196 TROUT FISHING 



trout lie low. Early in the year, now 

 and then, one of them, but hardly ever of 

 the biggest, does take a fly ; but as the 

 season advances it is noticeable that the 

 size of the captured trout gradually de- 

 clines. I have often wondered what can 

 be the meaning of this. It would seem 

 either that a lake trout needs less susten- 

 ance the larger he grows, or that the larger 

 he grows the less does he care for flies. 



Perhaps a gradual loss of appetite for 

 flies is the more natural explanation. 

 This is suggested by the fact that, whilst 

 they ignore the daintier lures, the large 

 trout will almost any day of the season 

 fall ready victims to a weU-spun minnow. 

 Sport by that means is not to be despised. 

 Many of the trout which a minnow takes, 

 though large, are not old. Most of them 

 are small of head and big of tail, shapely, 

 firm, and astonishingly brilliant in colour. 

 They flght with great vigour, and are 

 manifestly in the prime of life. 



Some say that fishing with a minnow 

 calls for no thought ; but that is a mis- 



