1 8 NORTH-COUNTRY FLIES. 



the rivers temporarily, and will be found most numerous in 

 the lower parts of the streams preparatory to ascending 

 the breeding becks. Then again, experience teaches that 

 an angler need never despair of sport whatever quarter the 

 wind may blow from, so long as it blows up stream ; an 

 upstream wind serves even a more important purpose than 

 the provision of a ripple, it keeps the feed on, and so long 

 as there is food upon the water trout are on the look-out 

 for it. If therefore you have your choice of two lengths of 

 a river up one of which a steady wind is blowing whilst the 

 other fails to catch it, always take the one with the wind 

 upon it. For the same reason cast your flies as much as 

 possible to that side of the river towards which the wind 

 blows ; the natural insects are blown thither and the trout 

 are there. So too are trout collected under accumulations 

 of froth ; their instinct tells them it is a trap for flies and 

 it is worth fishing. A trout will sometimes take any fly 

 that is presented to him, but it is as well to remember that 

 in nine cases out of ten he will not look at anything but 

 the fly which is on the water so long as the rise is on. Fish 

 hair if you like ; it is not difficult to kill a very heavy fish 

 with a single hair if your reel and running line are in good 

 order, but it is difficult to get good hair of the proper 

 transparency, length, and strength. The best is taken from 

 the tail of the stallion, and very little of any other kind is 

 good. Remember that you can always save a break by a 

 big fish by an instant lowering of your rod point to a 

 position parallel with the level of the stream, keeping the 

 tip of your rod pointed at the fish ; but there must be no 

 hitch on your running line or reel. The advantages in 

 fishing hair, except in the case of dropper flies, which stand 

 better off the cast, are more imaginary than real. It is 

 worth remembering that trout feed largely off the bottom 

 of the river upon the pupae and larvae which are constantly 



