diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/68846-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/68846-0.txt | 3961 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 3961 deletions
diff --git a/old/68846-0.txt b/old/68846-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 66cf560..0000000 --- a/old/68846-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3961 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Brook and river trouting, by Harfield -H. Edmonds - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Brook and river trouting - A manual of modern north country methods - -Authors: Harfield H. Edmonds - Norman N. Lee - -Release Date: August 26, 2022 [eBook #68846] - -Language: English - -Produced by: The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROOK AND RIVER -TROUTING *** - - - - - -[Illustration: _The Wharfe near Burnsall._ - -_Photo by Mr. L. A. Edmonds_] - - - - - BROOK AND RIVER - TROUTING - - A Manual of modern North Country methods - - With Coloured Illustrations of Flies - and Fly-Dressing Materials - - By - HARFIELD H. EDMONDS - NORMAN N. LEE - - PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORS, 23, BANK STREET, BRADFORD. - All rights reserved - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - PAGE. - - PREFACE 5 - - CHAPTER I. Flies. Table I. Table II. Dressings 7 - - CHAPTER II. Fly Fishing. Wet-Fly Fishing. Dry-Fly Fishing 31 - - CHAPTER III. Creeper and Stone Fly Fishing 62 - - CHAPTER IV. Upstream Worm Fishing 69 - - CHAPTER V. Minnow Fishing 91 - - INDEX 103 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - FRONTISPIECE: The Wharfe near Burnsall - - Snipe’s Wing, Inner side 8 - - Snipe’s Wing, Outer side 8 - - Shades of Silk 10 - - Drawings of Natural Flies 12 - - Flies with Dressing Materials 16 et seq. - - A Typical Stretch 30 - - Headwaters of the Aire 46 - - Broken Water 60 - - The Head of the Dale 76 - - A Brook in Spring 96 - - - - -PREFACE. - - -When the writers began to take a practical interest in trout fly -dressing, they experienced great difficulty in determining the correct -feathers for the various patterns, as the older books on the subject -of North Country flies are vague in the extreme. The few more modern -writers on wet flies, for want of precision, have done little to help -the beginner to a proper appreciation of his materials. It was therefore -felt that a book, which not only prescribed the exact part of a bird from -which the correct feathers should be taken, but illustrated such feathers -and other materials (as also the flies made therefrom), in colour, -would be a help, at least to beginners in the craft, and not merely an -encumbrance on angling literature. - -Having conceded the difficulties of the novice wishing to dress his own -flies, the question of the number of patterns necessary for fishing the -Rivers of the North Country naturally came next for consideration. As the -tendency during recent years has been to increase the number out of all -reason and beyond practical bounds, to the great bewilderment of the -beginner and the occasional fisherman, a list of flies has been drawn up -which, while it contains few patterns as compared with many other lists, -is yet wide enough to provide for varying conditions the season through. -The flies are for the most part old friends, but for the above reasons it -is hoped they will not be unwelcome. - -The original scheme of this work was limited by the foregoing -considerations. But when the book had been mapped out in a general form -it became evident that a description of the methods employed in fishing -North Country streams with success would not only give point to what the -writers had to say on flies, but might be of interest to the majority of -North Country fishermen. It was therefore decided to enlarge the scope -of the work. The chapters on the various methods of fishing the Rivers -of the Northern Counties are the outcome of practical experience, and as -such it is hoped they will be both useful and interesting. - -The authors desire to express their indebtedness to Mrs. A. R. Gurney, -Mr. L. A. Edmonds, and Mr. F. Creedy for the photographs from which -several of the river scenes have been reproduced. - - H. H. E. - N. N. L. - -1916. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -FLIES. - - -While it is the endeavour of this work to bring the range of trout flies -within reasonable and practical limits and to describe no other than -sound practical dressings, there is no desire to limit experiment either -in patterns or numbers. In fact to do so would take away one of the -pleasantest features of the pastime and rob many a winter’s evening of -its delight. All those who take an interest in fly dressing should work -from Nature wherever possible, for flies frequently differ in no small -degree in different localities; and there is a great deal of enjoyment -to be obtained in dressing a fly with the natural insect before one, and -afterwards killing trout on the resulting work of one’s hands. - -It is not intended to devote any space to the processes of fly-tying, as -much has been written on the subject. The reader in search of information -cannot do better than read the late H. G. McClelland’s book, _The Trout -Fly Dresser’s Cabinet of Devices, or How to tie Flies for Trout and -Grayling Fishing_, which is the most practical and exhaustive treatise on -the subject known to the writers. - -The illustrations, facing this page, of both sides of a Snipe’s wing will -show the reader the precise places from which the various wing feathers, -described in the text, are taken, and while the descriptions of the -feathers may not satisfy the naturalist, they are sufficient for the -purposes of the writers. - -It is naturally of importance in fly-dressing to use no hooks but -the best, and it will be found that Hardy Bros.’ tapered snecks are -satisfactory in every respect, except that they are on the long side. If -about one-sixteenth of an inch be cut off the shank with an old pair of -scissors before dressing the fly, a more useful length will be attained, -as artificial flies are much more killing if kept short in the body. -Stress is laid on this; and it will be seen from the illustrations of the -flies that the tail ends of the bodies are not carried further down the -hook than half way between the point of the hook and the point of the -barb. For the two floating Spinners, Hardy Bros.’ Dry Fly Eyed Hooks are -recommended. The numbers of the hooks given in the text correspond with -the numbers enumerated in Hardy Bros.’ catalogue. - -[Illustration: _Inner side_] - -[Illustration: _Outer side_] - -The writers prefer to dress their flies to gut, 4x being the most -suitable grade; but good hair, if it can be obtained, will be found -delightful to fish with, as a cast made from it falls so very lightly -on the water; and, even when the hair has become thoroughly soaked, the -droppers, unlike those tied to gut, have no tendency to twist round the -cast, but stand well out from it. - -The most satisfactory tying silk is Pearsall’s “Gossamer,” which is -standardized in shades. A shade card is illustrated and the numbers -appearing after the various silks mentioned in the text correspond with -the numbers above the various shades illustrated. - -In dressing the flies the silk is in all cases waxed with transparent -wax; and, where it is stated that such and such a silk is to be well -waxed, the result should be a shade or two darker than an ordinary waxing -would give. - -In the dressings of most of the winged flies it is laid down that either -the outer side or the inner side of the quill feather used should in -the finished article appear as the “under side” of the wing of the -artificial. The reader will easily understand which is the “under side” -of the wing of the artificial if he remembers that it is that side of the -wing which would touch the water if the fly were “spent” and floating -thereon. - -Although the primary quill feathers are almost exclusively recommended -for the wings of most of the winged patterns, the secondaries will often -do equally well. - -The correct shade of dubbing for the bodies of flies, where coloured -dubbing is specified, can often be obtained to most advantage by a -mixture of two or more shades. For instance, the dubbing for the Winter -Brown is a mixture of brown and maroon wool, while the dubbing for the -Green Insect is a mixture of green and yellow wool. - -The silks forming the heads of the various flies are of the same shade as -the respective silks used for the bodies unless otherwise stated; and it -should be borne in mind that the flies, particularly the hackle patterns, -must be dressed lightly, if one of the most distinctive features of the -North Country patterns is to be preserved. In copying from Nature let the -imitation err on the small side if anything. - -No attempt has been made to reproduce in the coloured plates either gold -or silver wire or tinsel. - -When the river is “coloured,” flies dressed a size larger than those -employed under normal conditions can be used with advantage. - -Although the seasons for the various flies are given, they are -approximate only, as districts frequently vary one from another, and the -lateness or otherwise of a season naturally has an effect on the hatch, -just as it has on the roses in gardens. Often the March Brown can be -seen in the latter part of May, and sometimes a particular fly, for no -apparent reason, will remain on the water for a longer time than usual. -The necessity of careful observation cannot therefore be too strongly -impressed, as observation will teach far more than all the books that -were ever written. - -[Illustration: _Shades of Silk._] - -The form of wing specified for the Spinners is recommended to the -attention of the reader, as being a most practical form of wing for any -winged pattern, wet or dry, where transparency is the primary object. To -the writers it seems an improvement on the hackle points now so popular -for many flies, as it is free from the objectionable and comparatively -thick midrib of the latter and it is a harder wearing dressing than the -older form. The development to which such newer form of wing lends itself -for other patterns than the Spinners mentioned in the list at pages 24, -26 and 30 may be noted, and the field which is open for experiment will -be evident to the reader. - -Under the name of each fly, in giving its dressing, the name of the order -or family to which the natural insect as represented by the artificial -belongs will be found, and opposite page 12 reproductions of typical -examples of each of the orders or families of natural insects mentioned -will be found, with the exception of the Ant and Green Insect. The latter -are so well known as to need no illustration. The beginner will therefore -have an idea of the fly he is copying and perhaps be able to identify -it at the stream side. It must not be forgotten however that certain -patterns represent more than one species of fly. - -It has been the good fortune of the writers to fish on many waters; and -while the Winter Brown has often given them the first thrill of the -season, and the Green Insect accounted for fish when September gusts -have strewn the river with leaves and green fly, they hope they have -not grown dogmatic in their views and opinions on matters piscatorial. -Nevertheless they are inclined to think that, the closer they keep in -shade and colour in their patterns to the natural flies, the greater -has been their success; for, although they can recall occasions on -which the fish would rise at almost anything, such occasions have been -few and far apart; while the times when the trout would only look at a -particular fly of a particular shade have been by far the more frequent -in their experience. Why deny fish the power to appreciate variations -of shade when they live in a world of colours, and are clothed in such -a beautiful and vari-coloured mail? If trout can appreciate tones of -colour, how different a fly must appear to them in different lights and -with different backgrounds. Such natural variations of surrounding light -and landscape may have a larger effect on “the bag” than many think. - -For easy reference two tables of flies are given. One, in which are set -down the flies in the order in which they may generally be fished through -the season, with the approximate times of their use, and the other, with -the flies tabled under the various trout fishing months. - -It remains only to add, that the taking fly should be fished as point, -_i.e._, the fly farthest from the angler. - -[Illustration: _Natural Flies of the Orders & Families named_] - - -TABLE I. - - 1. Winter Brown March to middle of April. - 2. Waterhen Bloa March to end of April and again in September. - 3. Greenwell’s Glory March to first week in May and again in - September. - 4. Spring Black March and early April. - 5. Dark Snipe March to middle of April and again in - September. - 6. Orange Partridge March to middle of May. - 7. Broughton’s Point March to middle of April. - 8. March Brown April and often May. - 9. Light Snipe Middle of April to middle of May and again - in September. - 10. Dark Needle Middle of April to end of June and again - in September. - 11. Brown Owl Latter part of April to end of June. - 12. Olive Bloa Latter part of April and throughout May. - 13. Dark Watchet Last week in April and throughout May and - sometimes early June. - 14. Yellow Partridge May to middle of June. - 15. Light Needle May, June and July. - 16. Yellow-Legged Bloa May to end of June. - 17. Dotterel Middle of May to end of Season. - 18. Poult Bloa Middle of May to middle of July. - 19. Gravel Bed Middle of May to end of June. - 20. Stone Midge Middle of May to end of June. - 21. Knotted Midge Middle of May to end of July. - 22. Black Gnat Middle of May to end of August. - 23. Ginger Spinner (Wet) June, July and August. - 24. Dark Sedge Middle of June to the end of the Season. - 25. Light Sedge Middle of June to the end of the Season. - 26. Red Spinner (Wet) July, August and September. - 27. July Dun July and August. - 28. Rough-Bodied Poult July, August and September. - 29. Pale Watery Dun Middle of July to the end of September. - 30. Light Silverhorns Middle of July to the end of August. - 31. Dark Silverhorns Middle of July to the end of August. - 32. August Dun Last week in July, August and September. - 33. Ant August to second week in September. - 34. Green Insect August and September. - 35. Ginger Spinner (Dry) June, July and August. - 36. Red Spinner (Dry) July, August and September. - - -TABLE II. - - MARCH. - - Winter Brown. - Waterhen Bloa. - Greenwell’s Glory. - Spring Black. - Dark Snipe. - Orange Partridge. - Broughton’s Point. - - APRIL. - - Winter Brown. - Waterhen Bloa. - Greenwell’s Glory. - Spring Black. - Dark Snipe. - Orange Partridge. - Broughton’s Point. - March Brown. - Light Snipe. - Dark Needle. - Brown Owl. - Olive Bloa. - Dark Watchet. - - MAY. - - Greenwell’s Glory. - Orange Partridge. - March Brown. - Light Snipe. - Dark Needle. - Brown Owl. - Olive Bloa. - Dark Watchet. - Yellow Partridge. - Light Needle. - Yellow-Legged Bloa. - Dotterel. - Poult Bloa. - Gravel Bed. - Stone Midge. - Knotted Midge. - Black Gnat. - - JUNE. - - Dark Needle. - Brown Owl. - Dark Watchet. - Yellow Partridge. - Light Needle. - Yellow-Legged Bloa. - Dotterel. - Poult Bloa. - Gravel Bed. - Stone Midge. - Knotted Midge. - Black Gnat. - Ginger Spinner (Wet and Dry). - Dark Sedge. - Light Sedge. - - JULY. - - Light Needle. - Dotterel. - Poult Bloa. - Knotted Midge. - Black Gnat. - Ginger Spinner (Wet and Dry). - Dark Sedge. - Light Sedge. - Red Spinner (Wet and Dry). - July Dun. - Rough-Bodied Poult. - Pale Watery Dun. - Light Silverhorns. - Dark Silverhorns. - August Dun. - - AUGUST. - - Dotterel. - Black Gnat. - Ginger Spinner (Wet and Dry). - Dark Sedge. - Light Sedge. - Red Spinner (Wet and Dry). - July Dun. - Rough-bodied Poult. - Pale Watery Dun. - Light Silverhorns. - Dark Silverhorns. - August Dun. - Ant. - Green Insect. - - SEPTEMBER. - - Waterhen Bloa. - Greenwell’s Glory. - Dark Snipe. - Light Snipe. - Dark Needle. - Dotterel. - Dark Sedge. - Light Sedge. - Red Spinner (Wet and Dry). - Rough-bodied Poult. - Pale Watery Dun. - August Dun. - Ant. - Green Insect. - - -DRESSINGS. - - -WET FLIES. - - -No. 1. - -WINTER BROWN. - -PERLIDÆ - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a greyish feather, barred, from the under - coverts of a Woodcock’s wing. (The lighter side of the feather - towards the head of the fly). - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with ruddy brown wool, the - three turns next the tail showing distinct orange. - - HEAD.—Bronze Peacock herl. - -March to middle of April. - - -No. 2. - -WATERHEN BLOA. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a smoky grey feather from the under coverts - of a Waterhen’s wing. (The darker side of the feather towards - the head of the fly). - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with Mole’s fur. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -March to end of April, and again in September. - - -No. 3. - -GREENWELL’S GLORY. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—From a hen Blackbird’s primary quill feather, bunched - and split. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, well waxed, ribbed with four turns of - fine gold wire or tinsel. - - LEGS.—Cochybondu Hen’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk, well waxed. - -March to first week in May, and again in September, although, by dressing -with a lighter wing, body and hackle, the fly can be used during the -intervening months. - - -No. 4. - -SPRING BLACK. - -DIPTERA (GNAT). - -Hook 0. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a black Cock’s hackle or a blue black - feather from an adult Starling’s neck. - - BODY.—Purple silk, No. 8, dubbed sparingly with Magpie herl. - - HEAD.