FLY FISHING FOR TROUT 19 



and if fishing were reduced to a certainty where would 

 be its charm ? 



But we will not follow our angler further. We 

 will wish him a sufficient basket and a full day's 

 sport, and turn for a short time to the consideration 

 of the methods employed for the inveiglement of these 

 fish. 



In the first place, it will be noticed how carefully 

 all the apparatus was handled, the rod put together, 

 the casting line tested, and the fly chosen and attached. 

 Any one who is an adept can tell almost at a glance, 

 when watching a fisherman put up his rod, whether he 

 is an old hand or the reverse. The beginner, should 

 he happen, on first reaching the riverside, to notice 

 that a fish or two is rising, will in all probability begin 

 hurriedly to get his rod ready, looking all the time up 

 and down stream as if he feared the trout would run 

 away before his preparations were completed. The 

 old hand will very likely turn his back on the water 

 and not trouble himself about anything except the 

 business immediately before him, viz. that of getting 

 his tackle ready. 



But the reader may ask, what does it matter 

 whether these things are done deliberately and slowly, 

 or more hurriedly and rapidly ? It matters this much : 

 that in the one case the joints of the rod are properly 



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