HOW TO FAIL ! 229 



should by no means presume upon his good fortune, as I shall endeavour 

 to show forthwith. 



It was my young friend's first effort, and he fished like a Trojan from 

 morning till night. He knew nothing ; he would listen to nothing ; he 

 was told nothing ; and, though in the intoxication of a temporary success, 

 he made earnest and repeated attempts to follow it up, the Salmon had 

 settled down ; the first fly in the book, and many a successor selected 

 without discrimination, failed him ; not another fin did he move. Little 

 did he dream that the sport admits of endless diversity, affording an 

 agreeable and useful exercise of one's judgment in the choice of flies, as 

 well as in the use of them. 



The explanation in this particular case is not far to seek. 



Having entered upon the scene of action, keen and self-possessed, 

 this young Angler had much in his favour e.g., the Spring of the year, 

 when the fish are often as keen as the Fisherman ; the best of rivers ; 

 prawns, worms, and other such injurious baits being prohibited ; the 

 water and weather in perfect condition after a spate sky cloudy, wind 

 westerly ; and agreeably, to the best wishes of us all, he remained in 

 possession of the " Field " casts, which held, by the way, two of our best 

 pools, easily covered by an ordinary Trout rod. 



Under such circumstances as these, a run of luck often attends the 

 novice; but when it comes to a question of "presentation" and choice 

 of flies, Fortune forsakes all but the initiated. Formerly, the Angler 

 might rely upon three weeks of easy fishing after a flood with " the first 

 fly picked out " ; but in these days of drainage he cannot count upon 

 such indulgence for one-fourth of the time ; and then the waters fall and 

 get vapid, fish settle down and get sulky, and the issue depends, not on 

 merely walking over the course with "Jock Scott," but on a system 

 founded throughout all its parts on certain well-ascertained principles, 

 which have proved themselves by the results achieved. Then only is it 

 that the novice realises the true position, and the necessity for him to 

 learn, or, perhaps, even to unlearn. 



How often have I seen the inexperienced man positively woo failure ! 

 For instance, in his over-eagerness and slap-dash style of approach and 

 of using the tackle, he puts fish down prematurely, and then spoils his 



