The Big Trout. 173 



these, and the deeper water running at the 

 sides of the scours, where I killed a great many 

 good fish by spinning either the natural minnow 

 or the phantom. I never tried worm-fishing 

 in this stream, neither did I ever see a single 

 fish rise at any other fly than the May-fly, and 

 when that was in season it was very killing, 

 and many a good basket of fish by both 

 those means I have got out of it. I knew 

 at last every inch of the stream, and could 

 almost tell to an inch w^here to spin and 

 get a rise. I felt so sure of always killing 

 a fish wdth the spinning minnow, that on one 



occasion, when Mr. P. L n w^as staying 



with me, the conversation turned on fishing, 

 w^hen I made him a bet, that I would kill a 

 two-pound trout for breakfast next morning. 



I w^as up by daylight, and had a pony ready 

 for me, and away I cantered wdth my creel on 

 my back and my rod under my arm. I went 

 to "the lower end of the water and fished up ; 

 I did all I knew, but not a rise did I get, 

 although I fished nearly all the most likely 

 places ; but I rather fancy that in my hurry 

 to get to well-known spots I neglected many 

 others, which perhaps might have yielded a 



