This book is included in the Self Reliance Hunting, Skinning & Tanning section.
London & Felling-on-Tyne: Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd.: 1909
"We may say of angling, as Dr. Boteley said of
strawberries, 'Doubtless God could have made a better
berry, but doubtless God never did;' and so, if I
might judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet,
innocent recreation than angling." -- IZAAK WALTON.
PREFACE
As an angler who has spent the most of
five-and-twenty seasons by the riverside,
my aim is to convey to the reader, in
simple language, the outcome of actual
experience, in the hope that beginners,
and also more experienced anglers, may
find some information that will enlighten
them to attain better results.
My aim is to touch upon every legitimate
lure, and to give, in the smallest limits,
practical information with advice that will
enable the novice to proceed without
further instruction, and meet with a
share of success in angling.
To those commencing, I can recommend
angling as one of the most wholesome of pastimes one that will keep
those who pursue it in good health and
afford them an abiding pleasure that will
be as fresh at sixty as sixteen.
It only remains to state that what has
been said in these pages as to northern
waters applies equally to all streams where
trout abound, whether in the south, east,
or west of our country.
Ryton-on-Tyne
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. - A GENERAL
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER II. - ARTIFICIAL
FLY-FISHING
CHAPTER III. - DRY
FLY-FISHING
CHAPTER IV. - CREEPER AND
STONE FLY-FISHING
CHAPTER V. - WORM FISHING
CHAPTER VI. - MINNOW
FISHING
CHAPTER VII. - NIGHT
FISHING
CHAPTER VIII. - A FEW HINTS
ON TACKLE
CHAPTER IX. - LOCH OR LAKE
FISHING
CHAPTER I. -
AN INTRODUCTION TO ANGLING,
ONE of the secrets of success in angling lies
in keeping out of sight, and to do this it is
advisable to make oneself as inconspicuous
as possible. Thus my favourite colour in
dress is a drab shade, which accords
with rocks, gravel beds, and grey backing
of clouds. The invisible brown, however,
has one disadvantage; if you have with
you a friend who is higher up the stream,
he often has a difficulty in locating you
on a gravel bed.
A SAFE RULE.
It is always advisable in low and clear
waters, when possible, to fish up stream,
and in the early months, while fly-fishing,
you need have very little fear of being
bothered with parr, those pests of downstream
fishers. In fact, when I see a
brother-angler fishing down stream I always
think it is a good thing for the trout.
Copy Nature, and produce flies a shade
smaller in preference to larger than the
natural insect.
Do not be afraid to sink your flies, and
give preference to spider dressing, also
look carefully to the fineness of the gut.
Bushy, heavily-dressed flies are objectionable,
as trout are, like human beings,
more easily attracted by the elegant and
slim. Keep in mind, trout are the keenest eyed
of fishes a mere shadow, or an unnatural
ripple in wading, being sufficient
to scare them away. A golden rule is to
keep out of sight.
VALUE OF A POCKET LENS.
A pocket lens is very useful to examine
the contents of the stomach of the first
fish you land. Even though it may be
partly digested, with a powerful lens you
frequently can detect what the fish are
feeding on. I repeat, always try to copy
Nature to the minutest detail. When fly fishing
in a good breeze, cast your flies
on the side the food is drifting towards.
It is advisable to keep your finger on
the line, as a gentle pull is more easily
felt; you can then strike instantaneously.
When using a landing-net do not try to
take a fish in less than a foot of water;
trout struggle dangerously when stranded
in shallow water; also keep the net well
below a fish in netting him. Patience,
with perseverance and keen observation,
greatly help a beginner.
CAUTION ESSENTIAL.
In commencing to fish the shallow side
of a stream in clear water, wade in very
carefully. If a wave goes before you, the
fish will at once clear away. In evening
and night fishing you cannot be too careful; trout then leave the streams and
deeper water for the side and thin, flat
water. Good trout in rivers, sorely disturbed
through the day, seek shelter in
the daytime, and usually come out of their
harbour towards dusk.
In playing a good trout, when you have
the luck to hook one, instantly raise the
point of your rod and keep it up and
ever up; only lower the top should the
fish jump out of the water, and as soon
as he regains his own element, up with
the rod top again. Never let out more
line than you can possibly help, and to
this end follow your fish up or down
stream, keeping slightly below him. If
you simply stand still and let him run
you are almost sure to lose him.
STUDY THE HABITS OF TROUT.
A good knowledge of the habits of trout
materially help the angler, and in small
waters, when fishing is practically at a
standstill, an hour or so is well spent in
watching the movements and habits of
the fish. This can be done by creeping
cautiously, taking all the shelter of any
cover that the riverside affords. It will
also give the angler an idea of how
near he may approach a fish without
being observed. He can also take note
of what particular kind of water fish are
feeding in whether it be the shallows,
the streams, the medium, or deeper water.
PERFECTION UNATTAINABLE.
Much has been uttered from time to
time as to the patience required to make
a good angler. How often you hear it
said, with perhaps a tinge of contempt,
"Oh, I have not the patience to become
a fisherman!" Well, I candidly admit I
have not, and never had, the patience to
go on persistently flogging the water when
fish are off the feed. I simply give up,
and generally fill in the spare time either
in collecting minnows or turning up the
stones by the waterside and examining
the different larvae hatching out, or perhaps
have a smoke until the rise comes
on again. But to my mind the charm of
fly-fishing is that, though perfection is
unattainable, yet progress, and with it a
fair amount of success, is within the reach
of all.
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