Grey Drake

“ If you happen to be on the stream on a day when you have little sport, by all means repair to the same water the next day if you have reason to believe the trout to be moderately plentiful, and you will probably find them feeding freely. “Trout affection not long fasts,” as dear old Isaac would say.
Skill in fly-fishing is neutralised by anger and impatience. Patience and perseverance stand at the head of the angler’s cardinal virtues. With good tackle and proper-sized flies, moderate skill, and a favourable day, the tyro will astonish the natives of the stream if he keeps out of their sight ”

“ The fly-fisher may have acquired perfection in the art of throwing the fly; he may fish with the finest gut and the smallest and most killing flies; but unless he keep out of sight of the fish, he may just as well stay at home—he will take no fish. If a splash in the water, caused by the clumsy falling of the line, frighten away the fish, the sight of the fisherman himself will send them all to their holds, to a distance of thirty or forty yards from him! Trout are very sharp-sighted, timid and wary ”

“ A labouring countryman was following him at the distance of about a quarter of a mile, fishing with clumsy tackle, with which, by the skilful casting of his fly, he repeatedly took good-sized fish, to the great astonishment of the clergyman, who attributed his own want of success, not to his want of skill, but to his not using the right fly. ”

“ Whenever you see a place between trees and bushes where a trout is likely to lie, drop the fly gently, communicating to it a dancing movement. The fly must only just touch the surface, the greatest care being taken that not the smallest morsel of the gut touch the water. This is most essential to success, for rarely indeed will you rise a trout by dibbing if he sees the least bit of gut in the stream.
It very frequently happens that you see a trout lying close to the edge of the stream, or under the shade of a bush. That fish, with care, you may be certain to rise. ”

“ As a rule, small and fine is the fly-fisher’s maxim. In clear, bright water it is almost useless to use any thick-bodied fly. The smallest and thinnest-bodied flies are preferable in clear, bright water, and the larger in thick water, or on a windy day. You may successfully use any of the flies I have enumerated: small for clear, bright water, and larger for thick water or a blustering day.
The weather has an extraordinary effect on fish: I mean on their disposition to feed. In an easterly wind trout will not rise freely; thunder-storms they abominate ”

“ In my fishing excursions, I always take with me a stiff little pocket-rod, of four pieces, each about two feet and a half in length, with a small reel attached, and about twenty yards of strong silk line, so that I may [21] have a fair chance of successful sport, when I happen to be fishing on a stream where trees and bushes prevent my throwing the artificial fly, and where the large trout take refuge for the purpose of concealment, and the generally better supply of flies, insects, and other food. ”

“ When you observe a trout rise at a fly, throw your fly about a foot above where you judge his head to lie, and a little to the left or right of him. If he does not rise at your first cast, throw again three or four times. He will not take your fly unless it be presented to him temptingly, and near to him. He will not quit his post for your fly if it be out of his feeding circuit; and a few casts may bring it into that desirable locality. Trout always lie with their heads looking up the stream, watching for what it may bring them ”

“ In cold weather, fish only in the middle of the day: in hot weather, morning and evening are to be preferred. The evening is, I think, better than the morning; probably because, as trout abstain in a great measure from feeding during the heat, they are more eager when they recommence; and as they generally feed freely during the night, they are less eager for food in the morning. An hour before the disappearance of twilight, and, unless the night be very dark, an hour afterwards, will afford the best sport, and the largest fish. ”

“ First-rate fly-fishing may be had in all parts of France, and especially in the department of the Pas de Calais, in which are numerous admirable trout streams well stocked with fish, and where the sport may be enjoyed without [24] interruption. Palmer Hackle, in his work, observes, “An angler who loves his art as none but anglers can, and desires to pursue his cherished recreation undisturbed by the malign influence of game-preservers, and unembittered by the sneers of money-getting fools, must visit the Continent. ”

“ The luck of hooking two good fish at the same time rarely happens; and if it should happen, you would probably lose one or both of them, and some of your tackle into the bargain. Still, if you prefer fishing with two or more flies, the first bob-fly should be about three feet from the stretcher, and the second about five feet. More than two bob-flies I consider ridiculous, as well as prejudicial. The bob-fly may be attached, either by bending the tail line into a loop, thus
and putting on the bob-fly through the loop as you would put on the stretcher ”

