The Clio messenger., 1917-09-07
ON FISHING THE DRY-FlY.

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postgraduate study in the fine art OF
fishing and there is more real entW-
ment in coaxing the wise old truat
into the creel by this method than
any other angle of the sport. At ne
knowledge you have gained thr0xeh
study of the habits of the trout In
your wet fly-casting stand you wen as
beginner at this end Of the game.
Most Of our trout fishing 10 ea
streams in the woods or wildexnSss
where the waters alternate between
rapids and smooth spots, waterfall ~
deep pool, shadows or rifles, and ore
could follow stream all day wifhure
lamping trout on the rise for tGAs.
and If he were fishing In the oTrhudSx
English way, bacon fried to q G0p
would about make up his evening 3fs9,
which accounts for the fact that ye
have changed the dope a bit and d6h
the dry-fiy more as floating fly wJfA-
out the added effort Of tossing tide
feathers into the mouth Of the waiting
trout and tickling him to death.
On very civilized stream that has
been fished to fare-you-well by all
manner Of fishermen where the trout
have wised up to tricks Of the game,
the dry-fiy will get rise when the
wet-fy would merely cause q wink Of
the weather eye.
In casting the dry-fy 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 ii is not necessary
to cast as long a line as In wet-fy
casting. The whole game Is to have
the fly float down as naturally as pos
sible, and 1t requires considerable skill
in the handling of the rod and the
reeling In of slack to keep the fly from
being pulled under the water by the
weight Of 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
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
fly casting as to have the fly ride the
water in natural manner. AS a gen.
eral thing the fly lights on the water
on its side when the overhead cast is
used, and although trout will rise
To floating fly in this position. the
chances are greater for q rise when
the fly lies on the water in the position
naturally taken by live insect with
Its wings fluttering above the water i'm
its effort to rise from the surface.
In casting q smooth stretch of water
there is little IL any drag of the line,
and the fly will float in an upright DO
sitiOn II cast skillfully
The early season when the water is
high and discolored by flooded condi-
tiOns the trout are bottom or mid
water feeding, and at this time the
dry-fy Is Of little use on the streams.
AS soon as the air warns up q bit and
the insect life has developed on the
streams and the water clears with the
temperature rising steadily, the font
ing fly is a sure winner. From the
middle Of May to the end Of the sea.
son the conditions grow more favor
able TO the dry,fy, and on low. dear
water nt the tail end Of the season 1t
Is by far the most effective lure.
On any water that is not broken BY
rapids or rifles, the dry-fiy csa be
used to advantage, and even on va
ters that are swift and rapid Il Will
be found effective.
One Of the main points In ca6ttng
the dfy-ny 10 to study the currents, a.
one Of the greatest little old jlnIs q
the successful use Of the dry-dy ys
the drag caused by the ny falllaS sa
water moving at a speed di6erent
from that OF the water on which the
line falls. Select your casting poai-
ton where the fiy and line will iilht
on water Of the same speed. 80 thst
the ny will not be drowned by 6hs
drag Of the line. Another point thst
will make your dry-ny work better
at the start Is to avoid raising the
tip Of the rod as the ny falls on the
water. and this Is q small point tkst
the wet-fy fisherman has a tendency
to overlook through habit acquired IN
casting the wet feathers. To raise the
rod at this time will pull the, dry ~
under water. At the same time the
beginner should never strip In the Hoe
until the fly has started downstream
with the current II you find 1t neg
essary to cast on waters of different
speed to the current, cast a slack liue.
and II the iy lights on water moving
slower than that on which the Hue
rests there will be no drag on the ~
until the slack line has foated down
stream. Make study of the stresn,
and the trout and use all your skill aud
you Will find much pleasure in floating