—Purple silk. - -March and early April. - -[Illustration: 1 2 3 4] - - -No. 5. - -DARK SNIPE OR SNIPE AND PURPLE. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with the dark feather from the marginal coverts - of a Snipe’s wing. - - BODY.—Purple silk, No. 8. - - HEAD.—Purple silk. - -March to middle of April, and again in September. - - -No. 6. - -ORANGE PARTRIDGE. - -PERLIDÆ AND EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a brown mottled (not barred) feather from a - Partridge’s neck, or back. - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6a, or orange silk, No. 6a, ribbed with - about four turns of gold wire or tinsel. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -March to middle of May. - - -No. 7. - -BROUGHTON’S POINT OR DARK BLOA. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—From a Starling’s primary quill feather, the outer side - of the feather as the under side of the wing. - - BODY.—Claret silk, No. 13. - - LEGS.—A black Hen’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Claret silk. - -March to middle of April. - - -No. 8a. - -MARCH BROWN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 2 or 3. - - WINGS.—From a quill feather from a Partridge’s tail, greyish in - tone, the top side of the feather as the under side of the wing. - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with sandy fur taken from - near the base of a Hare’s ear and ribbed with yellow silk, No. - 4. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a Partridge’s tail, same feather as the - one used for the wings. - - LEGS.—Greyish brown feather from a Partridge’s back. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -April and often May. - -[Illustration: 5 6 7 8A] - - -No. 8b. - -MARCH BROWN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 2 or 3. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a mottled brown feather from a Snipe’s rump. - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with fur from the nape of a - Rabbit’s neck which has been lightly tinged red with Crawshaw’s - Red Spinner dye, and ribbed with gold wire or tinsel. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a feather from a Snipe’s rump, same - feather as is used for the wings. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -April, and often May. - - -No. 9. - -LIGHT SNIPE OR SNIPE BLOA. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a bluish feather from the under coverts of - a Snipe’s wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the - head of the fly). - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -Middle of April to middle of May, and again in September. - - -No. 10. - -DARK NEEDLE. - -PERLIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a brownish feather taken from where the - hinder part of a Starling’s wing joins the body, (There are - only about four of these feathers on each side of the bird.) or - with a brownish feather from the back of a Swift. - - BODY.—Orange brown silk, No. 6b. - - HEAD.—Magpie herl. - -Middle of April to the end of June, and again in September. - - -No. 11. - -BROWN OWL. - -TRICHOPTERA. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a reddish brown feather from the lesser - coverts of a Tawny or Brown Owl’s wing. - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6a. - - HEAD.—Bronze Peacock herl. - -Latter part of April to end of June. - -[Illustration: 8B 9 10 11] - - -No. 12. - -OLIVE BLOA. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with an olive green feather from a Green - Plover’s neck. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, well waxed. - - HEAD.—Orange brown silk, No. 6b. - -Latter part of April and throughout May. - - -No. 13a. - -DARK WATCHET OR IRON BLUE DUN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 00. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a dark smoky blue feather from a Jackdaw’s - throat. - - BODY.—Orange and purple silk, Nos. 6a and 8, twisted together, - dubbed very sparingly with Mole’s fur and wound on the body so - that the orange and purple show in alternate bands. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early June. -Particularly for dull days. - - -No. 13b. - -DARK WATCHET OR IRON BLUE DUN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 00. - - WINGS.—From the darkish blue feather from a Blue Tit’s tail, - bunched and split. - - BODY.—Same as No. 13a. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a medium grizzled blue Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Feather from a young Starling’s thigh or flank. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early June. For -brighter days. - - -No. 14. - -YELLOW PARTRIDGE. - -PERLIDÆ AND DIPTERA (CRANE-FLY). - -Hook 0 or 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a greyish feather barely tinged with brown, - from a Partridge’s back. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -May to middle of June. - -[Illustration: 12 13A 13B 14] - - -No. 15. - -LIGHT NEEDLE. - -PERLIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a feather from a young Starling’s thigh or - flank. - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6a. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -May, June and July. - - -No. 16. - -YELLOW-LEGGED BLOA. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—From a young Starling’s light primary quill feather, the - outer side of the feather as the under side of the wing. - - BODY.—Primrose yellow silk, No. 3. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a very pale ginger Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—A Cock’s hackle dyed a rich primrose yellow. - - HEAD.—Primrose yellow silk. - -May to end of June. - - -No. 17. - -DOTTEREL. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a light-tipped fawnish feather from the - marginal coverts or lesser coverts of a Dotterel’s wing. - - BODY.—Orange silk, No. 6, or primrose yellow silk, No. 3. - - HEAD.—Orange silk, or primrose yellow silk. - -If the Dotterel feather is unobtainable a feather from the under coverts -of a young Starling’s wing makes a fair substitute. - -Middle of May to end of Season. - - -No. 18. - -POULT BLOA. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a light blue feather from the under coverts - of a young Grouse wing, taken before the bird is strong on the - wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the head of the - fly.) This feather darkens very rapidly on the live bird from - August onwards. - - BODY.—Primrose yellow silk, No. 3. - - HEAD.—Primrose yellow silk. - -Middle of May to middle of July. - -[Illustration: 15 16 17 18] - - -No. 19. - -GRAVEL BED. - -DIPTERA (Crane-fly). - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a greyish feather, lightly tinged with - brown, from a Partridge’s neck. - - BODY.—Blue silk, No. 7, dubbed with blue-grey fur from the - flank of an Opossum. - - HEAD.—Blue silk. - -Middle of May to end of June. A useful fly in a coloured water. - - -No. 20. - -STONE MIDGE. - -DIPTERA (Gnat). - -Hook 0 or 00. - - WINGS.—Hackled with an olive green feather from a Green - Plover’s neck. - - BODY.—Grey silk, No. 9a, well waxed, or ash-coloured silk, No. - 10, but in both cases dubbed sparingly with bluey-grey Heron - herl. - - HEAD.—Magpie herl. - -Middle of May to end of June. - - -No. 21. - -KNOTTED MIDGE. - -DIPTERA (Gnat). - -Hook 0 or 00. - - WINGS.—Hackled down the body “palmerwise” with a small black - Cock’s hackle. - - BODY.—Ash-coloured silk, No. 10, dubbed with dark Heron herl. - - HEAD.—Magpie herl. - -Middle of May to end of July. - -For close days. - - -No. 22. - -BLACK GNAT. - -DIPTERA (Gnat). - -Hook 00. - - WINGS.—A few fibres from a light blue Hen’s hackle put on as a - single wing. - - BODY.—Black silk, No. 9. - - LEGS.—Rusty black Hen’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Black silk. - -Middle of May to end of August. - -For close days. - -[Illustration: 19 20 21 22] - - -No. 23. - -GINGER SPINNER. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1. - - WINGS.—Fibres of light grizzled blue Cock’s hackle. - - BODY.—Flat gold wire with a wrapping over it of orange silk, - No. 6, the silk to be untwisted and only one or two strands - used. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a ginger Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Ginger Cock’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Orange silk. - -June, July and August. - - -No. 24. - -DARK SEDGE. - -TRICHOPTERA. - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a reddish brown feather from the lesser - coverts of a Tawny or Brown Owl’s wing. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with brownish fawn Seal’s fur. - - HEAD.—Brownish green herl from the tail of a cock Pheasant. - -Middle of June to end of the Season. - - -No. 25a. - -LIGHT SEDGE. - -TRICHOPTERA. - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a light-barred reddish feather, from the - lesser coverts of a Landrail’s wing. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with reddish fur from the - thigh of a Squirrel. - - HEAD.—A reddish herl from the tail of a cock Pheasant. - -Middle of June to the end of the Season. - - -No. 25b. - -LIGHT SEDGE. - -TRICHOPTERA. - -Hook 1 or 2. - - WINGS.—From a light barred reddish feather, from the lesser - coverts of a Landrail’s wing (a larger feather than the one - used for No. 25a), the outer side of the feather as the outside - of the wing. Wings put on “penthouse” fashion. - - BODY.—Same as No. 25a. - - LEGS.—Reddish feather from the marginal coverts of a Landrail’s - wing. - - HEAD.—Same as No. 25a. - -Middle of June to the end of the Season. - -[Illustration: 23 24 25A 25B] - - -No. 26. - -RED SPINNER. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—Fibres of medium grizzled blue Cock’s hackle. - - BODY.—Red silk, No. 12, dubbed with maroon wool and ribbed with - four turns of fine gold wire or tinsel. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a deep red Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Deep red Cock’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Red silk. - -July, August and September. - - -No. 27. - -JULY DUN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—From a Coot’s primary quill feather, the outer side of - the feather as the under side of the wing. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed sparingly with Mole’s fur. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a medium olive Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Medium olive Hen’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -July and August. - - -No. 28. - -ROUGH-BODIED POULT. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a light blue feather from the under coverts - of a young Grouse wing, taken before the bird is strong on the - wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the head of the - fly.) This feather darkens very rapidly on the live bird from - August onwards. - - BODY.—Straw-coloured silk, No. 2, dubbed sparingly with buff - fur from the flank of an Opossum. - - HEAD.—Straw-coloured silk. - -July, August and September. - - -No. 29. - -PALE WATERY DUN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1. - - WINGS.—From a young Starling’s light primary quill feather, the - inner side of the feather as the under side of the wing. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with palest buff fur from the - flank of an Oppossum. - - TAIL.—Two strands from palest ginger Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Light blue Hen’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -Middle of July to the end of September. - -[Illustration: 26 27 28 29] - - -No. 30. - -LIGHT SILVERHORNS. - -TRICHOPTERA. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—From a Thrush’s secondary quill feather, the outer - side of the feather as the outside of the wing, or from a - Landrail’s primary quill feather, the outer side of the - feather as the outside of the wing. Wings put on “penthouse” - fashion. - - BODY.—Ash-coloured silk, No. 10, sparingly dubbed with reddish - grey fur from the thigh of a Squirrel. - - LEGS.—Feather from a young Starling’s thigh or flank. - - HEAD.—Ash-coloured silk. - - ANTENNÆ.—Two strands from a black and white feather from a - Mallard’s breast. - -Middle of July to the end of August. - - -No. 31. - -DARK SILVERHORNS. - -TRICHOPTERA. - -Hook 1. - - WINGS.—From a Waterhen’s primary quill feather, the outer - side of the feather as the outside of the wing. Wings put on - “penthouse” fashion. - - BODY.—Black silk, No. 9, dubbed very sparingly with Mole’s fur - and ribbed with olive silk, No. 11. - - LEGS.—Black Cock’s hackle or Green Plover’s topping. - - HEAD.—Black silk. - - ANTENNÆ.—Two strands from a black and white feather from a - Mallard’s breast. - -Middle of July to the end of August. - - -No. 32. - -AUGUST DUN. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 2. - - WINGS.—From a Mallard’s breast feather, lightly tinged with - brown. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with yellow olive wool and - ribbed with orange silk, No. 6, sparingly spun with fur from - the nape of a Rabbit’s neck which has been lightly tinged red - with Crawshaw’s Red Spinner dye. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a medium olive Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Medium olive Hen’s hackle. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -Last week in July, August and September. - - -No. 33. - -ANT. - -HYMENOPTERA. - -Hook 0. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a light blue Hen’s hackle. - - BODY.—Orange brown silk, No. 6b, dressed full at the tail with - bronze Peacock herl, then a few turns of the silk towards the - head, then dressed full at the shoulder with bronze Peacock - herl. - - HEAD.—Orange brown silk. - -August to second week in September. - -[Illustration: 30 31 32 33] - - -No. 34. - -GREEN INSECT. - -APHIDES. - -Hook 00 or 000. - - WINGS.—Hackled with a light blue Cock’s hackle. - - BODY.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with bright green olive wool. - - HEAD.—Yellow silk. - -August and September. Particularly on gusty days. - - -DRY FLIES. - - -No. 35. - -GINGER SPINNER. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1, eyed. - - WINGS.—Fibres of light grizzled blue Cock’s hackle dressed - “spent.” - - BODY.—Light cinnamon quill. - - TAIL.—Two strands from a ginger Cock’s hackle. - - LEGS.—Ginger Cock’s hackle, two turns at the most, as the fly - must be dressed lightly. - - HEAD.—Orange silk, No. 6. - -June, July and August. - - -No. 36. - -RED SPINNER. - -EPHEMERIDÆ. - -Hook 0 or 1, eyed. - - WINGS.—Fibres of medium grizzled blue Cock’s hackle dressed - “spent.” - - BODY.—Red quill. - - TAIL.—Two strands of Gallina, dyed red brown. - - LEGS.—Deep red Cock’s hackle, two turns at the most, as the fly - must be dressed lightly. - - HEAD.—Red silk, No. 12. - -July, August and September. - -[Illustration: 34 35 36] - -[Illustration: _A Typical Stretch_ - -_Photo by Mrs. A. R. Gurney_] - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -FLY FISHING. - - -So much has already been written on fly fishing by men of wide and varied -experience, that it is with no little diffidence the writers approach -the subject. Yet the more thoroughly the whole art of trout fishing is -explored, the more engrossing does it become, and, as experience is -gained, the more evident it appears that little is really known and that -a vast field still remains open for investigation. - -It is not intended to try in this chapter to teach the art of fly -fishing, as more can be learned by observation, perseverance and practice -on the river, than by reading all that was ever written on the subject; -but it is desired, by emphasizing a few essential points, to help the -novice through his initial difficulties. - -Some anglers who are only able to devote a few weeks during the season -to their pastime are content to go to the local tackle dealer or the -professional fisherman and to rely entirely on his advice. While it is -always well to consult the “local men”—quaint characters for the most -part and many of them cobblers by trade—it is often a mistake to rely -entirely upon them; for, if a man’s ambition be to get out of the rut and -to kill fish under difficult conditions, he must think for himself. - -The “local man” often has a strong partiality for certain patterns of -flies, no matter what the conditions. Only recently the writers came -across a most glaring example of this particular tendency, which is -perhaps worth mentioning in order to illustrate their point. Arriving -at the river one September afternoon, they noticed on the opposite bank -the local professional, who is held in very high esteem as a fisherman. -He certainly casts as neat a line as the writers have ever seen thrown. -In answer to their enquiry, “What sport?”, they received the reply, “A -few,” and were more than a little astonished to learn that he was using -flies which, in their opinion, were more suitable for the end of July. It -is always a pleasure to see this man cast, so they sat down and watched -him. Time after time he put his flies in the most beautiful manner over -rising fish, but without result, although the water was coloured and the -fish continued to rise steadily. Soon one showed within casting distance -of the bank on which the writers were seated, so a fly was immediately -put over him and was accepted at the first offer. Earlier that day there -had been a large hatch of Dark Needles, and it was an imitation of that -insect which induced the rise. Alternately the writers threw over rising -fish with more or less success; but the professional, who persevered for -another half-hour without changing his flies, at last gave up in disgust. -For the time being at least he was beaten. Not that he did not know the -river or understand the habits of the trout—both were to him as an open -book—but simply because he was