THE ANGLER'S GUIDE 77 



Brown and Red Palmer, Brown Hen, Queen of the Water, 

 King of the Water, Squires, Black Gnat, Grizzly King, 

 Quaker. 



I use, as a rule, dark colors in clear water, and on bright 

 days and early in the season; lighter shades in dull water 

 and on dark days, in the evening and as the season grows 

 warmer; but many anglers philosophize just the reverse 

 use light colors for early season fishing and sombre hues for 

 midsummer play hence the endless arguments and experi- 

 ments described as one of the charms of the craft, 



I prefer, as I have said, two flies on the leader, and my 

 favorite of favorites for all times and all places is a cast 

 made up of gnat-size pattern of dark-gray wing and pale- 

 blue body, and another of a peculiar drab-cream shade. 



In throwing or casting the fly I never "whip" or "flail" 

 the rod, and I never cast with a long line when a short one 

 will answer the purpose. Distance alone may count in a 

 fly-casting contest, but in the wild stream a careful short 

 cast is more effective than a clumsy long one. 



I angle with my shadow behind me, and in casting the 

 flies endeavor to allow only the flies to touch the water. 

 The line frightens the game, and if a trout should take a fly 

 on a loose, wavy line, he will not hook himself and he will 

 blow the conceit from his mouth before the angler is able to 

 hook him. 



In learning to cast the fly, the young angler should start 

 with the leader alone, as I believe all fly-fishing is begun by 

 old and young, and as he lifts the flies from the water after 

 the forward cast to make the backward motion he should 

 simultaneously draw from the reel a half-yard of line and 

 allow time for the flies to complete the whole circuit back 

 of him. In fly-fishing the cast is not made from the 



Ausabli'. Laki', Adirondack Mountains, ^\'civ York. 



