136 



hovering motion. A quick eye, and a peculiar turn of the 

 ■wrist, is essential to make a good fly fisher, for though 

 sometimes the fish may hook themselves, still it is only by 

 chance that such an occurrence happens. 



It is scarcely necessary to say that for Trout fishing) 

 your apparatus must be finer than for Salmon. 



In the selection of a rod, unless you are experienced in 

 the matter, I would advise you, in all cases, let an old 

 fisherman choose one for you. I know nothing that is 

 more tedious than to have a badly balanced rod, and 

 therefore, let your chief care be to guard against such an 

 error ; or you will find perchance, that you have made toil 

 of what would have been pleasure. With a nicely balanced 

 rod, you may fish all day, and not feel the least fatigued. 

 A rod of from twelve to fourteen feet is sufBciently long 

 for trout fishing. The butt should be hollow, to contain 

 one or more spare top«. I prefer the spliced rod, without 

 the ferrels, as giving a greater pliancy ; but they require 

 more care, and a young fisherman had better chose the 

 feirelled one. 



The line should be silk and hair, dark coloured, and 

 about thirty to forty yards in length ; and after fishing, 

 care should be taken always to dry it, as, if reeled up when 

 wet, it will soon rot. I generally rub my line down with 

 a little sweet oil, and afterwards with a dry piec& of flan-, 

 nel ; it throws oflf the water when fishing, and prevents 

 the line from kinking. 



The reel should be a multiplier, without the stop, the 

 check of which has lost many a fine fish. 