deficient in his knowledge of insect life. -This man probably knew some ten or a dozen good all-round flies which he -used the season through, but without due regard to the hatch of natural -insects. - -Now put yourself in the professional’s position on that particular day, -only add to his knowledge that of insect life. On finding your flies -rejected, you would have picked from off the water, and examined, the -natural insects which were floating down; then, immediately realizing -what was amiss, you would have substituted an imitation of the taking -fly for one on your cast. Success would have followed failure, and a -light-hearted angler would have tramped homewards at sunset with a creel -the heavier for his practical knowledge. - -From the foregoing it will be gathered that the novice should make it his -first duty to study on every possible occasion the insect life of the -river he is going to fish, and not merely rely upon the tackle dealer -or professional to supply his deficiency in this, or indeed in other -matters. By this let it not be thought that the writers consider it -necessary to go deeply into the study of entomology, fascinating as that -study is; but if the greatest amount of pleasure is to be derived, and -incidentally a fair number of fish to be killed, it is essential that the -angler should arm himself with a good general knowledge of river insect -life. - -A great deal in this direction can be learned by an occasional emptying -of a trout’s stomach into a glass of water, and an examination of the -_débris_ after they have been separated by a brisk stir round. It is -most instructive, and it shows how catholic fish are in their feeding. -It shows too, not infrequently, the reasons for a poor day’s sport, and -often gives a hint which may turn failure into success on some future -occasion. - -Though a knowledge of insect life is highly important, it is equally -necessary to learn to adapt oneself to varying conditions. - -This latter point may at the first glance appear unnecessarily -elementary, so much so as to seem hardly worth making, but speaking from -personal experience, the writers think that, probably on account of its -very obviousness, it often receives far less attention than it deserves. - -How many anglers, after working the long winter through begin, as the -trout season draws near, to let their thoughts wander to some favourite -stream and live for days, aye, almost weeks, in anticipation of the -opening day? They conjure up in their minds all the details that have -gone to make up some red-letter day in the past, the whole scene comes -up as fresh as ever, and memory, ever willing, gives them a most vivid -picture of the pool in which the fish of the season put up his last -gallant struggle. They recall those exciting moments when the strength -of the cast was taxed to its utmost as the fish wildly endeavoured to -reach the roots of an overhanging tree, and the joyful feeling of power -that crept over them when at last the lusty trout, having somewhat spent -himself, allowed them to regain a foot or two of line. Then came that -last mad rush when the captive perceived the net. - -These memories are happy indeed, though often enough they lead one -astray, as, when the eve of the opening day arrives, one has probably -definitely decided to begin operations at the exact pool that was the -scene of one’s former success. Is this adapting oneself to circumstances? -It can hardly be so, and yet probably very few can say that they have -never fallen a victim to such foolishness. - -The wise man waits until the morrow, when he can see how the wind strikes -his favourite stream or reach, whether the water is too high or too low, -and whether the sport that it normally might be expected to yield is -going to be adversely affected by any other condition. If so, even though -disappointed, he will find a more suitable place at which to begin and -no doubt at the end of the day his creel will reveal the reward of his -adaptability to circumstance. - -The consideration of adaptability to circumstance naturally brings one -to a classification and subsequent subdivision of the methods of fly -fishing, which methods, judiciously and intelligently combined, make for -the true road to success. - -Fly fishing may be practised in two principal ways, with the wet fly and -with the dry fly. - -In the former, as the name implies, the flies are fished slightly -submerged; and three or sometimes four flies may be used on the cast. -They are placed some 20 inches or so apart, but varied as to distance -according to the state of the river, greater distance between them being -necessary, and fewer flies being used, in low clear water. In dry-fly -fishing, as perhaps it is unnecessary to state, only one fly is used, and -it is made to float by being whipped through the air after each cast, -so as to shake off any globules of water that may be attached to the -feathers, a process which is generally assisted by the fly being lightly -touched with oil before use. - -Before going further it is as well to say a few words regarding the rod -and tackle. The length of rod the writers find most useful is 10 ft. 6 -ins., and, if it is to be used for wet-fly fishing exclusively, they -would unhesitatingly recommend a two-piece rod made of greenheart, or of -hickory for the butt, with greenheart top, not too whippy and not too -stiff. Such a rod is softer in the action and less tiring to the wrist -than one made of split cane. That is a matter well worth consideration -when one is whipping the stream for long periods at a stretch. - -For dry-fly fishing however, and general use, and for almost unending -wear, a split-cane rod by one of the first-class makers will probably -best suit the requirements of the average man; only in selecting the rod, -of whatever pattern, great care should be devoted to getting one which, -with reel and line attached, will make a harmonious whole. If the rod -be a split cane, it should be rather more whippy than the average type -in use on Chalk streams. These points should be carefully attended to, -otherwise the beginner, after working for an hour or so, will find his -wrist growing tired, and he will then get into a slovenly way of casting, -which is easier to learn than to unlearn. - -Regarding the reel, line and cast, we should recommend, if the reader is -buying his rod from a man of practical experience, that he leaves the -first two to the maker’s discretion. He will then no doubt get both reel -and line of suitable weight for the rod. The cast should be approximately -three yards, tapered, the last yard being of finest drawn gut for -ordinary waters, but a coarser cast may be used when fishing a full or -slightly coloured water. A good cast for ordinary waters can be made -of ten strands of gut, each strand either 12 or 14 inches in length and -tapered as follows:—First two strands of Quarter drawn, then two strands -of Half drawn, then three strands of 2x, and finally three strands of 4x. - - -WET-FLY FISHING. - -It is with wet-fly fishing that it is proposed to deal first, as this -method is by far the more important on the majority of North Country -rivers, the dry fly being a useful auxiliary under conditions to be -detailed later. - -Why, it may be asked, should the fish be more partial to the wet fly than -to the dry fly on Northern streams. The reason is not far to seek; for, -owing to the roughness and rapidity of such rivers, a large percentage -of insects, as they rise from the bed of the river preparatory to -hatching out, are carried many yards downstream before they reach the -surface of the water. Others, getting into rough water, find themselves -unequal to the effort of emerging from their nymphal case, or emerge with -wetted and helpless wings, while many flies, surviving these natural -difficulties, are carried down some rapid almost immediately after they -reach the perfect state, and get water-logged before ever they have the -opportunity of using their wings. Hence the trout become used to taking -much of their insect food in a submerged or partially submerged state. -Therefore so long as those streams remain as heretofore, the wet fly is -likely to continue to hold the premier position in the filling of a North -Countryman’s creel. - -There are two methods of fishing the wet fly, upstream and downstream. -Follows an attempt to give a brief outline of how and when each method -may be used to the best advantage. - -The use of the word “downstream” in this connection is, perhaps, somewhat -misleading, for it is not intended to refer to that method of fishing -in which the angler casts his flies across and downstream, allowing the -current to sweep them round to a point below him, in the same manner as -when fishing the salmon fly. To fish an imitation of a natural insect in -such a way as to make it resist the onward flow of the water in a most -unnatural manner, is, in the writers’ judgment, unsound, and they wish it -to be understood that, by “downstream,” they do not allude to this manner -of fishing. - -The downstream method advocated might quite appropriately be termed -across-stream fishing, as the angler faces the bank towards which he -purposes fishing, casts across and slightly upstream, then allows the -flies to be carried without drag till they reach a point a few yards -below where they alighted upon the water. Wading downstream a yard or -more, he repeats the cast, until the whole stream has been worked in -this manner. The only reason for the term “downstream” being used in -connection with this class of fishing is that the angler himself works -down the river. - -The next question for consideration is, when is downstream fishing -advisable? It may truly be answered, “Not often,” for its practice might -be confined to strong and full waters, to waters tinged with colour, -to cold Spring days before and after the hatch, to evening fishing in -such places as have the river flowing towards the sunset, and, lastly, -to occasions when a heavy downstream wind or the nature of the country -leaves the angler no choice. - -The enthusiast frequently finds himself on the river bank on a Spring -morning long before the sun’s rays have warmed the air, or any sign of -insect life is visible. With experience he will find that at such times -the trout are not in the heavy rapid streams, but may be looked for in -steady flowing water. - -A favourite place, which the writers would never pass by on such an -occasion, is formed when a stream some two feet deep flows gently along -the edge of a bank, and particularly if the bank be overhung, or other -natural causes make it a harbour or refuge for the stream’s inhabitants. - -Let the novice who finds himself, cold Spring weather prevailing, at the -top of such a stream, cast in the manner described across, but slightly -upstream, towards such bank. As the flies are carried down, let him -vibrate the point of his rod slightly by an up and down motion in order -to make his flies appear as though they were struggling to reach the -surface of the water. Ten to one before the stream is fished out a sharp -pluck will be felt, but the beginner, unprepared, will in many cases -leave his fly in the fish or miss him altogether. The hooking of trout -under such conditions is difficult in the extreme, as frequently no rise -is seen; and it is only by perseverance, leading to appreciation of the -moment to strike, that he can hope to succeed. - -To teach in theory the correct method and timing of the strike under such -conditions, is beyond the writers. The knowledge seems to come to the -persevering almost as a sixth sense. At times it is positively uncanny to -watch an “artist,” in his instinctive response to the rises of fish under -the conditions described, for they are totally invisible to the average -man. - -Practice, coupled with intelligent reasoning out of the whys and -wherefores of success and failure, will do more to help the novice than -anything else. But, even with the rod in the hands of a past-master, this -method of downstream fishing will not always succeed, though the waiting -hour before the rise may often be well spent in giving these tactics a -trial. - -As soon, however, as the first insects floating on the surface have been -noticed by the fish, the time has come to change methods and to fish -upstream. - -Upstream fishing is far more difficult than downstream fishing, and the -initial efforts will prove disheartening. Rise after rise will be missed, -and the flies will be swept to the feet of the angler almost before he -has seen where they lit. It is nevertheless all important that the novice -should school himself in this branch of fly fishing beyond any other, as -upon it will depend his future success. - -The education of the angler who has only mastered downstream fishing, -or even dry-fly fishing, is incomplete; and, though the dry-fly purist -may shrug his shoulders at the remark, it is not too much to say that, -if he were transferred from the pellucid waters of the Chalk stream to -some rapid broken river of the North, and were to endeavour to fish the -wet fly, it would be some considerable time before he achieved any great -success. Whereas the man who has once thoroughly mastered the art of -fishing the wet fly _upstream_ would be able quickly to adapt himself to -the conditions and surroundings of the home of the dry fly. - -Scoffers have often termed wet-fly fishing in general the “chuck and -chance it” method, but those who thus described it can never have seen -an expert at work fishing upstream. There is no such thing as “chuck -and chance it” in the way he throws his flies. Every cast is made to a -definite point, not necessarily to a rising fish, as in dry-fly fishing, -but successively to each of the many little runs, eddies, channels, and -slack waters behind boulders, which his experience teaches are likely -to hold feeding fish. It is just the experience gained by such definite -fishing that the dry-fly purist who throws to none but feeding fish would -lack, if he overcame his prejudices and essayed to throw the wet fly on -Northern waters. - -The obvious natural law which causes fish to lie head upstream should -convince the reader that no undue stress has been laid upon the -importance of fishing upstream, and that that method should be rigidly -adhered to on all occasions, except those previously mentioned. - -That trout have exceptionally keen eyesight, no one who has ever -walked along the banks of a trout stream will deny. How then can the -least thoughtful expect to creel decent fish with the river in normal -condition, if he stands with the fish below him, or, for that matter, -stands anywhere within their very wide range of vision, a range so wide -that, if a circle be described with the head of a trout for the centre, -only about one-sixth of the circumference of such a circle, and that -immediately behind, would appear to be outside the range of vision of the -fish? - -From these well-known facts it will be obvious, even to the uninitiated, -that the best approach for the angler bent on capturing trout in clear -water is from behind. Yet, astonishing as it may seem (and for the -simple reason that it is the easier way), many men—we might almost say -the majority of men—invariably fish their flies across and downstream, -letting the flies sweep right round until they are directly below, where -they are often allowed to dangle in the water at the end of a taut line. - -To fish downstream in this manner requires no particular skill, as the -stream does most of the work; and, while the great majority of fish risen -are merely pricked and lost, those caught are below the average of size -for the river fished. If the beginner is having a bad day and everything -is going wrong, if he grows tired with his efforts to fish upstream and -is tempted to resort to this method, rather than do so, let him knock -off for a while and smoke a pipe, and then return, with renewed hope and -vigour, to his upstream fishing, determined to master it. - -Now it frequently happens that the angler wading upstream gets almost up -to, or at any rate within two or three yards of a fish, before ever his -presence is noticed. There is therefore in general little necessity to -use a long line when fishing upstream, yet it is often done. - -Frequently anglers are met who say that they cannot fish upstream, -urging, by way of excuse, that they have difficulty in seeing fish rise, -which causes late striking, the fish being missed entirely, or, at the -most, only turned over. Of course it is difficult to see a rise, or -to strike a fish, in a rapid stream if a long line is used, and in the -majority of these cases the reason for failure is to be found in the use -of too long a line. - -Therefore the novice who is bent on mastering fly-fishing upstream can -almost dismiss from his mind _the first part_ of the “far off and fine” -theory. In practice it will be found that, for fishing strong flowing -streams, a line (including the cast) but little longer than the rod is -ample; while for fishing the more gently flowing shallow water at the -edges of such streams, another yard or two of line will be necessary to -assist the angler in keeping out of sight. The angler must be ruled by -circumstances, always bearing in mind the fact that the most practical -length of line to use is the shortest on which a trout may be killed. -Once this fact has been fully appreciated and carried into practice, many -of the supposed difficulties of upstream fishing will vanish entirely, -leaving the novice free to tackle other problems. - -Arriving at a likely stretch of water, and full of excitement on noticing -a fish rise at the tail of the main stream, the beginner will often wade -straight out to a point below the fish and then cast over him. There is -always a temptation, even to the expert, to go for a rising fish, but -under such circumstances, if the angler be