26 THY BOTH WAYS, AND JUDGE. 



but then, some of them argue that the effects of 

 the disturbance are only temporary, and not so 

 lasting as those which arise from the fish seeing 

 you, as you fish a stream upwards. You can 

 avoid their seeing you, but you cannot, unless 

 you whip a fish out of the water the instant he is 

 hooked, or coax him against the current, prevent 

 the more or less disturbance he will cause accord- 

 ing to his strength and unflinching struggles, his 

 weakness or his want of game. It is argued, you 

 can remedy it, by not fishing for some time after 

 you have been playing a fish, or by removing to 

 some other spot, and coming back again in due 

 time to the place you had disturbed. This plan 

 will cause you to lose time at all events, and, 

 may be, the very nick of it during which fish are 

 rising freely. I have generally succeeded best by 

 fishing a stream from tail to head. Excellent 

 anglers have told me they did best by acting 

 differently. I deny no man's word, but I advise 

 the student to try both ways, and then judge for 

 himself. 



In what precise shape artificial flies floating on 

 the water, or just beneath it, present themselves 

 to the fish, I cannot truly tell. They certainly 

 cannot present themselves in the exact living 

 forms of natural insects, but their appearance 

 must be something similar. If I were to guess, I 

 should say that the artificial flies for the common 



