12 In Pursuit of the Trout 



June. These are the months when politics, 

 the law, business, and professions of all 

 kinds, society, all the duties that London can 

 impose and all the pleasures it can offer, 

 combine to deprive us of the country. At 

 this time of year all these things are in a 

 conspiracy against the season of the year and 

 the happiness of some of us. Those who 

 care for hunting or shooting will not help us, 

 and of all the three great sports fishing alone 

 is our friend. In May and June the trout 

 are at their best : if we miss these months, 

 we miss the best trout-fishing of the year. 



' As we grow older we may hook fewer 

 fish, and the moments of excitement, though 

 still looked forward to, may come less often, 

 and we may care more and more for the 

 delights of the place and season. There is 

 no noise nor hurry about our sport to disturb 

 them, and the angler is independent, often 

 alone, and free to enjoy them when and how 

 he will. It is true that ily-fishing is hard 

 work — there is none harder than dry-fly 

 fishing when the trout are rising ; but the 



