92 DRY-FLY FISHING 



to say we think we find, for there is no certainty 

 in fishing that two flies are superior to one, when 

 rising fish are not in evidence, and we are casting 

 at a venture. 

 There are objections to the use of two flies : 



(1) One fly may interfere with the other's free 

 progress down the stream. 



(2) One may catch up in weeds while a trout 

 is being landed. 



Neither of these accidents is possible in the 

 pool or flat where we intend the beginner should 

 make his early efforts. Weeds, eddies, and all 

 difficulties will be assumed to be non-existent ; 

 but, after some expertness in the art of manipu- 

 lating and delivering a floating fly is attained, 

 he will not avoid such difficulties. He will ex- 

 pressly seek them, and he will find soon enough 

 that in certain places one fly is better than two. 

 He will remove the dropper-fly, but not neces- 

 sarily the dependent gut, whenever he finds it 

 advisable ; for example, when he tries some tricky 

 corner, and also when he seeks to accomplish the 

 death of an uncommonly good specimen. He 

 does not require to be told that the prospects 

 of victory are much enhanced if the attention is 

 undivided. 



There is one event made not impossible by the 

 use of two flies, neither calamitous nor objection- 

 able, but in every way glorious, viz. a double 

 capture, and we sincerely hope that such fortune 

 comes to the dry-fly fisher on his first day. We 

 have had that thrilling experience dozens of times, 

 and every time it comes we are as delighted as 

 with the first ; it can never become stale, for the 



