HINTS TO DRY-FLY FISHERMEN. 125 



is not taken, the first throw should be allowed to 

 float without drag well below the fish, and then 

 either be taken off the water in such a direction 

 that the returning motion is invisible to the fish, 

 or, if this be impossible, the line should be drawn in 

 slowly by hand until the fly is well above the fish, 

 and then taken quietly off the water ; otherwise it 

 will certainly set the trout or grayling down. To 

 accomplish this, a good deal more line must be let 

 out than is required to cover the fish, and, in the 

 act of casting, the hand holding the rod must be 

 perceptibly checked so as to pull the fly back and 

 land it on the water with slack line behind it ; the 

 hand is then gradually lowered and the fly allowed 

 to " drift " witho2it drag over the rising place of 

 the fish. 



The fifth point referred to as a necessary pre* 

 caution to ensure success, viz. : That the four 

 previous conditions finding a fish feeding on 

 winged insects ; presenting to him a good imitation 

 of the natural insect both as to size and colour ; 

 presenting it to him in its natural position, floating 

 and " cocked ; " and putting it lightly on the water 

 so that it floats accurately over him without drag, 

 shall have been fulfilled before the fish has caught 

 sight of either the Angler or the reflection of his 

 rod, is almost an axiom. With fish so shy and so 

 frequently scared as the denizens of the chalk 

 streams, the slightest suspicion of being fished for, 

 and, " a fortiori ", so alarming an incident as the 



