56 BY HOOK AND BY CBOOK. 



distance above, so that the artificial fly may not be cut 

 out by natural insects floating down. 



Should a fish take the fly during the line's straight- 

 ening process, it being practically slack, the angler is 

 not at once apprised of the fact, so loses time in 

 striking, and the fish cannot strike himself, but may 

 possibly find out his error and have time to reject the 



fly. 



How often may the remark be heard, " I touched 

 one, but he did not get hold of it ; " surely the bagged 

 line has something to answer for ! 



Fish very quickly spit out any foreign substance, as 

 may be ascertained by dropping a few gutless and 

 barbless flies from a bridge into a stream below, and 

 it is surprising to what a distance they can expel the 

 object through the water. 



The movement imparted to the fly in the water by 

 the rise and fall of the rod's point must be left to taste, 

 yet on any particular river a certain pace and extent of 

 motion seem to be adopted by general consent ; but at 

 whatever pace the line may be drawn up, it should not 

 be released at a greater one than that at which the 

 water flows ; the wings then shut up close and loosen 

 again, while there being no slack line the fly maintains 

 its even position in the water, so should a fish attempt 

 to take it, he is not disappointed. The motion, hoM- 

 ever, may occasionally be varied. 



The fly should be allowed to remain in the water 

 utitil it arrives at least in a line straight down stream 



