FLY-FISHING. 297 



the angler, they will not take his lure. He may ply 

 Ms minnow in the most captivating manner, may 

 throw his worm with consummate skill, or make his 

 flies light softly as a gossamer all will be unavailing 

 if he is seen by his intended victim. 



The next advantage of fishing up we shall notice, 

 is the much greater probability of hooking a trout 

 when it rises. In angling down stream, if a trout 

 rises and the angler strikes, he runs a great risk of 

 pulling the flies straight out of its mouth ; whereas, 

 in fishing up, its back is to him, and he has every 

 chance of bringing the hook into contact with its 

 jaws. This, although it may not seem of great im- 

 portance to the uninitiated, tells considerably when 

 the contents of the basket come to be examined at 

 the close of the day's sport ; indeed no angler would 

 believe the difference unless he himself proved it. 



Another advantage of fishing up is, that it does 

 not disturb the water so much. Let us suppose the 

 angler is fishing down a fine pool. He, of course, 

 commences at the top, the place where the best trout, 

 and those most inclined to feed, invariably lie. After 

 a few casts he hooks one, which immediately runs 

 down, and by its vagaries leaping in the air, and 

 plunging in all directions alarms all its neighbours, 

 and it is ten to one if he gets another rise in that 

 pool. Fishing up saves all this. The angler com- 

 mences at the foot, and when he hooks a trout, pulls 



