194 FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. 



water and general surroundings, now across, or 

 slanting upward, and occasionally, though rarely, 

 downwards. Where a continuous succession of 

 stream and pool are met with, each should be well 

 and carefully fished. One of the best and most 

 killing styles of still water fishing with the fly is the 

 sunk-fly system. This consists in drowning the flies, 

 so to speak, so that they will readily, though gradually 

 descend, and working them very gently by a very 

 minute movement of the rod tip. The very finest 

 gut line is essential for the successful practice of 

 this mode. The same method may be applied to 

 the deep slower running streams, with deadly effect, 

 when the fish refuse to rise to the surface. The dry 

 fly system, is however, by far the most scientific 

 and artistic way of alluring either trout or grayling, 

 and well fished streams will yield more and heavier 

 dishes of those fish to it than to any method or 

 system of angling whatever. At twilight, and in the 

 " gloaming " of evening, as also in night fishing, it 

 is advisable to cast across and rather down-stream, 

 as the line cannot be kept so well under hand, the 

 command over it being less according to the density 

 of the gathering gloom. Sometimes the sunk fly 

 method is to be applied to the sharp running streams 

 with signal success, as may also the dry fly style to 

 the quieter stills and pools. A change in this respect 

 often proves advantageous, even upon well whipped 

 waters, the educated inhabitants of which so soon 

 fight shy of the persistently applied lures. Whenever 

 one side of a river or stream is habitually well-lined 



