The Compleat <Angler 



fish down the stream : and when you fish with a fly, if it be possible, 

 let no part of your line touch the water, but your fly only ; and be 

 still moving your fly upon the water, or casting it into the water, 

 you yourself being also always moving down the stream. Mr. Barker 

 commends several sorts of the palmer-flies, not only those ribbed 

 with silver and gold, but others that have their bodies all made of 

 black, or some with red, and a red hackle ; you may also make the 

 hawthorn-fly, which is all black, and not big, but very small, the 

 smaller the better ; or the oak-fly, the body of which is orange 

 colour and black crewel, with a brown wing ; or a fly made with a 

 peacock's feather is excellent in a bright day. You must be sure you 

 want not in your magazine-bag the peacock's feather, and grounds 

 of such wool and crewel as will make the grasshopper ; and note, 

 that usually the smallest flies are the best ; and note also, that the 

 light fly does usually make most sport in a dark day, and the darkest 

 and least fly in a bright or clear day ; and lastly, note, that you are 

 to repair upon any occasion to your magazine-bag, and upon any 

 occasion vary and make them lighter or sadder, according to your 

 fancy, or the day. 



And now I shall tell you that the fishing with a natural fly is 

 excellent, and affords much pleasure. They may be found thus : the 

 May-fly, usually in and about that month, near to the river-side, 

 especially against rain : the oak-fly, on the butt or body of an oak or 

 ash, from the beginning of May to the end of August ; it is a 

 brownish fly and easy to be so found, and stands usually with his 

 head downward, that is to say, towards the root of the tree : the 

 small black-fly, or hawthorn-fly, is to be had on any hawthorn bush 

 after the leaves be come forth. With these and a short line (as I 

 showed, to angle for a chub), you may dape or dop, and also with a 

 grasshopper, behind a tree, or in any deep hole ; still making it to move 

 on the top of the water, as if it were alive, and still keeping yourself 

 out of sight, you shall certainly have sport if there be trouts ; yea, 

 in a hot day, but especially in the evening of a hot day, you will have 

 sport. 



And now, scholar, my direction for fly-fishing is ended with this 

 shower, for it has done raining ; and now look about you, and see 



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