CHAPTER IV.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS, OBSERVATIONS,ETC.
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; butunless 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; and whenever they chance to see the fisherman,no bait whatever will be sufficient to tempt them to take it, and the utmost skill and dexterity will be thrown away.
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; and when they are taking the fly readily, they swim within a few inches of the surface of the water; but they will not go out of their feeding circuit to takeanyfly.
The very instantyou perceive a trout has taken your fly, strike himat the same instantby slightly elevating the wrist. This should be done with the utmost rapidity, or the fish will manage to reject the treacherous imitation that has deceived him, and you will not rise him again for hours afterwards. In fact, I have often seen a good-sized trout that had escaped after having been hooked, not only afterwards invariably refuse the artificial fly, but quit his lair and take to his shelter the moment he perceived the tail line fall on the water.
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 inhis firstrun, if avoidable. If he should be approaching anything that would endanger your line,strive toguidehimgraduallyfrom it, by gently inclining your rod in the direction you wish him to take, always keeping him, as I before observed, well in hand with your bent rod. Never pulldirectly against him; for, if you do, you will probably cause him to plunge and leap in such a manner as to endanger your tackle, or tear the hook from its hold in his mouth. Trout, like many reasoning animals, may be easilyguided, but nevercompelled, if of good size and strength, until, by playing him, he has been made too weary and exhausted for further contention. A small fish may of course be landed at once, but a fish of good size and strength should beplayed, 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, andsang froid, will generally enable you to secure the largest trout.
It is difficult to give directions where to find trout in a trout stream. I have found them in every part of the stream. Good-sized trout often lurk near the edge under the banks, especially in narrow streams. I always try there first. They also lie in the currents of the stream watching for their prey. If there be any impediment in the stream, such as a large stone, &c., which, by projecting above or near the surface of the water, causes an increased rippling, never miss such a spot, but throw just above the rippling, drawing the fly through it. Towards evening trout are roaming about more freely in every part of the stream. It is of frequent occurrence to see a trout sailing up and down near the edge of the stream for a determinate distance. He is then in search of food. Keep out of sight, and he will probably take your fly.
Where trout are moderately plentiful, fish every yard of water.
As a rule,small and fineis 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; and very boisterous winds are unfavourable, let them proceed from what quarter they may.Duringandafter 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. Should the next day, therefore, prove gloomy, it will probably repay you for many disappointments. 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 beverydark, an hour afterwards, will afford the best sport, and the largest fish. I once met with a singular proof of this. I had been fishing at Colonel Hawker’s, Long Parish, Hants, and the day being very hot and bright, and no wind, I had bad sport. The keeper assured me, that if I waiteduntil dark, and then fished a certain piece of backwater he pointed out, I should take some fine fish. Seeing by the movement of this water a fish was upon the feed during the twilight, I cast my fly for him, but as soon as it reached the water he was off. The keeper told me I was too early, that the fish were large and wary, that I must wait until it wasdark. I did so, and putting on a large grey drake, in less than an hour I took four fine trout, weighing upwards of three pounds each. Although it was conveniently dark, the fish could see my fly, but could not see me or the line, and I could perceive a rise by a sort of bright flash in the water.
Do not allow your shadow to pass over the water if you can avoid it. You will rarely take a trout soon afterwards at the place where your shadow has passed over the water.
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; and if a little experience be added to the above, he may perchance astonish himself.
However fine the weather, wear long boots, as nearly waterproof as may be.
Frequently examine your fly to ascertain if it be in good order. I have often hooked a good trout, which soon got away, and, upon examination of my fly, I found the barb of the hook gone.
Take care that you do not, by a too sudden jerk, when bringing the fly forward for a fresh cast, snap it off. This often happens to the tyro, and sometimes to old hands. A slight, sharp, snapping noise of the line, in bringing it forward for a cast, is a sure symptom of the loss of the fly.
Never fish without carrying a landing net with you, or having it carried for you. The largest fish are frequently lost for want of a landing net, especially when you fish with small flies. If possible, the fish should never see the landing net, nor the person who uses it. Never allow the landing net to bepoked ata fish; and never touch the line, nor allow it to be touched, whilst you have a good-sized fish at the end of it.
Carry with you, when fishing, a disengaging instrument, which you may screw to the butt end of the handle of your landing net, when required. The instrument is very useful for disengaging your fly and line from weeds, bushes, &c. It is sold in most of the fishing-tackle shops, and is in the form below. The edgebis made sufficiently sharp to cut away weeds, bushes, &c.
a disengaging instrument
Always carry with you a piece of India rubber. Draw the tail line through it before you use the line, in order to straighten it and prove its strength; and if there are any faults in it, the India rubber will find them out, which is far better than making the discovery by losing a good fish from the too easy breaking of your untried tail line.
Gut is apt to snap if very dry, and I recommend immersing it in water for ten or fifteen minutes before using it. The best method of preserving gut that Iknow of is to keep it in parchment, slightly steeped in best salad oil.
Always carry with you some strong silk and strong thread, and a piece of shoemaker’s wax.