The Fishing of Rivers with the Wet Fly 85 



make the best of a bad business. I know how 

 to prevent my line trailing helplessly and 

 hurriedly across to rny own side in a kind 

 of semi-circular curve or swirl. Then, why 

 do I not explain my method ? My answer 

 is easily given. Would you have a lecturer 

 dwell upon his own bygone slips and 

 stumbles, in order to teach others how to 

 walk? I trow not. The more a learner 

 fishes up and the less he fishes down the 

 better fisherman in the long run is he likely 

 to make. I avoid unduly dwelling upon 

 (far less teaching) down-stream fishing, 

 which a weary and tired young hand drifts 

 into only too easily, without any teaching 

 of mine ; especially under circumstances 

 such as I have mentioned. I desire to 

 preach the doctrine of " good form" in 

 river fishing, i.e. up-stream fishing, or up 

 and across, at most; not down stream 

 fishing. 



Since I began (more than half a century 

 ago) remember that great strides have been 

 made, and that what was then excusable in 

 a young angler, would be nothing short of 

 very regrettable " form " in any intelligent 

 young fellow, starting to-day. He must be 

 abreast of the times, else he will be an old- 

 fashioned fisherman at the outset, and 



