56 KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE FLY 



as your fly passes the spot at which the rise occurred, 

 your left hand can leave the reel and find the line just 

 above the reel, and then, as you gradually raise the 

 rod, draw some of the line off the reel again, ready for 

 shooting at the next cast. It is very inadvisable to 

 have any slack line in the hand when striking. Never 

 take your eye away from the fish when it is hooked. 

 In this case you committed this fault in order to guide 

 your hand to the reel, and as a consequence the fish 

 got into the weeds. Stand in front of your glass, and 

 practise reeling up with the left hand ; use the glass 

 only to guide your hand to the reel. 



In order to keep these trout we have caught and 

 your creel or fishing-bag sweet, it is a very good plan 

 to gather a few leaves of the wild thyme or mint 

 which you see growing by the water-side and put them 

 with the trout ; it also abates the fly nuisance. And, 

 remember, the creel or fish-bag should invariably be 

 well washed and hung up to dry every night when the 

 trout are takenTbut. 



THE RISE AND ITS ADVANTAGES 



While you have been killing your fish you did not 

 see that rise just above. Look ! Ah ! You saw it 

 that time, and now you know what you have to look 

 out for when I tell you to watch for a rise. 



Now a few words as to the rise. It does not follow 

 that the commotion caused by a rise bears any 

 relative proportion to the fish making it, and " the 



