CLASSES OF CONDITIONS 141 



make it float any distance before it drags. If he 

 crawls up slowly, keeping himself well out of sight to 

 the point on the bank marked B', his line will be 

 above the rapid part of the current, and with plenty 

 of slack he will be able to cover the fish without 

 drag. 



Below each pile or post, especially when some of 

 the cut weeds have been lodged round it, there will 

 be a slack place. The mark c shows a place such 

 as big fish delight in when rising. Flies floating down 

 rapidly on either side of the pile will sail quite slowly 

 into this slack place and remain there for some few 

 seconds. This is a difficult position. It must be fished 

 from below, and the best chance is to put a very slack 

 fly not far above the fish and hope for the best. The 

 angler must not be chagrined if he finds that the first 

 cast has set his fish down. 



A favourite position for a large fish is marked d. 

 Here a big trout will lie with its tail against the post 

 and take the flies freely as they descend. There is 

 no particular difificulty about such a place, and the only 

 danger is that of hanging up the line on the floating 

 weed which, lodging at or round the post, provides an 

 admirable shelter for the fish, and should under no 

 circumstances be disturbed. 



In such a place the natural insect will float down at 

 a great pace and the rising trout will often turn and 

 follow it down. If in such a case the artificial has 

 not been placed well above the fish there is a proba- 

 bility of the line on the weed stopping the fly before 



