The Fishing of Rivers with the Wet Fly 1 23 



Next day, down came the river, sure 

 enough ! Whether barometric pressure is 

 the cause, or whether the trout taste the 

 first whiff of the fresh water, I cannot say : 

 the effect is the same. We have much to 

 learn, and the trout, if well and patiently 

 studied, will help us in our inquiries. 



I do not regard wet-fly fishing as one 

 of the exact sciences. 



The conditions of climate, soil, eleva- 

 tion, and consequently of the natural food- 

 supply in one river are often very much at 

 variance with those in another. This fact 

 cannot be too well grasped. If it be not 

 understood, the angler who fishes many 

 rivers will fail in some, and fail ladly too. 

 In certain of our Scottish rivers, much of 

 the sport in April, is got by fishing slightly 

 under, and occasionally well under the sur- 

 face ; while in other rivers deep fishing will 

 yield but a poor result, and one must be 

 content to make nearly all one's hay while 

 the sun shines, i.e. while the rise of the 

 natural fly is on. Per contra, it is often 

 the other way up. Early in May, on 

 the river Tummel, I have gone out day 

 after day, and though nothing approaching 

 a rise of flies was to be seen ; yet, with 

 the artificial fly only, I invariably returned 



