CHAPTER V 

 WET AND DRY FLY FISHING 



1. Casting the fly. 



Having arrived at the river-side, where he 

 has put together his gear, in the shape of 

 rod, line, and cast of flies, the beginner next 

 attempts to throw his feathered lures in such 

 a way that they will fall softly and in a 

 natural manner on the water. Now, fly- 

 casting is easy enough to an expert ; but 

 even he will find considerable difficulty in 

 describing on paper how it should be done. 

 Even a famous angler like Sir Herbert Max- 

 well confesses himself beaten in this respect. 

 Without wishing to pose as an expert, and 

 with all due deference to the authority above 

 quoted, I shall try to give the beginner an 

 inkling as to how to set about the job. Before 

 doing so, however, I would advise him to 

 place himself in the hands of a skilled fisher- 

 man rather than trust to written instructions, 

 for he will learn more from a ten minutes' 



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