22 WET OR SUNK FLY-FISHING. 



size very successful. A most useful fly for such 

 fishing is dressed thus : wings, white or brown 

 owl feather ; legs, a few fibres of same ; body, 

 thick floss silk 1 ; tag of wash leather. At night a 

 cast of two flies only should be used, as otherwise 

 it is difficult to avoid ravelling, Drawn gut is 

 quite unnecessary, and as the angler is concealed 

 by the darkness, he need not throw a long line or 

 fish up stream. The best places are the shallows 

 at the foot of large pools, but sport is often to be 

 got in the deep, still water. The streams, how- 

 ever, are utterly useless, and should be passed 

 over. The heaviest trout often come close in to 

 the banks to feed, and the sides of the pool should 

 therefore be cast over carefully. The best mode 

 of fishing is to throw repeatedly in different direc- 

 tions, allowing the flies to rest on the surface for 

 a moment, and then drawing them slowly and 

 steadily across the current. Every foot of likely 

 water should be fished over slowly, and all rises 

 to the natural fly, no matter how insignificant 

 they may seem, should receive attention. As the 

 slightest unnatural ripple is sufficient to disturb 

 the trout in the still, shallow water, where they 

 are generally found, there must be as little splash- 

 ing as possible when wading. 



August. The greater part of August may be 

 set down as a blank so far as -river fly-fishing is 

 concerned. Sport in the evening is rendered un- 



1 Yellow or white. 



