FLY-FISHING. 65 



bushes, or even on your own person, especially if 

 the wind should happen to be in your face, or at 

 right angles. 



In windy days do not be tempted to fish with 

 too long a line ; because, should the wind chance 

 to be in your favour, that is behind you or nearly 

 so, in that case you will be liable to whip off your 

 fly : besides, the fish will not be so likely to see 

 you when there is a strong ripple on the water ; 

 and as you may approach nearer to the bank, 

 therefore you will not require so long a line. Be 

 very careful, whether on quiet or stormy days, not 

 to return your fly in the same wake when you are 

 endeavouring to throw it ; I mean, not like the 

 passage of the thong of a hunting whip when 

 you crack it. If you should do so, you will ine- 

 vitably break off your fly. I know the difficulty of 

 avoiding this when you are fishing among bushes 

 or trees on the right and left of you. As a general 

 rule, throw in a curve, letting the fly swing round 

 you in a sufficient area, so as to avoid anything 

 like a snap : when it shall have performed this 

 revolution, you may send it forward with all your 

 might, without the chance of losing it. This 

 regularity of throwing, you must not expect to 

 accomplish on 4 a windy day : so make up your 

 mind to sacrifice a fly or two on such occasions. 

 F 



