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.