Fly-fishing. 377 



and this probably applies with more force to the compara- 

 tively narrow and open streams of Great Britain than to 

 the more extensive waters of our own country; this view 

 seems more probable in' connection with the fact that Mr. 

 Francis advises casting sideways instead of overhead, which 

 method could only be practiced successfully on narrow 

 streams, for sideway casts are necessarily short ones, and 

 would not answer at all for most of our waters. There 

 are situations, however, when the sideway cast can be used 

 advantageously, and is used occasionally by all good fly- 

 fishers.- 



The main rules to be observed in fly-fishing I conceive 

 to be these : on narrow streams to keep entirely out of sight, 

 and on open waters to make long casts ; in either case, the 

 fish, not seeing the angler, will not be alarmed at the flash- 

 ing of the rod ; the finer the water the greater the caution 

 that must be used on the one hand, and the longer must 

 be the cast on the other. 



Mr. Francis does not offer any remedy for the var- 

 nished rod, but merely suggests that it might answer to 

 paint it sky-blue, or a dull, smoky tint, without polish ; but 

 this, I know, will not do. I have seen rods that had the 

 varnish scraped off and wbre painted a delicate pea-green, 

 to harmonize with the foliage of trout streams, and I have 

 seen the bark left on alder, elm, and tamarack poles When 

 used in bait-fishing, but they were not more successful 

 than the varnished rod. 



Split-bamboo and other jointed rods must of necessity be 

 varnished to preserve their elasticity and beauty. Think 

 of a delicate split-bamboo tip coated with sky-blue paint! 

 The very thought is heresy, and an offense against the 

 eternal fitness of things that would make even the spots 

 on a brook trout blush more deeply crimson. American 



