134 DRY-FLY FISHING 



skips across the surface, and the trout snaps at it, 

 making no mistake in aim and securely hooking 

 itself. We can offer no explanation, unless it be 

 that the trout imagines that the fly is making a 

 desperate effort to escape. We always try first to 

 float the fly correctly down, and if that fails we 

 repeat the cast as described ; we have killed dozens 

 of trout in that way, none heavier than f lb., but 

 many of them half-pounders ; and other anglers, 

 who can believe that this is no fishy story, may 

 care to try their luck with such curious tactics. 



