134 MOSTLY ABOUT TROUT 



combined with all the gentleness attainable in 

 handling the oars. 



When, as we thought, about fifty yards or 

 so from the right spot, we turned the boat 

 and the gillie backed it, gently as before, 

 for me to cast from the stern. It was well 

 that we turned when we did. By incon- 

 ceivable good luck I got that sea-trout on the 

 very first cast ; he took the dropper fly, deep 

 down in the water, as I was reeling slowly in 

 before gathering up the slack more rapidly 

 with my hand in readiness for another cast. 

 Then came a most glorious tussle, to the accom- 

 paniment of a constantly screaming reel. A 

 steady wind-in with fingers lightly touching the 

 handle, very lightly, ready to let go instantly 

 and so save a break, when the check began to 

 screech again with the next mad rush and 

 there were many, two of them ending in a leap 

 out of the water. That is always a moment of 

 moments. I read once that whether on such 

 occasions you ought to lower the point of your 

 rod to ease the strain or not depended upon 

 whether the fish jumped head away from you 

 or head towards you. There was no rule about 

 what to do if he jumped across the line of 

 direction between rod and fish. All I know 

 is that I always lower the rod, instinctively, 



