SPECIAL CONDITIONS— WET-FLY SOLUTIONS 51 



Sedge, tied on a No. 2 hook attached to a strong 

 cast, and dibbed cautiously over the edge. Once 

 I caught a companion trout of one pound five 

 ounces, but on all other occasions the attempt 

 was fruitless. 



Tired at length of these failures, and not pleased 

 that such a trout as our friend of the hatch-hole 

 eddy should give no sport to the fly, one afternoon 

 I approached the hatch-hole from below, shd down 

 my wide and large landing-net into the thrust of 

 the stream, and looked suddenly over into the 

 eddy. There was a brown flash to the hole, and 

 next moment the trout was kicking in the net — 

 black hogback with red copper sides and gleaming 

 white belly, two and a half pounds, and as fat as 

 a pig. Swiftly I conveyed him the needful fifty 

 yards or so to a side-stream some ten or twelve 

 yards wide, and turned him carefuUy loose. He 

 made no pretence of being scared, but moved 

 leisurely away across and up stream. I watched 

 him cross a patch of weeds and enter a gravelled 

 clearing, where a tidy trout lay, butt him out of 

 it, and estabhsh himself in his place. In a few 

 moments he moved up into the next place, 

 butted out the brace of trout which occupied it, 

 and took the position of vantage. He did not 

 remain long, but moved to the next pool, again 

 ejecting the occupants. 



Still dissatisfied, he moved higher up to where 

 the stream was narrowed by camp-sheathing to 



7—2 



