A Dry-Fly Purist's Advice to a Beginner. 35 



ranking wild and abortive attempts to reach the fish, 

 and in the end, when it could be easily, if quietly, 

 netted out, the bungling net-bearer makes a sudden 

 dash at it, knocks the hoop of the net against the 

 hook and the fish, when the latter, thus set free, 

 swims away, much to the angler's disgust and dis- 

 appointment. After a few such losses he will 

 probably decide that in future he will generally 

 land his own fish a wise resolution which will 

 very much enhance the pleasure and excitement of 

 his sport, 



Probably the modern much-advocated short dry- 

 fly rod is responsible for the loss of many an adult 

 trout, which, if played from an lift, split cane, 

 would have been brought safely to bank, for with 

 the latter more control can be exerted over a fish. 

 But that there is a great diversity of opinion about 

 rods is proved by the fact that in Messrs. Hardy 

 Brothers 5 present list over thirty special patterns of 

 fly rods are mentioned, many of them bearing the 

 names of some of the best fly fishermen of the day. 



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