When to Fish for Trout. 131 



should get him in this way ; but just as I was 

 about to secure him, up he came to the top of 

 the water, and away he went up stream again. 

 Not for long, however ; I soon brought him back, 

 got him into clear water and landed him a splendid 

 2lb. fish. 



A curious circumstance occurred to me at 

 Littlecote in one of my fishing days there. I 

 had gone down to the end of the water for the 

 purpose of wading up a part of the river, un- 

 fishable from its banks owing to the high fir 

 trees and other impediments, and where I had 

 seen some fine fish. I had got the Alder and 

 the Major fly on, and took two or three very fine 

 fish. As I waded I caught sight of a very big fish 

 a short distance above me lying under the bank, 

 very still, very black looking, but very thick. I 

 threw carefully over him four or five times without 

 rising or moving him. I then got closer and again 

 threw. I then got quite close to him, when, to my 

 astonishment, I found he was quite blind. I quietly 

 put my landing net under and before him, and 

 then touched his tail ; he darted forward into the 

 net. He would have been a splendid fellow, as he 

 weighed four pounds, but was quite black and out 

 of condition. 



In wading up stream and carefully throwing 

 under the banks on each side the big fish, which 



