THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 59 



CHAPTER V. 



Of Fly-fishing. 



PiscATOR. Fly-fishing, or fishing at the top is, as I said before, 

 of two sorts ; with a natural and living fly, or with an artificial 

 and made fly. 



First then, of the natural fly ; of which we generally use but 

 two sorts, and those but in the two months of May and June only, 

 namely, the green-drake, and the stone-fly ; though 1 have made 

 use of a third that way, called the camlet fly, with very good 

 success for grayling ; but never saw it angled with by any other 

 after this manner, my master only excepted, who died many 

 years ago, and was one of the best anglers that I ever knew. 



These are to be angled with, with a short line, not much more 

 than half the length of your rod, if the air be still ; or with a 

 longer, very near or all out as long as your rod, if you have any 

 wind to carry it from you. And this way of fishing we call 

 daping, dabbing, or dibbing,* wherein you are always to have 

 your line flying before you up or down the river as the wind 

 serves, and to angle as near as you can to the bank of the same 

 side whereon you stand ; though where you see a fish rise near 

 you, you may guide your quick fly over him, whether in the 

 middle or on the contrary side ; and if you are pretty well out 

 of sight, either by kneeling, or the interposition of a bank or 

 bush, you may almost be sure to raise, and take him too, if it be 

 presently done ; the fish will otherwise peradventure be removed 

 to some other place, if it be in the still deeps, where he is always 

 in motion, and roving up and down to look for prey ; though in a 

 stream, you may always almost, especially if there be a good 



* See ohap. vii., May 11 > directions how to bait with the greea-drake 

 fly. 



