38 MINOR TACTICS OF THE CHALK STREAM 



had been at the fly, not from it, and it had gone a 

 full yard or more to fetch it. He was just short of 

 one and three-quarter pounds. Before four o'clock 

 I had another brace by the same method. They 

 were not easy, and I did not get every fish I tried, 

 or even many ; but I got some where with the 

 dry fly I should assuredly have gone on getting 

 none, and the trout stood to be cast to in a way 

 they would not that day to the dry fly. 



It is true enough that there are days and 

 times when the dry fly will beat the wet fly hollow, 

 but there are days when the converse is the case, 

 and from subsequent experience I can recommend 

 the trial of the wet fly on those dull, nervy days of 

 milk-and-watery glare. 



OF THE TROUT OF GLASSY GLIDES. 



There are places on most rivers where the water 

 comes swiftly and in solid volume down a slope 

 too slight in the incline to create a fall, too short 

 to create a rapid or stickle, and too smooth to 

 cause a broken surface, yet with a rapid run below. 

 The result is a glassy glide, gin-clear, with an air 

 of unusual smoothness, and such a pace that there 

 is an immediate drag upon any floating fly which 

 is laid upon the current. Often some of the 

 handsomest and best fighting trout in the river 

 are to be found in such places, where their blood 

 is constantly refreshed by the highly oxygenated 

 water, their health and energy kept up to the 



