212 TROUT FISHING 



Perhaps there has not been much sport 

 thus far. Indeed, it is probable that there 

 has been none. The trout are not in 

 good humour at the first flush of a flood. 

 Then the water is very thick, full of the 

 waste matter that has been accumulating 

 in the drains and the ditches, and on the 

 roads, for many weeks ; and perhaps the 

 fish, though not easily disturbed, are off" 

 their food. 



Soon, however, aU comes right. The 

 stream, which on first being affected by 

 the rain was of a rather noisome mixture 

 of various grays, gradually becomes clay- 

 coloured, with a tinge of ruddiness ; by 

 and by, as the flood begins to fall, it wiU 

 be a deUcate yellow. It changes so, not 

 wholly in response to the changing lights, 

 though the buoyant clouds, which, as is 

 usual after a summer storm of rain, are 

 scurrying from the north-west, are of 

 varying hues ; but mainly from material 

 conditions in the stream itself. 



When it assumes the yellow tint, the 

 trout begin to bite; and if the weather 



