In _Thompson's Seasons_ what an admirable description of Fly fishing!
It is indeed inimitable: it charms an angler by its vivid and truthful
deliniation, and after reading it, makes him long "to increase his
tackle, and his rod retie." Of all the devices for taking Trout, fly
fishing is decidedly the most pleasant, ingenious and amusing, and
where fish rise freely, there is nothing comparable to the artificial
fly, as a means to an end, in the shape of filling a pannier. The quick
eyed Trout, is completely deceived by a cunning fabrication, the
inanimated thing of feathers, silk and fur, so closely resembles the
natural fly, that he rises and seizes upon it for a real living
fly--But ah! too late, the little monster (for he is one in his way)
feels the treacherous hook, "indignant at the guile," he springs aloft,
makes for his well known hold, or resting place, exhausts his strength
in the unequal contest, and floats almost lifeless into the landing net
held out for his reception. He has fallen a legitimate prize to the
skill of his captor, who has only to extract the hook from his gills,
before he again makes another light and deadly cast. Thus fish after
fish is deposited in his nicely woven pannier, and on he goes
rejoicing, carefully trying his favourite streams, until the weight
upon his shoulder, unmistakably intimates, that it is time to be
homeward bound. In fly fishing, the best plan is to cast your line
athwart the stream, by pulling it against it; your flies probably show
to more advantage, yet you will not take so many fish, as by throwing
up or across the stream, the reason is obvious, the current somewhat
retards the progress of the fish in the act of rising, and thus it
happens that they so frequently come short of the hook. There is also
another consideration, your fly coming down or athwart the water is
more natural, and fish observe it sooner coming down, than a fly pulled
up stream, because fish when on the feed, invariably lay with their
heads up water.
"With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Let me with judgment cast the feather'd hook,
Silent along the grassy margin stray,
And with a fur wrought fly delude the prey."--GAY.
In log, or still water fishing, make as fine and light casts as you
possibly can. If you see a fish rise, throw your flies about a foot
above him, and then let them gently float over the place where he rose.
In stream fishing, have a quick eye, and ready hand, and strike
immediately you perceive the fish to have risen at your fly; and
observe that if you have the luck to hook two Trouts at the same time,
net the one lowest down your line first, for should a novice
inadvertently attempt to net the one upon the higher fly, he will very
probably loose them both. The heads and tails of streams are favourite
resorts of Trout, and ought to be carefully and diligently fished; but
as a general rule, wherever you see a fish rise, have a try for him. In
the Spring and Autumn, your diversion with the artificial fly is much
more certain than during the Summer months, but even then there are
certain days, (especially if the wind be Easterly), that they will not
take even the natural fly, and I have on such days seen thousands of
flies on the water, yet scarcely a fish on the move. When the fish rise
freely at the natural fly, and also rise, but do not take those you
offer, you may safely conclude your fly is not what suits, so try them
with something different. The best plan is to catch the natural, and
make the artificial fly as close a copy as possible, for the nearer you
approach to nature the greater in all cases is your chance of success.
And here, in concluding this chapter on Fly Fishing, let me advise
every angler to make or learn to make his own flies; by so doing he
will never be at a loss for a fly to suit the fickle Trout. Really,
many of the flies from the tackle shops look neat and gaudy enough, but
like Hodge's razors, are they not made to sell? When a man makes a fly
for himself, he makes, I take it, to kill.