254 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



no part in the gentle craft, the principles of which in their variety are 



philosophical to a degree. 



At night time it is absolutely necessary one should fish down, as the 

 slack line will give no intimation, in nine out of ten cases, of the rise. 

 The fish at such time are on the look out for any insect moving, and are 

 by no means loth to rise in a general way. I do not care much for night 

 fishing, however. 



There is another method of casting which is especially efficacious when 

 the wind is adverse, or when there are trees or other obstructions at the 

 back of one, preventing a free delivery of the line. It is termed 

 " snitching." In this method the angler raises the rod high in the air 

 perpendicularly, and when the flies are almost at his feet in the water, 

 he, by a sort of downward cut of the rod, twirls the line till it assumes 

 the arc of a circle towards the point aimed at. This plan is also 

 useful in salmon fishing. 



Having thus adverted to the systems of up and down fishing, some 

 remarks are necessary in regard to the striking of a fish. For myself I 

 almost always use a stiff rod, and I therefore almost always allow a 

 second or two to elapse between the taking of the fly and the strike when 

 using the ordinary limber rod, which slightly curves when held in a 

 horizontal position. I admire striking at once, because the first move- 

 ment of the hand in the act of striking moves the point forward front and 

 then back. I am aware that there are many anglers who prefer not to 

 strike at all ; but this, I am persuaded, is by no means the accepted rule, 

 and it is, so far as my own experience is concerned, wrong. Still, I am 

 willing to admit there are conceivable cases when the rapidity of the 

 stream or the characteristic abruptness of the trout renders striking an 

 exceedingly doubtful proceeding. 



The strike, when made, ought to be a quick twist-motion of no extra" 

 ordinary violence, proportioned to the fragility or strength of the tackle 

 in use. 



Before passing from this portion of my subject, perhaps I may be 

 allowed to utter a few desultory remarks in reference to the most advan- 

 tageous methods and styles of working the various likely spots of a 

 stream or river. I have before noticed the insuperable difficulties of 

 communicating directions of a nature likely to always be of precise use, 

 but it is quite possible to convey such hints as may be of general use 

 when utilised " judgmatically." 



Always throw near first, and afterwards far, to the extent of ten or 

 a dozen yards, or even more. After the flies are on the water they may be 

 allowed to float beneath the surface. Stewart lays stress on their noise- 

 lessness and immoveability, that is, apart from the movement naturally 



