THE TROUT 



The next point to be considered is, what particular 

 method of fishing is now usually practised. Is it fly 

 fishing ? If so, do people fish up or down stream ? 

 Do they use wet or dry fly? Or do they sometimes 

 attempt to attract their victims by means of the well- 

 scoured worm ? 



It may, I think, be safely averred that nearly 

 every one of the great army of anglers nowadays fishes 

 ^/-stream with the dry fly ; that is, whenever such 

 method be practicable ; and also, that on hardly any 

 river, whether it be open to the public or strictly pre- 

 served private water, is the use of anything else than 

 artificial fly allowed. 1 



Let us now enquire what it is that constitutes the 

 great charm of fly fishing, and especially the use of 

 the dry fly ; and further let us penetrate somewhat 

 into the mysteries of this art for it surely deserves 

 such a designation. 



With regard to the reason of the attractiveness of 

 this form of fishing, it must be admitted that it is 

 infinitely more satisfactory, from a sporting point of 

 view, to mark a good trout lying near the top of the 

 water in some almost painfully clear and stilly flowing 

 stream, and determine to secure him, if by any fair 



1 I am here alluding mainly to the trout rivers of England. 

 In Scotland, and also in parts of England where rough quick 

 streams exist, wet-fly down-stream fishing is more generally 

 prevalent. 



