but not until the year 

 was well forward was there mention of a sea-trout catch, 

 and then of only a single fish. 



These odd fish establish no guide to the sport. In 

 February, many years ago, when fishing from a South 

 Devon beach, I hooked and landed a bass of eight pounds 

 in weight, but no one would dream of suggesting that 

 these fish were inshore, as we sea anglers know that 

 bass rarely approach the shore before June. 



To-day, September 25th, when walking round my 

 garden in South Devon where snow is almost unknown 

 and a severe frost is an exception, where my mimosa 

 tree, as high as an average elm, is a yellow cascade of 

 bloom in black January much to the amazement of 

 visitors, I picked a bunch of wild sweet smelling blue 

 violets in the hedge-bank, but I know that spring is not 

 yet. No, you cannot arrive at a logical conclusion by 

 accepting solitary examples as fundamental standards. 



To enable me to make a comprehensive survey of the 

 peregrinations of the sea-trout I compiled a chronological 

 record, month by month, of the reports emanating from 

 all parts of the British Isles. March was a blank. The 

 notes for April provided me with the news that a flood 

 had brought a fair run of large sea-trout to the Teign. 

 The reports for the month of May were more hopeful, 

 as not only were the fish seen running in the rivers of 

 such widely separated counties as Devonshire and Lan- 

 cashire, but mention was made of small catches in the 

 Tavy, the Lune and the Rheidol. 



