1 82 , Smaller Fly Takers. CHAP, xn- 



or run you fish. The simplest way to fish any particular bit of water 

 with a fly is to approach crouching, and, kneeling on one knee so far 

 off from the bank that you can only just see and command a little bit 

 of the water, throw your fly straight across, keep your line just taut and 

 no more, and let the stream carry it down and round towards you as 

 quietly as it will, without any pulling from you, and you thus fish first 

 the water where you are most likely to be seen ; repeat the process a 

 yard or two higher each time, carefully edging nearer and nearer the 

 while, till you find yourself throwing straight up the stream close under 

 your own bank. These are, of course, only general instructions for 

 thoroughly fishing over water, and cannot be held applicable in all 

 cases; for differently exposed, differently running, waters require to 

 be fished differently, and not a little depends on the generalship dis- 

 played in properly availing yourself of every advantage of ground in 

 approaching the enemy's position. 



Another argument against fly-fishing from above is, that if you 

 throw your fly downwards, and pull it towards you, you will pull it in 

 the most unnatural way, for no natural fly ever floated up stream. I 

 know that fish are caught in this way sometimes, but it is not good 

 fishing, and will not pay as a rule. 



Fly-fishing, it will be observed, is in this respect the contrary to 

 spinning, the rule in the latter case being to pull the bait more or less 

 against the stream. And the same rule obtains more or less in salmon 

 fly-fishing, but then that is not properly fly-fishing, though commonly so 

 called, because no mortal can tell you the entomological specimen of 

 which a salmon fly is a representation. 



Perhaps you may say the fish are too small, and not worth all this 

 trouble. So be it. In such case let them alone, and don't fish for 

 them at all. But if you will fish for any of these smaller fish just for a 

 change, you may as well catch them while you are about it. This I 

 tell you, therefore, you will not do unless you condescend to take the 

 pains to fish for a Baril as carefully as for a trout. If you are a good 

 fisherman all this painstaking will come to you naturally, as a matter of 

 course, and be no pains. 



Flies draw, and rust, and get moth-eaten quickly in India, and 

 should consequently be got from England in small quantities from time 

 to time. They are light, and can easily travel in a letter. Do not buy 

 any that have been kept some time in store in a shop in India 



