By putting your rod over your right arm, and
fixing the butt into your pocket, it may, however, be done; the line
takes care of itself, and the flies will be below you somewhere out of
danger. There must have been down there a 10-in. sea trout at the very
lap of the water on the stones--perhaps it had followed the fly in from
the stream; anyhow, there it was on the Killer when I had lighted the
pipe, and I gave it freedom, without including it in the bag of the
day. After the brief interval I addressed myself to the false riser
who had, without knowing it, accommodated me in the matter of the pipe.
With the sense of obligation strong upon me, I gave him his opportunity
with delicacy and deliberation; he came up like an Itchen patriarch at
a Mayfly, and I had a full ten minutes' race down the bank, with
heartfelt tussles at intervals that made the engagement gloriously
alive. This fish was quite worthy of the gaff, being a beautiful sea
trout of 5 lb.

The five-pounder had been hooked on the shallow, and to the shallow I
again devoted myself. There were rises, without touches at the fly, in
two successive casts; at the third I was fast in another good fish; saw
him roll over and over on the surface, and lost him. He was lightly
hooked, and the little Killer and the cast came back entire. It was a
sea trout quite as large as that last knocked on the head. But I could
afford one loss that day, and my philosophy was presently rewarded by a
sea trout of 2 1/2 lb. As the golden sun set in a world of
rose-coloured clouds reflected in one of the loveliest of bays, I found
myself engaged in a warm contest that seemed never to end. Twice there
was not a yard of line left on the small winch; several times I had to
go into the water again; between whiles I was kept on the trot and
canter, and was puffing like an engine when the combat ended with a
grilse of 3 1/2 lb., the gaffing of which caused the loss somehow of
the ornamental handle of the instrument. I never found the gaff
handle, but I retain a vivid remembrance of my gymnastics during that
superb sunset. There was another sea trout to complete the day's
sport--an inconsiderable pounder--which my henchman, however, strung up
with the rest. Besides the eleven fish (one salmon, two grilse, and
eight sea trout) there were some small brown trout, given to a young
Norsker who had been hanging about the bank; and the bag was altogether
an honest 34 lb. It must be remem