ON RAPID STREAMS. 121 



doubtedly, you might as well throw your hat in 

 as your fly with a splash. Light pitching has 

 nothing objectionable, under any circumstances, 

 but heavy pitching is only excusable under cir- 

 cumstances the beginner will not comprehend very 

 readily. As a general rule, you will catch your 

 trout by the sides of rapids rather than in them ; 

 so again I repeat the necessity of attending to 

 the casting and pitching of the fly. The end or 

 stretcher fly should be regarded as the depending 

 one the one you rely upon to exhibit your skill. 

 The bob is a useful appendage to take stragglers, 

 and work in just now and then when your 

 stretcher cannot well be made to go. I use gene- 

 rally a red or brown for stretcher the former 

 made with peacock body ribbed with gold twist, 

 and a dark blood-red hackle, black towards the 

 head and tips, and the latter made with hare's 

 flax, ribbed with twist and a dark-red, or very 

 rusty-red hackle. I like something very gaudy as 

 a stretcher for up-stream fishing, and that is why 

 I put on the twist. At one time I used to put on 

 a piece of gold or silver twist, making a large 

 staring shining tail of the metal to the fly, and 

 found it answer very well ; the additional trouble 

 in making the fly was the only objection I had to 

 it, and its superior attractive powers I found an 

 advantage, and I was convinced thereby that in 

 the way I fish, I kill the trout somewhat as a 

 troller does with a kill-devil, by arousing his 

 greediness, attracting him to make a run at the 

 quick-moving deception, and giving him no time 



