20 PUTTING ON THE FLIES. 



that he performs what you cannot. Observe his 

 method, follow it, and you will overcome what 

 had hitherto been a difficulty to you. If he 

 permits you to accompany him during the day, 

 do so ; and if he will give you any oral instruc- 

 tions, be thankful to him. If happily they agree 

 with those you will find in this book, practise 

 them perse veringly. Attend always to a multi- 

 tude of corroborating, intelligent, and disinterested 

 witnesses. 



You have been all this while learning to cast 

 with reel-line and casting-line without any flies 

 on the latter. Commence with a single fly of 

 rather large size, dressed on a full length of gut, 

 and looped to the end of your casting-line. That 

 fly is your tail-fly, or ' stretcher.' You may soon 

 be informed of your proficiency in throwing this 

 fly. The information will be conveyed to you in 

 the very pleasantest way, viz. by fish rising at 

 your fly. When large ones do so, it is a proof 

 that you have thrown your fly properly on the 

 water, and you may now add a second fly, which 

 will be your first ' dropper.' It should be a size 

 smaller than your stretcher, and fastened on a 

 yard higher up from it at one of the joinings of 

 your casting-line. During your first season I 

 advise you not to fish with more than two flies on 

 your line at the same time. You may lengthen 

 your casting-line from two yards to three, and 



