The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-08-04
ON FISHING THE DRY-FLY.

mcnt in coaxing the wise old trout
into the creel by this method than
any other angle of the sport. All the
knowledge you have gained through
study OF the habits of the trout in
your wet hy-casting stand you well as
a beginner at this end of the game.
Most of our trout fishing is on
streams in the woods or wilderness
where the waters alternate between
rapits and smooth spots, waterfall and
deep pool shadows or rifles, and one
could follow 4 stream all day without
lamping a trout on the rise for food,
and if he were fishing in the orthodox
English way, bacon fried to a crisp
would about make up his evening meal,
which accounts for the fact that we
have changed the dope a bit and fish
| the dry-fly more as floating fly with
| cut the added effort of tossing the |
| feathers into the mouth of the waiting |
| trout and tickling him to death.
On a very civilized stream that has |
been tished to a fare you-well by all |
manner of fishermen, where the trout |
| have wised up to tricks of the game, |
| the dry-1y will get a rise when the |
wct-fy would merely cause q wink OF
the weather eye.
In casting the dry-fly the fisherman
works upstream, casting slightly across
| the current, so that the floating fly
will ride down with the current, and
very essential detail is TO cast lightly
and accurate, while it is not necessary
20, Az
casting. The whole game is to have
the fly float down as naturally as pos
sibIe. and it requires considerable skill
in the handling of the rod and the
rceling in Of slack TO keep the fly from
being pulled under the water by the
weight of a slack line or through
some other rough work of the caster.
Horizontal Cast the Best.
Wherever possible, the horizontal
cast should be used in preference to
the overhead cast, as the fly is more
t likely to land right side up with the
: wings cooked, although more accuracy
and distance are obtained by the over
: head, Which is not as essential in dry
n fly casting as to have the fly ride the
water in a natural manner. AS a gem
: eral thing the fly lights on the water
7 on its side when the overhead cast is
used, and although a trout will rise
Il to a floating fly in this position, the
: chances are greater for a rise when
the fly lies on the water in the position
naturally taken by q live insect with
its wings fluttering above the water in
10 PIX no
II In casting n smooth stretch of water
5. there is little if any drag of the line
and the fly will float in an upright po
: sition If cast skillfully
z The early season when the water is
high and discolored by flooded condi
y tons the trout are bottom or mid
: water feeding, and at this time tht
\ dry-fly is of little use on the streams
ne AS soon as the air warns up bit ant
r the insect life has developed on tho
to streams and the water clears with tn,
le temperature rising steadily, the float
:, ing fly is sure winner. From thu
u middle of May to the end Of the sea
=, son the conditions grow more favor
able to the dry-fy, and on low, clea
water at the tail end of the season /
is by far the most effective lure
On any water that is not broken b,
nc rapids or rifles, the dry-fly can b
used to advantage, and even on wa
w tiers that are swift and rapid it will
Y. be found effective.
he one of the main points III castin
IS. the dry-ny is to study the currents, a
tn one of the greatest little old links t
ot the successful use of the dry-fiy i
the drag caused by the fly falling o.
- water moving at q speed differen
from that of the water on which tn
rk line falls. Select your casting pos
on ton where the fly and line will ligf
on water of the same speed, so tina
Ter the fly will not be drowned by til
ON drag of the line. Another oint tina
is, will make your dry-hy work bette
i" ut the start is to avoid raising tn
l.. tip of the rod as the fly falls 81 tn
water, and this is q small pt.nt tbs
the wet-ny fisherman has a tendenc
to overlook through habit acquired i
casting the wet feathers. To raise til
rod at this time will pull the dry f
lal under water. At the same time til
'h' beginner should never strip in the lin
i -" until the fly has started DOWNSTREAM
Mo with the current. If you find it ne
Law cssary to cast on waters of differer
ale speed to the current, cast q slack lin
cry and if the fly lights on water movin
at slower than that on which the liz
OF rests there Will be no drag on the f
',l until the slack line has floated dow
~ stream. Make a study of the strea
and the trout and use all your skill an
you will find much pleasure in ioatif
leir the dry-1v. DIXIE.
'fn rpy THE CLASSIFIED COLUMNS