F L Y-F ISHING IN THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER 



understand each other at least, on this cast busi- 

 ness, I say that the " hand " fly is the one nearest 

 my hand; the "point" fly is the one I point at 

 the spot where I think a fish lies; and the " drop- 

 per" (for want of a better name, as aU flies are 

 droppers when cast), the middle fly. What say 

 you, boys? " 



"Agreed! Agreed I" and the matter then and 

 there was settled. May aU good, sensible anglers 

 go and do likewise. 



Mendy used but one fly, and gave the following 

 as his reason therefor: 



" I have never caught, except on rare occasions, 

 more than a single bass at a time, and more than 

 once I have lost a good fish which had taken my 

 middle fly, was nearly exhausted, and weU-nigh 

 landed, when with a splurge and a quick snap an- 

 other and bigger one struck my point fly, which 

 was made by the game fight of the first fish to 

 zig-zag across the current more like the struggles 

 of a live bug than any simulated motion I could 

 give the artificial one through the medium of my 

 rod. No, boys, you can't catch more than one 

 good fish on one hook, say I, and I '11 have none 

 of your triplex casts." 



" Bosh! " said Gills. " I Ve caught two bass at 

 a time repeatedly, and if there is a grain of reason 

 about your protest, why, the more danger of los- 

 ing, the more skill in saving. I 'd like to strike 



89 



