Methods and Equipment 347 



wherever possible, forty or more feet, I place the 

 first and only dropper about three feet above the 

 end or point fly, and by recalling the line, gently 

 lifting the point of the rod just before the forward 

 cast ceases, both flies fall upon the water at the 

 same time, and before the reel line touches it. 

 In making very long grasshopper casts this recall 

 of the line is not necessary. 



Thaddeus Norris, the author of the first sys- 

 tematic treatise on angling in American waters, 

 published thirty-eight years ago, has ably covered 

 the subject of flies to be used, and the manner of 

 handling them ; in fact, has given us the science 

 of the art in a couple of terse paragraphs. It 

 would be well if his words rung in the ears of 

 every angler when on a trout stream or preparing 

 to go there. 



" Don't bother with a lot of flies. Here are 

 four that will serve all purposes : one is the Red 

 Spinner; the second a Black Gnat; the third is 

 the Coachman; the fourth and the best of them 

 all is the Red Palmer or Red Hackle, as it is 

 indifferently called. 



" Now for the secret. Take the Red Hackle as 

 the standard and you will understand. If you 

 throw it out and just drag it on the water, as most 



