256 THE ANGLER S GUIDE. 



CHAP. I. 



Artificial-Fly fishing, and Fly -making for Trout, 

 Salmon, 8^c. 



" Silent along the mazy margin stray, 

 And with the fur-wrought fly delude the prey." 



Fishing with an artificial fly is, certainly, a very plea- 

 sant and gentlemanly way of angling, and is attended 

 with much less labour and trouble than bottom-fish- 

 ing. The Fly-fisherman has but little to carry, either 

 in bulk or weight 3 nor has he the dirty work of dig- 

 ing clay, making ground-baits, &c. &c. He may tra- 

 vel for miles, with a book of flies in his pocket, and a 4 

 light rod in his hand, and cast in his bait, as he roves 

 on the banks of a river, without soiling his fingers ; it 

 is, therefore, preferred by many to every other way of 

 angling. Yet fly-fishing is not without its disadvan- 

 tages, for there are many kinds of Fish that will not 

 take a fly 3 whereas, all the different species which 

 the fresh waters produce, will take a bait at bottom, 

 at some season of the year ; and it is also worthy of 

 notice, that the Angler who fishes at bottom has many 

 months and days in the year when the Fish will so 

 feed 5 consequently, he has frequent opportunities of 

 enjoying his amusement, when the Fly- fisherman is 

 entirely deprived of the chance of sport by very cold 

 or wet weather, the Winter season, &c. Many good 

 Jack and Pike are taken at Christmas ; but, at that 

 season of the year, neither Trout nor Chub are likely 



