34 



rather up stream, always keeping below your fish. (This 

 applies to all fly fishing.) When your fly alights, by no 

 means mount your rod top, but rather lower it, extending 

 your arm to avoid a drag. Never hurry in casting over 

 your fish, but wait on him, sitting on your basket (which 

 should be made for the purpose, and which I shall describe 

 hereafter.) After giving your fish a rest, cast very neatly 

 over him, avoiding a drag on the fly. If he is a good 

 trout, stick to him ; and I warrant you will take him off 

 his guard and soon have him snugly packed in your 

 basket. 



I will here give a hint to anglers (more particularly 

 young beginners) regarding the bad practice of what is 

 called "striking." . I cannot lay stress enough against 

 this bad practice, and will endeavour to give a few reasons 

 for so doing. In the first place, if you have from fifteen 

 to eighteen yards of line out, I defy any angler to strike 

 in time to hook the fish before he has taken the fly. The 

 angler, striking just as the fish is turning down with the 

 fly, necessarily strains his tackle, and should the fish be 

 but slightly hooked he breaks his hold and gets off. I 

 have, in the course of my experience, seen some of the 

 best of rods and tackle broken by this means. I strongly 

 recommend anglers not to strike at all. All that is 

 necessary can be done with a twist of the wrist, and then 

 mounting your rod to a proper angle, keeping a strain on 

 the line. Avoid being hasty ; give and take according to 

 circumstances ; and feel your fish until he is safely lodged 

 in your net. I will give one of many illustrations I have 

 met with in support of my theory. About ten years ago 



