46 FISHING THE STREAM 



water. The wet fly fisherman can, on the other hand, 

 present flies to the trout either on or under the surface 

 of the water, and in a far less perfect condition. 



Now, as the water is clear and the weather is warm, 

 water flies and gnats will be numerous, and conse- 

 quently the fish will most likely be taken by the dry 

 fly ; therefore we will first of all try our friend the Blue 

 Quill fished as a dry fly ; for two things are certain : 

 that the fish were taking this fly yesterday, and also 

 that there are some of these flies already on the water, 

 and probably there will be an early hatch of the same 

 kind before long. We have seen no rise, it is true, 

 but we may be able to tempt a fish before the rise 

 proper commences, and this I call " fishing the 

 stream." When the rise commences we shall try for 

 rising fish, and this I call " fishing the rise." There is 

 more scientific knowledge required when fishing the 

 stream with a dry fly than in fishing the rise, and the 

 former is perhaps the most successful method through- 

 out the day ; for while the rise may be uncertain and 

 very brief, fish can be taken at all times during the day 

 if a knowledge of the locality and habits of the trout be 

 possessed, by casting the fly in the most likely spots, 

 even though the trout are not rising in the strict sense 

 of the term. 



The dry fly fisherman should fish the rise when 

 it is apparent, and fish the stream at all other 

 times. It is impossible for anyone to see more than 

 a limited extent of the water, even in his immediate 

 vicinity, and innumerable rises may, therefore, escape 



