96 Wet-Fly Fishing 



I was pretty sure of killing that trout. I 

 remember fishing the Tweed below Mertoun 

 Bridge on one occasion, the wind being 

 up stream. A Scottish parson (who could 

 fish), when he saw me at work, waded in 

 within a yard or two of me and tried to 

 snatch the sport from under my very nose. 

 At last he grew angry, and in an injured 

 tone asked me what fly I was killing with. 

 I waded ashore, showed him my own 'flies, 

 and even gave him some out of the very 

 same lot ; but, as he was so unsportsmanlike, 

 "I did not ,tell him the real secret of my 

 success. I was holding the rod's point 

 down stream, and quite close to the surface, 

 gently " working" the flies in the manner 

 described, and just under the waves. Had 

 I killed half of the trout I hooked that day, 

 I should have had a record basket. I did 

 well as it was. Even when no trout are 

 seen rising, I should be quite certain to try 

 any fine sheet of fairly smooth water if not 

 too deep, with a good rattling up-stream 

 breeze meeting the current of the river in 

 this way, for I can soon tell, with my 

 experience, if it is no use. Indeed, it is 

 only by the exercise of our ingenuity, that 

 we wet-fly fishermen can at times, make a 

 good basket, even in a river which is full 



