TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



face that the angler cannot see the swirl of the trout when 

 it rises and strikes. 



The wet-fly angler is said to fish his fly or flies in such 

 a manner and so deep that he cannot tell when he has a 

 strike until he feels the "yank," the "grab" or the "jerk" 

 on the line ; and the strangest part of all this is that the dry- 

 fly writer apparently thinks that his readers will believe 

 such absurd stuff. 



It is but fair to say right here of the good wet-fly angler 

 that he never waits until he feels the "yank," the "grab" 

 or the "jerk" on his line before striking, because if he 

 did he could not be called a good fisherman for the reason 

 he would be unsuccessful. 



The fact is that such statements as these are wholly 

 untrue and should be beneath the dignity of any dry-fly 

 writer to make if he has any real knowledge of wet-fly 

 fishing, and if he has no knowledge then they are per- 

 nicious. 



The wet-fly anglers have been very patient for some 

 time, and even now have no desire to quarrel with their 

 brothers, the dry-fly men, but they do insist upon fair 

 play and protest against the many unfair and untrue state- 

 ments and insinuations made by them. 



Dry 'Fly Fishing: 



Concisely, dry-fly fishing consists in fishing with an 

 artificial fly, especially constructed in such a manner as 

 to resemble the natural insect and float and remain upon 

 the surface of the water if properly handled by the angler. 



53 



