STRIKING THE TROUT. 103 



a soft and natural manner. To accomplish this, and 

 to throw with certainty to any spot wished, requires 

 great practice, and even the most practised angler 

 can never make his flies fall so softly as an insect 

 with outspread gauzy wings. 



Thin gut, the necessity of which we have advo- 

 cated so strongly, is exceedingly difficult to cast, as 

 it has little weight to carry it forward, and therefore 

 beginners should use moderately strong gut at first, 

 and as they improve in casting reduce its size. 



A difference of opinion exists as to whether a 

 trout should be struck on rising ; but in common 

 with the great majority of anglers, we advocate im- 

 mediate striking. When a trout takes a fly it shuts 

 its mouth, and if the angler strikes then, he is 

 almost sure to bring the hook into contact with its 

 closed jaws. We have frequently watched the 

 motions of trout on taking a fly, and when left to 

 do with it what they choose, they very quickly ex- 

 pelled it from their mouths with considerable force ; 

 and we think that if the angler strikes even when 

 the trout's mouth is open, he will have much better 

 chance than by leaving it to hook itself. A trout 

 on seizing an artificial fly is almost instantaneously 

 aware that it is counterfeit, and never attempts to 

 swallow it, very frequently letting it go before the 

 angler has time to strike ; so that it is of the utmost 

 importance to strike immediately, and this is the 

 reason why a quick eye and a ready hand are con- 

 sidered the most necessary qualifications for a fly- 



