196 FLY-FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. 



can imagine he is extending to the flies a natural and 

 seductive action, we confess is entirely beyond us. 

 The whole of the land-flies appear naturally out of 

 their element upon the water, and are at the mercy of 

 wind and wave, especially upon broken water ; upon 

 the stills they certainly have a little more power, so as 

 to enable them to essay a paddling excursion with a 

 view to escape impending perils ; but even here, 

 either the floating, or the sunk, or drowned fly is 

 found preferable to the insane system of trailing. The 

 native water insects, as every fly-fisher worthy of the 

 name knows, are quite " at home '' upon the element, 

 floating down stream with their wings erect in the 

 case of the ephemerals, like the minute craft upon a 

 marine engraving. To meet the case of the fluttering 

 land-flics, wingless or buzzy artificials answer amply. 

 With the duns the wings must be both full and erect, 

 or " cock-up " as it is sometimes designated, so as to 

 admit of the fly being kept comparatively dry for 

 some little time, when, becoming saturated, a few 

 backwards and forwards whisks of the line and rod 

 should be given before the delivery of the cast again. 

 This is repeated whenever the flies become saturated, 

 as by so doing the trouble of repeatedly changing 

 the lure is greatly lessened. 



Fly-fishing in brooks is practised much the same as 

 in large and more open waters. Where the banks of 

 narrow water are clear of encumbrances, the rodster 

 should fish some distance away, so as to avoid need- 

 lessly exposing the person and purpose. The flies 

 for brooks and tributaries of good " trouting " 



