A DAY'S FISHING. 



see, and the other that it will practically always 

 catch fish when they are feeding at all. It will 

 not catch so many in the hands of an expert as 

 would an imitation of the real thing, but in the 

 hands of the inexperienced I believe it will catch 

 more than anything. When it is on the cast the 

 brush is drawn out of the oil-bottle and the hackle 

 and wings are anointed, being then pressed lightly 

 in the corner of a duster or handkerchief so that the 

 superfluous oil may be taken off. After they have 

 been pressed it is well to spread them out carefully 

 again to the proper angle with the tip of the fore- 

 finger. This done the fly will float nicely. Yet 

 one more thing is worth attention, and that is the 

 surface of the gut for the 2ft. nearest the fly. This 

 may possibly have got greasy from contact with the 

 reel-line or during the oiling operation, and in that 

 case it will be much more visible to the fish, or at 

 least so I always imagine. I generally pass the last 

 two strands of gut once or twice through the 

 corner of my handkerchief, very lightly, so as not to 

 fray the smooth surface. It is often surprising 

 what a lot of grease accumulates on the cast, leaving 

 two dark lines on the white linen to show its 

 presence. On a bright day the gut often seems to 

 glitter abnormally. Its surface can be dulled to 

 some extent by the application of dock-leaf crushed 



