IN PRAISE OF THE DRY FLY. 5 



surface and show evident signs of surrendering. The landing net is quietly 

 disengaged and half submerged in the stream below him — for if he sees it 

 he will be nerved to fresh efforts — and his head being kept up, he is guided 

 without fuss into its embrace. And after he is given his instant and 

 humane quietus with one tap, rightly placed, of the " Priest," the pipe is lit, 

 tackle is adjusted, and there is leisure to admire the beautiful proportions of 

 a newly caught trout, the glorious colouring of his spots and golden belly. 

 Something has been accomplished, something done. A fair stalk has been 

 rewarded, and it is no chance success. 



Those happy days when there is a good rise of fly, when the fish are 

 in their stations, heads up, and lying near the top of the water, and the 

 wind is not too contrary, should indeed be gratefully remembered. A 

 short length of water will suffice for the dry fly man — a few hundred 

 yards. For him there need be no restless rushing from place to place. 

 Quiet watching and waiting, constant observation of what is going on in 

 the river beneath him, these are his requirements. 



But on the days when the rise is scant and short, and the trout seem 

 to be all glued to the bottom, or when a strong down stream wind nearly 

 baffles the angler, then his patience will be somewhat sorely tested ; even 

 under these discouraging conditions there are places in the river unswept 

 by wind, most rivers having a serpentine course ; on one of these our angler 

 will take up his position, and his patience and perseverance will be 

 rewarded. And if the trout be, as I have said, glued to the bed of the 

 river, and there is no rise of fly to tempt them to the surface, he will wait 

 patiently. It will not be always so ; a change of temperature will come or 

 some subtle atmospheric change about which we know so little, but which 

 effects a wonderful change in the trout. They begin, as it were, at such 

 changes to wake up from their lethargy, to come nearer to the surface and 

 to re-assume their favourite positions — at the tail of yonder weed bank — or 

 in the oily glide under the bank side. The first few flies of the hatch may 

 be allowed to pass by them, apparently unheeded or unnoticed, but before 

 long they settle down to feeding in a serious manner. Now is your 

 opportunity, make the most of it ; and if you keep well down and make 

 no bungling cast, your creel will soon be somewhat weightier than it 

 promised to be a short hour ago. Our friend the chalk stream trout will 

 brook no bungling ; he is easily put down and scared, and the delicate 



