A CHANGE OF TACTICS 227 



any impression on a fish, no matter how carefully 

 the ground may have been reconnoitred, how 

 skilfully the fly may have been presented to it, 

 or how perfect an imitation the artificial repre- 

 sentation may be. There is evidently something 

 wrong. I have been hours over such a fish ; 

 indeed, have spent many hours on different occa- 

 sions in my endeavours to entice it, and have 

 failed until I have changed my tactics, when they 

 have frequently been rewarded with success. 



Under circumstances such as these, it may be 

 concluded that the fault rests in the presentation 

 of the fly that the latter does not reach the fish 

 as it should, by reason of the stream not serving 

 properly. The position of the angler must be 

 changed ; he must either CFOSS over to the opposite 

 side of the river, or, if that fails or is impracticable, 

 try a down-stream cast. If the latter course is 

 decided upon, the angler must keep as far up- 

 stream, away from the fish, as his casting powers 

 will permit, and endeavour to place the fly so that 

 it reaches the fish truly, flicking it somewhat short 

 in the manner I described for down-stream fishing. 

 If this can be effected by switching, it will be 

 better to adopt that style of casting. Indeed, I 

 consider it advisable to use the switch cast as 

 much as possible for all down-stream work. The 

 ? fly is prevented passing too rapidly over a 

 fish by reason of the weight of the line, and its 



