Trout and Tro\*tin 63 



the custom of the old Anglers and tie it to your body 

 with a string to keep it out of the way and allow your 

 hands to be as free as possible for a strike. Your 

 landing-net should be a small one, minus any metal, 

 with a foot and a half handle, and a string tied to a 

 front button on your garment should allow it to be 

 slung over your shoulder onto your back when not in 

 use. 



Of course, these little points about the use of differ- 

 ent things are all familiar to the Angler with but the 

 slightest experience, and will appear to him neither 

 instructive nor interesting, but we must, as gentle 

 Anglers, give a thought or two to the earnest tyro, 

 for we were young once ourselves. 



I always carry two fly-books with me ; one big fellow 

 with the general fly stock in, which is kept at the 

 farmhouse, and a little one holding two dozen flies 

 and a dozen leaders, which I carry on the stream. 

 A string tied to this, too, will prevent the unpleasant- 

 ness of having it fall in the water and glide away from 

 you. I even tie a string to my pipe and knife. The 

 outing hat is an important thing to me. Mine is 

 always a soft brown or gray felt, and I use it to sit on 

 in damp and hard places fifty times a day. 



