28 Fly-Fifhmg. 



red hackle, or palmer fparkling with gold twift. 

 Again and again will you find thefe plucky little 

 fellows tugging at you with all their might and 

 main, which is no trifle, confidering their diminu- 

 tive fize. 



When you have fairly killed about a dozen laft- 

 fprings, you will, in all probability, fall in with a 

 trout. Whether or not you make him your own, 

 is another matter ; certainly not, if you nervoufly 

 ftrike too foon ; but if, with the eye of a lynx, 

 you watch him taking in your fly, and then while 

 turning away with it, you deliberately ftrike, as I 

 have elfewhere inftructed you ; you will afTuredly 

 hook him, or I know nothing of a prophet's vera- 

 city. If you find you have fucceeded in hooking 

 a fifh of any fize, bring him immediately you can 

 under command, by winding up your line, and 

 keeping your rod very little inclined from an upright 

 pofition. Of courfe, if he be above the average 

 dimenfions, and begin to dafh madly about, fight- 

 ing gallantly for his life, you muft not attempt to 

 hold him with the line you have juft fhortened ; 

 but don't give him an inch more than you can 

 help, and that with fo reluctant a hold upon it, as 

 it lies between your hand and the rod, that will 

 gradually wear out his ftrength, while ftruggling 



