150 Natural- Fly Fishing. 



dependent on the wind, and cannot be enjoyed in 

 its absence, black-ant fishing may be practised 

 when there is not a breath of wind. In such a 

 case the angler must fish down-stream only, direct 

 his attention solely to the broken water, and eschew 

 the quiet pools as likely to yield him nothing but 

 abundance of disappointment. It is most advan- 

 tageously cast from the bank side ; but in fishing 

 with such a short line, the angler must be specially 

 careful lest the sight of his person destroy the 

 chances of his success. The line should be kept 

 entirely out of the water, and only the flies per- 

 mitted to rest on its surface. A little dexterity 

 will prevent them from sinking, and the stream 

 will impart to them a natural motion. When a 

 trout seizes the flies, strike instantly but gently. 



All natural flies whose home is on the river- 

 side may be used as lures in the same way as the 

 ant, provided they are large enough to have some 

 appearance on the water, and of sufficiently good 

 report among the trout to render them acceptable. 

 Of such are the down-looker, the night-hawk, and 

 the many varieties of moths which appear at night, 

 and which may be gathered in plenty under the 

 banks. The March brown also is occasionally so 

 employed ; but the difficulty of finding a sufficient 

 number, at the time when it would be of most 



