A Seven-Pounder 55 



This fish seemed to be about a pound. He 

 rose at the second or third cast, and took the 

 fly with perfect confidence. A short rush 

 up stream, a quick return, and he was well 

 in the weeds. The line almost immediately 

 slacked in that sickening manner all anglers 

 know so well. This trout must have been, 

 at the least, a two-pounder. In a little bay 

 or backwater twenty yards higher up stream 

 I came, a few minutes after this mishap, 

 upon a great trout lying close to the surface, 

 and obviously on the look-out for prey. I 

 instantly stepped back, and then, on hands 

 and knees, peered over the bank with the 

 uneasy feeling that I should find I had scared 

 him. He was still in position, however, and 

 the may-fly was cast to him without delay. 

 There was a slight drag, but before the 

 stream had had time to take the ' cockiness ' 

 out of the fly, the great fellow came up and 

 drew it swiftly in. When these very heavy 

 trout are really feeding at the surface there 

 is no nonsense about them. I gave him 

 perhaps a couple of seconds' grace, and then 



