62 ANGLING FOR GAME PISH. 



any fly you liave in your book like it in colour and form, but, if 

 possible, smaller. If there are few flies on the water, consider 

 then the time of year, the height and colour of the water, and 

 the weather. If it is early spring, try rather large, bright flies. 

 If the water is coloured, be sure and have a Red Palmer on your 

 cast as tail fly. If the water is turbulent, use larger flies than 

 if it is fairly tranquil. If the day is bright, use a bright fly, 

 such as a Red Spinner, or a Coachman with a starling wing, 

 or a Furnace Bumble. If the day be dark and dull, use sombre 

 flies. Bear in mind, that if you have very small flies on your 

 cast, it is not much use casting them into very rough water; 

 and, in the same way, if your flies are rather large, you will 

 catch more fish with them in the rougher portions of the stream 

 than where the river flows quietly. 



Well, the cast is chosen and made up. Our gut is straight, 

 having been moistened in the damper-box, or drawn on a piece 

 of indiai-ubber (see page 24, and also note remarks on wet-fly 

 fishing in previous chapter). Approach the stream cautiously, 

 and drop the flies over your own bank. Then try out in the 

 middle, then across, and work your way up stream, casting 

 to every spot likely to contain a trout. Keep yourself as low 

 as you possibly can. If the banks are high, and the water 

 suJ6B.ciently shallow, wade up stream, casting in front of you; 

 but do not wade unnecessarily, for it spoils the sport of those 

 <joming after you. As your flies drift down towards you, raise 

 the point of your rod, and strike quickly at the least sign of 

 a rise, or on perceiving a tightening, however slight, of the 

 line. On this account keep careful watch both where you 

 believe the flies to be and also on the line. Never forget to 

 carefully fish close under the bank wherever there is any 

 depth of water. 



Two things are particularly essential to success : 1. The angler 

 must keep out of the sight of the fish ; 2. His shadow must 

 not fall over the fish. To obtain the first desideratum, up- 

 stream fishing is usually absolutely necessary, and, if the water 

 is very shallow, a long line must be cast. Down- stream fishing 

 is only to be preferred where the water is very swift, and its 

 surface sufficiently ruffled to prevent the fish seeing through 



