DRAG 119 



sharp downstream strike or a quick raising of the 

 rod. 



We now proceed to the most important cause of 

 drag, and that which necessitates the greatest study, 

 viz., the stream itself. If the fly and any part of 

 the floating cast or line are in currents of different 

 strengths or of different directions, the fly will be 

 retarded or accelerated in its progress down the 

 stream. The effect may take a long time to mani- 

 fest itself, as in the type of water chosen for the 

 beginner ; but in little places here and there all 

 over the river the fly may drag immediately it 

 alights. Therefore the angler must study the 

 methods of avoiding it, if he is not to remain con- 

 tent with easy casts and admit the finest trout 

 beyond his powers. 



In the diagrams which follow, variation in 

 strength of current is indicated by variation in the 

 distance between the lines, i.e., the closer together 

 they are, the stronger is the current ; the angler 

 is easily recognisable ; the trout is always heading 

 upstream. As one fly is quite sufficiently difficult 

 to manage in water of the description now to be 

 discussed, and as the angler must now be an en- 

 thusiastic dry-flyer, seeing that he has advanced to 

 this stage, the dropper should now be removed. 



First, as it is one of the places most beloved by 

 trout and therefore of surpassing interest to the 

 dry-fly fisher, we propose to consider the " hang " 

 of the pool, that part at the tail where the water 

 swells, before it breaks into the leap for the next pool. 



Here the trout is in comparatively slow water, 

 while between it and 1 the flow is very fast. If 

 the usual cast is made direct to the trout from the 