wise, he will take a careful -survey before wading out, and will note the character of the water within -casting distance of the edge. - -The experienced angler will do this instinctively, and will make his -first cast to the sharp run at the edge of the bank. His second will be -made slightly more across; and, after he has released another foot or two -of line, his flies at the third throw will search the slack water behind -the rock. Here the cast will be repeated two or three times in rapid -succession, the flies not being allowed to remain in the water more than -a moment, lest the current pick up the line and cause a drag. - -The fear of drag is ever present, but drag may be avoided in many cases, -if care is exercised in regulating the speed at which the rod point -is raised as the flies are swept down by the current. When the flies -have been thrown to a quieter bit of water and there is a danger of the -current picking up the line, the moment of drag can often be postponed -if the cast finishes in a wavy line on the water, as the current has to -pickup the slack before the drag takes effect on the flies. To cast thus -is a feat not difficult of achievement for many of the fraternity. - -Another throw is now made, then another, each rather more across stream, -and then, as a result of the next cast, the flies are hustled rapidly -down a race between two boulders. Here, as in all swift-flowing water, it -is necessary to make several casts before the angler can be sure that his -flies have thoroughly searched the run; and it is most important to keep -in mind that the casts of a past master at upstream fly fishing follow -quickly one after another. - -[Illustration: _Headwaters of the Aire_ - -_Photo by N. N. Lee_] - -Wading now a few yards across stream, the angler continues this system of -casting until he eventually reaches a point from which he can assail the -trout that was noticed rising at the tail of the main stream. A few more -steps then bring him to the far bank. - -To fish a stream or length of river systematically, crossing and -recrossing, each time a few yards higher up, until the whole has been -thoroughly covered, takes time; but it is far better that the angler’s -flies should be on the water, searching every spot fit to hold a fish, -than waving in the air while he moves rapidly on from stream to stream. -Particularly is this the case in Spring when the rise comes on late and -ends early, and also on a Summer’s evening when the water seems literally -alive with fish, so madly do they rise, but for all too brief a spell. -Time is of all importance on such occasions, and here it is that the -angler who fishes methodically and with intelligence scores so heavily -as compared with the rod who spends half his time in walking from stream -to stream, and the other half in fishing them in a mechanical sort of -way. So many unsuccessful fishermen only fish the larger streams of a -river (and usually downstream), entirely ignoring the fact that, while -such streams afford a harbour for a great number of fish, they are often -deserted in favour of odd corners and favourite “lies” directly the -“rise” begins. - -The thoughtful fisherman studies the water, its pools, currents and -eddies, and all those other details, the meaning of which under varying -conditions he has learned to read, and he is always alive to gather some -new hint. He brings to his aid the wisdom gained by past experiences, -successes and failures, and a knowledge of the habitat of the trout which -has been the reward of keen observation and a reasoning mind. - -He will tell you that in early Spring the trout, having hardly recovered -their energy after spawning, are not to be found in the heavy rapids, -but may be looked for at the tail ends of streams and in gently flowing -water; that, as the weeks go by, and as the sun’s rays warm the water, -insect life becomes more plentiful, and that the trout, once more lusty -and strong with the abundant supply of food, spread themselves over the -river, into rapid streams and all those places into which steady supplies -are concentrated; and further, that during the heat of Summer they will -be located in the thinnest of water, at the very edges of streams, pools -and eddies, where they lie ever ready to dart away at the least suspicion -of danger. - -Such an angler realizes the necessity of a good knowledge of insect life, -watercraft and the habitat of the trout, and becomes as intimate with -each as an artist is with his colours. And as blue and yellow combined -will make a green, so surely will the man who thoroughly acquires such -knowledge be a long way towards being numbered amongst the elect. - -A goodly dish of trout hardly come by is a great satisfaction to a man -who has to fit in his fishing days when he can, but perhaps the greatest -pleasure to the true disciple of Walton is the capture, after many -failures and disappointments and under difficult conditions, of some wily -old trout whose education, by the constant bombardment of his stronghold, -has been brought to a high degree of finish. What memories of his capture -crowd the mind when some chance word stirs the chords! Perhaps he came -from out a moorland stream when the snell wind flung back the spray from -every sounding fall, or may be he stubbornly gave up his virile life on -some sun-steeped day when first the daffodils proclaimed that laggard -Spring had come to a waking country side. Whatever the memory, it is -wholly delightful. - -The charm of fly fishing is never ending and a great part lies in the -infinite field for experiment open to him who runs. Every day some new -feature is revealed; and, even in this twentieth century, he who will -leave the beaten track, bent on exploration, will always discover new -ground for investigation. The truth of this was brought home to one of -the writers most forcibly when on a fishing expedition one July some -years ago. - -Rain on the previous day had left the river slightly coloured, and in -magnificent condition, and as the sun was some little way above, though -nearing the horizon, he, with the lightest heart and full of hope, -approached a steady flowing reach where the banks were here and there -fringed with clumps of willows. - -A fish rose well out in the stream, then another, and another; and as -the tackle had been fitted up before leaving the farm-house, even to -the putting on of a cast of flies, it was not long before those fish, -which were apparently seizing every fly that passed over them, were -covered again and again. All to no purpose, for the trout proved very -discriminating, and at last, when a fish half rose without breaking the -surface of the water, a change of fly was decided on. - -Hovering round the willows, dancing to and fro in the air, were hundreds -of insects, which on examination proved to be Light and Dark Silverhorns. -Five minutes had barely elapsed when, with a Light Silverhorns to replace -his point fly and a Dark one as first dropper, the angler was again -assailing his fish; but he could get no more satisfactory response than a -bulge or two. Then the position of these two flies was reversed, a step -which often pays, but it did not on that occasion. - -The case was becoming desperate, for the rise would soon be over. So with -some reluctance he left the rising fish and waded into the stream and put -his flies into a likely looking eddy below an overhanging willow bush -growing on the far bank. Almost immediately a fish was battling for dear -life, but without avail; and soon five more, all coming from under the -bank, quickly joined him in the creel. - -As the last of these fish was being drawn over the net, two local anglers -appeared on the scene. Neither had killed a fish, so a few precious -moments were taken up in wading out and giving each one or two of the -killing fly. - -When the rise was over the angler counted eight brace of nice sizable -fish, all but two being killed on the Silverhorns, the exceptions -having fallen to the Brown Owl, which was probably taken for the Light -Silverhorns. All came from under the willows and banks on a reach no more -than fifty yards in length, but strange to say, the local men finished up -without a fish to show between them. - -Later on, when considering the events of the evening between the sheets, -it occurred to the successful one, that the killing fly of the evening -was a killing fly only so long as it was fished close to the banks near -the willows, and in those places over which hovered the natural fly. The -locals had evidently fished the fly out in mid-stream; hence their clean -creels. - -The following day was a Day of Rest, and as this idea was after all but -surmise, nothing was said to the two local fishermen, but the results of -the next evening’s fishing were awaited with considerable interest. - -Conditions on the Monday proved to be very similar to those prevailing -on the Saturday, and the results of the day justified the surmise, -that the fish under the willows were feeding on such insects as hovered -above them, every now and then to touch the water, while those out in -mid-stream had no Silverhorns available and so confined their attention -to the spent spinners, smuts and other flies, which were brought to them -by the current. - -If the solution of the problem that presented itself on that first -evening be correct, then the killing power of a fly is often dependent -on its being fished with due regard to the haunts of the natural insect -it is supposed to imitate. What a field is here for investigation, and -yet the matter is one upon which no hard and fast rules can be made. -Prevailing conditions must be studied carefully. A cross-wind might -obviously entirely alter the local conditions, and one would not look in -such circumstances for flies in their usual haunts. On windy days the -observant angler would probably find that the menu of the fish on the -side from which the wind was blowing would include many Diptera or other -land-bred insects, while the fish on the lee shore, would most likely be -feeding principally on such insects of aquatic origin as happened to be -hatching out at the time. - -The foregoing merely serves to illustrate a few of the many -considerations involved in this absorbing sport; and in following up -these problems many side issues of equal importance will be opened up. - -If the beginner is dogged by disappointment and failure (and who can -feel the utter bitterness of disappointment more than a fisherman?), let -him be advised to take heart of grace and not to blame the lowness of -the water, the brightness of the day, thunder or any of the elements, -for his lack of sport, but to say to himself, “What have I left undone -that should have been done? Where have I failed?” For trout, like human -beings, take their daily bread; and it is up to the angler to find out -when and where and in what shape. If the beginner will therefore reason -out the causes of failure instead of making excuses for it, he will be -more likely then and on future occasions to remedy his mistakes and to -know the satisfaction of killing fish on a really difficult day. - - -DRY-FLY FISHING. - -Next to be considered are the dry fly and its use on the North Country -Rivers; but the novice is strongly urged, before ever he seeks to master -this branch of angling, to get a good grip of the wet-fly method. - -From the term “North Country Rivers” are naturally excluded such rivers -as the Costa, which is probably the nearest approach in the North to the -Chalk streams of Hampshire, the home of the dry fly. On that particular -river the dry fly would probably on most occasions take the premier -position, whereas on the rougher and more rapid streams, such as the -Wharfe, Ribble, Lune, etc., the position is reversed. - -Not many years ago one very seldom came across anyone further North than -Derbyshire fishing the dry fly, but slowly and surely has the method -become more and more popular; for it is only by the judicious combination -of the two methods of fly fishing that the best results and the greatest -pleasure can, in the judgment of the writers, be obtained. But _chacun -à son goût_, and far be it from them to legislate for any sportsmen who -wish or agree to keep their waters exclusively for any one method of -fishing. - -Dry-fly fishing, as practised in the South, differs slightly from the -method here advocated for the rougher streams above-mentioned, inasmuch -as the purist of the South will not throw a fly to any but a rising fish, -even though he wait an hour or more before locating one, while the North -Country angler not only throws to the rise, but also to such places as -are likely to hold feeding fish. - -When a specially strong hatch of duns takes place on Northern rivers and -the fish line up to suck in the insects as they hurry downstream, sails -spread to the breeze, it will pay the angler to try the floater. Again, -between streams on rapid rivers one often comes upon a long stretch of -quiet steady flowing water ideal for the dry fly. By applying themselves -to such a stretch with the methods of their friends of the South the -writers have more than once retrieved a bad day. Quiet eddies too may -frequently be fished with success by this method, and every river has -some places, and is subject to some moods, in which the dry fly scores -over the wet. - -The first experience of one of the writers in dry-fly fishing was years -ago. He had fished for grayling till noon on a bright frosty October -day with indifferent success, when, on reaching a long stream with the -current under the far bank, he noticed several fish rising at the tail. -In between himself and the fish was a wide stretch of water some twelve -or eighteen inches in depth, and the fish were out of reach, as the -angler was not wearing waders. - -Now the occasional fish he had managed to reach during the course of the -morning absolutely refused the wet fly. - -At the moment another fisherman appeared from upstream and, wading out, -immediately caught several nice fish, to the no small envy of him on the -bank. Before passing on the successful angler vouchsafed the remark “dry -fly,” and gave the writer in question the “oil tip” in theory and in -practice. - -Off came boots and stockings, and, with the shallow water safely waded, -the rising grayling were within casting distance. So long as the fly—a -Red Tag—could be kept dry, so long did the fish rise at it, but they -would not look at it when water-logged. Between whiles the angler came -to shore to stamp a bit of feeling into his legs, for the water was icy -cold; but he enjoyed himself hugely and got quite a decent bag, besides -adding greatly to the scope of his accomplishment in the gentle art. - -The writers have seen the dry fly score heavily during the rise of Iron -Blue Duns, and they remember one occasion when that most dainty and -beautiful Ephemera was sailing down in numbers, and when a feathered -imitation accounted for six brace of fish from a weed-grown reach of -steady flowing water. - -A word here must be said with regard to the timing of the strike when -using the dry fly, for the man who is used to wet-fly fishing will -probably strike too quickly and at the most only prick his fish. In the -former method, before attempting to drive home the steel, the fish should -be allowed to turn with the fly in his mouth. In wet-fly fishing the fish -has often turned before the rise becomes apparent. - -Many occasions could be mentioned on which the dry fly has given the -writers most pretty fishing. Once on a Cleveland stream, slow flowing and -edged with most luxuriant vegetation, the wet fly, cast over rise after -rise, was totally ignored, but a change to a floating Female Black Gnat -at once worked wonders. Had it not been for the innumerable derelict -branches and water weeds in which the cast was time after time tied up, -the creel would have been heavy. But the enjoyment was intense that -glorious June evening. - -Quite sharp streams too will often fish well with the dry fly in the long -evenings, and on one occasion it was again the Female Black Gnat which -accounted for some difficult Wharfe trout that refused all wet flies, -however presented. It is indeed during the evening rise that the dry fly -will be found most generally useful on Northern streams. - -That fickle evening rise that so many anglers impatiently wait for all -day, only to return home beaten and disappointed at dark! Not that the -fish do not rise, for at times the water literally boils with them, but -their discrimination is truly wonderful. How many an angler on occasions -during all that mad rise has never killed a fish, or not until the sun -had dropped well behind the horizon and dusk was upon him. Then perhaps -he has creeled four or five before the rise ceased, but has returned home -dissatisfied, realizing that he had been thoroughly beaten, and that it -was the failing light, and not his skill, knowledge or ingenuity, that -saved him from a blank. - -An autopsy will often reveal on such occasions spinners, gnats and sedge -flies; and yet the most lightly and carefully made imitations, however -deftly thrown, utterly fail as wet flies to attract the fish. - -At times like these a Black Gnat, Ginger and Red Spinners No. 35 and No. -36, fished dry, and later, as the sun drops behind the horizon, a Silver -Sedge may be recommended. - -The angler should begin at the tail end of the stream and work gradually -up, placing his fly over every rise and in all such places as are likely -to hold feeding fish. - -On occasions when all else fails, a trial may be given to a fancy fly, -such as the Pink Wickham or Coachman. With such patterns during that most -tantalising of rises the writers have sometimes retrieved their fortunes. -Then, as dusk comes on and the dry fly becomes difficult to see, let the -angler quickly change to a cast of wet flies, the flies dressed a size -larger than those