FIXST EMPTYING. 35 



can scarcely maintain a hold from the strength and speed of 

 the water. What a wonderful power of vision it must be 

 that enables a fish to seize out of the boiling water a tiny 

 atom not more than one-sixth of an inch in length, and how 

 enormous must a procession overhead of four flies in still 

 water seem to the same fish ! Of course there are times on 

 all waters when flies dressed a size larger than usual may be 

 used, as for instance in a very strong wind, on a still water, 

 or on a river presenting a succession of rough and heavy 

 streams, but ordinarily those flies which approach most 

 nearly the size of the natural insects will be found to kill best. 

 The smallest artificial fly will never be a perfect imitation of 

 the real article, and the more the fraud is magnified the 

 more apparent, it would seem, must be the difference in the 

 eyes of the fish. 



If a trout does not mean to rise, he will not, and you 

 cannot make him. One hears men say sometimes they 

 caught sight of a grand trout just at so-and-so. He was a 

 pound and a half if he was an ounce, and he just lay there 

 quietly taking it easy. The angler tried him with this and 

 with that, and he put a worm on, and he caught a cock- 

 chafer and let that go over him, and did all sorts of things, 

 but the fish just took no notice and practically laughed at 

 him ; as well it might. The angler waving about like an 

 animated scarecrow was just as visible to the trout as the 

 trout was to the rag bag, and the fish knew the sinful game 

 prepared for him. Bless you ! He had been hooked many a 

 time and had learned to look with suspicion on all proffered 

 baits in fair weather and clear water. 



DRY-FLY FISHING. 



Dry-fly fishing is ordinarily quite unsuited to rapid 

 Northern rivers, though there are times in summer when it 

 may be used with much effect by a practised hand. I say a 



