62 Dry-Fly Fishing. 



or lessee of a fishery could best arrange this plan by 

 embodying it in his rules ; partly as to beats, as was 

 lately the case on the Abbots Barton water just 

 above Winchester, and in accordance with the pre- 

 vailing custom on some salmon rivers, pools indicat- 

 ing beats. On the other hand, it will be objected 

 to by some dry-fly fishermen, who, like myself, are 

 of the advanced modern school, that there need be 

 no necessity for so dividing the water, as they should 

 all be under the influence of esprit de corps, and ever 

 desirous of not interfering with another's sport and 

 pastime by approaching too near. But is that so ? I 

 am glad to be able to reply : " Yes, almost invariably," 

 but there have been, and are, exceptions within my 

 own experience when a rod has kept too close in 

 front, or when a restless angler settles down to no 

 particular reach and appears to roam aimlessly here, 

 there, and everywhere in a most fidgeting manner ; 

 such a one should be given a wide berth. 



Another way to ensure fishing alone is to rent 

 water, and, if money be an object, to allow one or 

 two professional or busy friends (whose leisure is 

 necessarily very limited) to share it with you, 

 choosing those who, at most, can only spare one or 

 two fixed days a week, to be reserved and set aside 

 for them throughout the season the water to 

 remain fallow when they do not come, reserving all 

 the other days for one's own sport. This is, I 



