FLY-CASTING AND FLY-FISHING 69 



fly will be the most effective. Fishing in this manner, 

 when the flies get well away from you, you will possibly 

 not see the rising trout but must strike by the "feel"; 

 it is very difficult and a matter of much practice to 

 hook a fish under these circumstances. Often you will 

 not know that the trout has struck and when you lift 

 the flies for the back cast you will merely prick him 

 and roll him over in the water. It goes without saying 

 that the feelings of both parties to this transaction are 

 considerably hurt. 



But with practice and the emplo5^ment of constant 



vigilance it becomes possible for the angler to hook his 



fish "sight unseen" with fair regularity. 



Striking Un- In f the fl caster develops a sort of 



seen Trout. , . , t u * n u- u 



second-sight which tells him when to 



strike even when occasionally he has not felt the fish or 

 even seen the flash of the trout in the water. As a 

 general thing fewer strikes will be missed if they come 

 when the cast is carrying around and down-stream and 

 before the line straightens out below the angler. It is 

 always well to re-cast immediately as soon as the line 

 straightens out directly down-stream and not to allow 

 the flies to play around in the swift current at the end 

 of a taut line. A trout striking under these conditions 

 is seldom hooked securely, and the force of the water 

 helps him to tear away before you can get things into 

 proper shape to play with him. Fishing a deeply sub- 

 merged fly is not very desirable from a sporting point 

 of view and the method should only be employed as a 

 la~t resort, when it is often very effective. 



Under normal conditions, with clear and fairly 



