DAPING 429 



a man nearly a life-time before he can learn to cope 

 with these knowing old warriors. 



I have killed more fish when daping with a natural 

 fly than by any other method ; but in order to do this 

 it is necessary to observe the greatest caution and care, 

 even to the colour of one's clothes, and the fisherman 

 must take advantage of every bush, or other cover which 

 will help to conceal him, and, if possible, to watch the 

 larger fish in the pool so as to keep the fly away from 

 the reach of the smaller fry. I have had a very great 

 deal of sport in this way, and I must say that I consider 

 it just as scientific and satisfactory work as fishing with 

 an artificial fiy. When one of these big trout rush at 

 the tempting morsel, he at once swallows it and gets 

 well hooked, and if the tackle is not of the very best 

 description (and it must be both fine and strong for 

 this kind of work) there is little chance of killing him, 

 for such fish will give twice as much trouble as any 

 20 lb. salmon. 



There are many ways of striking a fish — i.e., hooking 

 it — but the proper way is to turn the wrist up sharply, 

 witJioiit raising the hand. To describe the action more 

 plainly, the palm of the hand, being downwards before 

 the fish rises, should be turned quickly upwards. This 

 simple turn of the wrist will hook any trout when he 

 has taken the fiy, but any other way of jerking the fly 

 up is uncertain, and often causes a disastrous result 

 when the fish is a good one. 



In fishing pools, or any water other than still, the 

 line should never be pressed tightly between the hand 

 and the rod. It is quite sufficient for the first finger 

 to maintain a light pressure, but the remaining fingers 

 must not press more on the line than is sufficient to 



