FLY FISHING FOB TROUT AND GRAYLING. 15? 



fully recognized in districts where the natural surround- 

 ings render it a matter of vital importance, but as a gen- 

 eral thing it is a point not so well practised or understood 

 as could be wished. 



STRIKING requires a keen eye, and a quick wrist-effect 

 to a greater extent than is easy to be conceived by the 

 tyro. A really accomplished fly-fisher is not so frequent- 

 ly heard to complain of the fish rising short. A dilatory 

 rodster, whenever the fish prove too quick by rejecting 

 the steel-hearted lure, after giving him the customary 

 "pluck," falls back upon the old and convenient excuses, 

 the tendency of which is to charge the effect of his own 

 shortcomings to the fish. Many theories are expounded 

 in reference to the matter of striking. Some anglers re- 

 commend an instantaneous "knock," others advise a 

 momentary pause after the lure has been closed upon as 

 being the correct thing, and some affirm that, owing to 

 the difficulty of acquiring the right "knack" of driving 

 home the delicate fly-hook, far more fish are lost by an 

 unnecessarily heavy and spirited motion of the rod in a 

 moment of excitement than if striking were not adopted 

 at all. The late Mr. James Ogden, an old friend of ours, 

 never let slip an opportunity of declaiming against random 

 striking, always affirming that young and inexperienced an- 

 glers lose the major portion of the fish they raise through 

 awkwardness in this matter. " I have " says he, in the 

 columns of a leading sporting journal "in the course of 

 my experience seen some of the best rods and tackle 

 broken by this means, during a momentary excitement. 

 I strongly recommend young fishermen not to strike at 

 all." We can fully endorse this statement ; but to be 

 more explicit, although it may be advisable for the youth- 

 ful aspirant to avoid needless disaster, it is certainly ad- 

 visable that he should acquire the right and ready 

 " knack " of hooking his rise in an effective and skillful 



