

PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 523 



moor the craft whenever a likely spot is reached. The 

 flies may then be cast straight down the stream and to the 

 right and left, and it will be soon apparent to the angler 

 whether dace are on the shallows or no, for if there they 

 will likely enough come with a rush at the flies at once, pro- 

 vided the weather is at all favourable ; if they are not there 

 or none are taken after ten minutes' time, try elsewhere. 



Capital sport as is obtained with the artificial, I must 

 confess that I think the practice of blow line fishing will 

 beat it hollow, and, at the risk of repetition, I will suggest 

 that whenever shallows and likely looking scours can be 

 reached from the bank, they should be fished in the 

 following manner : Use a lengthy, light and stiff rod, with 

 a long line of floss silk, which can be obtained at any of 

 the tackle shops for this particular purpose, and should be 

 two yards at least beyond the length of the rod ; then, with 

 a small hook placed carefully between the shoulders of a 

 bluebottle at all times a most deadly lure get the wind 

 at your back, and, sheltered from view by a bit of rising 

 ground, a bush, or the old stump of a tree, let the breeze 

 carry the light floss until it bellies out, clear of the uplifted 

 rod. With the baited hook held between the thumb and 

 finger of the left hand, raise the point of the rod, and at 

 the instant a puff of wind comes, release the fly, gradually 

 lowering the rod until it drops gently and naturally upon 

 the surface of the stream. It sometimes happens, from 

 some unaccountable reason, that dace will not take the fly 

 when upon the surface. Supposing that this occurs and 

 few fish are observed rising over ground where they are 

 known to lie, and those which do rise refuse to take the fly 

 thrown, perhaps, directly over them, put on the hook-link 

 of gut or hair a single shot, and let the insect sink, gently 

 drawing it backwards and forwards to the surface of the 



