FISHING WITH 

 FLOATING FLIES 



CHAPTER I 



THE MATTER OF EQUIPMENT 



NO man knows, or ever will know, the art 

 of fly-fishing in its entirety, and the 

 present writer is far from claiming om- 

 niscience in the matter. Wherefore the fact 

 may well be emphasized that the following 

 pages are not intended for the expert the sea- 

 soned angler skilled in wet, dry, and mid-water 

 fly-fishing but, rather, for the beginner at the 

 sport of fishing with floating flies and for the 

 novice who may take up fly-fishing with the pur- 

 pose of ultimately employing the dry fly. At 

 the outset, before going into the details of the 

 dry fly caster's equipment and methods, it would 

 seem necessary to outline certain general phases 

 of the subject with special reference to the en- 

 lightenment of the veritable beginner at dry or 

 wet fly fishing, and also with regard to the 

 present status of the sport of dry fly casting 

 practiced upon American waters. 



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