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your flies drop lightly on the water, which, 

 with a little well-directed practice, you will 

 soon attain. Begin to fish at the head of a 

 stream, and use caution, for there, generally, 

 the best game lies, particularly when there are 

 flies coming down the river. When you cast 

 your flies across the stream, keep them in 

 gentle motion, to prevent the trouts from per- 

 ceiving the cheat ; if you give them too long a 

 time they discover it, or if they take it, when 

 they perceive the fraud, they quickly disen- 

 gage themselves. If it is a slow-running 

 water, let your flies sink a little, as you draw 

 them towards you." 



Mr. Cotton justly observes, "To fish fine 

 and far off is the first and principal rule for 

 trout angling .... In casting your line, do 

 it always before you, and so that your fly may 

 first fall upon the water, and as little of your 

 line with it as possible : though if the wind be 

 stiff, you will then, of necessity, be compelled 

 to drown a good part of your line, to keep your 

 fly in the water. And, in casting your fly, you 

 must aim at the farther or nearer bank, as the 

 wind serves your turn, which also will be with, 

 and against you, on the same side, several 

 times in an hour, as the river winds in its 

 course, and you will be forced to angle up and 

 down by turns accordingly; but are to endea- 



