Fly-Fishing' for Trout 51 



behind the little dun, and then returned to his old 

 position. Then two others did precisely the same as 

 their companion had done, excepting one that chose 

 the oak fly for his inspection. Then they sank them- 

 selves, and a fourth gamester spurted up to the dun 

 and took it in his mouth much as a sunfish would suck 

 in a bit of worm. I struck him, and he made a splash 

 that nearly drove a near-by-perched catbird into 

 hysterics, and sent the other trout up, down, and 

 across the stream like so many black streaks of light- 

 ning. Now, had I cast at these fish from above or below 

 and not just over them, where I saw every move they 

 made, I should have given them wrist on the second 

 of their rise as I did in the case of the first two that 

 made the first rush and lost any chance of success. 



No, I say, we must not always follow rules regardless 

 of conditions. We must not judge all trout alike, 

 even if they be of one species. Men, though of one 

 race, are not all alike in their habits any more than 

 they are in their sizes and colors. 



I found in some parts of the stream that as long as 

 I changed the flies I had rises; in other parts no trout 

 took the fly, no matter how I worked it. Perhaps 

 there were no fish hereabout; perhaps they saw me; 

 perhaps they were not hungry, and perhaps there 

 were hundreds and thousands of other reasons why 

 they were not to be taken in these certain places. 



No man can strictly follow rules in all cases and 

 take trout upon every occasion of his trials. Condi- 

 tions govern, and must be studied conditions, 

 conditions. 



