CHAP, v.] THE SECOND DAY. 241 



Of all which several sorts of angling, I will, if you can have the 

 patience to hear me, give you the best account I can. 



VIATOR. The trouble will be yours, and mine the pleasure and 

 the obligation : I beseech you therefore to proceed. 



PlSCATOR. Why then, first of fly-fishing. 



PISCATOR. FLY-FISHING, or fishing at the top, is, as I said 

 before, of two sorts ; with a natural and living fly, 

 or with an artificial and made fly. 



First, then, of the Natural Fly ; of which we generally use but 

 two sorts ; and those but in the two months of May and June only ; 

 namely, the Green-drake, and the Stone-fly : though I have made 

 use of a third, that way, called the Camlet-fly, with very good 

 success, for Grayling, but never saw it angled with by any other, 

 after this manner, my master only excepted, who died many 

 years ago, and was one of the best anglers that ever I knew. 



These are to be angled with with a short line, not much more 

 than half the length of your rod, if the air be still ; or with a 

 longer, very near, or all out, as long as your rod, if you have any 

 wind to carry it from you. And this way of fishing we call 

 daping, dabbing, or dibling ; wherein you are always to have your 

 line flying before you up or down the river, as the wind serves, 

 and to angle as near as you can to the bank of the same side 

 whereon you stand, though where you see a fish rise near you you 

 may guide your quick fly over him, whether in the middle or on 

 the contrary side ; and if you are pretty well out of sight, either 

 by kneeling or the interposition of a bank or bush, you may 

 almost be sure to raise, and take him too, if it be presently done ; 

 the fish will, otherwise, peradventure be removed to some other 

 place, if it be in the still deeps, where he is always in motion, 

 and roving up and down to look for prey, though, in a stream, 

 you may always almost, especially if there be a good stone near, 

 find him in the same place. Your Line ought in this case to be 

 three good hairs next the hook ; both by reason you are, in this 

 kind of angling, to expect the biggest fish, and also that, wanting 

 length to give him line after he has struck, you .must be forced 

 to tug for it : to which I will also add, that not an inch of your 

 line being to be suffered to touch the water in dibling, it may be 

 allowed to be the stronger. I should now give you a description 

 of those flies, their shape and colour ; and then give you an 

 account of their breeding ; and withal show you how to keep 

 and use them ; but shall defer them to their proper place and 

 season. 



