no A BOOK ON ANGLING 



and the fineness of the cast make a very unequal junction, 

 so' that the running line goes before the casting line, and it 

 requires a sharp switch or cut to get the casting line fairly 

 forward. This makes the fly fall heavily and overworks the 

 rod-top. 



A plain click winch is the best. For trout it should be not 

 too heavy in the click or the line will not pay out as fast as 

 it is required should a good fish make a run ; neither should 

 it be so light as to overrun or leave loose line on the barrel. 

 It should be capable of taking thirty or forty yards of line 

 of medium size easily ; should be broad in the plate and not 

 too wide between the plates. Avoid all multiplying abomina- 

 tions as you would swearing, for the one will be sure to produce 

 the other by getting out of order at the most critical moment. 

 Having chosen rod, line, and casting line, the next thing to 

 settle upon will be flies. In his choice of these the angler 

 must be guided by the time of year and the character of the 

 water. I have appended a list of flies selected from the best 

 authors and my own experience. This list is a long one, and, 

 for all general purposes, perhaps nearly half of the flies therein 

 mentioned are unnecessary ; many of them are tried favourites 

 upon some waters and cannot safely be discarded. Those 

 without any star affixed to them, in the condensed list, are 

 such as I myself have found to be good general killers, and, 

 with a fair selection of them, with a slight variety as to size 

 and colour for various waters, the angler need never fear to 

 attack any river in the kingdom, and sure I am that if he 

 cannot find a killer among them his hopes of sport are very small. 



Before proceeding to fish, the angler had better pick out 

 a selection of those flies which he is most likely to want, and 

 arrange them in the handiest places in his book. One never 

 can tell exactly what one may require, but there are always 

 several flies which are probable, and a few of these will be 

 more than likely, and from them he will select his first cast. 

 He should then always set up a spare cast of flies, so that if 

 he meets with an accident or requires to change, he can do so 

 at once with little or no delay, as when the fish are rising well, 

 delays of any kind are intolerable, and to have at such times 

 to be hunting your book through for a fly or two which should 

 be ready to hand, is sure to be productive of three great and 

 alliterative losses loss of time, loss of tackle, and loss of 

 temper. He must of course judge for himself whether in 

 setting up his spare cast it is desirable merely to repeat the 



