44 TROUT FISHING 



to come at the flies ? The accepted belief 

 is that in a dead calm, especially if the 

 sun is unclouded, the trout see the gut to 

 which the flies are attached, become sus- 

 picious, and sink superior to the tempta- 

 tion ; and that when there is a ripple the 

 gut is invisible and the flies are of natural 

 aspect. 



This belief is apparently so reasonable 

 that it has never been openly questioned ; 

 yet, surely, there are considerations which 

 shake it. First, there is the fact, just 

 noted, that the trout come on with avidity 

 during the placid evening hour. The 

 light is not strong at that time ; but it is 

 very clear. To the human eye itself the 

 gut in the water is visible : presumably, it 

 cannot escape the notice of the trout, 

 whose vision is acute. Besides, there is 

 not much less light during the hour after 

 sundown than there is during an hour in 

 the middle of the day when the sky is 

 covered by thick clouds. If the fish 

 ignore the gut in the twUight, they should 

 ignore it also during the dusk which some- 



