STRATEGY 169 



duces ; again the trout prefer it on or near the surface. 

 When you come to a pool fish all you can reach of it 

 from below. Then make a detour through the brush 

 and fish the rest from above. Pool fishing requires 

 longer casts and more delicate casting but larger fish 

 are the rule. 



Hooking a fish in rough water requires little action 

 on the part of the angler just a slight lifting of the 

 rod. In other places the fly fisher must " strike " his 

 fish. This is done by a slight twist of the wrist. In 

 fact the failure to hook rising fish is the most discourag- 

 ing part of trout fishing to the novice. It calls for 

 alertness and a little knack a canny wrist the Scotch 

 say that will come with experience. A young trout 

 fisher never strikes too quickly and he should train 

 himself to keep a taut line at all times and to strike 

 immediately he sees the flash of a fish. If the fish rises 

 and misses the fly, rest the water for a full minute 

 before casting again. If the fish is pricked leave that 

 spot for a few minutes ; then come quietly back and try 

 again. My experience is that a pricked trout will 

 often strike again if left alone for a while. 



It is when playing for a certain fish that mishaps 

 always occur. If you should get hung up in a tree 

 during such a critical period, don't get impatient and 

 try to release it by main strength. Wait a minute for 

 the leader to dry a little; then a slight tug will often 

 free it. 



When a trout is hooked play him. Don't be too 

 anxious to get him into your basket. Keep a good bend 



