14 FLOATING FLIES 



render the sunken fly harmless however, we 

 are not here concerned with the ethics of the 

 matter. 



But dry fly casting does, indeed, call for a 

 high degree of skill on the part of the angler, 

 both in casting and fishing the fly; additionally, 

 it is imperative that one should be familiar with 

 the best there is in fishing tackle and know much 

 about the habits of the trout and of stream-life 

 in general. In a word, the customary rough- 

 and-ready equipment of the average desultory 

 fly-caster will not do nor will the ordinary un- 

 refined and casual methods of the average wet 

 fly fisherman. 



To succeed with the dry fly, the wet fly fish- 

 erman of average skill must study to become 

 still more proficient; the veritable novice at fly 

 fishing for trout should, it would seem, first be- 

 come fairly adept with the wet fly before going 

 on to the finer-drawn art of dry fly casting. 

 Therefore successful dry fly fishing, as done in 

 America, is predicated upon a thorough knowl- 

 edge of the craft of the wet fly fisher. 



The beginner at fly-fishing must strive to be- 

 come a first-rate fly-caster to cast a light and 

 accurate fly, not necessarily a long line. He 

 must study fishing tackle in order to know the 

 tools best suited to the sport under normal con- 



