CHAPTER II 

 THE ART OF FLY-FISHING 



Although fly-fishing is a fine art it can be acquired 

 to a greater or less extent by any angler who makes a 

 study of it, and the proficiency attainable is only governed 

 by the natural and sometimes by the acquired ability of 

 the angler. 



It is essentially a personal or individual art, and can 

 be perfected to a marked degree, after the rudimentary 

 principles have been acquired, by carefully studying the 

 habits of the fish and the conditions governing the waters 

 in which they are found. By rudimentary principles is 

 meant the casting of the fly, the handling of the line, leader 

 and fly when fishing. Everything else is personal or in- 

 dividual, and success is dependent only upon knowledge 

 of the habits of the fish and the "fish sense" of the angler. 



The ability of any fisherman is naturally measured 

 by the success attained in catching fish, and the degree 

 of success is determined by the consistency of the angler*s 

 performances during a period of months or years. 



Some persons become expert anglers in stream fish- 

 ing while they fail to make even a respectable showing on 

 any other kind of water ; and often still-water anglers of 



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