A DAY'S DRY FLY FISHING 11 



unwind that portion of the line which has been previously 

 wetted. Make it up in your hand (if you have no winder) 

 into large loops ; put your rod on the horizontal rests and 

 hang up your winder, or put the loops of the line on the butt 

 of your rod. A fishing-rod should always be supported in 

 three places at least each end and the middle. We will 

 take my own rod, which is all ready for use, with gut cast 

 and fly attached. The first thing to be considered is 

 whether we have everything we shall want, and if we are 

 quite prepared for our fishing. Let us see. Are you well 

 shod with good serviceable watertight boots with plenty 

 of nails ? All right. Then, as you have your tobacco, 

 pipe, and matches, and some sandwiches, never mind 

 anything else to-day. I have all that is required my 

 creel, my net, etc. Your tweeds are a good colour, but 

 you had better put on a soft cap, as that straw hat of yours 

 is too conspicuous. And now, while we are walking down 

 to the lower end of our water, we can discuss the nature of 

 the day's sport. We shall fish that is, cast the fly up- 

 stream, which, except when fishing on still water, is essential 

 for dry fly fishing. The dry fly must not be influenced by 

 any motion of the line or rod after it has alighted, and by 

 casting up-stream the fly floats down towards the fisherman, 

 who steadily takes up the slack line as it comes back to 

 him, either by the hand, the reel, or by raising the point 

 of his rod, but in whichever way the slack line is raised off 

 the water, it must not interfere with that portion of the 

 line and cast near the fly. The fly must float easily and 

 naturally down stream as any drag or movement imparted 

 to it will most certainly scare the ordinary trout.* 



The dry fly fisherman, all circumstances being alike, is 

 far less likely to be seen by the trout than is the wet fly 



* For full instruction as to the best method of gathering in the slack line 

 when fishing out a dry fly cast, see page 50. 



