FLY FISHING. 85 



ability he would not have done had you tried for him immediately 

 after your first essay and failure. This I consider one of the most 

 important things to be attended to where the angler is desirous of 

 filling his basket ; for though a trout will often rise again imme- 

 diately after you have missed hooking him ; yet if he does so it is 

 generally with great caution, so that the chances are much against 

 your capturing him ; added to which he is much more likely to sus- 

 pect there is something wrong in the whole proceeding, and to 

 baffle your skill and ingenuity for the remainder of the day. 



The Limerick hooks being lighter than any others in proportion 

 to their size, are on that account the best adapted to this kind of 

 fishing, where it is so desirable that the flies should float lightly on 

 the top of the water. These I have always baited according to the 

 instructions laid down in Cotton's supplement to the complete an- 

 gler, which I now offer to my readers in Cotton's own words. 

 " We first take one, for we commonly fish with two of them at a 

 time, and putting the point of the hook into the thickest part of 

 the body under one of his wings, run it directly through and out 

 at the other side, leaving him spitted cross upon the hook, and 

 then taking the other, put him on after the same manner, but with 

 his head the contrary way ; in which posture" says Cotton " they 

 will live on the hook and play with their wings for a quarter of an 

 hour or more ; but you must have a care to keep their wings dry, 

 both from the water, and also that your fingers be not wet when 

 you take them out to bait them, for then your bait is spoiled." 



In some rivers the cross line fishing is practiced, though most 

 sportsmen consider this in the light of poaching, and declare it 

 ought to be put a stop to by law. It is carried on by means of a 

 line stretched between a couple of rods, one on each side of the 

 river, and from this cross line a gut foot line is suspended, which 

 can easily be guided to within an inch of any desired spot. It is 

 generally agreed before hand which is to strike on the rise, as if 

 both were to do so, most likely the tackle would give way in con- 

 sequence. When the fish is hooked one party plays him, the 

 other slackening out sufficient line for the purpose, as also to 

 enable the trout to be drawn to land. It is certainly a kind of 

 fishing I cannot say a great deal about, having never tried it but 

 once, when, though tolerably successful, it afforded me very little 

 interest as compared with fishing in a more fair and legitimate 

 manner, so that I have since felt no inclination to resume the attempt ; 



