|
The Fisherman's Vade
Mecum
by CW Maunsell
The fisherman’s vade
mecum
Book I
TROUT FISHING
Part I – Wet Fly Fishing The
“ II – Dry Fly Fishing
“ III – Rising and Feeding Fish
“ IV – Artificial Flies
“ V – Natural Insects
“ VI – Fishing with Natural
Insects
“ VII – Evening and Night Fishing
“ VIII – Worm Fishing
“ IX – Mayfly Fishing
Par I – WET FLY FISHING
Section 1
Notes for a beginner
Before you “go fishing” acquire some
knowledge of the following three things (if you don’t, you spend your time
trying to learn them, and this hampers your fishing):
-
Learn how to use your rod and how
to cast a fly.
-
Get someone to point out to you
the places in a stream were fish usually feed and rest. Try also to acquire a
knowledge of their habits and natural history.
-
Get someone to show you the
standard artificial flies and explain to you what they represent; and also
roughly the type, size, and colour suitable for certain weather, water, and
light conditions.
Section 2
Greasing the Line
Unless of course you wish to fish
deep, it pays to grease your line when fishing in a lake or when fishing
upstream in river. Some of the advantages are:
1. You can recover the line off the
water easier
2. You can shoot your line better
3. The line is less liable to become
waterlogged
4. In wet weather the line is less
liable to stick in the rings
Section 3
To sink the fly, cast, or line
To sink a fly:
1. Dip it in glycerin
2. Wet it in your mouth
3. Wet it well and then press it
between your fingers.
To sink a cast:
1. Rub it with soap or a piece of
lead
2. Rub it with glycerin
3. Draw it through the gills of a
fish
To sink a line:
1. If you rub a line with Fuller’s
Earth this removes all traces of grease and makes its sink well.
2. Rub it gently with soft mud, wet
clay, or any substance soluble in water.
Section 4
Stream Fishing
a.
Preliminaries
1. If you have time, walk over the
water and pick out likely spots.
2. Choose which bank to fish from (
this depends chiefly on the wind) . You must also consider the position of the
sun, the presence of bushes, etc., on the banks, the water conditions ( the best
side from which to fish, likely stickles and currents), and the windings of the
river.
3. Find out what flies on the water
and try to match it.
4. Find out what the fish are
feeding on.
5. Find out what stage of the rise
is on, first, second, or third stage.
6. Consider what are the weather,
wind, light, and water conditions, and decide on type, size, and color of your
fly.
7. Decide if you will finish up- or
downstream.
8. If unsuccessful, don’t linger to
long in any one place.
1. Keep out of sight as much as you
can. A high bank, hedge, wall or trees behind you help to make you less visible
to the fish.
2. Remain as steady and motionless
as you can. Fish soon detect any movements of the body, legs, or arms.
3. Move slowly, tread lightly, be
silent, and keep as low as you can.
4. Avoid casting your shadow or that
of your rod on the water.
5. Try to keep behind your fish.
6. Your first cast over a fish is
your best chance.
7. Note carefully the landmarks of a
rise.
8. Keep your fly on the water and
your hook sharp.
9. When casting over tall sedges or
rushes on the riverbank, it is better to recover the line by pulling it through
the rings than by trying to lift back with the rod, there’s less chance of the
fly catching up.
10. Remember that a road is simply a
highway over the land and the public has no right to fish in private water from
a public highway or from a bridge.
c. Weather conditions
Wind: An upstream
breeze when fishing upstream, and a downstream breeze when fishing down are an
advantage.
A steady breeze to
cause a ripple is always useful.
A changeable squall
wind is bad for any sort of fishing.
Water: When
the temperature of the water is warmer than the air, fishing is better than when
the water is colder than the air.
A rapidly falling or
rapidly rising water is bad for fishing.
Normal height and
color of the water is best.
The second or third
day after a flood, when water is clearing, is usually a favorable time.
The threat of floods,
heavy rain, or storms, always puts fish down.
Water the temperature
of 50° to 60° is about right for trout fishing.
Light: when
there are gleams of sunshine between clouds, or when the light is dull and
diffused, expect good fishing.
When there is a
strong glare on the water, fishing is seldom good. This glare is often caused
during bright sunlight when heavy white clouds are about.
Barometer: A
steady or rising barometer is better for fishing than when it is variable or
falling.
Mist or Fog, Etc.:
Fishing is seldom good during a fog, or when there is a mist like smoke close
over the water, or where the mist hangs level on the hills.
“Close rain “is bad
for fishing. “rain “does not interfere with it.
