52 ANGLING FOR GAME FISH. 



gut stained brown, a colour easily obtained by means of 

 brown ink or coffee lees. 



On moorland streams it is usual to fish witb more than 

 one fly. In Scotland, as many as four are often used — some- 

 times six or eigbt, and even nine in loop-rod fishing — i.e., fisbing 

 witb no running tackle, tbe line being fastened to a loop at 

 the end of tbe rod. I prefer two, and very often, particularly 

 wben tbe water is low and brigbt, have the best sport witb 

 a single fly, wbicb can be cast into nooks and corners wbicb, 

 were more flies on tbe line, would bave to be left unfisbed. 

 Besides, three flies fall on to the water witb treble the splash 

 of one fly, and, unless the water is rough, the splash frightens 

 the trout. In a big, broad, swift stream, when the water is 

 a little coloured, there may be some advantage in using a 

 number of flies; but in small streams I would strongly advise 

 my readers to be content with two — three at the outside. 

 There is great virtue in a dropper, or bob-fly, for, as the cast 

 is drawn across the water, one of the droppers can be made 

 to trip along the surface in a very attractive manner, and, 

 unless the trout are feeding under water — in which case they 

 will take the tail-fly, or stretcher — the drop flies will kill 

 most fish. Mr. Senior, recognising the occasional advantage 

 of using only one fly, and also the superiority of droppers 

 over the tail-fly, very ingeniously made up a cast bearing one 

 dropper and no tail-fly, and with it met with much success. 

 Some anglers use horsehair for their casts. My advice is, 

 Don't. The finest drawn gut is less thick, and double the 

 strength. The advantages of horsehair are that it does not 

 fray, and is elastic. At the same time, if you are in an out- 

 of-the-way district, and have used up all your fine casts, do 

 not forget that a very good substitute can be made from 

 the nearest horse's tail. The strongest hair comes from the 

 tails of young stallions. 



There are several knots used for fastening droppers on to 

 the line. The easiest, laziest, most climisy, and most generally 

 used knot is that marked A in Fig. 39. The flies are easily 

 changed if this knot is used. As the dropper can revolve 

 round the line, tbe cast is apt to get worn by the gut of tbe 



