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Next to that, the west wind is believed to be the best: and having
told
you that the east wind is the worst, I need not tell you which wind
is the
best in the third degree: and yet, as Solomon observes, that "
he that
considers the wind shall never sow "; so he that busies his
head too
much about them, if the weather be not made extreme cold by an east
wind, shall be a little superstitious: for as it is observed by
some, that
"there is no good horse of a bad colour"; so I have observed,
that if it be
a cloudy day, and not extreme cold, let the wind sit in what corner
it
will and do its worst, I heed it not. And yet take this for a rule,
that I
would willingly fish, standing on the lee-shore: and you are to
take
notice, that the fish lies or swims nearer the bottom, and in deeper
water, in winter than in summer; and also nearer the bottom in any
cold
day, and then gets nearest the lee-side of the water.
But I promised to tell you more of the Fly-fishing for a Trout;
which I
may have time enough to do, for you see it rains May butter. First
for a
Mayfly: you may make his body with greenish-coloured crewel, or
willowish colour; darkening it in most places with waxed silk;
or ribbed
with black hair; or, some of them, ribbed with silver thread;
and such
wings, for the colour, as you see the fly to have at that season,
nay, at
that very day on the water. Or you may make the Oak-fly: with
an
orange, tawny, and black ground; and the brown of a mallard's
feather
for the wings. And you are to know, that these two are most excellent
flies, that is, the May-fly and the Oak-fly.
And let me again tell you, that you keep as far from the water
as you
can possibly, whether you fish with a fly or worm; and fish down
the
stream. And when you fish with a fly, if it be possible, let no
part of
your line touch the water, but your fly only; and be still moving
your fly
upon the water, or casting it into the water, you yourself being
also
always moving down the stream.
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