276 The Trouts of America 



these constituents are rubbed with vaseHne and 

 other oily substances that the hne may float natu- 

 rally in up-stream fishing, when the angler is dry- 

 fly fishing. The majority of American anglers 

 are content to dry their flies by switching them 

 six or more times in the air previous to drop- 

 ping them into the water. Gossamer leaders 

 and midget flies tied on hooks as small as Nos. 

 18 and 20 are in general use in Great Britain, and 

 the accepted method is fishing up-stream when 

 the fly floats as a dead one, and the casts neces- 

 sarily frequent, or the flies will float too near the 

 angler to be retrieved properly for the next cast. 

 Dry-fly fishing is not adapted to the swift-run- 

 ning American streams, but I have often prac- 

 tised it when wading down by leaving the water 

 and fishing the pool below from its foot. They 

 frequently spin the minnow for trout in England, 

 and when a deep troll is necessary the lead or 

 sinker is placed inside the minnow, a practice 

 which has never been followed with us, although 

 a good one for lake trout and other large fish of 

 different species. 



The angling authorities of England recom- 

 mend thirty-two flies as the most attractive to 

 the brown trout, consisting mainly of the palm- 



