CLASSES OF CONDITIONS 149 



of the subject has found that there is no cause for 

 despair ? When returning raise the rod slowly, 

 smoothly, and without the semblance of a jerk, and 

 you will find that the fly will generally come free. 

 If, however, it should hang in the grass, drop the 

 rod and, taking the line between the thumb and 

 forefinger, draw gently, and the fly will probably 

 come clear. If not, a slight swaying motion will 

 often disengage it. Drawing the line through the 

 rings with the rod in a horizontal position will at 

 times work wonders in recovering a fly when hung 

 up. A difficult place with long grass can thus be 

 safely fished, and if perchance you should get fast it 

 becomes a question of breaking off the fly on the 

 chance of retrieving it later, or crawling slowly up to 

 the place, keeping quite low, disentangling it, and 

 coming back with the same precautions to keep out 

 of sight." 



All our study of favourable and unfavourable con- 

 ditions in reference either to 

 Coming short. the fish and its method of 



feeding, the force and direc- 

 tion of the wind, the easy or difficult nature of the 

 spot where the trout is feeding, has led up to the 

 point when the fish rises at our' artificial fly. If all 

 has gone well, at the action of raising the rod and 

 hand we experience the delightful sensation of resist- 

 ance and realize that the fish is on. Unfortunately 

 our experiences are not all quite so satisfactory. 

 We may find no responsive tug of the hooked trout 



