94 MOSTLY ABOUT TROUT 



lying across, showing which way the under- 

 currents set. Above the wood is a wide bit, 

 with a long cast to the other side, where the 

 trout lie ; then a plank bridge takes us over to 

 the left bank and a lovely bit of dry-fly water, 

 where you see the rises but not the trout. There, 

 on a few hundred yards, we can spend a happy 

 day amongst trout that, if we select the most 

 sedate-looking rises, should average about a 

 pound and a half, or rather more. How many 

 shall we allow ourselves ? Three brace, weigh- 

 ing nine pounds, during the day rise, should be 

 enough to satisfy anybody, especially if there 

 is a two-pounder amongst them, with the chance 

 of another brace in the evening. The hooking 

 and landing of such trout has been described 

 by many pens. The spotting of the rise, the 

 selection of the spot on the water where the 

 fly should drop so as to float light-heartedly 

 over the fish, following the eddies of the stream 

 without being affected by the drag of the line 

 lying on the water down-stream ; the flicking 

 of the fly to dry it well, and the final cast, the 

 tense moment as the fly passes exactly over 

 where we saw the rise, the gentle disappearance 

 of the fly as a big trout takes it, the steady lift 

 of the rod as he closes his mouth and turns 

 downwards, the tremendous feeling of elation 



