STREAMCRAFT 



the dropper or bob may just touch the water 

 occasionally, the tail or bottom fly then being 

 under. Flies should be attached to the leader 

 not less than three feet apart. Mr. Southard 

 commends fishing with the fly from four to six 

 inches underneath the surface in calm water 

 without a ripple; also the plan of making a few 

 false casts even in wet-fly fishing, placing the fly 

 within an inch or two of the surface before land- 

 ing it quietly, when fish are rising to the surface. 

 Striking the Fish. The following advice is 

 pertinent with regard to the attempt at hooking 

 or striking the fish, when fishing with the fly. 

 It must be done very quickly in clear water with 

 a snappy rise; quickly in roily water with an 

 ordinary rise; slowly when a slow rise. The 

 greater the slack in the line the greater must be 

 the force of the strike; less force is required on 

 than under the surface; less force in swift than 

 in still water. A slack line and low rod-point 

 when fishing with the wet fly means that the 

 fly is submerged. We repeat that large fish 

 generally rise deliberately, often quietly sucking 

 in the lure rather than "striking" it, and that 

 they then should be struck deliberately by the 

 rodster, especially if the fish itself is clearly 

 seen in rising. The best general rule for striking 

 is that you must not wait to feel anything but 

 should twitch your wrist the instant you see 

 any disturbance of the water in the vicinity 

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