CHAPTER V 

 SPECIAL CONDITIONS AND WET-FLY SOLUTIONS 



NERVES. 



Years ago, long ere the spirit of revolt was in me, 

 when I followed as closely as I knew how the 

 maxims of the apostles of the dry fly, and knew 

 no other method for chalk streams, I suffered 

 many blank days and much depression from a 

 state of weather and light which must be familiar 

 to all chalk-stream anglers — the more particularly 

 because the "d d good-natured" and sympa- 

 thetic friend who knows nothing of the subject 

 picks it out to say knowingly : " What a beautiful 

 day for fishing !" It is clouded, dull, leaden, over- 

 hung, and the reflected light on the water is a dead 

 milk-and- watery white ; while, looking down into 

 its depths, one sees everything with a deadly and 

 crystalline clearness. There is no hint of thunder 

 about, but on such days the trout are all nerves. 

 Never are they so difficult to approach, never are 

 they so ready to dart off with that torpedo wave. 

 And if one finds a rising fish, and puts a dry fly over 

 him, even if he bolts not, he rises no more. 



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