WET-FLY CASTING 121 



The line should be flicked as little as possible, 

 and the angler should try (generally speaking, but 

 not always — see chapter on Nerves) to float the 

 gut while letting the fly go under. Then he 

 secures the double advantage of not lining his 

 trout and of getting an indication from the move- 

 ment of the gut should the fly be taken without 

 his otherwise detecting it. The fly, being once 

 delivered, may be allowed to come down with the 

 stream precisely like a dry fly except for its being 

 under water ; but it can be recovered sooner and 

 with less disturbance of the surface, because the 

 fly is drawn under and not along the top of the 

 water. The withdrawal should, however, be as 

 gentle as possible, in order to retain as much 

 moisture as can be in the fly to sink it at the next 

 cast. If there be enough wind to raise waves, or 

 even a strong ruffle, this is of less consequence, as 

 the make of the fly should be such that it can 

 only float, if at all, while quite dry on perfectly 

 smooth water. It is in general no use to put up 

 the ordinary dry flies to fish wet. 



16 



