CHAPTER VI 

 How TO FISH THE FLOATING FLY 



PRESUMING that the angler has outfitted 

 correctly and that he is a fly-caster of 

 average ability, and further assuming 

 that the stream he is on is at least fair dry fly 

 water which he will fish upstream manipulating 

 the fly with whatever skill he may command 

 with the purpose of imitating the action and 

 appearance of the natural fly floating down on 

 the surface success, then, is predicated wholly 

 (apart from the question of the right fly at the 

 right time) upon the manner in which the fly is 

 fished. Under this head how to fish the float- 

 ing fly there are many points for considera- 

 tion, of which not the least in importance is the 

 matter of drag. 



Drag occurs when the artificial fly travels at 

 a rate different from that of the natural fly in 

 the same position either faster or slower or 

 with a tendency to move across or contrary to 

 the current. It is caused by conflicting currents 

 which exert dissimilar forces upon fly and line. 

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