90 FLY FISHING 



management of the fish with the rod is more 

 difficult and delicate, even at the last moment, 

 than the act of netting. 



The dry fly angler on chalk streams has less 

 reason to pay attention to the weather than any 

 other. To those who fish for trout on north 

 country rivers, still more to those who fish for 

 sea trout or salmon, there comes a certain day 

 or days after rain when the rivers are in such 

 perfect order, and when the chance of a very 

 good day's fishing is so excellent, that it is 

 really imperative to take advantage of it; but 

 on the chalk streams of Hampshire this is not 

 so. The rivers are always clear and in order 

 as far as the water is concerned. It is true 

 that the springs which feed them have been 

 seriously diminished by successive droughts and 

 deficiencies of rain-fall since the beginning of 

 the summer of 1887, but the system of hatches 

 and mills maintains the level of water at any 

 rate in some meadows, even when the flow of 

 water is lessened, and no amount of rain has a 

 sudden effect upon the condition of these rivers. 

 The main difficulty of the dry fly angler is 

 with the wind, and he devotes all his efforts to 



