106 MOSTLY ABOUT TROUT 



away down-stream. The result is that the water 

 is very shallow here, and very clear. You can 

 see every living thing in the pool, and on my 

 way up-stream earlier in the day I marked 

 down in it two large trout, light in colour, in 

 good condition, and weighing, I should say, 

 about three and two and a half pounds respec- 

 tively ; but both are those nerve- shaking 

 enemies of the dry-fly fisher, " cruisers." They 

 refuse to conform to the practice of all large 

 trout of normal habits ; they do not select the 

 best spot for feeding, and remain there, leisurely 

 sucking in the flies that pass exactly over their 

 noses, refusing to move more than a few inches 

 to right or left in pursuit of other passing food. 

 To take such normal trout is a comparatively 

 easy task ; at all events you know the rules, 

 even if you are not skilful enough to follow 

 them. You must so arrange that your fly 

 floats, with its wings cocked, directly over their 

 noses ; there must be no " drag," the fly must 

 not be pulled by the line, but be floated along 

 like a natural fly, resting on the stream as if 

 there were no line attached to it ; and you must 

 not let the trout see the line itself, only the last 

 link of your cast, which is of the finest gut. 

 Above all, the fish must not see you or your rod. 

 If a trout conforms to the rules, keeping his 



