TROUT AND GRAYLING. 47 



is never totally out of season, and is a good fat 

 bait. 



It should never be forgotten, that, let the state 

 of the weather or the water (in respect of clear- 

 ness) be what it may, success in fly-fishing very 

 much depends upon showing the fish a good 

 imitation, both in colour and size, of that insect 

 which he has recently taken : an exact resem- 

 blance of the shape does not seem to be quite so 

 essential a requisite as that of colour, since the 

 former varies, according to the position of the 

 insect either in or upon the water ; but a small 

 fly is usually employed when the water is fine, 

 because the fish is then better enabled to detect 

 an imitation, and because the small fly is more 

 easily imitated. The resemblance of each parti- 

 cular colour, &c. is not required to be so exact 

 as in the case of a large fly. 



When the fly is thrown on the stream, some 

 little resemblance of life must be attempted to 

 be given to it ; this I imagine to be best accom- 

 plished by throwing across and down the cur- 

 rent : the top of the rod should in this case, after 

 throwing, be held over the side of the stream, on 

 which the fisherman stands ready to strike ; the 

 current will then act against the part of the line 

 lying on the water, and cause the fly to sail over 

 towards the same side, yet still to float down a 



