A DAY'S COACHING 45 



overhand knots firmly but completely taut. Each knot 

 now encloses the gut which has formed the other knot. I 

 draw the two knots firmly together by pulling the cast and 

 the point, and, taking out my knife, I open the scissors and 

 snip off each end fairly close. Place this quite new Blue 

 Quill, which I have taken out of my fly-box, on the end of 

 the point, and oil it carefully. 



THE FLY-RETRIEVER 



Now continue to fish the run right up beyond the 

 ripple at its head. Stop ! You have caught your fly in 

 these overhanging branches. Do not attempt to jerk or 

 forcibly pull it clear. Drag it very gently and steadily 

 toward you. In most cases a fly will come clear by a very 

 gentle pull, but if it catches while thus pulling it, it may be 

 only in a leaf, therefore point your rod directly towards it 

 and increase the strength of the pull. If it still refuses to 

 budge, and you can reach the twig with the point of the rod, 

 if you have no fly-retriever with you, reel right up until the 

 point of the rod touches the fly, and then gently twist the 

 rod round to the right or left. This very frequently liberates 

 the fly, but force must not be used. If you cannot reach the 

 fly, pull on the line, still pointing the rod towards the fly, 

 until the fly either tears itself away or the weakest portion 

 of your gut parts. You may probably lose your fly, but you 

 have no alternative. It is inadvisable to climb a tree in 

 waders. They suffer at times, and a particularly cold and 

 unpleasant reminder of this fact will follow your re-entering 

 the water. 



I have however in my creel a most excellent fly-retriever 

 designed by one of my clients, the protection for which I 

 have obtained. I place this on the end of my rod, and fix 

 it above the twig on which the fly has caught: A slight 

 pull on the line attached to this fly-retriever and your 



