HOW TO FISH WITH A DRY-FLY 221 



He may perchance catch one or two tolerable 

 fish, and several small ones, during the day. At 

 the close of the latter, when his companion rejoins 

 him with some two or three brace of really good 

 fish in his basket, he begins to realize that perhaps 

 after all his conclusions have been somewhat 

 premature. On the next occasion he determines 

 to try and follow the advice given him to the best 

 of his ability, and probably succeeds in hooking 

 and landing a good fish or two. Thenceforward 

 he needs no further inducement to try to master 

 the new style. He is converted nay, wedded 

 to it. 



The reader may desire to learn how to fish 

 up-stream with a dry-fly. I will therefore en- 

 deavour to show him. 



First of all, it is necessary to find a rising fish, 

 i.e., a fish which is feeding on the flies which are 

 coming down on the surface of the water. I have 

 laid particular stress on this last sentence, because 

 it not infrequently happens that although flies may 

 be on the water, and the fish apparently feeding 

 on them, they are in reality not so doing, but are 

 feeding under water with their noses buried in 

 the weeds, and what looks like a rise is caused 

 by the tips of their tail-fins now and again pro- 

 truding. Such fish are said to be ' tailing,' and 

 are best left alone, for to try for them will only 

 result in the loss of time and temper, the chance 



