TROUT AJs'D GRAYLING. 41 



not changing these until he can discover what fly 

 the fish are actually rising at. The Palmer 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 shewing the fish a good imita- 

 tion, both in colour and size, of that insect which 

 he has recently taken : an exact resemblance 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 em- 

 ployed 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 particular colour, &c. is not 

 required to be so exact as in the case of a large 



% 



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 accomplished 

 by throwing across and down the current ; 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 



