THE DERBYSHIRE WYE. 95 



blooming. And you will taste the cup of barley wine, 

 and afterwards angle on until the day is declining and 

 your last fish is taken near Vernon's embattled towers, now 

 gilded by the beams of the western sun. And as you gaze 

 upon the hills, you will pleasantly remember that they are 

 the barriers that hide the classic Dove, whose stream 

 Cotton, the father of us fly fishers and old Izaak's dearest 

 friend, fished, and you will be thankful for another good 

 day, feeling the truth of our master's saying, that 

 " God never did make a more calm, quiet, and innocent 

 recreation than angling." 



Several peculiarities of this water have arrested my 

 attention. Firstly, with reference to fishing up and down 

 stream. Why it is, I do not know, but fishing down 

 stream, throwing long and fine lines, seems to be the 

 right mode on the Wye, so far as grayling are concerned. 

 My experience is certainly in favour of this mode, and I 

 have conversed with old fishermen whose experience 

 corroborates mine. Is it that the unusual clearness of 

 the water and the keen sight of these fish require that the 

 angler should use a long line.^ Is it not possible also that 

 the grayling at times love to take a fly considerably 

 under the water and floating down the stream ? I have 

 also wondered again and again why fish do not rise well 

 here, save in clear, low water. It is perfectly surprising 

 to an angler to come across a splendidly clear, though full, 

 high water, and have no sport. Again, the condition 

 that ensures good sport on other streams, namely, when 

 the river is clearing after a flood, seems here to have 

 entirely the reverse effect, no rising taking place at all ; 



