TROUT. 1 1 



attached the casting-line ; this is of silkworm gut, three 

 yards in length, and fine in proportion to the river you intend 

 fishing. 



With regard to Flies there are about as many different 

 patterns as there are days in the year. In the Spring I 

 should use the Dark Dun, Olive Dun, Hare's Ear, Partridge 

 Hackle, Red Spinner, Hofland, Wellington, March Brown, 

 Soldier Palmer, Coch-y-bonddhu, Emperor, and Stone Fly. 

 Summer : Oak, Cowdung, Sand, Grannam, Alder, the various 

 Palmers, Whirling Dun, Dotteril, Gold Plover, Carshalton 

 Cocktail, Wrentail, Grouse, Yellow Sally, Fern, Coachman, 

 the Green and Grey Drakes. Autumn : Ant, Pale Dun, 

 August Dun, Cinnamon, Alder, Governor and the Palmers. 

 Be guided in the size of fly, of course, by the river you are 

 visiting ; in the Thames, for example, you will require a very 

 large size for Trout, whilst, in the Wandle, none but the very 

 smallest cock-tails, will tempt the appetite of the spotted 

 beauties of this stream, upon which the may-fly is never seen. 



One indispensable qualification of a fly-fisher is, to be able 

 to throw a fly well to any spot he may wish ; this is an art 

 that can only be learnt by practise, in fact, whilst you are 

 learning and the fish are in season, there should be nulla dies 

 sine lined. Remember, in fly-fishing, as in spinning, one or 

 two practical lessons at the waterside, are worth all the teach- 

 ing that can be written. Put together the Rod, so that all 

 the rings are standing in a straight line, fix the winch to the 

 butt, and draw the line through all the rings till you have 

 four or five yards hanging uncoiled from the end ring of the 

 top. Hold the rod in the right hand, a little above the winch, 

 the thumb pointing straight along the rod on the upper side 

 of the butt, which must be encircled by the remaining fingers. 

 Now hold the rod almost perpendicular, but pointing some- 

 what to the left, with the tip of the line between the thumb 

 and forefinger of the left hand. Use no flies or gut casting 

 line till you can throw the plain running-line with a tolerable 

 degree of certainty. Poising the rod freely and easily, move 

 your right wrist and forearm round to the right ; let go the 

 tip of the line, held in the left hand, when it begins to feel 

 taut, at the same time, describing a sort of oval in the air 