“ Practice at first with a line only as long again as the rod, and lengthen it by degrees, as you find you progress. In drawing the line out of the water, incline the rod rather to the right, then describe a sort of half circle round your head by elevating the rod and giving it a motion towards your left. The moment the line thrown reaches its whole length, the fly should touch the water, else it will be checked, and recoil, falling heavily, and making a splash, which must by all means be avoided, or it will frighten away all the fish in the immediate neighborhood. ”

“ During and after gentle showers, with not too much wind, is the time, par excellence, for beguiling trout. Avoid a very bright day, unless there is sufficient wind to cause a strong ripple; but even then few trout will be your reward on a very bright day. A dark day succeeding a light night is never to be missed if you wish to fill your basket, for trout are almost as timid in a bright moonlight night as during the day. In such nights they will not feed freely. ”

“ Choose your May flies with wings made large and standing up, full bodies and long tails; and use no flies that are not made on Limerick hooks, which double your chance of hooking fish.
In all fly-fishing matches with which I am acquainted, and in some of which I have been myself engaged, each competitor has fished with a different kind of fly, and neither with a fly resembling that actually on the water. The success of each has been, generally, nearly equal, the winner gaining the match by a very few ”

“ When you have hooked a fish, you must necessarily act as the nature of the place will allow. If embarrassed with bushes, &c., get him out as quickly as possible. You may chance to lose him in the endeavour, but if you have not space for playing him, what is to be done? If you are in a situation to be able to play him, do so, keeping him well in hand with your bent rod. Never check a trout strongly in his first run, if avoidable. ”

“ Your tackle must be very strong, for the larger trout only are generally taken in this way, and the trees and bushes give them a good chance, after being hooked, of escaping, by breaking your tackle.
In dibbing you can only use one fly. There should not be more than a couple of lengths of gut on the line. The gut must be strong, and so must that to which the fly is attached. Keep a few flies, tied to thicker gut than you use when throwing the fly. ”

“ I never fish with more than one fly. Some fishermen use two, and even three, in addition to the end fly or stretcher. Those additional flies are called bob-flies. My opinion is, that one fly is sufficient, and that more are inconvenient, more difficult to manage, and cause a greater disturbance of the water, without any countervailing advantage. With bob-flies you may sometimes hook two fish at once, but they are generally very small under such circumstances. ”

“ A small fish may of course be landed at once, but a fish of good size and strength should be played, if possible, until he becomes so exhausted by his struggles as to offer a favourable opportunity for introducing him into the landing net. If you have space for playing the fish, and are unencumbered by bushes, &c., perseverance, patience, address, and sang froid, will generally enable you to secure the largest trout. ”

“ Excellence in throwing the fly consists in causing it to fall lightly, and over any spot you may desire. This can only be accomplished by practice, for with all the knowledge theory can instil, it requires practice before you can throw the fly either to the exact spot you intend, or so that the sharpest eye cannot detect where it fell when there is a moderate ripple curling the surface of the water. ”

“ I have dwelt upon this subject because I wish to guard the tyro against the too common failing of being fidgety as to his flies, and changing them repeatedly, fancying (for it is fancy only) that he does not get rises because he is not using the right fly. ”

“ The spike is very useful for sticking the rod upright in the ground, as occasion may require. Some prefer a two-handed rod for large rivers. I think it is unnecessarily fatiguing to use a two-handed rod, inasmuch as a skilful artist can throw a fly with a single-handed rod as far as is necessary, and I never use any other. The single-handed rod should be about thirteen or fourteen feet long. To prevent the danger of breaking the rod, by the joints separating in throwing the fly, the joints should be whipped with strong silk, as shown in this figure. ”

“ To bait with this, insert the end of the loop or noose at the shoulder (directly at the back of the head) of the May bug, grasshopper or fly, and pass it through the body, bringing it out at the tail. Draw the insect along the gut till the shanks of the hooks are buried in his body, leaving only the points standing out on each side of the shoulders. ”

“ The hooks should be of such a size as to extend a little beyond the bait.
Such I have found to be the neatest and best way of baiting with May bug, grasshopper, and flesh-fly, or other natural fly of sufficient size. The green and grey drakes, however, are too tender to be thus baited. A single hook must therefore be passed through the thickest part of the body, from side to side. The hook should not be very small, but have some of the shank broken off, for the shank should be short. ”