32 THE BORDEK ANGLER. 



only advise liim to use the very finest stained gut that 

 he can procure, and to drop his flies as gently upon 

 the water as he may. 



Respecting flies, we must recommend our readers to 

 the Kelso, Sprouston, or Edinburgh tackle-makers. 

 The best authorities on Scotch angling are dead 

 against the English practice of carrying about an ar- 

 tificial entomological museum in a pocket-book, and 

 restrict the flies that may be used with advantage to 

 a very limited number. Red, black, dun, and mottled 

 spiders, made of soft hackles — the hare-lug body with 

 wood-cock or greyish wing — a yellow-bodied fly, with 

 a brown wing and slight hackle — the march-brown 

 (most serviceable in the Tweed) — and a few others, all 

 of sober hue, afford sufficient variety for border- angling. 

 Fly-fishing commences in March — although, no doubt, 

 trouts will sometimes take the fly in February ; — but 

 it is not until about the beginnmg of April that they 

 begin to recover from the effects of spawning and of 

 the spare diet of winter. In few rivers, indeed, are 

 they in good condition until the end of that month. 

 Flies for the early part of the season should be large, 

 dressed upon jSTo. 10 of Bartlett's or No. 3 of Addling- 

 ton's hooks, and if the waters are discoloured they may 

 be even larger. It is of importance to adapt the size 

 of fly to the condition of the water ; but as the season 

 advances, the size may be reduced as far as is consis- 

 tent with safety in retaining hold of the fish. If it is 

 found that a considerable proportion of trouts get off 

 after being hooked, it may be assumed that the hook 

 is too small, and though fewer fish may probably be 

 raised, more will be creeled by using a size larger. 



