32 THE TROUT 



little success has been achieved, how often have I 

 seen trout begin to rise quietly but regularly, and 

 have imagined in my ignorance that the short time 

 still left me would prove not unprofitable ! Then 

 have I fished as carefully and steadily as I could, 

 but not a fish would look at olive-dun, red-quill-gnat, 

 blue-dun, or alder ! 



On closer examination of the water and its 

 stubborn inhabitants, I have observed the trout rising 

 persistently at some object so absolutely indistinguish- 

 able that it was an impossible task to attempt to essay 

 the use of any artificial copy thereof. The fish were 

 ' smutting.' That was the simple explanation, and 

 one which is, as a rule, a final extinguisher to any 

 hopes that might still linger of being able to make 

 up a decent basket before going home. Myriads 

 of insects, no larger than a pin's head if, indeed, 

 they were as big were wheeling in the air millions 

 upon millions of them and multitudes were dancing 

 on and over the water. Upon these the trout were 

 feeding, and no other fly was then of any avail 

 whatsoever. 



It is true that on rare occasions I have known an 

 incautious fish to take a small black gnat or a wee 

 dark dun ; but these are exceptions that prove the 

 rule. No, the ' fisherman's curse ' when it comes up 



