104 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



sparkling and gushing streams the constant exercise of 

 his skill in casting his line the gentle tantalisings of his 

 hopes by frequent unsuccessful risings at the fly the 

 dexterity and management requisite in killing a fish with 

 such delicate materials and the uncertainty which 

 always hangs over his successful capture, all tend to 

 awaken and keep alive that feeling of the mind on which 

 rests the whole charm of the art. In short, in fly-fishing 

 all the elements are judiciously combined, which contri- 

 bute to render angling an agreeable and healthy amuse- 

 ment. 



Before we enter into any detail with reference to the 

 application of artificial flies, we beg to make a few pre- 

 liminary observations, which may possibly be of use to 

 the inexperienced fly-fisher. 



This mode of fishing has given birth to an enormous 

 mass of discussion and conjecture, as to the best kinds of 

 flies for particular countries and waters, so cumbrous and 

 voluminous as to be quite forbidding and confounding to 

 the younger professors of the art. Imagination has been 

 allowed to usurp the place of judgment; and trifling 

 theories, that of comprehensive and well-digested expe- 

 rience. A fly-fisher goes to the water agitated by a 

 thousand fancies, as to what kind and colour of fly the 

 fish are likely to take; and if he be not successful in 

 hooking fish after three or four casts, down he squats and 

 puts on another set of flies. This sort of thing occupies 

 nearly the whole day ; he is constantly shifting his tackle, 

 so that in the evening his creel is as empty as it was in 

 the morning. 



Now, we have long arrived at the conclusion, that 

 anglers are vastly more fastidious about the shape and colour 

 of their flies than trout are. The fact seems to be, that 



