ADVANTAGES OF THE DRY-FLY 41 



awhile been busy, but their life is over, and now 

 the pool is covered with their exhausted forms. 

 The water is dotted all over with the tiniest rings, 

 caused, however, by the heaviest trout, and over 

 them the wet-fly angler casts his team of flies, 

 delicately enough it is true, but how utterly un- 

 availing is all his skill his silent reel and uncurving 

 rod plainly show. One after another each pro- 

 mising mark is reached, but the result is ever 

 the same ; the trout continues steadily to suck 

 down the plenteous feast, until an angry or a 

 clumsy cast sends it in terror to the depths. 



Let him change to a simple hackled fly, light 

 and airy, touch it with oil, and dry it thoroughly ; 

 then let him lay it softly on the water perhaps 

 a foot beyond a dimpling rise ; let him watch it 

 closely, very closely, for it may vanish silently 

 and mysteriously without even a floating air-bell 

 to mark its going. The answering strike must 

 reach the trout just after the fly has disappeared 

 from view, more slow than usual must the action 

 be, for the fish are more leisurely than they are 

 under a brisk breeze ruffling the water. If all 

 has gone well, he may prepare for a long and 

 thrilling struggle which will, if fate is kind, term- 

 inate in the dipping of the net to enfold a trout 

 that never would have fallen, at that time at 

 any rate, to any sunken lure. 



Perhaps he will have time to make another 

 conquest before the fluttering sedge-flies fare forth. 

 Then the trout are not in such deadly, sober earnest ; 

 they are quite as keen but not so quiet ; they 

 are in joyous, exuberant spirits, splashing over 

 the flies, smacking the water in their glee, pur- 



