8o FLY FISHING 



be deficient, when this oppressive series of 

 droughts has come to an end, and chalk streams 

 are flowing strong, full, and clear above the weeds 

 in midsummer, there may come another day such 

 as July 1 6, 1894; but for the present I have 

 ceased using the black hackle as a wet fly on 

 chalk streams, not because it catches too many 

 trout, but because it catches hardly any, and its 

 record is classed in my mind with that of " Single 

 speech Hamilton," " The Lost Chord," and other 

 illustrations of amazing and isolated success. 



To hook a trout which has risen to a floating 

 fly, it is necessary to strike, for the simple reason 

 that a fish cannot be hooked on a slack line, 

 and that it is impossible to float a fly natur- 

 ally without allowing the line a certain degree 

 of slackness. The line may be straight upon 

 the water, but a floating fly cannot be kept 

 in touch with the point of the rod in the 

 same way as a wet fly, which is being jerked 

 through the water or being swept round at 

 the end of a line kept extended by the stream. 

 The rise of a trout is sometimes described as 

 though the fish took the fly with a dash from 

 below, and then turned sharply down and hooked 



