loo COARSE FISH. 



me in a ballast-hole. A passing boat stopped 

 and took me out of my difficulties, the scullers 

 responding immediately to my call, putting me 

 safely ashore, without making any trouble about 

 my dripping waders and muddy feet. 



In fly-fishing there is a complete alteration in the 

 running-line contrasted with that for float- 

 fishing. In float-fishing, legering and spin- 

 ning, the weight of bait, lead and float, helps to 

 carry the light line out ; and the finest line possible, 

 compatible with weight of float, &c. is employed. 

 In fly-fishing, the weight necessary to carry the line 

 out is in the line itself, and you have to use the 

 thickest line (dressed) that the rod will 

 bear. Fly-rods have small rings, to pre- 

 vent the "swish" of the rod drawing the line into 

 loops between the rings ; the fly-rod makes long, 

 sweeping strokes backwards as well as forwards, 

 and loops of loose line between the rings would 

 cause serious difficulties. It is not my province, in 

 this book, to enter into the merits or otherwise of 

 different -fly-rods, and their varied makes; it will 

 suffice when I say that' I like a light fly-rod, nine 

 to ten feet in length, for dace-fishing, a tapered 

 cast, unstained, or with very faint stain indeed. A 

 long cast may be used when throwing with the 

 wind, even up to nine feet if preferred ; but when 

 throwing into a wind, five feet is ample ; and the 

 taper should be short when throwing against a 

 wind, also the rod top should be shorter and stiffer. 

 For fly-fishing, the winch must have a 

 check ; I like an adjustable check ; for if I 

 want to get a long line out from the winch very 

 quickly I slip the check off, stopping the line 

 from tangling through over-running of the winch, 



