16 . THE AMERICAN TROUT. 



broke. As it was, I caught seventy trout in what is 

 ordinarily considered the worst hours of the day. But 

 in this particular, also, the same rules apply as to the 

 warmth of the weather. In early spring it is useless to 

 be up with the lark, even supposing such a bird exists ; 

 no fish will break the water till the sun has wanned the 

 air ; but in summer, the dawn should blush to find the 

 sportsman napping. In fact, trout wiU not rise well 

 unless the air is warmer than the water. They do not 

 like to risk taking cold by exposing themselves to a 

 sudden draught. 



There is a very absurd impression, that trout will not 

 take the fly early in the season ; this is entirely unfound- 

 ed. As soon as the ice disappears they will be found 

 gambolling in the salt water streams, and leaping readily 

 at the fly. At such times, on lucky days, immense 

 numbers are taken. In March they have run up the 

 sluiceways and are in the lower ponds, lying sullenly in 

 the deepest water ; then is the cow-dung, politely called 

 the dark cinnamon, the most attractive fly. In April, 

 May and June they are scattered, and entrapped by the 

 hackles, professor, ibis, and all the medium sized flies. 

 In July and August they have sought the headwaters of 

 navigation, the cool spring brooks, and hide around the 

 weeds and water-cresses, whence the midges alone can 

 tempt them. 



Any flies will catch fish, cast in any manner, if the 

 fish are plenty and in humor to be caught. A few fea- 

 thers torn from the nearest and least suspicious chicken, 

 and tied on an ordinary hook with a piece of thread, 

 will constitute a fly in the imagination of a trout, pro 



