THE ART OF FLY FISHING. 5/9 



light pressure or check by the "click." The click also telegraphs 

 to the ear what the fish is doing, and in this way renders a service 

 greater than is generally supposed. 



The importance of using small flies, even in discolored water, 

 should impress itself upon the angler. Lightness and neatness of 

 form are characteristics of river insects, and therefore a serious 

 objection to the flies in common use, and at the tackle shops, is 

 that they are much too bushy, thereby not only exposing their de- 

 ception more quickly, but preventing by masses of feathers the 

 trout from hooking themselves when they rise. 



A second rule in angling is, to tread lightly along the streams, 

 and when in boat, to avoid noises that cause vibrations. It seems 

 to be settled by scientific tests that fish do not hear, but their per- 

 ception through the nerves of feeling is very keen, and sounds are 

 easily communicated through the water by sudden jars, the care- 

 less dropping of an oar, or deep bass tones of the voice. It is 

 well known that a deaf person can hear sounds of a voice or in- 

 strument, if a hard wood stick be placed in his teeth, connecting 

 with the object emitting the sounds. 



The angler about to whip a water should first straighten his 

 snoods and leaders by soaking them in a basin of water ; after 

 which he can keep them tolerably straight by winding the cast 

 around his hat. At a proper distance from the angling place, let 

 him put his rod together, first adjusting the reel to its place, then 

 the tip and second joints, and the second joint and but last, keep- 

 ing the hands close to the ferrules and as near together as possible. 

 Next reeve the line through the rings and draw it off from the reel 

 until its length is equal to a little more than half the length of the 

 rod ; then, with the rod held perpendicularly, unless adjacent ob- 

 jects prevent, bend on the casting line, hook the tail-fly or stretcher 

 into one of the bars of the reel, and wind up until the line is taut. 

 Put the ferrule plugs in your pocket so as not to lose them. You 

 are then ready to proceed to business. 



The casting line should be not less than seven feet in length, 

 nor more than nine, of best selected gut. The tail fly should have 

 simply a loop, and the bobbers gut lengths ; that of the top one, 

 or hand fly, somewhat longer than that of the middle fly, so that 

 when the fine is raised, and the rod in motion, both will touch the 