A “soft” day is
better for fishing than a “hard” day.
General.
There’s often a rise of fish just after a change of wind, light, or weather.
On the approach of
stormy or unsettled weather nearly all animals (including fish) cease feeding
and take shelter.
Just before and
during a thunderstorm trout do not usually take well. After the storm has
passed, you have a good chance of a fish with a wet fly.
Fishing is never good
on a day when the water appears full of light and you can see the stones, etc.
on the bottom very clearly and your line and cast are very visible in the
water.
d. When to Fish Up-
or Downstream
Stream fishing is of
two sorts:
(a)
Upstream, using a short
line, usually one fly (with kick) casting to individual fish
(b)
Downstream, using a long
line, usually three flies (with a good entry).
Usually best to fish
upstream
1.
With an upstream wind
2.
In bright whether
3.
In clear low water
4.
Where the current is not
too swift
E. Usually best to
fish downstream
1.
With a downstream wind
2.
On a dull day with a
breeze
3.
With a swift current
4.
When the water is clearing
after a flood
Always fish upstream
if wind and water conditions permit.
It often pays to
start fishing upstream and then come back again over the same ground fishing
down.
e. Notes on Fishing
Upstream
Some advantages of fishing
upstream are:
1. When casting
you’re behind your fish and unseen.
2. Your fly floats
down naturally, with no drag on it.
3. You can cover
every yard of the water with a short line.
4. When you hook a
fish, you play him downstream and do not disturb the water above you.
The usual method is
1. To cast upstream
with the short line (say about 8 yd. from the rod top to the fly).
2. Raise the rod top
as the fly drifts down towards you, or draw in line through the rings keeping a
fairly tight line between rod top and fly.
3. Allow the fly to
swim down naturally, no drag—give no motion to the fly.
4. In a swift current
you must make frequent casts. Fish the cast well out; fish often take the fly
close to your feet in the shallow water. Strike quickly and gently to the
rise.
5. When wading keep
low, move slowly, slide forward foot by foot, cause no ripple, no splashing, no
rapid movements of the body.
6. With a bright
light in clear water, try the sides of the broken water at the head of the
runs.
7. With a breeze, try
the easy water at the tail of the run. In the gravelly shallows is always were
trying.
Other methods:
1. The wet fly method.
Cast upstream, short line, thin line, one fly.
Oil line and cast (except
last 18 in. of cast), to make it float. Rub soap, glycerine, etc. on the last
18 in. to make it sink about 6 in..
Watch the cast for a rise.
Fish slowly, strike
quickly.
This method is worth trying
(a)
When fish are rising short
(b)
When fish are bulging
(c)
In a strong light, clear,
calm, water.
2. Try fishing the dropper
upstream, short line, two or even three flies.
No oil on flies, cast or
line: the tail fly may be glycerined to make it sink.
Raise the rod top when
drawing the flies towards you, keeping all line off the water and the top
dropper only on the surface.
This is best with a wind or
in broken water.
3. Try two flies, one
floating and one sunk.
It is best to have the tail
fly well oiled and floating, the other fly about a yard up the cast on a 3 in.
dropper glycerined or well wet to make it sink.
The reel line and cast must
be greased to float (except about a foot of the cast each side of the dropper,
which can be the rubbed with glycerine or with soap to make it sink).
Cast upstream into pools
and very easy water.
Watch the floating fly.
Strike at once.
This is a useful method in
a still pool or any lake.
4. A cast made up of a
nymph fished wet on the tail and a dry fly on dropper is sometimes a good
combination. They hatch of nymphs being a gradual affairs, at times the fish
will be taking both duns and nymphs.
By watching the dry fly you
can detect this slightest touch at the nymph and strike quickly.
f. Notes on fishing
downstream
The chief disadvantage of
fishing downstream is, the line pursues an unnatural course across and against
the stream and is rather conspicuous. The fishermen is also easily seen by the
fish. This can be partly avoided by using a long rod, a thin line and casting a
long line.
When fishing down, you miss
many fish that rise to the dropper which you would hook if you fished upstream,
you are also more liable to prick a fish as the tendency is to pull the hook out
of his mouth.
The usual method is
1.
Cast a fairly long line
especially in shallow water.
2. 2.
You can have three flies,
1yd. apart, on a 9ft. cast. The flies, especially the tail fly, should have a
“good entry.”
3.
3. Do not grease your line or
cast. A greased line fished down and across causes “drag.”
4.
