80 



THE TROUT. 



to enable him to throw his fly behind bushes and trees, into 

 holes, under banks, and other places mentioned as the ' trout 

 haunts,' and where the best fish are to be found." 



There is much diversity of opinion about the manner of 

 fishing, whether up or down the stream ; the great majority 

 of Anglers, both in Europe and this country, favor the latter 

 method, and a very few the former. Hofland remarks on 

 this : " Some persons recommend fishing up the stream, and 

 throwing the fly before them. For my own part, (after much 

 experience,) whenever I can do so with convenience, I cast 

 my fly above me, and across the stream, drawing it gently 

 towards me. If the wind should be against you, you will be 

 constrained to stand close to the water's edge, and make 

 your cast close to the bank on which you stand, either up or 

 down the stream, as the wind may serve. Avoid, if possible, 

 fishing with the sun behind you, as the moving shadow of 

 yourself and rod will alarm the fish. The finer the tackle 

 (particularly the bottom tackle) and the lighter the fly falls 

 on the water, the greater will be your Bport; indeed some 

 Anglers use only a single hair for their bottom tackle ; but 

 when the water you fish is weedy, or much wooded, a single 

 hair is difficult to manage ; but in ponds or streams, free 

 from impediments, it may be used by a skilful hand to a great 

 advantage." 



Of Bush-Fishing, sometimes called Dibbing, Dabbing, or 

 This is a cunning mode of fishing on the part of the 

 Angler, quite equal to any of the curious manoeuvres of the 

 trout himself. It is practised in the summer months, when the 

 water is low, and the bushes are in leaf, thereby giving the 

 Angler a hiding place ; and when it is almost impossible to 

 take him by any other method ; and although it requires 

 extreme care, and all the ingenuity of the fisher, it will 



