Fishing with Floating Flies

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determine In great measure the natural flies which the angler must approximate with his artificials, the duns having precedence practically everywhere, but the caddis flies, Trichoptera, are quite certain to be prevalent at times, and also the stone flies, Plecoptera; in

ion, are very interestingly given by Prof. Vernon L. Kellogg in his book, to which I have previously alluded, "American Insect

d in this country that the amateur has practically no written help at all to enable him to become acquainted with their various kinds. These insects are the caddis flies; not limited in their distribution by any means t

ction of the species which occur here. Popularly the adults are hardly known at all, the knowledge of the group being almost restricted to the aquatic larvae, whose clever

stant style of house-building. Grains of sand may be fastened together to form tiny, smooth-walled, symmetrical cornucopias, or small stones to form larger, rough-walled, irregular cylinders. Small bits

e stream. These fixed cases are usually composed of bits of stone or smooth pebbles irregularly tied together with silken threads. In all the case

is a pair of strong hooks pointing outward. These hooks can be fastened into the sides of the case and thus hold the larva safely in its house.... The caddis worm crawls slowly about searching for food, which consists of vegetable matter. Those larvae which have fixed cases have to leave it in search of food. Some of them make occasional foraging expeditions to considerable dist

the winged imago soon flying away. Some kinds, however, emerge from the water. Comstock observed the pupa of one of the net-building kinds to swim to the surface of the water.... The instant the creature was free from the water the wings expanded to their full size and it flew away several feet.... The time required for the insect to expand its wings and take its first fl

hat limit their flying to short, uncertain excursions along the stream or pond shore, and spe

s Prof. Kellogg w

h the young May flies. But they are only to be certainly distinguished from them by careful examination.... The feet of the stone flies have two claws, while those of the young May flies have but one. The stone fly nymph has a pair of large compound eyes, as well as three small simple eyes, strong jaws for biting and chewing (p

on the surface of the water, and sink to the bottom after being, however, well distributed by the current. Sometimes the eggs are carried about for a while by the female, enclosed in a capsule attached to the abdomen. The young moult several times in their growth, but probably no

ches. Some are pale green, some grayish, others brownish to black. There are four rather large membranous, many-veined wings without patter

or near streams, though sometimes straying far away. They rest on trees and bushes along the banks. T

erkill), iron blue dun, whirling blue dun, green May female, brown May female, and spent gnat female, will be found as a rule quite sufficient (if the angler i

k for the mere beginner. If the angler will follow the few simple suggestions made in the preceding pages, constantly holding to the idea that the natural action of the artificial fly is of first importance, he cannot go far wrong; and if, as

ution, and furthermore as different fly-dressers frequently turn out quite dissimilar flies under the same

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strike at the right time and with correct force-or lack of force. When fishing downstream with the wet fly, which the fish often takes beneath the surface, quick striking, at the first suggestion of the strike of the tro

y not be too much slack to straighten out in the event of a rise. Striking should be done from the wrist and with strict avoidance of anything like a sudden jerk which will almost surely snap the fine

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he current unless roughly and carelessly handled. Nurse the fish along, exerting a constant but not too heavy strain, so that he will continue to fight upstream against the current, thus tiring more quickly; in other words, "play it safe." If by any chance the fi

m from you; get below him and let the curr

in. That skilled tackle handling, after the rise, is at a premium in trout fly-fishing is due not only to the delicacy of the tackle ordinarily employed, particularly the very small hooks and often fragile leaders, but to the distinctly game qua

that you will soon discover and adopt the best method of handling a hooked trout; on the other hand, if your tackle is improperly adjusted, it will be ph

e of most seasoned American fly-fishermen. Briefly, his advice is to have the reel on the under side of the rod with the handle to the left, presuming that the angler ca

rd it. The practice of most expert fly-casters in this country is to adjust the reel underneath the rod, but, in contradistinction to the method above described, with the handle of the reel to the right. Thus, when a fish is hooked, it is not necessary to turn the rod over when it is passed from the right to the left hand, but th

flies and playing a fish, a loop of line of convenient length between the reel and the first guide of the rod. This loop of line is controlled by the left hand, allowing the line to run out through the guides or, when necessary, drawing it back. Use the reel only when the loop of

ou "stand pat," as it were, still keeping the rod in the right hand and, if the trout is a large one, yielding the line to him through the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, or, if the fish is a small one,

, when he stops running, pass the rod from the right to the left hand-you do not have to turn it over because your reel handle is placed to the

rdinarily doubtful, your chances are many times better for getting out of the difficulty than if you depend upon the reel for the intake of your line; for instance, every experienced trout fisherman knows that

hance is lessened-a slack line spells a lost trout. The rapidity with which a fish coming directly toward the angler creates a wake of slack line is difficult t

with the left hand to a purely automatic motion, so that you perform it quickly, expertly, and without forethought in the matter of how to go about it, it is a very fast fish, indeed,

vement of the fish is carried to the left hand of the angler holding the line, and the least lessening or increase of tension between the rod-tip and the quarry is instantly sensed and line taken or given accordingly

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ave almost entirely neglected any hint of the great fascination of fishing with the floating fly. It is the writer's earnest hope that these pages, which deal so exclusively with the practical side of the matter, may, nevertheless, lead the reader to the stream-side, fly-rod in hand, where, as he quietly follows the stream and his sport, it will pres

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