usually used during the day, and before the rise is -over his creel may be the heavier for the change. - -The dry fly has done yeoman service on some of those impossible days when -fish streak away like lightning directly the cast falls on the water. -By much stalking and careful fishing of out-of-the-way places and odd -corners, the writers have sometimes finished with a brace or two which -have given great satisfaction. - -It is very comical to see the evident surprise of a fish which is taken -in by a dry fly when he is quietly feeding in the shallows. Before he -moves off for the stream he often seems to completely lose his head, -bouncing about half in and half out of the water, and creating no end -of a splash. On one occasion within the writers’ experience under such -circumstances a trout landed himself high and dry on the shingle where -he broke the hold, and, continuing his antics, regained the water. Long -ere this he must have made room for his descendants, as agile, let it be -hoped, as himself. - -How inordinately fond trout must be of the “fisherman’s curse”—a term -which covers, no doubt, several varieties of fly—for it will be found to -have occurred in the trout’s menu with unfailing regularity throughout -the summer and autumn. It almost always is the fly which the trout pick -off the surface of the water when they rise in the quiet flats the -livelong day, days which, most anglers will agree, are usually the most -difficult. Sometimes something may be done with Ginger or Red Spinners, -wet or dry, under such conditions, when imitations of the “curses,” -probably on account of their size, fail to attract. - -The Ginger and Red Spinners described have only by degrees worked their -way into the inner circle of the writers’ flies. Experience has proved -their usefulness, for they will often be taken when all else fails. These -dry patterns have killed fish under particularly difficult and hopeless -conditions; and their use is recommended with the greatest confidence. - -Such then is a brief outline of the occasions on which the dry fly has -been found to be of most use to the North Countryman; but no hard and -fast rules can be made, for the angler’s discernment must play the -greater part in regulating his actions, and the foregoing hints are -merely given as some small guide to the beginner. But let all who try the -dry fly beware of drag; it will ruin the chances of the most artistic -cast. - -Anyone with designs on dry-fly fishing on Northern streams may well -confine himself to a few of Mr. Halford’s patterns, say the Olive Dun, -Dark Olive Dun, Iron Blue Dun, and Black Gnat, with the addition of the -Ginger and Red Spinners, Nos. 35 and 36, the Red Quill, and the Silver -Sedge, and a fancy pattern or two, such as the Coachman and Pink Wickham, -for use on occasions described above. - -A great debt of gratitude is due to those who introduced the dry fly and -developed its use so whole-heartedly, for there is a charm about dry-fly -fishing which is distinctive, and a fascination that almost defies -description in watching a neatly cocked artificial fly approach the -rings made by a rising trout. A moment of suspense, intense excitement, -followed by joy supreme when a timely strike is rewarded by a tightened -line. So, apart from its being an asset in the filling of the creel, -the dry fly increases the pleasures of the gentle craft to a very great -extent, a craft as unique in its scope and variety as it is intriguing in -its difficulties. The whole setting of the craft enhances its enchantment -and give it a hold upon its followers, powerful as that of friendship, -converting them into ardent devotees for life. Whether one follows its -calling in the flower-starred water meadows of the South, or explores -the rivers of the “stone-ribbed North,” the peace and beauty of the -surroundings, far from the noisy crowd, add a charm which every good -fisherman knows how to be thankful for. - -[Illustration: _Broken Water_ - -_Photo by Mr F. Creedy_] - -How pleasant is the time of the after-luncheon pipe, with the dipper -curtseying from the stones in mid-stream. May be the desolate call of -the curlew floats down from the fells, and the grey dale village, with -its quaint architecture, speaks of times long past, of times when the -Borderers filed down the valley, perhaps to fall upon a party of Monks -from the rich Abbey of Fountains. Imagination suggests to the ear the -savage shout of exultation of the assailants and the screams of the -stricken, when a widening circle in the stream brings one back to present -day realities in a second. - -Such is a part of the angler’s day, which, lingering in the mind, -inspires him through the long wintry months to look forward to the time -when God’s earth shall be fresh and green again, and the wild thyme be -fragrant on the banks of many a North Country stream. - -Great men and small alike are held by the wonderful fascination of the -sport, which gives such joy, affords such relaxation to the mind, and -is so free from all taint of brutality. And though the actual angling -requires the utmost concentration of mind and thought, yet after all, it -has truly been described as “The Contemplative Man’s Recreation.” - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -CREEPER AND STONE FLY FISHING. - - -There are not many streams in the North that have a distinct rise of -May Fly or Green Drake, and for that reason the writers have not given -any dressings of that fly, nor do they propose to devote space to a -consideration of May Fly fishing. To make up for the loss of that -beautiful Ephemera there is on most of these rivers the sober-hued Stone -Fly, whose season almost coincides with that of the May Fly. - -The flies are very different. The one, elegant and dainty, is to be seen -one moment floating with wings upright upon the surface, then drifting in -the breeze, while the other, dark coloured and of unprepossessing aspect, -merges from the Creeper stage only to scuttle under the stones and remain -quietly in darkness till nightfall, making off once more for obscurity if -by chance its whereabouts is revealed. - -The Stone Fly has four wings, which in repose are folded flat over the -back. It passes the greater part of its existence in the Creeper state, -in which it can be found during the latter part of April and throughout -May under the stones in shallow water near the edges of streams. The -Creeper varies in colour from an olive green to a dull dark brown, strong -yellow showing at the junction of the segments of the body. It is of -somewhat repulsive appearance, and measures from half an inch to nearly -an inch in length. It has six legs, two caudal setæ, and two antennæ. - -It is often difficult to collect a supply of Creepers; not that they are -particularly active, but the disturbance of the water caused by lifting -the stones is apt to hide them while they wriggle under other stones. It -is stated that if the angler, wishing to secure a supply, stands with -his back to the current of the river and holds his landing net upright -before him with the top of the net resting on the river bed, and then -shuffles his brogues amongst the stones, the Creepers displaced by his -activity will be washed into the waiting net and a plentiful supply be -thus secured. The writers have never been particularly successful in this -device, but that is no reason why others should not try it. The Creepers -obtained are best kept in a tin box, together with a little damp moss. - -There is no doubt that the Creeper forms an important item in the trout’s -menu in Spring, as an autopsy of the day’s catch at that time of the year -will reveal; and many is the Creeper that has been grabbed by a watchful -fish as it ventured from out its hiding place, or that has been torn -from beneath the stones by a questing trout. Creepers are very plentiful -in those North Country rivers which have the typical stony bed, but the -season of the Creeper being April and May, the writers do not often fish -it, nor is Creeper fishing generally much followed, as during that time -of the year fly fishing is at its very best. Still, if on occasion the -reader has found his most carefully dressed flies fail to rise a fish—as -they will sometimes even in Spring—he might do worse than collect a few -Creepers, as this method of fishing forms a pleasant variant of the -fisherman’s craft and throws a further light upon the habits and life and -whereabouts of the trout. - -The line should be well greased, and the cast (as in fly fishing), three -yards tapered down to finest drawn gut with a form of Pennell tackle at -the end, having the lower hook a size larger than the upper one (this -latter being size No. 3 in the scale before mentioned on page 8). The -bend of one hook should be five-eighths of an inch from the bend of the -other, the hooks to be whipped on with olive green silk for preference. -The fly rod and line complete the outfit. - -The end hook of the tackle should be put through the Creeper almost at -the extremity of its tail, where it is toughest, and the other hook in -the unhappy beast’s shoulder, not the head, as the head is liable to tear -off. - -The fishing should be done upstream and the Creeper cast gently, with an -avoidance of jerk. The fly fisherman will soon instinctively feel the -amount of power he can put into his casts. The rod point must be raised -slowly as the bait trundles down, so that there is no drag. When the line -stops or draws away, the angler tightens at once; otherwise the fish may -eject the bait. - -The most productive places in Creeper fishing are usually the edges of -the streams, but rougher water and the necks of streams will often yield -fish; and all places where trout are known or expected to be should be -tried, particularly about boulders and where a current in the river is -contracted into a narrow run. - -About the last week in May the Creepers will be found to be quitting the -water and fastening themselves to the rocks and stones on the river’s -brim, to the buttresses of bridges, and to those rocks which stand -out above the water. Here it is possible at times to watch the Stone -Fly emerge through the slit in the back of the Creeper, leaving the -perfectly-shaped skin rigid behind it, although in general Stone Flies -hatch during the night. - -Once the Fly is hatching in numbers, the carnival begins, although very -few are to be seen unless they are searched for. An odd fly may be -seen occasionally being carried down the stream or paddling across a -shallow, but for the most part the Stone Flies lie very close in their -hiding places beneath the stones near the water. Consequently the ideal -conditions for Stone Fly fishing are when a fresh of a few inches comes -suddenly down the river and washes them out of their hiding places. - -The large females with the long wings are usually preferred by both -fishermen and trout; the fishermen find them easy to see on the water, -and the trout no doubt find them a satisfying mouthful. The males vary in -size, although they are smaller than the females and have shorter wings; -the smallest males are difficult to see when cast on the water and soon -become water-logged; the larger males are almost as good as the females. -The males are called “Jacks.” If males are used, the hooks of the tackle -should be nearer together than the hooks in the tackle usually used in -Stone Fly fishing. - -It is not as a rule difficult to collect a supply of Stone Flies, but the -males greatly outnumber the females. As they are picked up they can be -placed in one of the Stone Fly boxes sold for the purpose, a transparent -one for preference. The tackle and rod line and cast for Stone Fly -fishing are exactly the same as those described for Creeper fishing, and -the fly should be put on the hooks in the same manner as the Creeper. - -The fishing should again be upstream and the Stone Fly be cast as in -Creeper fishing; but, whereas the Creeper is fished under the water, -the Stone Fly is fished on the surface, as it loses much of its -attractiveness when water-logged. It will stand a fair amount of knocking -about, but jerks should be avoided, as tending to throw the fly off the -hooks. - -The Stone Fly accounts for some large fish, and sometimes those old -warriors that have passed the regular fly-taking stage, and have become -wily and big, succumb to its charms. Therefore it is well to remember -that all places which harbour a trout will often yield one under proper -conditions; and, although the streams fish about as well with Stone Fly -as with anything else, it should not be forgotten that trout, when on -the feed, very often leave the streams for shallow water, and for any -vantage point where the current concentrates all the flotsam and jetsam -from yards above into one narrow channel, and that they love to haunt the -neighbourhood of rocks and boulders. - -The Stone Fly will kill many fish which are not strictly on the feed, -but which cannot resist the temptation to make the most of the Stone Fly -season when a great juicy female fly floats overhead. If the reader bears -this fact in mind he will seize the opportunity in the early summer to -get the big one which has so often waved a vanishing tail at his flies. - -The size of the fly is against its being sucked in as easily as the -usual artificial, and it is of advantage to give a moment’s grace before -striking when a fish rises. Never to be forgotten is the disappointment -of a too hasty strike one lovely early June morning. The angler was -out before the sun topped the fell, and a few brace were already in the -creel, when he reached a perfect eddy at the side of the main stream. The -Stone Fly was cast _secundum artem_ (would that the further proceedings -had been on the same plane!). It had hardly alighted when a big fish came -up like a porpoise. Alas! quick as light the eager one tightened without -allowing the moment’s grace, down went the fish and played strongly, -facing the current and giving heartrending jars to the line. Confidence -was beginning to take the place of fear of a light hold, when up the -beauty came, headed into the stream and came down with all the force of -its waters thrown into the scale. He was just opposite the angler when -the rod flew up, and that sorrowful angler saw no more of what would -undoubtedly have been his big fish of the season. - -The charm of Stone Fly fishing is truly enhanced by the season of its -use. What could be finer than the river side in the latter days of May -and early June; and a turn before breakfast at that time of the year is a -delight to be remembered the winter through. Besides, a good creel when -fish are not so terribly difficult to kill is like all success honestly -come by, a delight to the heart and a pleasure to one’s friends. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -UPSTREAM WORM FISHING. - - -No book devoted to the subject of the fishing of North Country rivers -would be complete without a chapter on worm fishing. - -This branch of the sport, has during recent years become more and more -popular in the Northern Counties, as worm fishing, under the conditions -mentioned later, undoubtedly deserves to be classed as an art alongside -of the highest forms of fly fishing. Indeed, in its difficulties it -exceeds fly fishing, both wet and dry. - -There remains, however, still a certain amount of prejudice against worm -fishing among fly fishermen, who continue to look upon it as unsporting -and therefore beneath the notice of a self-respecting fisherman. But the -prejudice of these men is probably largely due to their misconception of -the term. For while trout can mostly be caught by any in a fresh with -very elementary tackle, it takes an observant and persevering man to -make a basket under conditions suitable for sporting upstream worming. - -The use of the worm during the first few months of the season cannot be -defended, whether the river be low and clear, or running strong with the -Spring freshets; for seldom a day passes at that time of the year without -a rise at some part of it during which trout will take a fly, and, while -that is the case, what true disciple of Walton would use any other lure? - -The season therefore when the worm can fairly be used is restricted to -the time of low clear waters during the hottest part of the summer, when -the trout have ceased to rise freely to the fly in the day-time, a period -of some eight or ten weeks, beginning about the 10th of June. The Stone -Fly is usually over by that date. Any antipathy to worm fishing under -those conditions in our North Country Rivers is difficult to understand, -for it provides a most sporting variety of fishing during the blazing -days of summer when the fly is hopeless. And unless a man is prepared -to work hard in the blistering sun, unless he has a good knowledge of -the habits of trout, and is able to show a fair amount of skill, both in -approaching his fish and in throwing the worm, his basket will be a light -one. - -Many are the days during the latter part of June and the month of July -when the man who fishes fly only will return home with but an odd fish -or so to show for his day’s outing. That may satisfy the gentleman of -leisure, but to those who can devote to their favourite pastime only such -days—often few and far between—as can be snatched from business, the -killing of a few brace will appeal strongly. - -To them in particular this chapter is addressed in the hope that some of -those who, through prejudice, use fly only will reserve judgment, and, -having read so far, may be sufficiently interested to read to the end of -the chapter, and maybe to put into practice those hints which are here -offered on one of the most delightful branches of trout fishing. - -A day with the upstream worm always gives to the writers the utmost -pleasure and satisfaction. Each cast is as full of interest as a cast -made with the wet fly; and from