WHERE TO FISH. 115 



pool, so that not a fish will stir in it, it may happen that 

 the tenants of the next are all on the qui vive, and rise 

 almost at every cast. Now the best plan is to follow a 

 medium course ; to fish every inch of water where it is 

 possible for a trout to lie, as they will frequently be 

 found in parts of the water where least expected ; and 

 should there happen to be a slight fresh in the river, 

 the fish will be found to be generally diffused over it, 

 though mostly in rapids, eddies, and shallows. But by no 

 means dally over water where there either are no fish, or 

 where they will not rise. The angler must try every 

 possible part of a river step by step, where there is any 

 likelihood of there being fish ; and he will soon find out 

 at what particular part of the pool they are lying. There 

 he must continue casting as long as he gets rises ; and even 

 when they cease doing so, he had better light his meer- 

 schaum, give them a few minutes' rest, and recommence 

 at the top of the stream (as trout frequently shift their 

 position within a short time), and go over the whole 

 again. I have taken on one occasion thirty-six trout 

 out of one stream in the Coquet near to Holystone ; on 

 a second, twenty-three in the same water ; and again, 

 twenty-four out of the Breamish, in the above manner, 

 which I would probably not have got, had I contented 

 myself with merely fishing it once over, and then running 

 off in search of fresh water, as many do. It is evident 

 then, that the sportsman who merely makes a few casts 

 here and there into the most likely-looking pools it may 

 be at the top of the stream, while the fish are all quietly 

 lying at their ease near its foot and on not meeting with 



