122 A BOOK ON ANGLING 



such a spot, do not let him be deluded by the very slight 

 disturbance it makes in rising into the belief that it is a small 

 fish ; nine times in ten it is a good fish, and often a superior 

 one and worth all the caution and skill he can use, and in such 

 spots, if the angler can get his bait properly to the fish, he will 

 mostly take. In windy weather, always fish the bank towards 

 which the flies are blown, for close to, almost touching, the 

 bank the big trouts will be often picking the struggling flies 

 off the sedges or grass as they try to escape. You cannot then 

 fish too close to the bank. 



In fishing a stream when the fish are rising under the opposite 

 bank, if the angler can make his fly touch the bank, or even 

 rest upon it, so that it will drop lightly or rather be swept off 

 into the water, it will be found a very killing method ; but 

 this requires to be done with great caution, lest the fly take 

 hold of anything. Short grass, earthy banks, or rocks are the 

 most preferable substances on which to practise this feat. 

 Should the angler, when throwing close to bushes, hang his 

 fly up to a branch or spray, let him not use any violence 

 in trying to get it off again ; a very gentle pull will often cause 

 the fly to come oft and even to unwind itself from any twig it 

 may have lapped round and to drop into the water safely 

 (when haply a rise and a good fish may reward the angler's 

 gentleness), whereas a sharp tug would probably have fixed 

 the fly in the^ obstruction inextricably, and a breakage have 

 ensued.} Try~a steady pull but not a hard one ; if this fails, 

 a short sharp stroke will sometimes save the tackle, but always 

 try gentleness first, for " persuasion is better than force." 

 Some trees the angler can venture, and with comparative 

 safety, to throw closer to than others, the smooth hanging 

 shape of the leaves and brittleness of the twigs being less 

 dangerous ; but beware of oak or hawthorn, a fixture in either 

 is all but a certain smash. He may venture to throw close to 

 flags, almost with impunity, for if the hook take hold they will 

 generally split from bottom to top ; some rushes are also 

 tolerably safe, but a flowering rush or reed hath knots in it 

 through which no hook will go. When a breakage is necessary, 

 do not strain the rod ; but wind up all the line you possibly 

 can, and then take an almost straight pull on it. 



The fisherman should look behind him from time to time as 

 he works along the banks of a stream ; should he neglect 

 this and get hung up in some tall tree behind him, he will be 

 more likely to get fixed than when throwing across, because 



