CHALK-STREAM FISHING WITH DRY FLY. 337 
Frequenters of chalk-streams fish almost exclusively with a 
single dry fly, and only when the fish are visibly feeding at the 
surface. The angler selects his fish, gets behind him (that is, 
below him), and prepares for a cast up stream. Then taking 
two or three false casts in the air to judge the exact distance, 
the fly is thrown with the intention of making it alight gently 
a foot or two above the rising fish and exactly in his line, for a 
well-fed chalk-stream trout will rarely go even a few inches out 
of his way for a passing fly. If the fly falls short or wide, it 
should be left till the line has floated some distance to the rear 
of the fish, when it must be picked off, whisked through the 
air two or three times to dry the wings and hackle before a new 
cast is made. If there is no clumsiness several trial casts may 
be made before the exact distance is found, and the fish will 
go on rising undisturbed ; but the slightest bungle on the part 
of the angler is fatal and puts the fish down for the next half 
hour. If it be remembered that most of the best fish lie close 
to the bank and that the fly has to be sent down floating natu- 
rally correct to the very inch, it will be seen that there is room 
for great exercise of skill, and to succeed even moderately well: 
requires a vast amount of practice. 
It will always be a moot point how far it is necessary or not 
to present to rising fish an exact imitation of the fly on which 
they happen to be feeding. And the greater the experience of 
an angler the less will he be inclined to lay down the law on 
this and kindred questions: he will have learnt that his pre- 
conceived notions, based on extensive observation and practice, 
have frequently been completely upset by some sudden and 
unintelligible caprice on the part of the fish. 
The anglers one meets on a chalk stream generally have 
some interest in entomology, and it is the exception fora skilful 
fisherman not to know something of the natural flies which 
tempt the trout to the surface. On the other hand, it is gene- 
rally admitted that with a shy fish it is half the battle to put the 
fly right at the first cast ; in other words, a fish is often thrown 
off his guard completely by a well-directed fly, no matter what, 
I. Zz 
