268 TllK m.nW-I.I.NT.. 



It is a much simpler process, but requires a great deal of 

 y. The easiest style in which to use the natural fly 

 is with the blow-line, but the blow-line is hardly fair fly- 

 fishing ; indeed dibbing, more especially with the May 

 fly, is so destructive when worked by an adept, that it is 

 more than a question whether it should be held fair fish- 

 ing at all. However, as many clubs and good anglers do 

 follow and profess it, and as in many lakes it yields almost 

 the only sport got from them, I will e'en treat of it. 



The blow-line is thus employed. The line is composed 

 of the lightest, loosest, and airiest floss silk so web-like 

 that the least puff of wind will drive it before it. Light 

 and loose as it is, it has abundant strength. The rod used 

 generally resembles the mast of a fishing smack, being of 

 the lightest cane, but as long as it can be obtained or 

 worked. It generally runs to nineteen or twenty feet, 

 and often beyond that. As a foot-line or cast, there is 

 some two feet or more of very fine gut, and a hook to 

 match. On this hook is impaled a live May fly. Put 

 the hook into the thorax about the throat, and bring it 

 out again just below the wings. Some anglers use two 

 flies, and two hooks are then employed, tied, not back to 

 back, but side to side, and then opened wide enough to 

 get the two flies on comfortably ; I do not commend the 

 plan, as it makes too bulky a bait. The angler then 

 chooses that bank of the stream whence the wind is blow 

 ing, and walks up the bank ; when he sees a good fish 

 rise, he turns his back to the wind, faces the fish, lets out 

 line enough just to clear the ground, holds the rod per- 

 fectly upright, and allows the wind to take the line out 

 over the river, which, if but a very moderate breeze is on, 

 it will do easily. When it is bellied out half way or three 

 part? across the stream, judging his distance carefully, 

 the angler slowly lowers the point of the rod, so that if he 

 has measured his distance pretty rightly the fly will light 



