24 FLIES AND FLY FISHING. 



If the fish take the fly with their heads down stream, 

 it follows that you are more likely to hook them when 

 fishing doivn stream, as you then strike against instead of 

 from their mouths. 



Of the above habit of fish, from long investigation, I 

 have not the slightest doubt. As to disturbing fresh 

 water when killing a fish, and fishing down stream, 

 there might be some reason in it, if you were fishiilg 

 water in which trout lay every two or three yards, or 

 that the fish when hooked were in the habit of running 

 out sixty or seventy yards of line, but as such an elysium 

 has never yet been discovered by me, it is not worth my 

 Avhile speculating on what would be best under those cir- 

 cumstances, but on all ordinary rivers it is a matter of 

 very little importance the small amount of water that may 

 be disturbed when lulling a fish. 



Every fisherman can, in a short time, with a little 

 careful investigation, now that his attention is directed to- 

 it, find out for himself wiiether my assertion as to the 

 mode in which trout take a fly is sound or otherwise ; if 

 it is the former, I consider I have effectually decided the 

 question of up or down stream fishing without any other 

 reasons being necessary. But I will put the habits of the 

 fish out of the question, or even, for the sake of argument, 