the moment the worm touches the water to -the moment it is withdrawn, the excitement rivals that conjured up by the -approach of a dry fly to the spot whence recently emanated the rings made -by a rising trout. - -Then again, the skill necessary to throw a worm without flicking it off -the hooks, and to drop it exactly where required with the least possible -disturbance, is of no mean order. - -That is not all, however; conditions vary, and all rivers from day to -day present new problems. Unless therefore the angler is able to adapt -himself to varying conditions, the most precise and delicate casting is -of little avail. - -To divine instinctively where the trout lie is the great secret of -success; and it is the application of that knowledge that marks the -expert in this branch of angling. To put the matter in a nutshell, an -adept in upstream worm fishing combines delicate and accurate casting, -unsurpassed even by the dry-fly man, with an intimate knowledge of the -habits of trout. This can only be gained by keen and careful observation. - -Neither wet-fly nor dry-fly fishing requires quite such a wide experience -with regard to the habits of trout, and for that reason upstream worm -fishing is to be classed as an art in itself. The knowledge gained of the -habitat of the trout by clear water worming is a valuable asset to the -wet-fly fisher and may often be turned to good account on one of those -days when the hatch of fly is meagre and rising fish are few. - -Is not this latter reason alone sufficient recommendation to induce every -fly fisher to take up this branch of the art? If the reader thinks so, -perhaps the few following hints on tackle and procedure may serve as -some guide, particularly if he be a novice and about to make his initial -effort. - -The rod is, of course, of primary importance. Many writers recommend one -of 12 ft. in length; and Stewart, who has always held the reputation -of being one of the finest exponents of upstream worming of his day, -recommends the use of a rod even longer than that. No doubt a long rod -has the advantage of enabling the wielder to keep out of sight readily, -but the writers seldom use any other than a 10½ ft. fly rod, simply -because they frequently find it advisable to change from worm to fly and -_vice versâ_. - -The reel and line should be the same as that used for fly fishing, and -also the cast (as in fly fishing), a tapered one of three yards, the last -yard being of finest drawn gut. Then comes the worm tackle. With regard -to this there is a choice of three different varieties, each having its -own advantages, and it is for the reader to use that with which he best -succeeds. - -First there is the single-hook tackle, in which the worm is threaded over -the shank of the hook, and is kept from slipping down by a crank at the -top. The advantages of this tackle are that most of the hook is hidden, -being buried in the worm, and, the hook being fairly large, a good hold -is got upon a fish when hooked. - -Second comes the two-hook or Pennell tackle. In this case two small hooks -are used, one being whipped on to the gut an inch above the other. The -upper hook is put through the worm a quarter to half an inch below the -head, the worm is then twisted once round the tackle between the hooks, -and the lower hook is put through the lower end of the body. This is a -very good form of tackle, and is the one preferred by the writers, as the -worm lives longer on it than when threaded on a single hook, is livelier -and has a more natural appearance in the water. The hooks should be size -No. 3 in the scale before mentioned on page 8. - -Third comes the Stewart tackle, which is the same in form as the Pennell, -except that it has three hooks one above the other, instead of two. This -is a tackle the writers have very seldom used, and they are therefore, -perhaps, hardly competent to speak of its merits. Their experience, -however, leads them to think that the three hooks cannot be sufficiently -well concealed by the small worms which it is imperative to use in low -clear waters, and that therefore the trout have a better opportunity of -detecting the deception. - -The next point in the outfit is waders, and these are absolutely -essential if the best is to be got out of upstream worming. The fish must -be approached from almost directly behind, which is impossible in most -cases if the fishing is done from the bank. - -Lastly, the angler should always carry a few small leads or sinkers which -can be easily put on and easily removed. Split shot in various sizes, -hammered flat, will do quite well. They will not often be required, but -it is always as well to have them handy for the odd places where their -use is necessary, which are described later. - -And now a word as to worms. “Maiden dews,” so often advertised, are not -the best for the purpose, but those known as “Pinktails” are the real -thing; they should be small, say 2 inches in length, and of a pale pink -colour. They should, of course, be well scoured, and they can be carried -in moss in a bag hung round the neck. - -With regard to throwing the worm, the two aims never to be lost sight of -are accuracy and delicacy, and this combination can only be attained by -constant practice. The man who can cast a fly will soon get the knack of -putting the worm where he wishes, if he remembers that, when throwing the -worm, the action is slower and more of a swing than in casting a fly, -and that the rod point should be brought rather nearer the water at the -finish of the cast. In addition to this, the arm should be pushed forward -just as the worm is about a foot from the mark, in order to obviate any -recoil and ensure that there shall be little disturbance of the surface -as the worm drops into the water. - -The greatest trouble of the novice is the frequency with which he flicks -the worm off the hooks, particularly if the day’s supply has not been -well scoured. To master this trouble all jerks must be avoided, both when -withdrawing the worm from the water and also when the cast is extended -behind. As before stated, the movement should be more of a swing than in -fly casting, with just sufficient power to extend the line behind and the -same in front; there will then be few lost or broken worms. - -The next and, without doubt, the most essential point for consideration -is where to fish. - -Imagine a bright day towards the end of June on the banks of a typical -North Country river. The gate just passed through brings one to the tail -end of a rapid stream some fifty yards in length, broken here and there -by boulders, some submerged and others just showing their dark mossy -heads above the surface of the water. At the head of the stream there is -a line of submerged stepping stones which no doubt many years ago, before -the bed of the river changed, served a useful purpose. - -This stretch of river from bank to bank is nowhere more than two feet -deep, except in the middle a few yards below the stepping stones, where -the current is strongest and where it has dug out a deeper channel. The -beginner looking at this stream immediately notices the darker tone of -water denoting the deeper channel and concludes that, of all places in -the reach, that is the most likely to hold a good fish. Let him not be -misled; the deeper channel holds many good fish, but of all parts of the -stream, that channel is the least likely place from which to basket one. - -[Illustration: _The Head of the Dale_ - -_Photo by N. N. Lee_] - -Often have the writers seen men enter this stream, and wade straight out -to the deeper water, unwittingly driving scores of trout in consternation -before them. They fish the deeper rush of water, are rather surprised -that it does not yield a fish, and then move up the river to the next -stream, splashing right through the best water as they go. These men, -more often than not, return home with a creel lighter than it was before -they ate their mid-day meal; and, besides doing nothing themselves, they -make it absolutely impossible for another following on, to fish the -stream with any chance of success within half-an-hour of their having -disturbed it. - -The way in which a friend, an adept at clear-water worming, would -approach and fish this stream is very different. Here is a description of -his method. - -He enters the reach at the very tail end, where, at the edge, the water -ripples along some two or three inches deep. The manner of his beginning -may be compared to an otter’s in the quietness with which he enters the -river; there is no splash or disturbance, and, more probably than not, he -will stoop to avoid being seen. - -He will make the first cast straight upstream, the worm entering the -water twenty-five or thirty feet in front of him, but only some six to -twelve inches from the bank. - -Many beginners have laughed at the idea of a fish being caught in such a -place, but let the unbelievers walk on a bright summer’s day along the -bank of a trout stream, and what do they see? Innumerable fish darting -away from the edges of the river, scared at their approach. It is for -these very fish that our expert intends to try, when he makes his cast at -the extreme edge of the river. - -Directly the worm reaches the water, it begins to travel naturally and -without drag towards the angler, who slowly raises the point of his -rod, keeping in touch with the worm so that a twist of the wrist will -immediately drive the hook home if a fish takes hold. He is careful -to avoid drag, which is fatal, and is usually caused by the too rapid -raising of the rod point. Without moving his position he makes another -cast, only this time slightly more across the stream, then another and -another, each being further from the bank. - -He now wades gently a yard further upstream. In front of him, and just -within casting distance, he notices an obstacle which causes a tiny eddy. -The object is little more than a good-sized tuft of grass jutting out -from the bank, but even that so alters the flow of the water, as to form -a likely feeding place for a fish. The cast is carefully made and the -worm falls into the water as though it had crawled to the edge of the -grass and dropped in. - -Almost as soon as the worm has touched the water the current carries it -gently, and quite naturally, into the eddy. The line stops, our friend -withholds his hand, and it is not until the line moves slightly towards -the main stream that he gives a turn of the wrist, driving the hook home -into a nice half-pound fish. For a moment it splashes dangerously in the -shallow water before making off for the deeper stream. The hook, however, -is well home and the captive is quickly brought down and drawn over the -submerged net. - -“Well!” says an uninitiated onlooker, “who would have thought that a fish -would have been so near the edge, and in such shallow water too?” The -more you fish the upstream worm, the greater will be your astonishment at -the number and the size of trout caught in such places. - -Having basketed his fish, the angler rebaits his tackle, and then gently -moves a yard further upstream, repeating his systematic casting. In this -manner he stalks his quarry up the one side to the head of the stream. -Yes, “stalk” is the word which most adequately describes this man’s -methods, as he takes the greatest pains to avoid being seen. It is work, -and hard work too, on a blazing hot day; but it pays, and it is only -necessary to see the expert’s basket at the end of it to be convinced. -There is always a good dish of fish, and, as often as not, a very large -fish to top off with. - -The stepping stones having been reached, our friend leaves the water. -Keeping well away from the edge he returns to the tail of the stream -and wades some eight yards across. His first cast is made upstream and -slightly towards the bank he has just left, the next one more directly in -front, the next inclined towards the opposite side, and so on until he is -casting more and more towards the far bank. Yard by yard the stream is -covered in this manner, as the angler works upwards until two or three -boulders are within casting distance, one showing distinctly above the -surface of the water, while the others are detected only by the broken -surface of the stream. - -This is another very likely place, but our friend prefers the edges of -the stream and thinner water to such places, although the latter are -often good for two or three fish. The first cast is made towards the -near bank, but without result. The second also fails to entice a fish, -although the worm was dropped just by the side of one of the submerged -boulders. At the third cast, however, which was made to the other side of -the same boulder, a fish fastens and is brought to net. The golden gleam -of another trout is seen as he is turned over, but missed, behind one of -the other rocks. Then at the succeeding cast the worm enters the water -about a foot beyond the rock which lifts above the surface of the stream. -The sharp water running round the side of a boulder forms a favourite -feeding place for a fish; a trout occupying such a position usually lies -with his head slightly in advance of the rock. The worm has just time to -sink before it is picked up by the stream and carried rapidly down the -run. A fish turns and darts after it. He seizes his prey as it sweeps -almost past the rock, the steel is gently driven home, and another fish -duly joins his brethren in the creel. - -The whole of the stream is worked in the foregoing manner, the far edge -of the river being treated in the same way as the side on which a -beginning was made, and great care is taken that a tell-tale wave does -not precede the angler. - -At the far side, immediately below the stepping-stones, and lying -slightly across stream, is the submerged trunk of an old tree which -lodged there years ago, no doubt washed down and left by some winter -flood. The position of this tree trunk, resisting the force of the -current, causes a sharp stream to flow parallel to it. In this run a good -fish will always be found, lying ready to seize whatever of his fancy -the stream may carry to him. A cast is made, the worm gently dropping -into the water some two or three inches from the side of the log. The rod -point is slowly raised, our expert being most particular not to do this -too quickly, and cause a drag on the worm. This necessity for avoidance -of drag is a point to be reiterated and insisted on as strongly in this -branch of the art as in fly fishing, as one is often inclined to think -a stream is running quicker than is actually the case, and an unnatural -drag will cause many a good fish to turn away, that would otherwise have -taken the lure. The worm has hardly travelled more than half its course, -when the line stops. As it moves away a gentle strike is rewarded by -a tightened line, and another lusty trout is battling for dear life. -Upstream he goes for a few yards, then flings himself into the air, but -a lowered rod point defeats the manœuvre, and control of the captive -is regained as he re-enters the water. The split cane soon tells on his -strength, and quietly he is coaxed down stream to the net, but instead of -floating in he merges indistinct into the shadowy water, and an upflying -rod tells of a light hold and the loss of a stout-hearted fish. - -Leaving this stream, and incidentally the friend whose methods have been -studied, let the reader give his company up the river to the next stream; -and, to realize how failure may be caused by wrong approach, let him -listen to an incident which happened to one of the writers in his early -days of upstream worming. But first the stream must be described. - -A long deep pool (or dub, as it is called on the Eden) breaks away in a -short characterless rapid, narrowing towards the tail and then rushing -under willow trees which hang right out over the river from the right -bank. The strong stream has dug out a deep channel under these willows, -while the left or near bank is a bed of fine gravel gradually sloping -into the deeper water at the far side. This deep channel holds many good -fish, but they are quite unassailable so long as they remain well under -the willows. - -Now for the incident. The day was blazing hot, the month July, and the -river low and clear when the writer in question first essayed to fish it -with the worm. Entering the water at the tail of the stream, he waded -out as near as possible to the willows, which, as described, were on his -left. Casting straight up in front of him he cherished the idea that the -stream would carry the worm under the willows to the place where, it was -hoped, the best fish would lie feeding. So far, so good. In this manner -he worked to the top of the stream without a touch, when a final throw -was made, pitching the worm into the water just where it rushed hardest -under the willows. - -Almost before the worm touched the water, the dark form of a large fish, -some three or four pounds in weight, shot from the shallows on his right, -to his holt in the deeps under the willows. This fish had been lying in -the very thin water at the tail end of the rapids, no doubt seizing every -morsel that came within reach, but ever ready to dart into his stronghold -on the least sign of danger. - -On the two following days the same thing happened, when it occurred to -that youthful angler that his approach had been all wrong, and that if -he had worked the thin water first, leaving the deeper channel until the -last, success might have attended his efforts. But reflection had come -too late; he had to leave, and he never saw the fish again. - -There is another moral to the incident; although a deep inaccessible pool -may be the stronghold of the largest trout, they will, during the hot -summer months, frequently come to the thin edges of the stream to feed. - -Another personal experience will perhaps serve to illustrate other -possibilities. Towards