118 ON TROUTING WITH THE FLY. 



there lie ; and if the water is very deep they may 

 not be able to see the angler's flies, or if they do, 

 cannot be troubled to rise to seize them ; so that 

 when trout are not taking freely, the angler will 

 always meet with most success in comparatively 

 shallow water. 



In April the angler must look for sport in the 

 pools, as the trout are not yet strong enough to lie 

 in the streams, and therefore it is of no use fishing 

 in them. There are some parts of a pool in which 

 trout are, at all seasons, more likely to be found 

 than in others. There are always plenty of them 

 lying in the shallow water at the pool-foot, which, 

 if there is a ripple on it, will be found the best 

 place of all. Passing up to the deeper portions of 

 the pool, the trout are more congregated about the 

 sides, as it is there that the aquatic insects on which 

 they feed are most numerous. They choose con- 

 venient feeding stations below some large stone or 

 tuft of grass, where the river runs beneath the bank, 

 or where a projecting bush affords food and shelter 

 to some finny giant who holds his revels below. Such 

 places are always sure to be tenanted, and what is 

 rather singular, the best feeding station in a pool or 

 stream is generally occupied by the largest trout in 

 it, and if it is captured the next largest takes its 

 place ; and we have day after day caught a trout in 

 one spot, each capture being of smaller dimensions 

 than its predecessor. 



In cold weather, in the early part of the season, 



