102 THE SCIENCE OF DRY FLY FISHING. 



inches below the surface, the first dropper only an inch or 

 so, and the upper dropper should skim the water. The cast 

 being made, the rod should keep the line straight as the flies 

 come back with the stream, and a slight jigging motion should 

 be imparted to them. The rise of the fish is almost invariably 

 seen, and success depends, therefore, on four things. The 

 choice of flies, the fisherman's quickness in striking, his ability 

 to throw a light line, and his knowledge of a fishing stream. 

 This method of wet fly fishing is not only highly successful, 

 but far more interesting than fishing down stream. Wading 

 is almost a sine qua non, as the bank is too conspicuous a 

 place for the angler ; and this is the drawback, for the line 

 must be fished short, and he must of necessity, from having 

 to use a short line, be closer to his fish than in dry fly 

 fishing. The greater the stream lore of the fisherman, 

 other things being equal, the greater will be his success. 

 Rising fish should induce special attention. 



Wet fly fishing up stream possesses many of the charms 

 of dry fly fishing, and as a sport it comes next to it in 

 scientific interest and pleasure. The object of jigging the 

 wet fly when in the water is to imitate the action of the 

 nymph or pupae when swimming. The object of letting 

 it float steadily down with the current is to imitate the 

 drowned sub-imago. Hence, when drowned sub-imago are 

 not present, and the pupae are being taken by the trout (any 

 captured trout will readily solve this point), a series of 

 little checks should be given to the drifting flies by tiny 



