AXIOMS, NOTES AND THEORIES 137 



Your man, your rod, your reel, and yourself, should be as 

 still as a heron at that critical moment. 



Look to the point of your trout and salmon hook 

 frequently, and always carry a small file in case the point 

 becomes blunted. 



Avoid casting directly over a trout if possible, but get 

 your fly above and within range of the trout's vision as soon 

 as possible after one has risen. 



In the ordinary run of a stream when a trout is seen 

 rising, so long as a fly floats into the circle which bounds its 

 upward vision (see Diagram 2), and so long as the line 

 does not immediately bisect the circle when fishing up- 

 stream, the angler may rest assured that he has done all he 

 can do when he casts to a spot immediately above the circle 

 of the rising fish. If immediately below your fish the line 

 can be thrown in a curve, so that while the fly alights 

 immediately above your trout, the line will curl over to 

 the right or left of the trout's position. As the cast falls on 

 and breaks the surface of the water, it will be visible to 

 the trout, but it is not so likely to scare the fish as if it had 

 fallen immediately over its head. (See the drag, page 197). 



Run your dry fly line through your grease pad at least 

 twice during the day's fishing but only when the line is 

 dry once before you start, and once after the pause for 

 luncheon take off any superfluous grease by running the 

 line through your handkerchief or any dry rag. 



If too much grease be put on the line, it hinders its easy 

 running through the rings of the rod. 



Keep the point of your rod down when fishing. 



The less slack line there is between your rod point and the 

 fly, the better will be your strike and the greater your 

 command over the fish you hook. 



