FLY FISHING TOE TROUT AND GRAYLING. 171 



pecting the length to be operated upon the night or early 

 morn previous, to commence at its lower end, and casting, 

 as we have attempted to describe previously, according to 

 the lay of the land and water and general surroundings, 

 now across, or slanting upward, and occasional!}', though 

 rarely, downwards. Where a continuous succession of 

 stream and pool are met with, each should be well and 

 carefully fished. One of the best and most killing styles 

 of still-water fishing with the fly is the sunk-fly system. 

 This consists in drowning the flies, so to speak, so that 

 they will readily, though gradually descend, and working 

 them very gently by a very minute movement of the rod 

 tip. The very finest gut line is essential for the success- 

 ful practice of this mode. The same method may be 

 applied to the deep slower running streams, with deadly 

 effect, when the fish refuse to rise to the surface. The 

 dry-fly system is, however, by far the most scientific and 

 artistic way of alluring either trout or grayling, and well 

 fished streams will yield more and heavier dishes of those 

 fish to it than to any method or system of angling what- 

 ever. At twilight, and in the "gloaming" of evening, 

 as also in night fishing, it is advisable to cast across and 

 rather down-stream, as the line cannot be kept so well 

 under hand, the command over it being less according to 

 the density of the gathering gloom. Sometimes the sunk- 

 fly method is to be applied to the sharp running streams 

 with signal success, as may also the dry-fly style to the 

 quieter stills and pools. A change in this respect often 

 proves advantageous, even upon well whipped waters, the 

 educated inhabitants of which so soon fight shy of the 

 persistently applied lures. Whenever one side of a river 

 or stream is habitually well-lined with fishermen, the fish 

 generally rise for the most part close to the opposite 

 bank, in most cases close to the edge of the water. The 

 plan to practice in these circumstances is to cast directly 

 out upon the opposite bank, and allow the end to drop in 



