ORDINARY METHOD OF FISHING. 67 



give a brief description of fly-fishing as usually 

 practised down stream. 



The angler, then, we shall suppose, commences 

 operations at the head of a pull or stream, and 

 throwing his flies as far as he can across from 

 where he is standing, raises his rod and brings 

 them gradually to his own side of the water. He 

 then steps down a yard or two, repeats the process? 

 and so on. Having dismissed the idea that the 

 angler can imitate the flight of a living fly along 

 the surface of the water, we must suppose that 

 trout take the artificial fly for a dead one, or one 

 which has fairly got into the stream and lost all 

 power of resisting. A feeble motion of the wings 

 or legs would be the only attempt at escape which 

 a live fly in such a case could make. What then 

 must be the astonishment of the trout, when they 

 see the tiny insect which they are accustomed to 

 seize as it is carried by the current towards them, 

 crossing the stream with the strength and agility 

 of an otter ? Is it not much more natural to throw 

 the flies up, and let them come gently down as any 

 real insect would do 1 



In addition to drawing their flies across the 

 stream, some anglers practise what is called play- 

 ing their flies, which is done by a jerking motion 

 of the wrist, which imparts a similar motion to the 

 fly. Their object in doing this is to create an 

 appearance of life, and thus render their flies more 

 attractive. An appearance of life is certainly a 



