HOW TO PROCEED. 123 



you can fish the whole stream regularly down. Throw 

 the bait gently across the water, after the first few trials 

 in shore, and allow it to swim quietly down with the 

 current, sometimes just under the surface, and at others 

 about mid-water, particularly where it is deep. In small 

 reedy waters, fish where the current is strongest, among 

 the openings between the weeds, over hollow banks, 

 under and about trees and bushes, and other likely 

 places ; observing to lengthen or shorten the line, as 

 occasion requires. 



Care must also be taken with these fly-baits, that 

 they are never allowed to sink below the surface on 

 any occasion, or they immediately become useless : 

 and for this reason they are best adapted for dipping 

 over banks, or among trees and bushes in calm weather 

 and still water. While the more hardy beetles and 

 grasshoppers are equally adapted for fishing in the 

 streams at mid-water. 



Every attention must be paid to keep the fingers 

 clean and dry in attaching the winged natural flies to 

 the hook ; otherwise their wings will be damaged, and 

 themselves rendered valueless as baits. 



In pursuing this stealthy mode of fishing, every 

 operation and movement of the sportsman must be con- 

 ducted with the most cat-like secrecy and caution; 

 as on the adroitness of his proceedings success in this 

 branch of the art will chiefly depend. On proceeding 

 to work, the angler (or more correctly, fisher, in this 

 case) must endeavour to conceal himself perfectly from 

 observation, by snugly ensconcing himself behind a 



