DAY FISHING WITH FLY 71 



outright. Trees and bushes usually preclude long throws 

 upstream from the bank on small rivers ; while, when 

 wading, the angler enters the tail of a pool and im- 

 mediately any sea-trout loitering there dash helter- 

 skelter from that section. In this mad rush they frighten 

 other fish lying farther up the water and this alarm 

 is repeated until the exodus is practically complete. 

 Then, when an unduly long cast is made and the line 

 hits the water, any fish remaining between the line 

 and either bank promptly shoots away or goes to the 

 bottom. 



With other men on the spot, I am a firm believer in a 

 short line for dry fly business on a small river. We 

 " locals " work from the bank, stand well back from the 

 edge, take shelter behind every bit of scrub, and cast 

 under bushes along the near bank. Another benefit 

 accruing from this system is that, when a sea-trout is 

 hooked, the fish is better controlled with a short line 

 than with a long one, as it does not have the same oppor- 

 tunities for going to weed or diving under awkward roots 

 and other snags. 



The employment of a wet fly presents a totally different 

 proposition as in this case the far bank has to be reached 

 and a longer line is necessary. 



For this style of fishing some anglers regard a dropper 

 as being indispensable, others vote for two, while a few 

 are not content with less than three droppers. Should 

 you decide on one dropper, a suitable plan is to fix it 

 three feet away from the tail fly. If you elect to use 

 more than one dropper, spaces of two feet should separate 

 the respective flies. 



I am satisfied to eliminate droppers from my service, 

 and to rely solely on the tail fly. Sea-trout flies are a 

 trifle heavier than those mounted for brown trout, and I 

 like my single fly to search with a minimum of splash 



