46 OF FISHING FOR 



obtained with difficult}'. When the water is 

 unusually high, though it be 7iot discoloured, the 

 fish seem to be feeding more at the bottom than 

 above ; but these two last obstacles will not 

 deter the sportsman from trying his skill. 



Choice of Flies. 



The selection of a fly requires more judgment, 

 experience, and patience,' than any other branch 

 of the art. The beginner will soon discover that 

 his choice cannot be absolutely decided by refer- 

 ence to the catalogue in the following chapter 

 merely, or to any catalogue whatever. For 

 when a fly is (in the former) said to be in season, 

 it does not follow that it is abroad on every 

 day of its existence. The state of the weather, 

 in respect of heat and moisture, has great in- 

 fluence in this respect ; he should therefore bear 

 in mind that the Coleopteron, or Beetle, will 

 be on the water on hot days principally : the 

 Ephemera, or fish fly, on rather cold da3"s : the 

 Phryganea, or water fly, as the Grannom, &c., 

 on cloudy days with gleams of sunshine : the 

 Diptera and other land flies as the Cow Dung, 

 &c., on windy days. He would often do well to 

 begin fishing with a Palmer as a stretcher, and 

 the fl}'' which see7ns most suitable for the day as 

 a dropper, one yard and three quarters from it r 

 not changing these until he can discover what 



