PUTTING THE FISH DOWN. 47 



Our sport is now made simple, for we know where 

 certain feeding fish are by these rises, and also which fly 

 they are apparently taking ; there is no necessity to bring 

 experience and knowledge to bear in order to determine 

 the probable position of the trout ; we have only to notice 

 the rise and try for rising fish. 



Now there goes a fellow by our bank, just ahead. You 

 can locate the exact place of the rise by that sedge on the 

 bank; the rise is just opposite it and three feet from the 

 bank. If you do not take some landmark, your eye will 

 follow the ripple as it comes down with the stream, and you 

 will probably cast your fly below the fish. 



Take the rod, and when you have found the distance 

 cast your lightest, just two feet above the position we 

 have marked. No ! no ! What a mess you have made of it ! 

 You are again forgetting your lessons in your eagerness, 

 and have smashed your line on the water and probably put 

 the fish down. In making your cast you brought your rod 

 right down almost to the water, instead of finishing the switch 

 when the rod was at an angle of 45 degrees and then lowering 

 your rod as the line travelled forward, and consequently, the 

 direction of your line was downward instead of horizontal. 

 It's no good trying for that fish again ! This time try 

 for the one in the middle that has just risen. Now, steady, 

 and throw your fly two feet above him and high this time 

 instead of low. Don't lift your line too soon, let it get 

 well below the place where the fish rose, for sometimes a 



