82 MINOR TACTICS OF THE CHALK STREAM 



to its fall. But first I had to recover it. I 

 moved it gently towards the side of the hole, but 

 I could not prevent the effect of a drag on the 

 surface. Yet ere the fly had moved three inches 

 a good pound-and-a-half trout had it, and, after 

 a game of pully-hauly in the weeds, was duly 

 brought to net. This was a limestone stream, 

 and not a chalk stream. 



But in August, 1908, I was on my way through 

 the meadows to the main Itchen, when in a much- 

 weed-encumbered carrier I became aware of a 

 good trout lying in and near the head of a little 

 pool of open water three or four yards long at 

 most, and perhaps a third as wide. My rod and 

 cast were ready, but no fly. So I knotted on a 

 good big sedge — I think a No. 3 Silver Sedge. 

 The water was glassy smooth, and the current 

 would not have carried my fly the length of the 

 open water in much under five minutes. I was 

 afraid to cast above the fish, or to right or left 

 of his head, for I knew it would send him scutthng 

 to weed. I wanted to drop the fly just behind 

 his eyes, but I misjudged, and it fell several inches 

 short, almost upon his tail. I waited a moment ; 

 the trout lay still, but evidently excited. Then 

 I remembered my German experience, and began 

 to draw the fly along the surface. Immediately 

 the trout turned and slashed it, and was soundly 

 hooked. Candour compels me to admit that the 

 gut was also smashed by a strike of unregulated 



