THE ART OF DIPPING. 143 



caught with the natural fly — open their lordly jaws, and 

 generally hook themselves. If a few grubs or brandlings are 

 thrown in ere you begin, the fish appear more greedy to 

 swaUow your bait. Everything will depend on the caution 

 and tact of the angler. 



Where the banks are more open, a longer line may be 

 used, and the fly may be sufiered to blow about by the 

 wind, or be gently cast to some likely spot. This is diffi- 

 cult to accomplish ; for everything like violent whipping 

 must be scrupulously avoided. A gentle motion of the 

 fore-arm must only be used, and the line brought gently 

 round, and the bait allowed to touch the water softly. 

 Occasionally, the fly may be gently '' chucked " beneath 

 some overhanging bushes ; but this is scarcely possible 

 without the angler showing himself. On narrow rivers no 

 reel or winch is necessary — nay, it is rather an encum- 

 brance. The casting-line may be fixed to the upper point 

 of the rod, and then cast without fear. 



When using beetles or cockchafers, the shield, or exter- 

 nal wings, should be cut ofi', and the hook inserted at the 

 back of the neck and out at the middle of the back, so as 

 to permit the feet to hang downwards. If the water is 

 open, and the surface rippled with a breeze, a split shot 

 may be attached to the line some distance above the bait, 

 so as to sink it a few inches. This plan hardly comes 

 within the denomination of dipping, which is generally 

 practised when the sun is shining, and the fish are off the 

 feed, from ten o'clock in the morning until four in the 

 afternoon. 



Many plans have been tried to dip with an artificial 

 bait, but without any great success. The plan recom- 

 mended by Ephemera (Mr Fitzgibbon) is perhaps the best. 



