6 TROUT FISHING 



the most expert angler could not, by fair 

 means, catch a single trout. Often these 

 days are to all appearance exactly like 

 days on which the fish rose at the fly 

 well and the basket was quickly filled ; 

 but somehow or other knowledge lingers, 

 the most experienced skill is bafiied. It 

 is not that all the trout are asleep or fast- 

 ing. Although they will not look at any 

 of the lures you offer, here and there you 

 see one rising or " tailing " ; or it may be 

 that a rapidly -moving upheaval of the 

 water shows that a large old trout is 

 rushing at a young one. The fish, or 

 some of them, are obviously not alto- 

 gether abstinent from food ; but the task 

 of catching them passes the wit of man. 



This may seem discouraging to any 

 one who thinks of learning the science 

 and acquiring the art of angling. Such 

 an one may say to himself, " What is the 

 use of trying if it is certain that among 

 the results will be frequent failure ? 

 Clearly, after all, angling does require a 

 dull and stupid kind of patience." That 



