ON WADING 137 



angler desiring easy wading and casting, but the 

 opposite bank, high and crumbling. The reason 

 is that the trout always lie at the tail or in the 

 strong current among the masses of grass-topped 

 earth torn from the bank, and it is quite impossible 

 from the shallow side to float a fly over them with- 

 out drag. 



The conclusion, therefore, is that the angler 

 must wade, no matter how small may be the stream 

 he is fishing, in order that he may cross from one 

 side to another, whenever knowledge of the water 

 or his experience of other waters tells him that 

 it is advisable to do so. He should, of course, exer- 

 cise some care in the selection of a ford, and have 

 regard for his own sport and that of others. 



There are objections to wading, and certainly 

 waders can be abused, but abuse is due to thought- 

 lessness, not to design. An angler wading care- 

 lessly up a stream can ruin for an hour, and in 

 some waters for many hours, the sport of anyone 

 following after him ; but so can one who fishes 

 from or even walks upon the bank. That fact 

 does not excuse anyone, and we should say that of 

 the two the wading angler is the less likely to dis- 

 turb the water. Frequently we have had trout 

 rising immediately behind us and within a yard 

 or two on every side, which seems to prove that 

 quiet wading upstream does not alarm the fish. 

 Splashing about in the shallows will, however, 

 send the trout fleeing in all directions, and being 

 quite an unnecessary proceeding, it should be dis- 

 pensed with ; it entirely removes ah 1 possibility 

 of success from everyone, including the offender 

 himself. 



