"All jerks, in casting, are apt to whip off your hooks or crack your gut. A fly-fisher may use two, three, or four flies on his casts, according to pleasure. When angling with small hooks, we adopt the medium number. Large ones ought to be fished with in pairs, and well separated. In throwing the cast, the lowermost or trail-fly should be made.to alight foremost; its fall ought to be almost imperceptible; it should come down on the water like a gossamer followed by the droppers. The moment a fly touches the surface, it is ten times more apt to raise a fish than during the act of drawing it along. At no time are we stanch advocates for the system of leading our hooks either against or across a stream; our method is rather to shake them over it for a moment, and then repeat the throw. A trout will discover your fly at the distance of several yards, if feed ing, and will dart at it like lightning.
" Trout will sometimes take in the most unlikely weathers, so that the angler should not despair at any time. Hunger' causes them to feed at least once in the twenty-four hours, and generally much oftener. If the wind blows down the river, commence at the pool-head, aid fish every inch of good water; you may pass over the very rough and very shallow parts, also those which are absolutely dead calm and clear, unless you see fish rising in them, when, should your tackle be light, there is no harm in taking a throw or two. Dead water, however, when rippled or discolored, may be angled in with great success." The following remarks and hints apply chiefly to trout-fishing in streams, and may be found of service to those who follow that delightful recreation. As a rule, fish 'up, especially when the water is clear, and the wind not directly down-stream: the advan tages are, that the fish do not so readily detect the presence of the angler—their heads being directed up the water; they are more easily hooked; and when a large trout is hooked, he may be landed down-stream, thus saving the water above for further operations. The practice of angling up-stream is somewhat difficult at first, but a little practice works wonders, and is sure to bring its reward ultimately. Gut should be round, c!ear, strong, and fine; the finer it is, consistent with strength, the better, as it scares fewer fish than coarser material. Trout-flies for ordinary use in rivers such as Tweed, etc., should be dressed, rather sparely, and should be small; some half-dozen varieties, such as those already enumerated, will be found amply sufficient; and were we asked to choose three kinds as being more valuable than any others, our choice would incline to a red-hackle, a black-hackle, and a woodcock-wing dressed with hare-ear body. For
turbid or dark water, however, the size may be increased, and the dressing be made rather gaudier by the addition of tinsel. Practice casting till you can throw your flies like gossamer on the water, and, above all, avoid splashing. The use of a short line will give you great advantage over your tackle. Heavy fish hook themselves in nine out of ten cases, so that striking is unnecessary; striking is performed by a motion of the wrist, not of the arm, and is only to be learned by practice; it then comes quite naturally to the angler. Cast frequently; you get over more ground, and vastly increase your chances of success. Trout generally seize the fly the instant it lights on the water, or the instant after; hence, it is necessary that the angler be on the qui Dire in time. Cast above where fish are likely to lie, and remember that the greater part of your success lies in the art of keeping out of their sight. Dull-colored clothes materially assist in achieving this important desideratum.
When fishing with a friend, always come to a distinct agreement, before starting, relative to the division of the water, especially if the stream be small.
The true angler returns all smoults, parr, and small trout to their native element—his maxim being quality, not quantity. He also keeps his rod well varnished, dries his line and tackle after using, and looks into his tackle-book at least once every three months during the non-A. season: he thus saves his flies from the ravages of the moth. The tyro should always be guided in his selection of a rod and tackle by some experienced friend; and upon arriving at strange angling quarters, he should Once himself in the hands of a resident fisherman, who will guide him to the best casts of the river, loch, or stream. A day spent in watching the proceedings of an expert angler, is a day well spent; and a few hours' lessons in fly-busking, knot-tying, etc., work wonders. And, lastly, let the angler practice courtesy towards all his brethren of the rod, and be ever willing to lend a killing-fly to a needy friend.
The principal works on A. are Izaak Walton, Stoddart's Angler's Companion, the article A. in the Encyclopedia Britannica, Davy's Salmonia, the angling section of Colqu houn's Moor and the Loch, Dryden's Hints to Anglers, the angling section in Stonehenge's British Rural Sports, Francis's Book on Angling, and Stewart's Practical Angler. The angler will also find many useful hints in the number on A. in Chanthers's Information for the People.