WET FLY TROUT FISHING 127 



which was cast straight, may do all sorts of 

 curious things in the water, and the flies turn 

 out to be in unexpected places ; in fishing up 

 stream great care is always needed to prevent 

 the line becoming slack. Here is another 

 difficulty, for assuming that a fairly skilful dry 

 fly angler can throw his wet flies lightly and 

 accurately with a straight line, the management 

 of the line in the water will still be unfamiliar 

 to him. The art of keeping in touch with 

 his flies in rough water is not learnt by the 

 angler in chalk streams. In wet fly fishing, 

 if the line becomes slack, the flies will sink 

 deeper in the water. There is then less chance 

 of seeing the rise of the fish, and the probability 

 is that any trout, which takes the fly, will not be 

 hooked or even felt when the line is slack. At 

 the end of a day's fishing we know of the fish 

 that have been touched or risen, but who can say 

 how many trout have taken the fly and rejected 

 it, unfelt and unseen ? Here therefore is another 

 piece of skill required besides that of striking 

 quickly, namely, that of keeping in constant touch 

 with the fly without interfering with its motion 

 in the stream. This is essential to success, 



