CONDITIONS WHICH GOVERN THE BITING OF FISH. 373 



a rain but i mmediately preceding the shower, a brisk breeze 

 usually springs up, rippling the water-, and it is at this 

 time that fish seem to become possessed with a sudden im- 

 pulse to feed, not on account of the impending rain, how- 

 ever, as many suppose, but because the angler is hid from 

 view by the ruffling of the water. Sometimes this breeze 

 accompanies the rain, and at other times follows the rain, 

 and in either case the fish will bite best while the breeze 

 continues. When a shower is followed by a calm, fish, of 

 course, will not bite, in clear water, and as this often hap- 

 pens, it follows that some anglers hold to the opinion that 

 they never bite after a rain. 



I have tried to impress the reader, all through this 

 chapter, with the importance of keeping out of sight of the 

 fish as much as possible, for herein lies the greatest secret 

 of success in angling; and fish will be found to bite better, 

 always, when conditions are such as to favor the screening 

 of the angler from their ever-watchful eyes, and, when, at 

 the same time, the water is sufficiently clear to enable 

 them to discern the bait on or beneath the surface. 



In fly-fishing, especially, must this caution be exercised 

 to its fullest extent, for the casts being necessarily much 

 shorter than in bait-fishing, the angler is more liable to be 

 seen ; and herein lies the foundation of the opinion, enter- 

 tained by many, that Black Bass are more uncertain to 

 rise to the fly than the Brook Trout. I hold that Black 

 Bass, during the proper season, will rise as readily to the 

 fly, under the same conditions, as the Trout. 



But the fact is, that while the Bass is as wary as the 

 Trout, he is not so timid. The Trout darts away at the first 

 glimpse of the angler, while the Bass will hold his ground, 

 though ready to depart unceremoniously when occasion 



