FLY-FISHING. 407 



blue rod has not oven a fancied advantage over the most 

 highly-polished one. 



The most important rule, then, to be observed, first, last, 

 and all the time in fly-fishing, is: Keep out of sig/it of the 

 fish; this is the first and great injunction; "and the sec- 

 ond is like unto it:" Keep as quiet and motionless as pos- 

 sible. "On these two" laws depends all your success in 

 fly-fishing. Let your necessary movements be deliberate 

 and methodical, avoiding all quick, sudden, or energetic 

 motions. Fish see and hear much better than we give 

 them credit fi^r. To keep out of the fish's sight we must 

 be screened by such natural objects as bushes, trees, rocks, 

 etc., or by keeping well back from the brink and making 

 long casts. In wading the stream it is also necessary to 

 make long casts. The latter is the best plan of fishing a 

 stream, as the angler, being so near the water, is not so apt 

 to be seen. 



It is best, always, to fish down stream, even with the 

 wind against one, for fish always lie with head up stream, 

 and will be more apt to see your flies. The current will, 

 moreover, take your flies down stream, and so keep your 

 line taut. It is also easier to wade down, than up stream. 

 Many other reasons might be given, but these will be suffi- 

 cient. Cast just below ripples and rapids, over eddies and 

 pools, along the edges of weed patches, under projecting 

 banks and shelving rocks, near submerged trees or drift- 

 wood, off gravelly shoals, isolated rocks and long points or 

 spurs of land ; it is useless to fish long, deep, still reaches 

 of water. 



The most favorable time for fly-fishing for Black Bass 

 is during the last hours of the day, from sundown until 

 dark, and also on bright moonlight evenings. On streams, 



