ARTIFICIAL FLY-FISHING 21 



once, and the fight finished in water which 

 has already been disturbed. When fishing 

 up, the flies are allowed to be borne down 

 by the current in a more or less natural 

 manner, whereas in downstream angling 

 they are often dragged across the current, 

 or " worked " in some unnatural way by the 

 fisherman. Trout seize the natural insect 

 at the moment it alights on the water, or 

 when it is borne down in a more or less bat- 

 tered condition beneath the surface. An 

 enfeebled insect cannot possibly attempt to 

 stem the current, so resigns itself to its fate, 

 and is carried down willy-nilly. The angler 

 who " works " his flies does so no doubt 

 with the idea of imparting to them an appear- 

 ance of life, whereas he would secure a much 

 more natural effect by dressing his flies of 

 soft materials, and allowing the current to 

 do the " working." Trout will take flies, 

 even when dragged across or upstream, but 

 the fish which do so are usually the very 

 smallest, whereas in upstream angling many 

 heavy trout will be secured. Upstream 

 fishing is certainly more difficult than casting 

 the flies across and down, but it should be 

 steadily persevered with if the angler wishes 

 to become a really proficient exponent of 

 the art. 



