60 THE PRACTICAL ANGLER 



angler is fishing down a fine pool. He, of course, 

 commences at the top, the place where the best trout, 

 and those most inclined to feed, invariably lie. After 

 a few casts he hooks one, which immediately runs 

 down, and by its vagaries, leaping in the air, and 

 plunging in all directions, alarms all its neighbours, 

 and it is ten to one if he gets another rise in that 

 pool. Fishing up saves all this. The angler com- 

 mences at the foot, and when he hooks a trout, 

 pulls it down, and the remaining portions of the 

 pool are undisturbed. This is a matter of great 

 importance, and we have frequently, in small streams, 

 taken a dozen trout out of a pool, from which, had 

 we been fishing down, we could not possibly have 

 got more than two or three. 



The last advantage of fishing up is, that by it the 

 angler can much better adapt the motions of his flies 

 to those of the natural insect. And here it may be 

 mentioned as a rule, that the nearer the motions 

 of the artificial flies resemble those of the natural 

 ones under similar circumstances, the greater will 

 be the prospects of success. Whatever trout take the 

 artificial fly for, it is obvious they are much more 

 likely to be deceived by a natural than by an un- 

 natural motion. 



No method of angling can imitate the hovering 

 flight of an insect along the surface of the water, 

 now just touching it, then flying a short distance, 

 and so on ; and for the angler to attempt by any 

 motion of his hand to give his flies a living appear- 

 ance is mere absurdity. The only moment when 



