BROOKS, POOLS, STILL-WATERS 43 



a fact that real fly-fishing or rather fly-casting, is pre- 

 cluded by the nature of the stream, still the mountain 

 brook is no place for the duffer with a fly-rod. Indeed, 

 a small stream of this sort requires a deftness, skill, 

 and versatility of expedients in handling rod, line, and 

 flies that is unknown on the larger streams in the open 

 where free casting is the rule. The problem is to get 

 the flies out from twenty to thirty feet without casting 

 in the usual manner, and it is not always an easy one. 



Small flies of modest colors are best, such as the 

 coachman, cowdung, Cahill, Beaverkill, and other gray 

 and brown winged flies, and also the various hackles. 

 The smallest sizes should be used, tens and twelves, 

 and even at times the midge flies. More than two 

 flies should never be used, and one is better. As a 

 matter of fact it is seldom that more than one fly can 

 be laid on the water and fished properly, owing to the 

 difficulty of casting and the smallness of the stream, 

 and two flies, also, are just twice as apt to get fouled 

 as one. If two are used they should be attached to the 

 leader quite close together so that both may be fished 

 at the same time in the smallest pools. 



The angler will save himself much trouble and an- 

 noyance by forgetting to bring a landing net. The use 

 of a net on small trout is at best of questionable pro- 

 priety or necessity something like using a ten-gauge 

 on rail and on the brushy mountain stream it is the 

 most versatile trouble maker you can have along. A 

 very playful little trick of the net fitted with an elastic 

 cord is to catch on a branch, stay behind you to the elas- 

 tic limit of the cord when you move along, then break 



