The Fishing of Waters with the Wet Fly 5 3 



comprehensive view of his situations, and 

 take it promptly, too, if he would be classed 

 Al. This seems, perhaps, "tall talk." Let 

 me explain what I mean : by two examples, 

 thus 



A. has procured all the best rods, reels, 

 and tackle procurable, and he can throw a 

 beautiful line; and yet, as a wet-fly fisher 

 on Scottish waters, he is not a success ; 

 indeed, he is far from that. Why ? The 

 reasons may be many or few. Indeed, 

 there may only be one namely he lacks 

 " gumption," truly a Scottish phrase but 

 oh, the depth of it ! What use to him are 

 all his fine flies, or his fine casting, if he 

 simply is " a potterer," and an aimless 

 potterer forbye who, when he goes out to 

 fish, has no more grasp of his subject, than 

 an average Poll-parrot has of the alphabet ? 

 Such men will stand for half a day, over 

 one or two small pools, throwing the most 

 beautifully dressed of flies in the most skil- 

 ful and approved manner, and feeling (as 

 they invariably do) that if they cannot and 

 do not kill trout, the trout cannot be taken 

 by any one. "Vain, vain pursuit; toil 

 without 'troot." That is the way how 

 not to do it. Now, B. has half A.'s para- 

 phernalia ; but he has twice his wits, and 



