THE ART OF FLY FISHING. \^l 



Let us observe that fish always lie with their heads up stream. 

 Even when they dart down stream affrighted, as they sometimes 

 do, they invariably stop very soon and round to, as a yacht does 

 when she luffs into the wind. Salmon and shad when descending 

 to the sea, do not make for it in a bee line, but drop down stream 

 gradually, keeping their heads always up. Moreover, as for trout, 

 the biggest always lie in the wider and aeeper strearn, so that, in 

 fishing up, the angler is constantly fishing away from the big fel- 

 lows and up toward the smaller ones. In casting, too, it is im- 

 portant, as has been said, to have your line kept straight ; and in 

 fishing down stream the current does this for you, while in most 

 of the casts made in fishing up stream, the line runs back on itself, 

 and is constantly getting into slack turns and bights. Again, it 

 is less tiresome to fish down stream when wading, than against 

 the current which is sometimes so strong as to make progress 

 against it difficult. More than all, the angler can see his fish be- 

 fore him, when he is moving down, but never when he is moving 

 up. We are aware that some proficient anglers take decidedly 

 opposite ground, but they must refute what we have presented as 

 postulates, (not arguments,) before we shall yield our position. 

 Circumstances, however, alter cases. A good rule to observe 

 would be to fish down stream if the current be swift, and up stream 

 if it be sluggish ; always supposing the wind to be favorable. As 

 between worm fishing up stream and fly fishing up stream, the 

 former is preferable. 



It is useless to wast^ time in whipping every foot of a stream. 

 Trout lie where cool bottom springs bubble, or lateral brooks 

 come in, or food gathers, the depth of water favors, or shade and 

 protection serve. The strongest and biggest fish preempt the 

 choicest places and deepest pools, but good fish are often taken in 

 swift water flowing about six inches deep over pebbly bottoms 

 where the conferva attaches itself to stones and sways in the cur- 

 rent, affording both food and lurking places. In large rivers it is 

 useless to fish except at rapids, or where a lateral stream flows in. 

 Casts may be taken when wading, or from the bank, according to 

 depth of water and other circumstances. Where the river makes 

 short turns there is a deep hole on one side and a corresponding 

 sand-bar or flat on the other. Trout are likely to be found in all 