the end of June, after seven weeks’ drought, the -writers went to the upper reaches of a North Country river, where, thanks -to the generosity of the proprietor, they were permitted to have a few -days’ fishing. Owing to the long spell of dry weather the river, which -at the best of times is there little better than a good sized beck, had -shrunk to a mere trickle with deep pools here and there. The whole bed of -the river was thickly coated with a green slimy growth. - -Local opinion had it that fishing was waste of time until a good flood -came to clean the bed of the river. Enthusiasm prevailed, however, as it -was the first opportunity one of the party had of fishing this stretch, -and the chance was not one to be missed, even though the prospects held -out no great hope of success. - -Up to about noon on the first day he who was strange to the water had -never a fish to show for his efforts, although the trout were there and -plentiful. - -What with the oppressive heat and persistent failure, much of the -keenness of early morning had worn off, and it was with a feeling akin to -relief that the angler unslung his creel and threw himself on to the bank -where he might enjoy a cigarette under the cool shade of the trees. - -As the wreaths of smoke curled upwards, the unsuccessful one, with his -back propped against the trunk of a tree, began to survey the stretch -of river above him. Both banks were bordered by trees and clumps of -willows for a distance of some two hundred yards. The water was nowhere -more than two feet deep and so slight was the current that it was almost -imperceptible. Not a ripple broke the surface of the stretch from end -to end. It was like the proverbial “sheet of glass,” and, had it but -been able to reflect the expression on the angler’s face, nothing but -disappointment would have been revealed. - -At length he jumped up with the intention of exploring the higher regions -of the river and as he did so several fish, scared at his proximity, -darted from the edge. Those trout decided the course of action, and, -although the reach was to all appearances hopeless, the angler determined -to try for some of the fish that were lying at the very edges, apparently -basking in the sun. - -Wading a stretch of water such as this, was most difficult, necessitating -the utmost caution and slow approach, if the tell-tale wave were to be -avoided. For obvious reasons it was essential that the angler should -keep as close in to the willows on his side of the river as possible, -and cast as long a line as he could control. Every time the worm was -allowed to sink to the bottom, it was fouled with the vegetable growth on -the stones. This happened almost every cast, and just as the angler was -beginning to think that nobody but a fool would ever try to fish such a -place, he came within casting distance of a narrow opening between the -willows. Throwing carefully round the trees, the worm was landed within -a few inches of the bank. There was a wave such as a trout makes when -darting from the edge, and for the fraction of a second he thought that -the slight disturbance caused by the worm dropping into the water had -scared the fish. But no! the line quivered, then moved slightly, and, -in response to a well-timed strike, the rod bent to the fight of a good -half-pounder, which gave that thrill of satisfaction which is only felt -when a difficult situation has been overcome. - -That stretch of water yielded, within an hour or so, eight fish, which -later proved to be above the average size for that part of the river. - -The experience has been of the greatest value. Many times since then, -when fish would not take well in the stream, has a blank been saved by -attacking a stretch of water of this nature in this way. One thing leads -to another, and perhaps a further use to which the knowledge gained on -that occasion has been put is worth recording. - -In common with many others, who can only go a-fishing at such times -as business permits, the writers frequently wield the rod on most -unpropitious days. Even in July they sometimes find on reaching the river -that half a gale of wind is blowing dead down stream. An hour’s battling -against the elements, trying in vain to get the worm well up in front, is -as a rule enough for anyone. Even if the worm lands occasionally where it -is wanted, the wind will catch the line and cause a most unnatural drag, -and ruin all chance of enticing a fish. - -Those were the prevailing conditions on the first opportunity that -offered of making use of the experience just narrated. - -Leaving an ideal stream, which on this particular day was absolutely -unsheltered from a strong downstream wind, the writers walked upstream, -but had not gone far when one of them noticed, in contrast with the -wind-beaten surface of the water, an unruffled place between two large -trees which overhung the bank. The water here was wadable, the current -almost non-existent, and within the shelter of the trees it was not -difficult to make a neat cast. The worm had scarcely touched the water -when, from under the cover of the overhanging boughs, came a nice plump -well-fed fish, and in full view of the angler appropriated the worm in -the most unsuspicious manner. Enough, the angler walked on trying behind -every bush, whether the river at that particular place was streamy or -otherwise; and since then, the writers have often had the laugh of a -heavy downstream wind. - -Now by the foregoing it is not desired to suggest, that it is wise, -whenever an almost streamless stretch of water is reached, to fish it, -as the process is slow and takes up much time, which might probably -be used to better advantage in the streams and thin water; but, as a -stand-by, when conditions are against the angler and the trout not keen, -it is always well to try such places. - -Another favourite feeding ground, where innumerable trout always -congregate, is the very tail end of a pool, just before it breaks away -into the stream below. The water in such a place forms a glassy glide, -in fishing which the novice will find his path to success beset with -difficulties, particularly if the banks of the river afford no cover. -The greatest circumspection in approach, and more than ordinary delicacy -in casting, are two essentials which will go far towards the mastery of -this situation; but there is again the difficulty of an unnatural drag -to be overcome. To obviate this trouble entirely in such a place, is -almost impossible, but much may be done to attain the desired end by -fishing with a short line and letting as little of it touch the water as -possible. Reaches of this character, however, will always fish best when -the angler has the wind behind him, and under those conditions should -never be neglected, as among the trout which haunt such places will -frequently be found the largest that the river produces. - -Let it be understood, however, that the remarks in the foregoing -paragraph apply principally to large pools extending almost the whole -way across a river; but at the same time, it must not be thought that the -tail end of a small pool is useless; on the contrary, such places will -often yield a trout, and they are easier to fish than the larger glides. - -Mention of the uses for the sinkers suggested in the outfit has been -purposely left until almost the last, as in clear-water worming the part -they play is a very small one. - -When on an open stretch of water trouble is experienced in casting -against a wind, after having first tried in vain to overcome the -difficulty by reducing the length of the casting line, then, as a last -resource, pinch on to the cast a small lead eighteen inches above the -hooks. This will materially assist in getting out the line, and at the -same time the lead will help to reduce the drag on the line which the -wind will be certain to cause. - -Further use for sinkers will be found when fishing rapid rivers where -many channels of very swift flowing water are frequently met with. -Outside these occasions, however, leads will be found of little value and -their use should be exceptional in upstream worming. - -Without wishing to enlarge further on this almost inexhaustible subject, -there is one other point of some importance which should be mentioned and -that is a method by which any difficulty experienced in detecting when -the worm has been seized may be overcome. Many beginners, particularly -if their eyesight is not of the best, find this a great source of -trouble. Let them grease the reel line well before a start is made. It -will then float, and any check upon it will be noticed immediately. If -even that does not get over the difficulty, let them tie on a small piece -of light-coloured wool where the cast and line join (the wool can often -be obtained from the fences at the stream side where sheep have rubbed), -form the wool into a tiny ball and soak it with oil such as is carried by -the dry-fly man. When this ball gets water-logged all that is necessary -is to squeeze it between finger and thumb and occasionally re-oil it. It -will be found to float splendidly, and by following the golfer’s first -maxim, “Keep your eye on the ball,” few bites will pass unobserved. - -Let it be hoped that those who have read to the end of this chapter -and feel any inclination to give clear-water worming a trial will get -from that branch of the sport as much pleasure and satisfaction as the -writers have enjoyed, during those days in summer which come, alas, all -too seldom. Days which open with the incomparable freshness of a June -morning, continue with the brightest of skies, with songs of birds, and -murmuring streams, and close with the landscape wrapped in shadows. The -while great beetles drone by, and moths, white and brown, flutter out -of the grasses under foot, when it requires an effort to leave such a -wonderful world, and to re-enter the dwellings of man. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -MINNOW FISHING. - - -Minnow fishing, although barred on many streams, has much to be said -for it, if it be practised judiciously and at certain times of the -year, as it accounts for many of the larger fish whose cannibal habits -have grown in proportion to their years, and whose demise can in no way -be regretted. It may, therefore, fairly be said that the majority of -Northern rivers are benefited by a limited use of the minnow. But its -use must be _limited_, for it does a stream a great deal of harm, if, -from one end of the season to the other, it is daily raked with minnows, -natural and artificial, of all shapes and sizes. Besides, the practice is -unfair to those who wish to fish the fly, as trout are usually put down -for some considerable time after a minnow has been spun over them. - -It is, moreover, a mystery why any man should wish to fish the minnow -during the early part of the year when trout rise readily to the fly. -Spinning should therefore be restricted to times of flood, as hereafter -described, and to the latter part of the season, excepting September. - -When fish begin to come somewhat shyly at the worm during July and -August—fished in the method previously described—they are frequently in -the right mood for a minnow. At such times the waters are usually low and -clear; it therefore requires considerable dexterity to achieve success, -and there is no doubt that the minnow, fished under such conditions, is a -sporting method of angling; although it is a greater pleasure to land a -pound trout on a 00 hook than to kill a two pounder on the heavier tackle -required for minnow fishing. - -With the evolution of the casting reel—its yearly improvements and new -inventions, all in aid of long distance casting—there is reason to -think that minnow fishing has been popularized at the expense of the -skill shown by the old-fashioned school, which, using a short line and -possessed of a good knowledge of the habits of its quarry, lured many an -old cannibal from under the tree roots, from behind some boulder, or from -the depths of an eddy, old villains that had battened for years upon the -young stock of the river. - -One sees now, not without regrets, little of the old manner of fishing -the minnow, but far more of the method in which the minnow is thrown -as far as possible across stream, and then worked back to the angler -with very little idea of its being properly presented. The modern method -appears to require but little skill, knowledge or ingenuity, and it is by -a long way the nearest approach to “chuck and chance it” of any of the -methods of fishing described. - -The long-distance casting reel has its uses, but in minnow fishing, -as in all other branches of angling, the man must adapt himself to -circumstances, and if he does so he will find that it is not always -necessary to throw a long way. - -Out of all the reels on the market it would be presumptuous to say that -such and such a reel is best. Each has its advocates, and while one man -will swear by a certain make, the next may swear at it. - -The rod should be short, 8 ft. 6 ins. or 9 feet, and fairly stiff, though -not too stiff. If a preference may be expressed, it is for a rod that -just gives slightly as a minnow is drawn across the current, and for -light spinning the split-cane fly rod frequently serves very well. - -The line to use with the majority of reels is made of fine waterproof -silk, as it does not kink so readily as an undressed one, but there are -certain reels on the market with which it is an absolute necessity to use -undressed lines, and for many it is claimed that their mechanism can be -so adjusted as to do away entirely with kinking. - -Out of the many varieties of mount for the natural minnow there is none -so popular in the North (and deservedly so) as the “Ariel.” It is easily -baited; the lead (which can be had in various weights) is pushed into the -body of the bait, the bottom hook is put through the back just above the -tail, and the gut is then drawn tight until a slight bend is imparted -to the minnow; the other hooks are then put into either side so as to -hold the bait in position. There is one point of importance which must -be carefully watched in baiting the tackle. The fore part of the minnow -must be perfectly straight; if this is not so and there is a curve in -that part of the body, instead of spinning cleanly, the minnow will come -towards the angler with an intoxicated wobble, which is fatal to good -results. - -The variety of artificial minnows offered to fishermen is truly -bewildering, and life is far too short for the writers to have tested -even a tithe of them; but there is one which has invariably proved a -killer in a coloured water, and that is the “Devon.” It is sold in all -sizes from one inch upwards and in a variety of colours. The virtues of -this minnow lie, in all probability, in its particularly brilliant spin, -and it is the writers’ practice always to have two or three sizes handy, -in gold, brown and blue. - -To them it is a proven fact that the artificial is never so good as the -natural; for a trout if he once runs at an artificial, but is not hooked, -will seldom come again. Whereas with a natural minnow, once the trout -has tasted blood, he often cannot resist the temptation to have a second -go, unless he has been badly scratched; and in some instances, he will -come again and again until finally hooked. There are, however, times when -natural minnows seem more difficult to get than trout; and for a clear -water on such occasions, a light Phantom, or one of the many excellent -reproductions of the minnow sold by fishing tackle houses can be used. - -The trace should be from three to five feet in length, the former being -long enough for a coloured water, and the latter short enough for the -clearest conditions. It should, for average use, be of finest undrawn -gut, though when using very small minnows in a low clear water, a much -finer quality is to be recommended. - -To obviate kinking of the cast and line, and to get a nice free spin, -it is, of course, necessary to use swivels on the trace. Of these the -angler should always carry a supply of various sizes, and at least two -should be put on to the cast. The writers’ practice is more often than -not to use three, increasing slightly in size as the distance from the -minnow increases. And in preference to the use of lead on the trace, they -are always for having it concealed in the body of the minnow whenever -possible. - -The most silvery natural minnows are undoubtedly the best. They should be -from an inch and a quarter to two inches in length, and they are perhaps -better used fresh than in any other condition. If they are put into a -bottle three parts full of water, corked, and carried in the pocket, they -may be kept alive the whole day, if the water be changed occasionally. - -If the angler is anxious to keep the weight of his impedimenta down to -a minimum, salted minnows take up far less room than live ones and are -naturally much lighter, and it is doubtful whether they are appreciably -inferior to fresh ones. But preserved minnows, which have been kept in a -solution of formalin, are certainly not so good as fresh or salted ones, -as trout never seem to want to try a second bite, when they have been -missed the first time. - -Minnow fishing as practised in a coloured water is comparatively easy, -and does not call for any great amount of dexterity. That branch of the -sport, therefore, may be dealt with first, with the prefatory remark that -the minnow at such times should be used judiciously and sparingly and -with a view to removing the cannibals from the river. - -When a fresh is running, the minnow is used to best advantage when the -river begins to rise and again as it subsides, that is when it wears the -complexion known as “porter colour.” If on such occasions the angler -sees an odd fish or two rise in some eddy or back wash, he may count the -risers his if