4. Cast across and slightly
downstream, allow your flies to swim round with the current unchecked ( when
they represent nymphs or dead flies). But when they represent small fish or
beatles, etc ( such as butcher, Alexandra, or small salmon flies) still allow
time to swim round with the current, but give them a little jerky or trembling
motion with the wrist.
5.
5. When the line has come
around and is straightened out in the stream, hold it still for a few seconds,
then draw it in a few feet and let it fall back again. Try also letting the
stream take out the line foot by foot until you have say 30yd. of line out.
6.
6. Fish usually follow the
fly round, and do not take it until the line has straightened out.
7.
7. Camouflage yourself as
much as possible, keep off the fishes’ skyline, and tread lightly on the bank.
Cast first under your own
bank with a “cross country” cast, then try midstream, then under opposite bank.
A cross country cast is
made by standing well back from the bank and casting a short line to a fish
under your own bank, allowing the gut cast to fall beyond the edge of the bank.
Move on about 3yd. and cast again,
etc.
8.
Cast a straight line, try
to avoid having much belly in it (sometimes this cannot be helped when the
current is strong in midstream).
9.
To fish deep, cast rather
upstream and across; this gives the fly time to sink, but is liable to cause a
belly in the line.
With a strong midstream
current, it pays to cast almost downstream to avoid the belly in the line.
10.
Mind your shadow and that
of your rod, also the glitter of the rod.
Face the sun if possible
when casting.
When the sun is behind you
the water in front of you should be “broken” either by currents were by a good
breeze so as to obscure your shadow.
In any case your shadow
must not fall within 5ft. of the fish.
11.
When wading keep low,
tread lightly, move slowly, and cause no ripples on the surface of the water.
12. Fishing downstream, a
fish generally hooks himself, so strike very gently as you have a tight line
and are striking against the stream.
g. When tied up in a bush
1. Try a gentle pull in the
direction of the wind.
2. Throw a stone attached to a
string over the branch and pull it down to you.
3. When fishing only one fly, try
reeling up until the fly touches the rod top, then twist the rod to right and
left.
4. Lower the rod, point it at the
fly, real in slowly or pull in line through the rings. The fly may drop clear;
it is an even chance.
5. When caught up in the bush on the
far side of a stream try lowering the top of the rod and letting the stream take
the line. This may cause the fly to fall clear.
6. When hopeless and you must break,
reel up all you can and pull on line direct through rings.
h. Where to cast in a stream.
It is very important for a
fisherman to have a knowledge of the haunts and habits of trout.
It is more important to the
wet fly fishermen than to the dry fly man (who casts to a rising fish).
The seasonal movements of
trout in the stream are roughly as follows:
In November and December they
are busy spawning in the higher reaches.
In January and February they
drop downstream exhausted and rest in the pools and sluggish water.
In March they appear in the
gravelly shallows (1 ft. deep), and in the tail of, and at the sides of, easy
currents.
In April (under normal
conditions) they take up their place or “pitch” in the stream, at a spot where
plenty of flies and food are passing. When several trout are in a pool, they
take up their position in order of size, viz the largest in front where the food
enters and the others behind.
In the early autumn they
congregate at the mouth of tributaries, etc. preparatory to moving up to spawn.
The “pitches” or spots chosen
in April for the season, are roughly where the current is easy and passing food
is plentiful, viz:
1.
At the sides of stickles or currents.
2.
In the eddies on the edge of a run, behind
and between weed patches.
3.
In the pools and eddies made by the
stream.
4.
In the irregularities of the riverbed
which offer shelter from the current, behind stones, etc.
5.
In the “hang of the stream,” i.e. the
smooth water above a rapid run.
6.
In the “eye of the stream,” i.e. the first
eddy or pool after it commences to become rapid water.
7.
In the tail of the stream when the current
begins to get easy and normal again.
8.
Where two currents of water meet at the
mouth of a small tributary, below a weed bed or obstacle. Where two currents of
wind meet under the lee of an island or clump of trees.
9.
All fish prefer shade to a strong light.
In strong sunshine they seek the shade of trees, bushes, banks, bridges, etc. It
pays to cast into the shade and draw your fly into the sunshine.
In rising water trout search
for food in the middle of the stream.
In a strong flood they go to
the sides and under the banks for shelter, until the flood subsides.
In falling water they
gradually take up their pitches in the stream.
In low water and bright
weather trout seek the shade of the banks and bushes.
In a normal breeze they move
to the bank on to which the flies are blown.
In a strong wind they seek the
sheltered places where the insects congregate, viz on the lee side of trees,
bushes, banks, walls, etc.
When the temperature of the
upper surface of the water is cold they keep to the bottom in the deep pools.
| 
