The Fishing of Rivers with the Wet Fly 113 



my fly to sink one or two inches as soon as 

 thrown, I deliberately take the wings and 

 hackle between the fore-finger and thumb 

 of my right hand, and, having wet my 

 fingers well, rub the feathers thoroughly. 



Especially has this discovery of mine 

 been found to be useful, in fine and calm 

 weather, when the smallest midge-flies, 

 " doubles " or even "singles," were to the 

 front. If the learner will take a fly, and 

 place it dry in a tumbler of water, he will 

 find that it is largely kept from sinking by 

 reason of air-bells. The wings look as if 

 they were coated with a thin layer of glass, 

 whilst small bells get entangled amongst the 

 fibres of the hackle. These air-bubbles, I 

 am certain, often make the trout needlessly 

 suspicious of a wet fly. The bubbles get 

 completely rubbed out, partly because the 

 wet finger and thumb, thus deprive the 

 feathers of their natural oil. Be that as 

 it may, I boldly avow that when I have 

 observed trout shyly regarding small midge- 

 flies, newly put on, I have rubbed the 

 feathers well with wetted finger and thumb, 

 and have begun to basket them rapidly 

 immediately afterwards. A drowned and 

 bedraggled natural fly must surely present 

 a very different appearance to the beauteous 



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