126 SUMMER ANGLING 



The wall-eyed pike, white perch, and even pick- 

 erel, will take a fly ; and in the waters of Florida 

 almost every fish that swims will respond to a 

 gaudy fly or insect. I therefore strongly advise 

 my boy readers to make the fly-rod and its acces- 

 sories their chief thought in fishing. Fly-fishing 

 is the fine art of angling, and they will never re- 

 gret the time and pains expended on it. The lord 

 of all sporting fishes is the salmon, and he is 

 chiefly captured with the beautiful creations of 

 the fly-makers' fingers. In the years of maturity 

 my readers will doubtless come to fish for and 

 catch this superb fish, and these pages are in- 

 tended as preparatory lessons for so doing. But 

 all must begin with this alphabet before going 

 farther. 



The memories of many adventures in pursuit of 

 fish with the fly-rod arise in my mind as I ap- 

 proach the end of this chapter, and I am minded 

 to tell of a coincidence that occurs to me now 

 when thoughts of summer fly-fishing are com- 

 manding the attention. 



A fish-story, to be generally palatable, must be 

 very highly spiced with romance. This one is a 

 record of veritable experience. 



