Concerning Flies 195 



vision is enraptured by that fly of yours 

 with the sting in its tail ? Now, this is 

 how I personally should like to be able 

 to present my fly to that trout. It is 

 perhaps unique, but somewhat difficult of 

 attainment. Wading below, but well to 

 one side or other of the fish itself, I 

 should like to be able, at mil, to cause 

 the last 18 or 24 inches of gut, to curve 

 back upon itself, so that the fly would 

 point directly at the wary old trout ; and 

 if that would not take the fellow in, I do 

 not know what would. Some angler may 

 see in this advice, a proof of the superiority 

 of fishing down-stream with the fly; but 

 that is altogether another matter. No, 

 sir ! you forget that a trout always lies 

 with his head up-stream, so that to " stalk " 

 him skilfully, it is necessary to get behind 

 him : that is, to fish from below, never from 

 above the trout, if you can avoid it. 



There is a quaint old Scottish proverb, 

 germane to the point, which runs thus: 

 " If you want to take advantage either of 

 man or beast, aye get to the blind side o 1 

 him." 



And I have continually felt that our 

 failures, when our best efforts are directed 

 towards some very desirable trout, are often 



