A DAY'S COACHING 35 



In order to prevent such accidents, to overcome the 

 inertia and to prevent the initial dead check of the pawl 

 when striking from the reel, I am applying for the patent 

 rights of a new make of dry fly reel, in which the resistance 

 offered by inertia is minimized, and an entirely new method 

 adopted of regulating the rotation of the drum. This 

 mechanism acts automatically, but can be so regulated that 

 the tension of the gut when striking from the reel cannot 

 reach the breaking point, while in no degree delaying the 

 effect of the strike.* 



KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE FLY 



You must give your absolute and undivided attention to 

 your floating fly. Every angler knows how many chances 

 of striking a good fish have been lost by a momentary lapse 

 from this vigil. The one rise of a heavy fish at your fly 

 may be missed and the fly rejected during the momentary 

 glance aside at the opalescent gleam of a kingfisher, the 

 metallic brilliance of a dragon-fly, a cluster of wild roses, 

 or at any of the thousand delights of the trout stream. It 

 is, however, only when your fly is on the water that this 

 vigilance is imperative, and the fisherman has practically 

 every other moment of the long and delicious summer day 

 in which to enjoy the loveliness of his surroundings. No 

 patience is required in observing this pleasing vigilance. 

 The fascinating expectation of an answering rise to your 

 scientific and delicate cast will be as strong and inspiring 

 during the final cast of your day's fishing as it was during the 

 first cast. It is this absorbing pleasure of looking for and 

 anticipating immediate action during the whole length of 

 an innings lasting practically from morning till night which 

 constitutes one of the principal charms of dry fly fishing, and 



* I deal further with other faults in the present construction of reels when 

 discussing the spinning reel in the final chapter of this book. 



