DIFFICULTY OF FISHING UP. 67 



the angler may throw his flies up stream, and know 

 less of the art of fly-fishing, and catch fewer trout, 

 than his neighbour who is fishing down. The mere 

 fact of an angler throwing his flies up stream is no 

 proof that he is a fly-fisher. Of those who fish down 

 stream some catch more and some less, and in like 

 manner with those fishing up, one may catch, three 

 times as many as another, depending upon the par- 

 ticular method they adopt ; and unless the reader 

 pays strict attention to the details which will be 

 mentioned subsequently, we are afraid he will not 

 derive much benefit. Fishing up is much more dif- 

 ficult than fishing down, requiring more practice, 

 and a better acquaintance with the habits of the 

 trout ; and we believe that a mere novice would, in 

 a large water, catch more trout by fishing down than 

 up, because the latter requires more nicety in cast- 

 ing. But to attain anything like eminence in fly- 

 fishing, the angler must fish up, and all beginners 

 should persevere in it, even though they meet with 

 little success at first, and they will be amply re- 

 warded for their trouble. 



The only circumstance in which fishing down 

 has the advantage of fishing up, is when the water 

 is so dark or deep that the fish, would not see, or if 

 they did see, would not have time to seize the flies, 

 unless they moved at a slower rate than the stream. 

 We think that this rarely applies to angling for 

 river trout, as when inclined to feed upon flies they 

 are generally on the outlook for them, but it does 



