FLY FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. 159 



guine stroke of the hook upon the hard and bony part; 

 or, upon the other hand, on the soft and impressible 

 portion of the fish's body, is altogether another thing. 

 Beyond this an accurate estimate of the elasticity of the 

 line, etc., should be possessed, and the striking motion 

 accelerated or modified accordingly.* The action requi- 

 site is a short, quick, wrist-motion, commenced sharply, 

 but ended almost instantly and abruptly, like a quick 

 movement of the hand in bringing a foil in fencing from 

 tierce to carte. The hand holding the rod is turned up- 

 wards and backwards, whilst the arm is stationary when 

 a short line is out, the movement being lengthened when 

 the intervening line is either long or loose. One of the 

 greatest charms of fly-fishing lies undoubtedly in the 

 comparative absence of routine and sameness. The plier 

 of the rod must adapt himself to ever-changing circum- 

 stances. It is a curious thing, and one that we have 

 often been puzzled to account for satisfactorily, that it so 

 frequently happens that precisely as the first trout is 

 hooked, so are all subsequent captures throughout the 

 day. 



This fact first forcibly impressed us many years since. 

 We were fishing in company with Mr. Ramsbottom, of 

 Clitheroe, Lancashire, who wished to try salmon roe,f 

 as a bait for trout upon the Dove, suitable tackle for 

 which had been baited by our friend for our personal use, 

 we being then uninitiated in the mystic "roe" fishing. 

 Before rod No. 2 was equipped for action we had hooked 

 a fish, which was ultimately landed. The hook proved 

 to be imbedded in the tongue, a somewhat unusual thing, 



* The author, to ray surprise, fails to note the relative merits of rods 

 in this question of when to strike, viz: a "whippy" rod, which is slow 

 in action, and a stiff, though pliant, rod which responds quickly to the 

 wrist-turn. 



tThe use of roe for bait is now prohibited by the law of the realm. 



