52 



and occasionally a roach, to reward them for their skill. The one 

 great difficulty is where to get good fishing, and this is to some 

 extent overcome by the co-operation of anglers, through their 

 clubs and associations, who not only rent waters for their mem- 

 bers, but make arrangements with the railway companies to take 

 them into the country and back at greatly reduced fares. The 

 preserving and re-stocking of waters also form an important part 

 of the business of angling clubs. Experience has taught them that 

 it is of very little use to turn in fry before they are old enough 

 to take care of themselves, but that it is more satisfactory, and 

 ultimately more economical to purchase yearling fish in the first 

 place. These various matters have been so well attended to, 

 that, notwithstanding the great increase in the number of anglers, 

 access to well-stocked rivers is more easy of attainment now than 

 it was a few years ago. 



Of course, every care should be taken to prevent poaching, to 

 keep down predaceous fish, and prevent undersized and out-of- 

 season fish from being taken ; but with these precautions, if the 

 river is naturally adapted for the kind of fish required, there 

 should be no difficulty. 



In the case of trout, the quantity, quality, and size will very 

 much depend on the quantity and kind of food to be obtained. 

 There should be plenty of weeds, sedge, flags, &c., not only for 

 shelter, but they are the natural breeding places of insects and 

 Crustacea, in which trout delight, and if the river is overhung 

 with trees and bushes it not only adds to the security of the fish, 

 but harbours flies and other insects which drop off into the 

 water. 



WET v. DRY. 



The difference between wet and dry fly-fishing is this : the 

 wet fly is worked gently along some few inches beneath the 

 surface until a fish is found, which, when they are scarce, or not 

 rising, may be a tedious process, and often the first intimation is 

 a sudden tug without any rise, which should be immediately 

 answered by as sudden a twitch from the wrist. 



