CONTENTS. A Tribute to Walton.- Truthfulness of his Pictures of an Angler's Pleasures. - Characteristics of Angling. - Sir Henry Wotton quoted.—Superiority of Fly-fishing to all the other Branches of Angling. — Sketch of a Spring Day's Fly-fishing from the "Set-out" at "rosy Morn" to the "Wind-up" at "dewy Eve;" interspersed with - - History of the Trout. — Value of an Acquaintance with its - - of its Growth? - What is the Parr? - These Questions Entomology.-The Flies eaten by Trout.-The two princi- pal Classes, Phryganidæ and Ephemerida. - Peculiarities of each and their Habits described. - Times of the Ap- General Remarks on Tackle. -Dame Juliana Berners lauded.—The Fly-rod.—Copious Remarks thereon, with Instructions for its Selection, and Information concerning its Manufacture. Our Notions of a good Rod, and Selection of the Tackle concluded. -The Line. The - Method of fitting it up with Flies. The Angler's Knot - - -- and Directions for choosing it. — The different kinds of Hooks. What constitutes a good Hook. The Kendal Hook recommended. Different Parts of a Hook shown by a Diagram. - The Fly-book.-Its Make and Cost. The landing Net. - When desirable and otherwise. Fly-making. Introductory Remarks. - - - Selection of the Illustrations of all the principal Operations. — Instruc- our own. - Remarks on Imitation.-Our own Opinion.-Size, Colour, Necessity for Imitation of Natural Flies.-Caution against - Theory and Practice.—A Word about "Book-learning.". Throwing the Line and Flies. Striking-its Necessity and Object. Quotations from Mr. Ronalds, Mr. Younger, and "Ephemera." — Friendly Hints on pisca- torial Etiquette. -Instructions for playing and landing a Fish.-A Word about Patience, and a Glance at Love. -Insensibility of Fish to Pain. - Sir Humphrey Davy General Remarks on the Fly-fishing Season. Spring.- The proper Flies to use, and what Parts of the River to Fish. Rising "short."- - Summer Fishing. - Best in a wet Season.-Proper Flies enumerated. —Evening Fish- ing. Its peculiar Delights.-The best Flies for use. Dace Fishing. A good preliminary "School" for the superior Art of Trouting. — Remarks and Instructions thereon.― Autumn Fishing. Where to fish, and what THE VADE-MECUM OF FLY-FISHING, &c. &c. 66 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. My good scholar, we may say of angling as Dr. Boteler said of strawberries, 'Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did;' and so, if I might be judge, God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling."— IZAAC WALTON. GLORIOUS old Izaac! What delightful thoughts - what poetical imaginings — the bare mention of thy name evokes! They come fresh and uncontaminated from the pure fountains of nature as if haloed with cowslip garlands, bespangled with the blue-bell and the water-lily-stealing along amid the murmur of the summer stream, the hum of insects, and the song of birds! B |