FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT. 27 



FLY-FISHING, by general consent, stands first in the 

 angler's practice. It is the most elegant mode of 

 fishing the simplest in respect of tackle (seeing that 

 no bait is needed), and in some measure the easiest 

 and it is that which, taking the whole year into 

 account, is perhaps the most generally productive. 

 When we say it is the simplest and the easiest method 

 of angling, however, we mean only that by it almost 

 any angler can capture an occasional trout ; we are 

 very far from saying that it is that in which profi- 

 ciency is most readily attained, or in which there is 

 little room for the exercise of skill. On the contrary, 

 to make fly-fishing really productive requires the union 

 of all the angler's highest qualities. Knowledge of the 

 habits of the fish, quickness of -eye, dexterity of hand, 

 the most unwearying perseverance against difficulties 

 these must all be combined in the man who, as in 

 the case of some border anglers, would make the river 

 yield him as much daily as could be converted into 

 daily bread for a family. As we fancy most of our 

 readers are already acquainted to some extent with 

 the principles or practice of angling and as we deem 

 it utterly hopeless, by means of a book, to attempt to 

 teach a man to fish who has no previous knowledge of 

 the art we shall, in treating of fly-fishing, do little 

 more than notice some most important improvements 

 in it that have been lately promulgated by Mr. W. C. 

 Stewart.* The old method of fly-fishing, in its highest 

 form, was "fine and far-off" casting across the stream, 



* " The Practical Angler ; or the Art of Trout- Fishing, more 

 particularly applied to Clear Water" By W. C. Stewart. 

 Edinburgh : A. & C. Black. 



