The Fishing of Rivers with the Wet Fly 95 



course, of the rod being held so low ; but, 

 unless the rod be held quite close to, and 

 parallel with, the water, this deadly form of 

 fly-fishing cannot be practised with success. 

 To me it is most enjoyable sport, but it 

 has its difficulties, one of which is self-evident 

 (especially if this method is used in a strong 

 current), for, when a large trout takes the 

 fly, you have scarcely got time to elevate 

 the point of your rod ; and if, when rod, 

 line, and gut collar all point in the same 

 direction, a large fish goes off with a rush, 

 every effort must be made to give him his 

 head till the point of the rod is raised. 

 Consequently a stiff or a crowded reel is 

 worse than useless for this style of fly-fish- 

 ing. It should pay out as fast and as 

 smoothly as it is possible for it to do. 



Many hundreds of times have I been 

 compelled to use my left hand to throw the 

 reel-line out, and right freely too, in order 

 to gain time to play the trout, not from the 

 butt, but from the middle and top joints of 

 the rod. 



At times, when trout run large, I have 

 had most exciting sport, but have frequently 

 run and lost two trout (sometimes three) 

 for every one I have creeled; from this 

 cause. If once I got my rod into position, 



