88 ELEMENTS OF ANGLING. 



hare's ears, and Greenwells, and one and a half 

 dozen of each of the rest. But I confess sadly 

 that in the case mentioned I should pull, and in 

 other similar cases I always act unwisely. Also 

 in wet-fly fishing one loses flies through the act of 

 Providence, so to speak, and without just cause. 

 They crack off, wear out, and even blow away, and 

 it is most annoying to run short of the particular 

 pattern which seems to meet the fancy of the fish. 

 Therefore I would advise the novice to lay in a 

 good quantity. Even if he does not use them all 

 up during his holiday they will last all right till the 

 next, providing that the fly-book does not get 

 damp, and that moth is not allowed to come at it. 

 A few fragments of naphthaline kept inside it will 

 keep moth away. 



While the novice is still in an extravagant mood, 

 and has his purse open, I will broach the question 

 of one more purchase, quite unnecessary really, but 

 worth considering. That is another and smaller 

 creel. The creel he already possesses will, of 

 course, do for his new fishing, but he will find that 

 it has its disadvantages. For the small trout of the 

 west country it is much too big. Half a dozen 

 loin, fish will be lost in it, will get shaken about, 

 and at the end of the day will be disfigured almost 

 beyond recognition. Even a big catch of trout (as 



