140 MOSTLY ABOUT TROUT 



stage in progress towards my great ambition, 

 to take my first three-pound trout on a dry-fly. 

 I judged his weight at three pounds and a half 

 and his condition perfect ; hog-backed, of great 

 girth compared with his length, measured from 

 the slowly opening and shutting pink mouth to 

 the gently waving broad, square tail. Such a 

 fish ! Slow in movement, with the dignity 

 and the proportions of an alderman who has 

 prospered exceedingly. And now, after the 

 reconnaissance, for the opening of the great 

 campaign. 



Not having fished for some years, I had 

 forgotten the secret of using for big trout the 

 very best and strongest tackle to which they 

 can be lured into attaching themselves. I ought 

 to have remembered that I was dealing with 

 an unsophisticated fish that had never seen 

 an artificial fly. I used an old cast, the finest 

 I had, of " four-x " gut, and the year of its 

 purchase was not a good one for strength of 

 gut. He took my fly at once. Directly he 

 felt the hook he made a terrific rush up-stream 

 through what looked like an impenetrable weed- 

 bed, leaped high out of the water in a clear 

 pool beyond, and the line came back, less the 

 fine point of gut. I reeled in sadly and tried 

 my luck elsewhere. Next time I saw his broad 



