TO FISH FLOATING FLY 91 



fact, dry fly fishing is a game which simply can- 

 not be successfully played in a hurry. 



Not infrequently the downstream wet fly 

 fisherman covers several miles of water in a 

 day's fishing I know, because I have done it 

 innumerable times myself, and I do not say 

 that there is not much charm, good exercise, 

 and generally a few fish to be found in this sort 

 of fishing. But anything of the kind is strictly 

 incompatible with properly fishing the dry fly. 

 The wet fly man who takes up the dry fly 

 method should understand at the outset that 

 the cast-once-and-walk-a-mile sort of fly-fishing 

 is simply out of the question. If you know 

 your stream, select a moderate reach of evi- 

 dently good dry fly water, and fish it leisurely, 

 deliberately, and searchingly. 



Keep an eye out for rising fish, and observe 

 closely the natural insects, if any, about and on 

 the water. Cover all the water thoroughly, 

 floating your fly not once but several times over 

 the best places. If the water is equally good 

 from bank to bank, let each cast be not more 

 than two feet to the right of the preceding one, 

 beginning under your own bank (generally the 

 left facing upstream) and working across the 

 stream. Then move up slowly and proceed to 

 cover the unfished water above in a similar 



