The Fishing of Waters with the Wet Fly 53 



comprehensive view of his situations, and 

 take it promptly, too, if he would be classed 

 Al. This seems, perhaps, "tall talk." Let 

 me explain what I mean : by two examples, 

 thus 



A. has procured all the best rods, reels, 

 and tackle procurable, and he can throw a 

 beautiful line ; and yet, as a wet-fly fisher 

 on Scottish waters, he is not a success ; 

 indeed, he is far from that. Why ? The 

 reasons may be many or few. Indeed, 

 there may only be one namely he lacks 

 "gumption," truly a Scottish phrase but 

 oh, the depth of it ! What use to him are 

 all his fine flies, or his fine casting, if he 

 simply is "a potterer," and an aimless 

 potterer forbye who, when he goes out to 

 fish, has no more grasp of his subject, than 

 an average Poll-parrot has of the alphabet ? 

 Such men will stand for half a day, over 

 one or two small pools, throwing the most 

 beautifully dressed flies in the most skilful 

 and approved manner, and feeling (as they 

 invariably do) that if they cannot and do 

 not kill trout, the trout cannot be taken 

 by any one. "Vain, vain pursuit; toil 

 without 'troot." That is the way how 

 not to do it. Now, B. has half A.'s para- 

 phernalia; but he has twice his wits, and 



