" The Cast of the Flier 89 



of three haires, in a darke windy day 

 from afternoone, and have learned the 

 cast of the flie,* your flie must counterfeit 

 the may flie, which is bred of the cod-bait, 

 and is called the water-flie : you must 

 change his colour every month, beginning 

 with a dark white, and so grow to a 

 yellow, the forme cannot so well be put 

 on a paper, as it may be taught by slight " 

 . . . [Then follows a rough illustration in 

 which the setae are represented in a curious 

 manner.] 



"The head is of black silk or haire, 

 the wings of a feather of a mallard, teele, 

 or pickled-hen wing. The body of Crewell 

 according to the moneth for colour, and 

 run about with a black haire ; all fastened 

 at the taile with the thread that fastened 

 the hook. You must fish in, or hard by 

 the stream, and have a quick hand, and 

 a ready eye, and a nimble rod, strike with 

 him, or you lose him " (i.e., strike at the 

 rise). " If the wind be rough, and trouble 

 the crust of the water, he will take it in 

 the plaine deeps, and then and there 

 commonly the greatest will rise. When 

 you have hookt him, give him leave, 

 keeping your line straight, and hold him 



* I believe this is the first time in our angling 

 literature this expression is used, "the cast of 

 the flie." R. B. M. 



