98 Artificial- Fly Fishing. 



canon of artificial fly-fishing Wherever the wind 

 Hows towards the bank, fish off the lank, provided 

 it cannot be commanded from the channel; but if 

 it can be, fish from the channel, casting into the 

 bank. 



When circumstances necessitate fishing down, 

 and the angler is able to command the river, the 

 cast should be made across stream and slightly 

 down, and the flies allowed to sail gently and 

 naturally with the current. To secure this gentle 

 and natural motion in a heavy stream, it is neces- 

 sary from the moment the flies alight to give the 

 line way a little by yielding the rod, instead of 

 raising the point as in up-stream fishing. If the 

 line be kept taut, the flies either hang against the 

 stream and appear to breast it, or they sweep round 

 with an alarming velocity. In both cases the ap- 

 pearance is unnatural, the surface of the water is 

 unduly disturbed, the droppers come in contact 

 with the line, and even should the trout manage 

 to seize the fly in such unfavourable circumstances, 

 the necessity of his breaking the surface to do so 

 lessens the chance of his being firmly hooked. 

 Hence we can account for the number of fish that 

 are lost in angling down-stream. 



Mr Stewart's advice to the angler when fishing 

 down a heavy water, is to " throw the flies partly 

 up and partly across, and never allow them to get 



