74 FLY FISHING 



It must be admitted that it is not possible to 

 make sure of this cast, but it is surprising how 

 often it can be done with success, especially 

 if there is a light wind down stream. There is 

 one corner known to me on the Itchen, where 

 good trout are constantly rising under the 

 further bank. The corner receives in conse- 

 quence special attention from every one who 

 fishes there. The stream here is slow and 

 smooth, and the fish become very shy : so much 

 so, that it is on many days very difficult to 

 cast over them at all without putting them 

 down. I have noticed at this place that when- 

 ever conditions are favourable for arranging the 

 drift of the fly in the manner just described, 

 the chance of rising one of these fish is very 

 much improved, and on still days in the summer 

 it is seldom that I can get a rise from one of 

 them in any other way. 



The choice of the fly to be used precedes the 

 making of the cast in point of time, but is second 

 to it in importance. It is better to throw and 

 float the wrong fly really well than to bungle 

 with the right one. In common with most 

 anglers I carry about with me a much larger 



