52 ANGLING IN GREAT BRITAIN. 



less than two pounds, tind that run even to the maximum 

 size of six and seven pounds. The boat is rowed up 

 ag-ainst the wind, and allowed to drift back broadside on. 

 The angler uplifts his moderately stiff rod, to which is 

 attached the line of floss silk, very flimsy in appearance, 

 but in reality strong enough for all necessary purposes. 

 This the wind takes out, and the art is to allow the flies 

 to dance upon the surface of the water as if a fancy-free 

 insect were sailing along, tacking here and there with out- 

 spread wings, as is its pretty custom. It, however, requires 

 a little experience to get into the way of striking the fish 

 with a line which is naturally considerably bellied out at 

 the time the bait is taken ; but practice here, as in other 

 things, soon makes perfect, and astonishing bags of trout 

 are made. 



This blow line fishing might in the summer be used 

 with advantage to a greater extent than it is at present 

 in English waters. In the Lea I have seen masterful 

 baskets of roach, chub, and dace, acquired by this device ; 

 the hook attached to the blow-line in such cases, however, 

 being very small, and the insect a house fly, or some other 

 creature of no more formidable size and character. Roach 

 will occasionally, I may mention in jDassing, take the artificial 

 fly, especially when to it is appended the luscious gentle ; 

 but this only happens in the very hottest weather, when 

 the fish are lazy on the shallows. But the blow-line 

 invariably agitates, and often catches them. 



On the disappearance of the May fly the trout become 

 demoralized. They have gorged to their heart's content, 

 and probably a little more, for their voracity during the 

 term (it is commemoration term with the angler) in which 

 the fly is up is such that you often take the fish crammed 

 with them, and with a little bunch of flies waiting at the 



