90 TROUT FISHING 



to their food, not a sense through which 

 they are warned of the approach of foes. 

 They never fly from a man untU they see 

 him. For safety against their enemies, 

 that is to say, trout practically depend 

 upon their eyes alone. After they are 

 hooked, their strength, and the instinct 

 that leads a few of them to run into weeds 

 or other cover, may be of use ; but 

 their eyes are their primary and main 

 defence. It is reasonable to assume, then, 

 that their eyes are sharper than those of 

 most creatures. 



That being so, it is not surprising that 

 when we go fishing we are anxious about 

 the light. What is wanted, it is commonly 

 supposed, is a light that will blot out the 

 rough edges of the tackle, soften down 

 any excess of gaudiness in the flies, and 

 make the lures look natural. 



What is this light? The answers by 

 any dozen anglers, even if they were 

 men of much experience, would be of 

 striking variety. One would say that a 

 dull day is the best. Perhaps that would 



