70 ARTIFICIAL FLY-FISHING. 



to swim down a yard or two, when we cast again, 

 never allowing them to go below that part of the 

 stream opposite us. But though the angler gets 

 over the ground as quickly this way, and casts as 

 often, as if he were fishing up, yet he has not the 

 same chance, because if a trout catches sight of his 

 flies just as he is lifting them, their sudden abstrac- 

 tion may deter it from taking them on their again 

 alighting ; whereas in fishing up the angler casts a 

 yard or two farther up every time, so that every 

 troat may see his flies at the moment they 

 alight. 



The reader must not suppose that fishing up is 

 all that is necessary for success ; on the contrary, 

 the angler may throw his flies up stream, and know 

 less of the art of fly-fishing, and catch fewer trout, 

 than his neighbour who is fishing down. The mere 

 fact of an angler throwing his flies up stream is no 

 proof that he is a fly-fisher. Of those who fish 

 down stream some catch more and some less, and 

 in like manner w r ith those fishing up, one may catch 

 three times as many as another, depending upon 

 the particular method they adopt; and unless the 

 reader pays strict attention to the details which will 

 be mentioned subsequently, we are afraid he will 

 not derive much benefit. Fishing up is much more 

 difficult than fishing down, requiring more practice, 

 and a better acquaintance with the habits of the 

 trout ; and we believe that a mere novice would, in 

 a large water, catch more trout by fishing down 



