4 Dry-Fly Fishing. 



about to select a % to attach to it by the aid of the 

 jam knot. What % shall it be ? The golden rule 

 is to imitate the fly on the water, having first 

 caught and examined one ; but at present you can- 

 not do this, for you have not approached the river 

 bank to see the rise, if any. But, as you know 

 that the greater part of the ten and a half brace 

 referred to above were caught on red quills, you 

 select that best of all patterns, if artistically tied, 

 for your first essay. 



Leave the creel on the gate while you reconnoitre, 

 having first transferred its contents as to fly-boxe& 

 and tackle to your pockets ; put on your knee-pad, 

 fold the landing-net at the knuckle-joint and hook 

 it on to a sling, so that the net rides easily in the 

 rear of the left hip and high enough not to touch 

 the ground when you kneel. Hold the fly-hook 

 between the thumb-nail and the forefinger of your 

 left hand, thus keeping the line taut from the point 

 of the rod ; grasp the rod above the winch in your 

 right hand, pointing it away from the river until 

 you want to make a cast, so as to prevent its gleam 

 from scaring any fish that may be near. 



And now you are ready ! You look up-stream 

 over the two miles of water you are privileged to 

 fish, and, carefully avoiding to make any jarring 

 footfalls as you go slowly on, you soon kneel within 

 a yard of the edge of the river, and wait observant 



