52 THE FINE ART OF FISHING 

 Dry-fly Fishing 



It is in connection with pool and still-water fishing 

 that the use of the dry-fly can most appropriately be 

 considered. It is not at all probable that dry-fly fishing 

 will ever reach in this country the popularity it has 

 attained in England ; the average of stream conditions 

 is against it. Fishing with the dry-fly is by no means 

 a new thing and a few American anglers have practiced 

 it for a good many years. Recently, however, much 

 greater interest has been taken in the subject than 

 formerly and for that reason it seems best to include 

 here a brief description of the dry-fly caster's methods. 



The following notes on dry-fly fishing which the 

 present writer could not hope to equal in comprehen- 

 siveness, clearness, and brevity were written by Mr. 

 Alfred Herbert, of Kenilworth, England, and pub- 

 lished in Forest and Stream for June 15, 1907. In the 

 opinion of the writer it is the very best short descrip- 

 tion of dry-fly methods ever printed, and for that 

 reason I take the liberty of quoting, in part, as follows : 



"In this style of fishing we invariably fish up stream, 

 and in our clear waters here we are able to see the trout 

 distinctly. The angler looks out for a fish which is 

 actually rising and feeding on the natural floating 

 insect. This, of course, only happens when there is a 

 rise of flies on the water. On some days there will be 

 very little, if any, rise of insects, and consequently very 

 few fish to be caught; at other times, in favorable 

 weather, rises may be more or less continuous during 

 the day, but the best part of the rise usually concentrates 



