210 THE DRY FLY AND FAST WATER 



longer. I am quite of this opinion. "There is 

 no genuine enjoyment in the easy achievement of 

 any purpose," and in fly fishing a full measure 

 of satisfaction is obtained only when the taking 

 of a single fish is accomplished under conditions 

 most difficult and trying. 



The true angler is content only when he feels 

 that he has taken his fish by the employment 

 of unusual skill. The highest development of 

 this skill at the present state of the angler's art 

 is the dry fly method. I do not deny that there 

 are many anglers who have carried sunk fly and 

 even worm casting to a high degree of special- 

 isation and refinement; yet it seems to me 

 nay, more than that, it is a positive conviction 

 with me that no manner of sunk fly or worm 

 or bait casting bears any sort of favourable 

 comparison to the manner of the dry fly. I 

 know that in this country, at least, the dry fly 

 man is accused by his sunk fly fellows of being 

 affected, dogmatic, fanatic. Yet it is not so. 

 The dry fly man has passed through all of the 

 stages of the angler's life, from the cane pole 

 and the drop-line to the split bamboo and the 

 fur-and-feather counterfeit of the midge fly. 

 He has experienced throes of delight each time 

 he advanced from the lower to the higher grade 



