298 FISHING WITH THE FLY. 



you secure, in the process. A very large trout, of 

 course, must be weakened in the water, but many 

 fishermen think there is no sport without they "play" 

 a fish, no matter how small he is. 



Never cast a foot more line than you need. You 

 cannot gather slack half as easy as you can pay it out. 



In regard to flies — I have found the brighter the day, 

 as a general thing, the darker fly do trout want. At 

 early dawn, or in the soft twilight of evening, a very 

 light fly — a Coachman, is best. Next, Gray Miller, and 

 especially the Stone fly. I use more Coachmen, Black 

 Gnats and Stone flies in one season, than I do of all 

 other flies put together in three summers. 



Be sure, of all things, that your line runs easy through 

 the standing guides, or guide-rings. I like the for- 

 mer best. 



In casting right or left, to reach under bushy or 

 over-hanging limbs, the same sharp, or quick action 

 which makes an over-cast successful, is required, and 

 great care not to draw any slack line when your fly 

 drops where you want it. 



Many fly-fishermen are considered adepts according 

 to the length rather than the grace and certainty of 

 their casts. I do not think in actual stream fishing an 

 average of a day's casting, would reach over fifteen feet 

 to a cast. I never made but one very long cast in 

 actual angling in my life. 



Once, on the bank of a mill-pond in the upper part 

 of Alder Brook, in Ulster County, N. Y., I saw a trout 