he spins with any skill at all. - -[Illustration: _A Brook in Spring_ - -_Photo by N. N. Lee_] - -If the angler knows of the stronghold of some monster trout grown ugly -and big on a diet of trout, minnows and bottom food, let him hasten -thither with all speed if a fresh comes down the river, and fish very -carefully round the ancient’s precincts, as in all probability he will -come from out his keep to seek for food round the edges of the stream, -and to seize any fry which he sees carried down by, and struggling -against, the rush of the water. - -To fish a coloured water, the angler must throw his minnow well across -stream and then bring it round to his own side in a series of short -pulls, occasionally, where the current is strongest, allowing the force -of water to carry it a foot or two down stream, imitating more or less -what one would imagine the actions of some small fish would be that -had got into heavy water. And as trout will often follow a minnow from -one side of the river to the other before taking it, and as in flood -time they are to be found under the banks very close to the edge, it is -imperative that the angler should not lift the minnow out of the water -until he has worked it well up under the bank on which he stands, and -thoroughly searched the edges. It is impossible to lay too much stress on -this point, as it will be found that almost eight fish out of ten take -the minnow close to the edge, just as they become afraid that they may -lose their prey. - -All slack waters, eddies and places out of the rush of heavy water, where -trout seek shelter in time of flood, should be fished; and, if it be -possible to cast the minnow upstream and to work it down, the reward will -be greater than that gained by the man who will not take the trouble to -fish as recommended. - -The next point to consider is the strike, and it is in minnow fishing -that the angler’s self-control will be most highly taxed. As soon as he -feels a trout touch the minnow, he will be tempted to strike—the novice -will probably give a startled jerk and ruin his chances—but not until a -trout has got a good hold on the minnow should any strike be given; and -then it should be more of a firm steady strain than what is generally -known as a “strike.” - -Minnow fishing in a clear water is very much more artistic, and at the -same time more difficult, than the methods previously described, for -it calls for precise and delicate casting, and requires an intimate -knowledge of the habits of trout. In the blazing days of late summer it -is very exhilarating to fish the minnow up some small clear tributary -stream or brook, at the most only a few yards wide; and to do so -successfully requires consummate skill. - -In fishing waters of this description it is imperative that the minnow -be thrown directly upstream and then rapidly spun down. This latter -point must be attended to, otherwise the minnow coming down more or less -with the current, will not spin. The main stream, places under banks, -about submerged tree roots, and behind boulders, and the heads of rapid -streams, should all be carefully searched, and when the angler observes -a trout rush from its place of concealment at his minnow, he must keep a -firm hold upon his nerves and simply continue steadily to spin without -himself otherwise moving. - -A trout bent upon the capture of a minnow becomes very unwary and will -frequently follow his prey almost to the feet of the angler, and, if the -angler remains as still as his spinning will allow, will often seize the -bait at the last moment. It is very necessary therefore to fish a cast -right out. - -It is also wise in the main to adapt the size of the minnow, be it -natural or artificial, to the size of the water to be fished; and it -should always be remembered that a minnow is better too small than too -large. When fishing small tributary waters, or even thin water on the -main river, the weight of the lead or sinker may be materially reduced, -and a small minnow should be used. - -When fishing the main river under low clear water conditions, _upstream_ -methods must be rigidly adhered to, and the beginner may here be warned, -above all things, not to get into that mechanical method of fishing the -minnow now so prevalent, which is satisfied with long casts across the -river and recovery of line without any definite object in view, except to -get the minnow from _one side to the other_. - -If a boulder resists the onward flow of the current near the far bank, -throw the minnow so that it drops gently into the water a foot or more -above the boulder; then spin down past it. If nothing happens then, try -the other side of the rock. Should the water undermine the far bank, drop -the minnow in at the top of the run and spin down it; in fact try every -place, including the thinnest of water, that could contain a fish, and -use all the knowledge and intelligence you have; for you will need it -all, if you are to get any success in low clear water. - -When a reach of quiet steady-flowing water is ruffled by a wind, it will -often yield good results to a minnow carefully fished. The edges should -be thoroughly worked and the angler should never fail to spin his minnow -alongside all patches of weed, as in such places minnows frequently -congregate, and a feeding trout knows where to find them. - -Another type of spinning is afforded by a long reach of rapid water that -is broken up all over by boulders of every possible shape and size. In -such water the trout will not follow the minnow far; they will either -seize their prey as it passes them, or turn round and make a sudden rush -at it before it can get many inches below. Therefore it is best to fish -the minnow here with a short line and to spin the bait briskly down past -each boulder. For such water the longer fly rod will be found to be the -better weapon. The minnow is also sometimes useful when a gale of wind -in the middle of summer puts fly fishing out of the question. - -To be able to command success with the minnow, either in clear water or -in brooks, is an accomplishment worth striving for. It is a sport that -gives the fisherman excitement in plenty, as the whole actions of the -trout are seen from beginning to end. And it is impossible to describe -adequately the fascination which holds the angler whose eyes are riveted -upon a fish rushing down upon his minnow, nor to tell the difficulty of -refraining from incontinently snatching away the minnow from a fish in -the act of seizing it. - -Although minnow fishing has many attractions, when followed in times -of bright skies and low waters, it is perhaps more open to abuse -than any other of the fair methods of angling. For not only does the -indiscriminate use of the minnow, especially with the long-distance -casting reel in the hands of a persevering man—not necessarily a very -skilful one—work havoc amongst the fish, but it spoils the sport of -others, as a spun minnow usually puts fish down for some considerable -time. Therefore, in Club waters particularly, a man should be careful and -circumspect in the use of the minnow. For while its judicious use will do -good in removing fish that can well be done without, and will sometimes -provide a dish of trout when the fly is at a discount during the heat -of the day, say, in August, its use out of season will call down many -hard words. And while it is possible for one to work rapidly downstream, -raking the whole river across and across and thus spoil the sport of all -others on the water, a sportsman will choose his reach, fish it quietly -upstream, and leave his brethren of the fly in peace and undisturbed -enjoyment. - - - - -INDEX. - - - Across stream fly fishing, 39 - - Ant, Dressing for, 29 - - Ant, Season for, 14 - - Ariel Tackle, 94 - - Artificial Flies, See Flies - - August Dun, Dressing for, 28 - - August Dun, Season for, 14 - - Autopsy, 34, 57, 63 - - - Bites, Method of detecting in upstream Worm Fishing, 90 - - Black Gnat, 56, 57, 60 - - Black Gnat, Dressing for, 24 - - Black Gnat, Season for, 13 - - Bodies of Flies, 8, 10 - - Broughton’s Point, Dressing for, 18 - - Broughton’s Point, Season for, 13 - - Brown Owl, Dressing for, 20 - - Brown Owl, Season for, 13 - - - Cast, 37, 64, 66, 73, 95 - - Cast, Gut, How to Taper, 38 - - Casts, Rapidity of in Wet-fly Fishing, 46 - - Casting Reel, 92, 93 - - Chalk Streams, 37, 42, 53 - - Chuck and Chance it, 42, 93 - - Coachman, 58, 60 - - Coloured Water, Size of Flies for, 10 - - Costa, 53 - - Creeper, Description of, 63 - - Creeper Fishing, Rod for, 64 - - Creeper Fishing, Tackle for, 64 - - Creeper, Method of Baiting, 64 - - Creeper, Method of Collecting, 63 - - Creeper, Method of Fishing, 65 - - - Dark Needle, Dressing for, 19 - - Dark Needle, Season for, 13 - - Dark Olive Dun, 60 - - Dark Sedge, Dressing for, 25 - - Dark Sedge, Season for, 14 - - Dark Silverhorns, Dressing for, 28 - - Dark Silverhorns, Season for, 14 - - Dark Snipe, Dressing for, 17 - - Dark Snipe, Season for, 13 - - Dark Watchet, Dressings for, 20, 21 - - Dark Watchet, Season for, 13 - - Devon Minnows, 94 - - Diptera, 52 - - Dotterel, Dressing for, 22 - - Dotterel, Season for, 13 - - Downstream, When to Fish Fly, 40 - - Drag, 46, 60, 78, 81, 87, 88, 89 - - Dressings of Flies, 16 et seq. - - Droppers, Dressed to Hair, 9 - - Dry Flies, List of, 60 - - Dry-Fly Fishing, Rod for, 37 - - Dry-Fly, Times for Fishing, 54 - - Dubbing, Mixture of, 9 - - - Eden, 82 - - Entomology, 34 - - Evening Rise, 57 - - Evening, Size of Flies for, 58 - - - Far-off and Fine, 45 - - Fisherman’s Curse, 59 - - Flies, Bodies of, 8, 10 - - Flies, Dressed lightly, 10 - - Flies, Dressed to gut, 8 - - Flies, Dressed to hair, 8 - - Flies, Dressings of, 16 et seq. - - Flies, Heads of, 10 - - Flies, Number on cast in Wet-fly Fishing, 36 - - Flies, Seasons of, 10, 13 et seq. - - Flies, Size of, for Coloured Water, 10 - - Flies, Size of, for Evening Fishing, 58 - - Flies, Tables of, 13 et seq. - - Flies, To err on small side, 10 - - Flies, Winged, 9, 11 - - Fly Dressing, McClelland’s Book on, 7 - - Fly, Taking, Fished as point, 12 - - Formalin, Minnows preserved in, not recommended, 96 - - - General Use, Rod for, 37 - - Ginger Spinner, Dry, Dressing for, 30 - - Ginger Spinner, Dry, Season for, 14 - - Ginger Spinner, Wet, Dressing for, 24 - - Ginger Spinner, Wet, Season for, 13 - - Gnats, 57 - - “Gossamer,” Pearsall’s Silk, 9 - - Gravel Bed, Dressing for, 23 - - Gravel Bed, Season for, 13 - - Greased Line, 64, 90 - - Green Insect, Dressing for, 29 - - Green Insect, Season for, 14 - - Greenheart Rod, 36 - - Greenwell’s Glory, Dressing for, 16 - - Greenwell’s Glory, Season for, 13 - - Gut, Tapered Cast, 38 - - Gut, Flies dressed to, 8 - - - Hackle Points, 11 - - Hair, Flies dressed to, 8 - - Halford, Mr. F. M., Patterns of Flies of, 60 - - Hardy’s Hooks, 8 - - Heads of Flies, 10 - - Hickory Rod, 36 - - Hooks, 8, 64, 66, 73, 74 - - Hooks, Hardy’s, 8 - - Hooks, Short in Shank, 8 - - - Inner Side of Feather, 9 - - Insect Life, Knowledge of, 33, 34 - - Iron Blue Dun, 56, 60 - - - “Jacks,” 66 - - July Dun, Dressing for, 26 - - July Dun, Season for, 14 - - - Kinking, 93, 95 - - Knotted Midge, Dressing for, 23 - - Knotted Midge, Season for, 13 - - - Leads, 74, 89, 94, 95, 99 - - Light Needle, Dressing for, 21 - - Light Needle, Season for, 13 - - Light Sedge, Dressings for, 25 - - Light Sedge, Season for, 14 - - Light Silverhorns, Dressing for, 27 - - Light Silverhorns, Season for, 14 - - Light Snipe, Dressing for, 19 - - Light Snipe, Season for, 13 - - Lightly Dressed Flies, 10 - - Line, 37, 64, 66, 73, 90, 93, 95 - - Line, Short for Upstream Fly Fishing, 45 - - Line, To be greased, 64, 90 - - Lune, 54 - - - Maiden Dew Worms, 74 - - March Brown, Dressings for, 18, 19 - - March Brown, Season for, 13 - - McClelland’s Book on Fly Dressing, 7 - - Metamorphosis of Creeper, 65 - - Minnow Fishing, in a clear water, 98 - - Minnow Fishing, in a coloured water, 96 - - Minnow Fishing, in a wind, 101 - - Minnow Fishing, Rod for, 93, 100 - - Minnow Fishing, Season for, 92 - - Minnow Fishing, Tackle for, 94 - - Minnow Fishing, Upstream, 98, 99, 102 - - Minnow, Where to Fish, 96 - - Minnows, Better too small than too large, 99 - - Minnows, in Formalin, 96 - - Minnows, Method of Baiting with, 94 - - Minnows, Method of keeping alive, 96 - - Minnows, Natural better than Artificial, 94 - - Minnows, Salted, 96 - - - Oil Tip, 36, 55, 90 - - Olive Bloa, Dressing for, 20 - - Olive Bloa, Season for, 13 - - Olive Dun, 60 - - Orange Partridge, Dressing for, 17 - - Orange Partridge, Season for, 13 - - Outer Side of Feather, 9 - - - Pale Watery Dun, Dressing for, 27 - - Pale Watery Dun, Season for, 14 - - Pearsall’s “Gossamer” Silk, 9 - - Pennell Tackle for Creeper and Stone-Fly Fishing, 64 - - Pennell Tackle for Upstream Worm Fishing, 73 - - Phantom Minnow, 95 - - Pinktail Worms, 74 - - Pink Wickham, 58, 60 - - Point Fly, 12 - - Poult Boa, Dressing for, 22 - - Poult Bloa, Season for, 13 - - Primary Feathers, 9 - - - Rapidity of Casts in Wet-Fly Fishing, 46 - - Red Quill, 60 - - Red Spinner, dry, Dressing for, 30 - - Red Spinner, dry, Season for, 14 - - Red Spinner, wet, Dressing for, 26 - - Red Spinner, wet, Season for, 14 - - Reel, 37, 73, 92, 93 - - Ribble, 54 - - Rod for Creeper Fishing, 64 - - Rod for Dry-Fly Fishing, 37 - - Rod for General Use, 37 - - Rod for Minnow Fishing, 93, 100 - - Rod for Stone Fly Fishing, 66 - - Rod for Upstream Worm Fishing, 73 - - Rod for Wet-Fly Fishing, 36 - - Rough-Bodied Poult, Dressing for, 27 - - Rough-Bodied Poult, Season for, 14 - - - Salted Minnows, 96 - - Season of Flies, 10, 13 et seq. - - Secondary Feathers, 9 - - Sedge Flies, 57 - - Short-Bodied Flies, 8 - - Short Line for Upstream Fly Fishing, 44 - - Silk, Pearsall’s “Gossamer”, 9 - - Silk, Shades of, 9 - - Silk, Waxed, 9 - - Silver Sedge, 57, 60 - - Single Hook Worm Tackle, 73 - - Small Side, Artificials to err on, 10 - - Smuts, 52 - - Spinners, 8, 52, 57 - - Spinners, Wing for, 11 - - Spinning, Rod for, 93, 100 - - Split-Cane Rod, 37, 93 - - Split Shot, 74, 89 - - Spring Black, Dressing for, 17 - - Spring Black, Season for, 13 - - Stewart, Rod recommended by, 72 - - Stewart Tackle, 74 - - Stone Flies, Females, 66 - - Stone Flies, Males, 66 - - Stone Fly, Description of, 62 - - Stone-Fly Fishing, Rod for, 66 - - Stone-Fly Fishing, Tackle for, 66 - - Stone Fly, Method of Baiting, 66 - - Stone Fly, Method of Fishing, 66 - - Stone Midge, Dressing for, 23 - - Stone Midge, Season for, 13 - - Strike, Timing of, 41, 56, 65, 67, 78, 81, 86, 98 - - Swivels, 95 - - - Tackle for Creeper Fishing, 64 - - Tackle for Minnow Fishing, 94 - - Tackle for Stone-Fly Fishing, 66 - - Tackle for Upstream Worm Fishing, 73, 74 - - Tail of Pool, Upstream Worm Fishing of, 88 - - Taking Fly, Fished as Point, 12 - - Tapered Cast, How to Make, 38 - - Trace, 95 - - Transparent Wax, 9 - - - Under Side of Wing of Artificial, 9 - - Upstream Fly Fishing, 41 - - Upstream Fly Fishing, Short Line for, 44 - - Upstream Minnow Fishing, 98, 99, 102 - - Upstream Worm Fishing in still water, 85 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Method of, 76 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Method of detecting Bites, 90 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Rod for, 73 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Season of, 70 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Secret of Success in, 72 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Tackles for, 73, 74 - - Upstream Worm Fishing, Wrong Method of, 82 - - - Vibrate Rod Point, 41 - - - Waders for Upstream Worming, 74 - - Waterhen Bloa, Dressing for, 16 - - Waterhen Bloa, Season for, 13 - - Wax, Transparent, 9 - - Waxed Silk, 9 - - Wet Flies, Number on Cast, 36 - - Wet-Fly Fishing, Methods of, 39 - - Wet-Fly Fishing, Rod for, 36 - - Wharfe, 54, 57 - - Wind, Effect of, on Haunts of Flies, 52 - - Wind, Upstream Worm Fishing in a, 87 - - Wing for Spinners, 11 - - Wing of Artificial, under side, 9 - - Winged Flies, 9, 11 - - Winter Brown, Dressing for, 16 - - Winter Brown, Season for, 13 - - Wool on Cast in Upstream Worm Fishing, 90 - - Worm Tackles, 73, 74 - - Worms, 74 - - - Yellow-Legged Bloa, Dressing for, 22 - - Yellow-Legged Bloa, Season for, 13 - - Yellow Partridge, Dressing for, 21 - - Yellow Partridge, Season for, 13 - - - - _Printed by Percy Lund, Humphries &. Co., Ltd., Priestman - Street, Bradford, and 3, Amen Corner, London, E.C._ - - 24422 - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BROOK AND RIVER TROUTING *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following -the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use -of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for -copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very -easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as creation -of derivative works, reports, performances and research. Project -Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given away--you may -do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks not protected -by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the trademark -license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country other than the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where - you are located before using this eBook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm website -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that: - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of -the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the Foundation as set -forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, -Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up -to date contact information can be found at the Foundation's website -and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without -widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our website which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This website includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |